Agoracom Blog

North Bud Farms Inc. $NBUD.ca – Canadian cannabis industry execs warn weed shortage could last three years $ACB $WEED.ca $HIP.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:35 AM on Thursday, January 17th, 2019

SPONSOR: North Bud Farms Inc. (NBUD:CSE) Sustainable low cost, high quality cannabinoid production and procurement focusing on both bio-pharmaceutical development and Cannabinoid Infused Products. Click Here For More Information

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  • Canadian cannabis industry executives are warning that product shortages in the country could take as long as three years to alleviate. Some insiders believe that cannabis production estimates are too optimistic, according to a report from Bloomberg.

By A.J. Herrington

Canadian cannabis industry executives are warning that product shortages in the country could take as long as three years to alleviate. Some insiders believe that cannabis production estimates are too optimistic, according to a report from Bloomberg.

Since the sale and use of recreational marijuana were legalized in October, product shortages have led some cannabis retailers to reduce hours or limit purchases. In Alberta, regulators originally estimated that up to 250 cannabis stores could be operating in the province by the end of this year. But product shortages caused the province to place a moratorium on issuing licenses in November. As a result, Alberta has only 65 cannabis retailers, with 20 of those located in the city of Calgary.

Chuck Rifici, chief executive officer of Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. in Toronto, said that the challenges of expanding cannabis production have made it difficult to meet the demands of the newly legal recreational cannabis market.

“There’s a lot of execution risk, people are expanding by 10, 20 times,” Rifici said. “Personally, I think we’re at least three years out from hitting real equilibrium.”

“Ultimately any manufacturing facility growing 20 times is likely to face delays,” he added.

Greg Engel, CEO of Organigram Holdings believes that it will take “a couple years” for supply to catch up with demand. And Everett Knight, the executive vice president for strategy and investments at Valens Groworks, said it could be two to three years. He said that some cultivators do not accurately predict production losses due to issues such as mold.

“It’s harder to grow cannabis than most people think,” Knight said.

However, Raj Grover, the CEO of cannabis retailer High Tide, said that supply problems are improving“on a monthly and weekly basis.”

“Our stores in Alberta are fully stocked. They’re generating great revenue,” Grover said. “I think Ontario’s decision to just open 25 stores is too much of an overstatement, they’re overthinking this a little bit.”

Government predicts ‘sufficient supply’

Tammy Jarbeau, a spokeswoman for Health Canada said in a statement in November that some product shortages could be expected.

“As with any new industry where there is considerable consumer demand, we expect there may be periods where inventories of some products run low or, in some cases, run out,” said Jarbeau. “Health Canada remains confident that there is sufficient supply of cannabis overall to meet market demand now and into the future.”

But she added that shortages were not expected to be prolonged or widespread.

“As the overall supply chain gains experience in the Canadian marketplace, it is expected that such localized and product-specific shortages will become far fewer in number,” Jarbeau said.

Source: https://www.straight.com/cannabis/1188366/canadian-cannabis-industry-execs-warn-weed-shortage-could-last-three-years#

ThreeD Capital Inc. $IDK.ca – #UPS Unveils Equity Investment and Partnership With #Blockchain B2B Firm #Inxeption $HIVE.ca $BLOC.ca $CODE.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:13 AM on Thursday, January 17th, 2019

William Suberg

The investment arm of logistics giant UPS has made an undisclosed equity investment in United States enterprise blockchain company Inxeption, the firm confirmed in a press release Jan 16.

Inxeption, which began operations in 2017, aims to use blockchain technology to improve various processes for businesses, including product design, manufacturing and supply chain management.

Neither party has revealed the scope of the deal, which will reportedly see Inxeption and the UPS Strategic Enterprise Fund work in tandem in future to develop new features for Inxeption’s platform.

“Business customers need secure platforms that protect their customer data and proprietary information, while making it easy for them to interact and even collaborate more effectively with their customers,” Inxeption CEO and co-founder Farzad Dibachi commented in the press release.

Describing its product as an e-commerce platform for the B2B market, Inxeption joins a steadily increasing pool of blockchain initiatives focused on using distributed technology to make complex corporate systems more transparent.

UPS CMO Kevin Warren stated in the press release that “Inxeption’s technology is attractive to UPS because it helps unlock new efficiencies for customers using B2B e-commerce platforms.”

