Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 6:11 PM on Monday, January 27th, 2020
First tranche of the Offering closed on November 6, 2019, at which time the Company issued an aggregate of 1,264 Units for gross proceeds of $1,264,000
Accordingly, the Company can issue up to an additional $2,736,000 of Units under the Second Tranche
In the context of a regular follow-up communication with Health Canada, representatives of the Company received verbal feedback that the application review is complete and the reviewers do not have any more questions.
TORONTO, Jan. 27, 2020 – North Bud Farms Inc. (CSE: NBUD) (OTCQB: NOBDF) (“NORTHBUD” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce that it is arranging a closing for the second tranche (the “Second Tranche“) of its non-brokered private placement of 10% secured convertible debenture units (the “Units“) of the Company at a price of C$1,000 for gross proceeds of up to C$4,000,000, originally announced on November 6, 2019 (the “Offering“). The first tranche of the Offering closed on November 6, 2019, at which time the Company issued an aggregate of 1,264 Units for gross proceeds of $1,264,000. Accordingly, the Company can issue up to an additional $2,736,000 of Units under the Second Tranche.
Each Unit issued in connection with the Second Tranche of the
Offering is comprised of one C$1,000 principal amount of secured
convertible debenture (a “Convertible Debenture“)
accruing interest at 10.0% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears
until maturity, and 5,556 common share purchase warrants of the Company
(each, a “Warrant“). The Convertible Debentures will
have a maturity date of 36 months from the date of issuance. In
addition, under the Second Tranche, the Company has the right to prepay
an amount equal to the 1st year of interest to be earned by issuing
common shares at a deemed price of $0.25 per common share (the “Prepaid Interest Sharesâ€)
on the 15th day following the Closing Date should the holders of the
Convertible Debentures not elect to receive their 1st year interest paid
in cash.
Each Convertible Debenture shall be convertible into common shares in the capital of the Company (each, a “Conversion Share“) at a price of $0.18 (the “Conversion Price“) per Conversion Share.
Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a “Warrant Share“) for an exercise price of $0.30 per Warrant Share for a period of 36 months following the closing date.
The Convertible Debentures are direct secured obligations of the Company and rank pari passu in right of payment of principal and interest with all other Convertible Debentures issued under the Offering.
Certain directors of the Company have indicated that they may
participate in the private placement. Any such purchase would constitute
a “related party transaction†within the meaning of Multilateral
Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
(“MI 61-101â€). The proposed issuance to directors of the Company would
be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval
requirements of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of any Units issued
to or the consideration paid by such insiders would not exceed 25% of
the Company’s market capitalization.
The Company may pay registered dealers (the “Finders“)
a cash commission equal to up to 8% of the aggregate gross proceeds
from the sale of the Units sold pursuant to the Offering to eligible
investors introduced to the Company by such Finders. In addition, the
Company will grant warrants (the “Compensation Warrantsâ€)
exercisable at the Conversion Price for a period of 24 months from the
Closing Date to acquire in aggregate the number of Common Shares equal
to 8% of the gross proceeds under the Offering divided by the Conversion
Price.
The proceeds of the Second Tranche will be used by the Company for
expansion of the Company’s facilities and for general corporate and
working capital purposes.
The Convertible Debentures, Warrants, Prepaid Interest Shares (if
any), and any Compensation Warrants issued pursuant to the Second
Tranche of the Offering and any common shares in the capital of the
Company issued on conversion of the Convertible Debentures or exercise
of the Warrants or Compensation Warrants will be subject to a statutory
hold period in Canada of four months and one day following the closing
date in accordance with applicable securities laws. Additional resale
restrictions may be applicable under the laws of other jurisdictions, if
any.
The securities of the Company have not been and will not be
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “U.S. Securities Act“) or any state securities
laws. Accordingly, the securities of the Company may not be offered or
sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S.
Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an
exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act
and applicable state securities laws. This news release does not
constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of
the securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer,
solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
Amendment to Securities Issued in First Tranche of the Offering
The Company further announces that, in order to ensure equitable
treatment of holders, it has decided to amend the terms of the
debentures (the “First Tranche Debentures