Supply chains have proved a particular area of interest amongst firms developing blockchain solutions in 2019. Several blockchain-based supply chain projects have been announced in the past week alone, as diverse as cobalt supplies and food for the upcoming World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.

The Inxeption partnership reveals UPS’ belief in blockchain’s potential, despite cautionary words from a senior executive last month that forecast little impact from the technology in 2019.

“We have a small team looking at blockchain, but we are still searching for the killer use case,” the company’s executive vice president of technology and chief digital officer Linda Jojo told mainstream media in December.

Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/ups-unveils-equity-investment-and-partnership-with-blockchain-b2b-firm-inxeption

Esports Entertainment Group Signs Affiliate Marketing Agreement with GOLeague, An International Esports League and Community $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $TCEHF

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:18 AM on Thursday, January 17th, 2019
  • Announced the signing of an Affiliate Marketing Agreement with GOLeague Int. Gaming, a multilingual esports league and community for the games Counter-Strike: Go (CSGO), PubG and League of Legends. 
  • As one of the largest CSGO leagues in Germany, this agreement is another milestone for VIE.gg, the world’s first and most transparent esports betting exchange.

BIRKIRKARA, MALTA (January 17, 2019) – Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. (GMBL:OTCQB) (or the “Company”), a licensed online gambling company with a specific focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming, is pleased to announce the signing of an Affiliate Marketing Agreement with GOLeague Int. Gaming, a multilingual esports league and community for the games Counter-Strike: Go (CSGO), PubG and League of Legends.  As one of the largest CSGO leagues in Germany, this agreement is another milestone for VIE.gg, the world’s first and most transparent esports betting exchange.

Founded in 2017, with the specific goal of supporting and developing esports throughout Europe, GOLeague is the first public league for every skill group in CSGO and League of Legends, attracting 11,000 visitors per day.  The total prize money for their upcoming season has been set at €10,000. As a result of this Agreement, the Company expects to add approximately 350 CSGO matches per month to VIE.gg for GOLeague users to wager. 

GOLeague is working with VIE.gg on an exclusive basis for the following reasons:

  1. The VIE.gg P2P model is much more attractive because an esports fan always wins, as opposed to a “house” model where odds are heavily stacked against fans.
  2. VIE.gg is the first and most transparent esports bet exchange as a result of Esports Entertainment Group being a fully reporting SEC issuer in the United States. 
  3. Player safety features built into VIE.gg create a fun but responsible esports betting experience for fans. For example, players must choose their maximum bet amounts when they initially sign up with VIE.gg. Any subsequent increase to those levels requires a 30 day cooling off period to make sure players do not get carried away.
  4. The recent addition of pool betting is a further extension of the P2P model, which allows groups of opposing fans to wager against each other when their teams go head to head.
  5. Given the fact some esports fans bet on esports, GOLeague users will be provided with a safe platform that also supports the organization. 

GOLeague stated “In contrast to other German leagues, we are the only one who uses their own anti-cheat system and uses it successfully. We therefore also want to give our users the opportunity to bet on GOLeague matches, as well as, Major League matches with the upcoming season. This will be realized via the start page, an extra page with a sorted listing and under each single match link. For the implementation, we need a strong partner with the necessary licenses and age controls to successfully integrate this product. We are happy to say we found the right partner in VIE.  It is important for our users to know that affiliate revenue from GOLeague matches will be passed on to the teams. We therefore hope for a good and long-term partnership.”

Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports at Esports Entertainment Group, stated, “This agreement with GOLeague is a big step forward for VIE, as it will add hundreds of additional matches per month to our pools. GOLeague is a true supporter of esports in Europe and we are excited about building a long-term future together.”

ABOUT VIE.GG

VIE.gg offers bet exchange style wagering on esports events in a licensed, regulated and secured platform to the global esports audience, excluding jurisdictions that prohibit online gambling. VIE.gg features wagering on the following esports games:

·         Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO)

·         League of Legends

·         Dota 2

·         Call of Duty

·         Overwatch

·         PUBG

·         Hearthstone

·         StarCraft II 

VIE.gg has announced affiliate marketing partnerships with 190 esports teams and 3 leagues from around the world and expects that number to increase in 2019.

This press release is available on our Online Investor Relations Community for shareholders and potential shareholders to ask questions, receive answers and collaborate with management in a fully moderated forum at https://agoracom.com/ir/EsportsEntertainmentGroup

Redchip investor relations Esports Entertainment Group Investor Page: 
http://www.gmblinfo.com

About Esports Entertainment Group

Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. is a licensed online gambling company with a specific focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming. Esports Entertainment offers bet exchange style wagering on esports events in a licensed, regulated and secure platform to the global esports audience at vie.gg.  In addition, Esports Entertainment intends to offer users from around the world the ability to participate in multi-player mobile and PC video game tournaments for cash prizes. Esports Entertainment is led by a team of industry professionals and technical experts from the online gambling and the video game industries, and esports. The Company holds licenses to conduct online gambling and 18+ gaming on a global basis in Curacao, Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Company maintains offices in Malta, Curacao and Warsaw, Poland. Esports Entertainment common stock is listed on the OTCQB under the symbol GMBL.  For more information visit www.esportsentertainmentgroup.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act.

Contact:

Corporate Finance

1-268-562-9111

[email protected]

Media & Investor Relations Inquiries
AGORACOM 
[email protected]
http://agoracom.com/ir/eSportsEntertainmentGroup

U.S. Investor Relations 

RedChip 

Dave Gentry

407-491-4498

[email protected] 

New Age Metals Inc. $NAM.ca – #Palladium surges to new record on tight fundamentals $WG.ca $XTM.ca $WM.ca $PDL.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:03 AM on Thursday, January 17th, 2019

SPONSOR: New Age Metals Inc. (TSX-V: NAM) The company’s new Lithium Division has already made significant acquisitions in Canada and the USA. The company also owns one of North America’s largest primary platinum group metals deposit in Sudbury, Canada. Learn More.

NAM: TSX-V
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  • Palladium scaled a new peak on Thursday, driven by a deficit in the auto-catalyst metal and robust demand, while gold held firm on concerns surrounding a U.S. government logjam and Brexit.
  • Spot palladium had jumped 3.53 percent to $1,407 per ounce as of 8:08 a.m. ET, hitting an all-time high, and rising more than 10 percent so far this month.

“Any new high in the market is triggering additional buying … It is a good old-fashioned squeeze driven by tight fundamentals, strong momentum and low liquidity,” Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen said.

The price of palladium, used mainly in emissions-reducing catalysts for vehicles, has leapt more than 60 percent since hitting a trough in mid-August. The metal overtook gold in price terms for the first time in 16 years late last year.

Meanwhile, holdings in palladium exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracked by Reuters have nearly halved from January last year as prices rose.

“There is not sufficient supply in the market, so people are purchasing metals from the ETFs,” said Samson Li, a Hong Kong-based precious metals analyst at Refinitiv GFMS.

Spot gold fell 0.04 percent at $1,292.92 per ounce and U.S. gold futures were down 0.1 percent at $1,292.50.

“Gold is looking for the next short-term stimulus … On the next occasion we see a sustained equity market pull-back, you’re likely to see a movement above $1,300,” Capital Economics analyst Ross Strachan said.

Spot gold is about to exit a neutral range of $1,285-$1,299, and either rise to $1,311 or drop towards $1,268, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.

Gold remains supported by a variety of factors, including a prolonged partial U.S. government shutdown, a possible pause in the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate hike cycle, and concerns surrounding Brexit, analysts said.

In other metals, platinum fell 0.06 percent to $804 an ounce, while silver dropped 0.4 percent to $15.53.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/17/gold-markets-fed-rate-hike-brexit-in-focus.html

PyroGenesis $PYR.ca Signs Previously Announced >$1M Contract for 900 kW Plasma Torch System Sale

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:44 AM on Thursday, January 17th, 2019
  • Announced today that, further to its Press Release dated January 7th, the Company has signed the >$1M contract for a 900 kW plasma torch system sale. 
  • This contract was won in a competitive bid announced by RISE Energy Technology Center AB of Sweden. The torch is scheduled to be delivered by Q3 2019.

MONTREAL, Jan. 17, 2019 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF) (FRA: 8PY), a TSX Venture 50® high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation” or “PyroGenesis”) a Company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, is pleased to announce today that, further to its Press Release dated January 7th, the Company has signed the >$1M contract for a 900 kW plasma torch system sale. 

This contract was won in a competitive bid announced by RISE Energy Technology Center AB of Sweden. The torch is scheduled to be delivered by Q3 2019.

PyroGenesis’ 900 kW plasma torch will be used to replace fossil fuel burners in the iron ore induration (pelletization) process. Pelletization is the process in which iron ore is concentrated before shipment, thus significantly reducing the cost of transportation. In conventional technology, the process heat is provided by diesel/fuel burners. The combustion, in the burners, of natural gas, heavy oil and/or pulverized coal results in the production of greenhouse gases such as CO2. Plasma torches are therefore an environmentally friendly alternative.

“This Contract not only underscores our expertise with plasma torches, but it also expands our offerings into a very unique and significant opportunity for the Company,” said Mr. Alex Pascali, Business Development Manager of PyroGenesis. “You can imagine, as the world gears up towards a carbon free economy, and Sweden is only the first of many countries to do so, the use of high-powered plasma torches with zero CO2 emissions will become a logical choice when it comes to replacing fossil fuel burners. We already are speaking to other interested parties as a result.” 

“A typical pellet plant producing 10 million metric tonnes of pellets annually, emits about one million metric tonnes of CO2,” said Mr. Pierre Carabin, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Strategist of PyroGenesis. “Therefore, the total world pellet production of 400 million metric tonnes of pellets corresponds to the production of about 40 million metric tonnes of CO2. This represents a potential market in torch sales of more than $10B worldwide.”

“This is a very exciting time at the Company,” said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis. “Everything we announced is moving along smoothly. Our previously announced partnership with the Japanese trading house is beginning to bear fruit. Our other billion-dollar partner, Aubert & Duval, announced that they are targeting capturing 15% of the titanium powders market in Europe by 2022, and we are starting to take steps together in that direction. In short, 2019 is shaping up to be a very interesting year in all our business segments.”

About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a TSX Venture 50® high-tech company, is the world leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes and products. We provide engineering and manufacturing expertise, cutting-edge contract research, as well as turnkey process equipment packages to the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced materials (including 3D printing), oil & gas, and environmental industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of our Montreal office and our 3,800 m2 manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization. Our core competencies allow PyroGenesis to lead the way in providing innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes, high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to the global marketplace. Our operations are ISO 9001:2015 certified, and have been since 1997. PyroGenesis is a publicly-traded Canadian Corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker Symbol: PYR) and on the OTCQB Marketplace. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which constitute “forward- looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Corporation’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com, or at www.otcmarkets.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SOURCE PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

For further information please contact: Clémence Bertrand-Bourlaud, Marketing Manager/Investor Relations, Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: [email protected]  

RELATED LINKS: http://www.pyrogenesis.com/

Star Navigation $SNA.ca Announces Acquisition

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:34 AM on Thursday, January 17th, 2019
  • Signed an arm’s length agreement which provides for the acquisition by Star of a majority position in SOLUTIONS ISONEO INC. (“ISONEO”), currently a wholly-owned FGD subsidiary located in Montreal.
  • No finder’s fees were paid. STAR will undertake full operational management of the company, to be renamed STAR-ISONEO Inc.

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2019 — Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. (CSE: SNA) (OTCQB: SNAVF)  (“Star” or the “Company”) announces that Star and Finances Gestion & Développement SAS (“FGD”), the French Holding company managing Artal Technologies (http://www.artal.fr) and Magellium (http://www.magellium.com/), today signed an arm’s length agreement which provides for the acquisition by Star of a majority position in SOLUTIONS ISONEO INC. (“ISONEO”), currently a wholly-owned FGD subsidiary located in Montreal. No finder’s fees were paid. STAR will undertake full operational management of the company, to be renamed STAR-ISONEO Inc.

ISONEO is a specialised software subsidiary of FGD, developing complex solutions in engineering, simulation and development for Canadian customers. ISONEO was already working closely with Star in the development of Stars’ MEDEVAC (STAR-ISAMM™ and STAR- LSAMM™) applications of the patented STAR-A.D.S. ® technology, and on Star’s current R&D program with Bombardier.

Artal Technologies specializes in onboard real-time systems, data simulation and processing and model-based engineering.  Magellium specializes in earth observation, GIS and geo intelligence and has expert knowledge of image processing and related services.

Going forward, STAR-ISONEO Inc. will benefit from the combined strengths of both Artal, Magellium and Star, exploring and undertaking new R&D projects related to the business of the two groups. It will develop new applications directed towards both Canadian and North American OEMs. In addition, STAR-ISONEO will market the Artal-Magellium capabilities, in engineering and in sensors and image processing, towards the Canadian market.

Mr. Jean-Louis Larmor, VP-Corporate Development and proposed President of STAR-ISONEO said:

‘The possibilities offered by this operation strengthen the capabilities of both companies and widen our audience, starting with Quebec and Canada but also with France, where Artal will allow us to have a ‘footprint’ for promoting our solutions’

The financial terms of the acquisition are not considered material by the Company.

About Star Navigation: 
Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. owns the exclusive worldwide license to its proprietary, patented In-flight Safety Monitoring System, STAR-ISMS®, the heart of the STAR-A.D.S. ® System. Its real-time capability of tracking performance trends and predicting incident-occurrence enhances aviation safety and improves fleet management while reducing costs for the operator.

Star’s MMI Division designs and manufactures high performance, mission critical, flight deck flat panel displays for defence and commercial aviation industries worldwide.

Certain statements contained in this News Release constitute forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “will” and similar expressions, as they relate to Star or its management are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect Star’s current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Star’s actual performance or achievements to vary from those described herein. Should one or more of these factors or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Star does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release.

This Press Release is available On the Company’s CEO Verified Discussion Forum, A Moderated Social Media Platform That Enables Civilized Discussion and Q&A between Management and Shareholders. https://agoracom.com/ir/StarNavigationSystems/forums/discussion

Please visit www.star-navigation.com or

Viraf Kapadia, CEO, (416) 252-2889 Ext. 230
[email protected]

betterU Education Corporation $BTRU.ca provides update on funding $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:11 AM on Thursday, January 17th, 2019
  • Completed a $1,250,000 equity investment by HT Overseas Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of HT Media Limited, for the purchase of 2,976,190 common shares of the Corporation at $0.42 per share

OTTAWA, Jan. 17, 2019 — betterU Education Corp. (TSX VENTURE: BTRU, Frankfurt: 5OGA) (the “Company”) would like to provide an update on its funding activities.

betterU is pleased to announce it has completed a $1,250,000 equity investment by HT Overseas Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of HT Media Limited, (“HT”) for the purchase of 2,976,190 common shares of the Corporation at $0.42 per share (the “Private Placement”) with a hold period expiring on May 17, 2019. As previously announced on December 21, 2017, HT’s $10 million investment is provided to betterU in eight (8) tranches over two years, this being the 3rd tranche with the full investment immediately being paid to HT’s Media Groups by betterU to support betterU’s mass marketing efforts across India. Over the last year, HT’s marketing investment in betterU has resulted in an increase of partnerships and the content required to support our efforts in building betterU’s platform: Education for All. In 2016, betterU had only 235 courses available on its platform, by 2017 betterU reached close to 12,000 and by the end of 2018, betterU surpassed over 52,000 programs. The efforts of our team, along with the media investment from HT, has helped betterU create a larger platform of global educators, tutors, and service providers who all focused on supporting India’s education needs across many subjects and industries. Content acquisition has been part of the betterU’s core focus as it also supports technology being developed by betterU to help solve India’s mass skilling challenges across industries.

betterU, over the last few months, has been working on multiple funding opportunities motivated by the ongoing delays from the $100M investment from TUC Co, Ltd. (“TUC”). These delays have not been explained in detail to betterU because according to GDS Holdings Ltd. (“GDS”), they are under confidentiality agreements with their investment partners. betterU has received over 400 emails over the last year with discussions not only with TUC and GDS, but also with other organizations that are also part of TUC’s investment portfolio. betterU has been in active discussions with the CEOs for multiple groups in Canada and the USA with whom TUC and GDS have also promised funding. Despite the ongoing support and assurances made by TUC and GDS however, with these ongoing delays, it is not sustainable for betterU to rely solely on TUC or GDS, so betterU has had no choice but to seek other investment opportunities as outlined further below. betterU’s agreement with TUC and GDS will remain active and when and if GDS funds are released they will be in accordance with the terms of the agreement executed by TUC and betterU on February 1, 2018.

The Term Sheet with AIP Asset Management Inc., AIP Inc. (“AIP”) for financing of $2.5 Million previously announced October 15, 2018, is currently under review by betterU. AIP requires as a condition to closing the financing that a subordination agreement (“SA”) be executed by the creditors of betterU. After betterU’s creditors reviewed the SA provided by AIP, they felt it was punitive to their rights as creditors and decided not to sign it. betterU has been in discussions with AIP to determine alternative solutions and while AIP is willing to provide betterU with more time, at a cost, they still require that betterU’s creditors execute on the SA. A further update to the market will be forthcoming as this materializes further.

Additionally, in early October 2018, betterU was invited to present to dozens of investors organized by a Montreal investor relations firm known to betterU, Mi3. During these events, betterU was introduced to the CEO of Quantiium Capital Management Corporation (“QCMC”) an alternative funding group located in Montreal QC who expressed interest in betterU. Over subsequent months, betterU met with their leadership teams in Montreal, Toronto and at betterU’s office in Ottawa. Following QCMC’s due diligence process, a Letter of Intent was offered and executed by both parties on December 5, 2018 which supports an investment of 5 Million Euro (approximately CND$7.5M) through a credit facility backed by QCMC. The agreements are currently under development with QCMC and the credit facility is expected to be issued in favour of betterU this month. Further details will be provided to the market as the agreements and timelines materialize. All investments are subject to board of director and TSXV approvals.

betterU wants to emphasise that they have no control over the timelines of these investments and are providing an update to the market with the information they are provided with. An update on the betterU’s advancements in revenue, technology and growth objectives will be made available by next week.

About betterU

betterU, a global education to employment platform, aims to provide access to quality education from around the world to foster growth and opportunity to those who want to better their lives. The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job industry and enhance the lives of its perspective learners by developing an integrated education-to-employment ecosystem. betterU’s offerings can be categorized into several broad functions: to compliment school programs with flexible KG-12 programs preparing children for next stage of education, to provide access to global educational opportunities from leading educators, to foster an exceptional educational environment by providing befitting skills that lead to a better career, to bridge the gap between one’s existing education and perspective job requirement by training them and lastly, to connect the end user to various job opportunities.

www.betterU.in

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements and information, which may involve risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors that might cause a difference include, but are not limited to, competitive developments, risks associated with betterU’s growth, the state of the financial markets, regulatory risks and other factors. There can be no assurance or guarantees that any statements of forward-looking information contained in this release will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral statements containing forward-looking information are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, betterU disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers should not place undue reliance on any statements of forward-looking information that speak only as of the date of this release. Further information on betterU’s public filings, including their most recent audited consolidated financial statements, are available at www.sedar.com.

For further information, please visit: https://ir.betteru.ca/investor-overview/press-releases/

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

better Education Corp.
Brad Loiselle, CEO
For further information:
Investor Relations
1-613-695-4100 Ext. 233
Email: [email protected]

St-Georges $SX.ca Lithium Extraction Technology Update

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 6:02 PM on Wednesday, January 16th, 2019
  • successfully improved its lithium-in-clay extraction technology, as well as an important breakthrough regarding the processing of hard rock material

Montreal / January 16, 2019 St-Georges Eco-Mining Corp. (CSE: SX) (OTC: SXOOF) (FSE: 85G1) is pleased to report that it successfully improved its lithium-in-clay extraction technology, as well as an important breakthrough regarding the processing of hard rock material.

The Company previously reported back in December (See Press Release Dated December 20, 2018) that it had achieved the removal, by mechanical means, of 55% of the material processed from the Bonnie Claire lithium deposit fully owned by its partner Iconic Minerals ltd (TSX-V: ICM). At that point, 90% of the lithium contained in the initial material was later found in solution to be processed for recovery.

Additional tests have now improved the outlook on the recovery grade. Stage 2 selective leach processing has eliminated 70% of the material contained in the pregnant portion of the initial material. The company is now pleased to report that it found 100% of the initial lithium in solution post-leaching. The subsequent solution now represent between 12 to 15% of the initial material.

These simple steps eliminate the need for expensive processing of 85 to 87% of the initial material while retaining 100% of the lithium contained in the material from the deposit. This increase the lithium grade of the material to be further processed by 6 to 8 times.

From the 100% initial material, 55% is discarded mechanically, low cost lixiviation sets aside between 68 to 73% of the remaining material leaving approximately only 12 to 15% to be processed further.

The company is currently working on improving the leaching selectivity within its phase 2 development efforts. Phase 3 testing will focus on purifying the lithium to reach lithium hydroxide commercial quality.

Extraction of lithium from hard rocks.

The company has successfully tested its leaching approach with spodumene and other clay formations of lithium without pressure, calcining and high temperatures. This development can be applied to any hard feed which includes tailings, clay and hard rocks. St-Georges metallurgists are planning to initiate tests in the coming days with lepidolite lithium material available from St-Georges’ LeRoyal Project.

Joel Scodnick, P.Geo, a qualified person under NI 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

“Frank Dumas”

FRANCOIS (FRANK) DUMAS, DIRECTOR & COO

About St-Georges

St-Georges is developing new technologies to solve the some of the most common environmental problems in the mining industry.

The Company controls directly or indirectly, through rights of first refusal, all of the active mineral tenures in Iceland. It also explores for nickel on the Julie Nickel Project & for industrial minerals on Quebec’s North Shore and for lithium and rare metals in Northern Quebec and in the Abitibi region. Headquartered in Montreal, St-Georges’ stock is listed on the CSE under the symbol SX, on the US OTC under the Symbol SXOOF and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 85G1.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release.

$GRAT Gratomic to Launch New Graphene Ultra Efficient Tires $DNI.ca $LLG.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 10:34 AM on Wednesday, January 16th, 2019
https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.agoracom.com/public/companies/logos/564608/hub/Gratomic_large_new.jpg
  • Developed new Graphene Ultra Fuel Efficient Tires (GUET)
  • Certification and terrain testing targeted for completion in Q3, 2019
  • The automotive tire market is large and is expected to grow to 2.5 billion tires by 2022
  • The GUET tire market represents a very large vertical for Gratomic which the Company will be vigorously pursuing in 2019, and beyond

Gratomic Inc. (“Gratomic” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: GRAT) (CB81-FRANKFURT) a vertically integrated graphite to graphenes, advanced materials company is pleased to announce the development of Gratomic’s new Graphene Ultra Fuel Efficient Tires (GUET) with certification and terrain testing targeted for completion in Q3, 2019.
 

“Purely from a demand perspective, we have been pulled into a market which represents a very large opportunity for Gratomic. Simply put, our customers want what we have; high quality graphene. Not only are Hybrid Graphene enhanced tires fuel efficient, but they can also demonstrate better handling and longer life” commented Gratomic’s Chairman and Co-CEO Sheldon Inwentash. “The GUET tire market represents a very large vertical for Gratomic which the Company will be vigorously pursuing in 2019, and beyond.”
 

Gratomic recognizes the automotive tire market is large and is expected to grow to 2.5 billion tires by 2022. Gratomic looks to penetrate and disrupt the traditional means of tire production by providing graphene enabled GUET tires. To date, the global tire market has recognized that employing graphenes within tire treads, walls and the inner linings can make tires lighter, provide better grip and reduce rolling resistance to an extent that is not possible with existing tire compounds. On average, this would require 20 to 25 grams of graphene per tire. However, for the Industry, specification consistency and scaleability of supply have been limiting factors and to date have been the biggest constraints in commercializing Graphene.
 

Attributed to the right combination of geology at the mine and our processing partner, Gratomic strongly believes it can satisfy the supply demand of quality graphenes required for what the Company believes is the growing market demand for a new age economy tire. Gratomic is confident in its ability to deliver consistent quality and quantities of Graphenes to end users.
 

Gratomic has been able to achieve this through a unique collaboration agreement with its development partner Perpetuus Carbon Technologies who currently supplies substantial quantities of surface modified graphenes on a monthly basis to the tire industry through its Patented Plasma Process.
 

Ian Walters Director – Perpetuus Carbon Technologies Limited stated:

“Perpetuus’ investigative analysis and characterization has concluded that the Graphenes derived from the Gratomic mine are highly friable, more so than any other graphite tested for purpose by the Perpetuus Labs. The liberated graphenes when functionalized have demonstrated excellent processability. Initial application in a host of end uses has demonstrated excellent suitability for a range of products. Most noteworthy are the excellent results generated when the Hybrid Graphenes are included in elastomers for tire construction. Perpetuus looks forward to working with Gratomic to launch probably the first range of Graphene enabled ultra fuel efficient tires.”

 

Employing its dedicated facility for the patented Perpetuus plasma method Gratomic post plasma processing produces graphenes (less than 10 layers) of a high purity (CK 99.10%) derived from its Graphite Mine in Namibia.


Website:

Gratomic is pleased to advise shareholders that the Company’s website has been updated. Please visit www.gratomic.ca.


About Perpetuus Carbon Technologies.

Perpetuus is the world’s largest producer of plasma surface engineered graphenes formulated for specific end uses with a capacity in excess of 100’s of tonnes per annum. The company has a lab to commercialization facility based at its two premises in South Wales UK. Cycle and car tires enhanced with Perpetuus graphenes are currently and simultaneously being road tested on bikes, light commercial vehicles and taxis in Asia and Europe and are used on a daily basis. Perpetuus surfaced engineered graphenes are currently being introduced into development programmes for aircraft and industrial tires.


About Gratomic Inc.

Gratomic is an advanced materials company focused on mine to market commercialization of graphite products most notably high value graphene-based components for a range of mass market products. We are collaborating with a leading European manufacturer of graphenes to use Aukam graphite to manufacture graphene products for commercialization on an industrial scale. The company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GRAT.


For more information: visit the website at www.gratomic.ca or contact:

Arno Brand, Co-CEO, +1 416-561-4095 E-mail inquiries: [email protected]

Marketing agency specialized in capital raising joins #KorePartners Ecosystem

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:30 AM on Wednesday, January 16th, 2019

E5A Integrated Marketing is partnering with KoreConX to offer a complete solution to companies

[New York, NY – January 16, 2019] –  KoreConX is proud to announce its most recent KorePartner, E5A Integrated Marketing. The New-York-based company specializes in marketing for capital raising, among other things.

E5A helps companies raising capital to target with precision all of the appropriate audiences, including qualified and accredited investors. Their experienced team uses logic and math-based planning combined with positioning and messaging to provide well-informed, interested prospects.

“When we think about the capital raising process, we don’t see it just from the legal or financial point of view. We view the entire capital raising process as a whole and realize that the marketing element is a crucial part,” said Oscar Jofre, Co-Founder & CEO at KoreConX. “We were looking for companies specialized in marketing for capital raises, but also ones that are in tune with all the transformations brought by the digital age. And we believe E5A is a perfect choice here.”

“At E5A, we have years of experience in investor marketing and the fintech industry, enough to know that we need to move at a fast pace and evolve to remain leaders,” said Andrew Corn, CEO at E5A. “And to be able to partner with KoreConX, a company that works with the latest blockchain technology, it is a great opportunity for us.”

E5A Integrated Marketing has become part of the KorePartner ecosystem, a group of selected broker-dealers, secondary market platforms, capital markets platforms, lawyers, compliance, investor relations, accounting and marketing firms that support the KoreConX security token protocol and adhere to KoreConX governance standards. KoreConX’s KorePartners are from around the globe and bring the necessary expertise that a company will need to launch a fully compliant security token in multiple jurisdictions.

About KoreConX

KoreConX is the world’s first highly-secure permissioned blockchain ecosystem for fully-compliant tokenized securities worldwide.

To ensure compliance with securities regulation and corporate law, the KoreConX all-in-one, AI-based blockchain platform manages the full lifecycle of tokenized securities including the issuance, trading, clearing, settlement, management, reporting, corporate actions, and custodianship. KoreConX connects companies to the capital markets and secondary markets facilitating access to capital and liquidity for private investors.

KoreConX is the first secure, all-in-one platform for private companies to manage their capital market activity and stakeholder communications. Removing the burden of fragmented systems and inefficient tools across multiple vendors, KoreConX offers a single environment to connect companies, investors and broker/dealers. Leveraged for investor relations and fundraising, private companies can share and manage corporate records and investments including portfolio management, capitalization table management, virtual minute book, security registers, transfer agent services and virtual deal rooms for raising capital.

www.KoreConX.io

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Media Contacts:

KoreConX

Oscar A Jofre

[email protected]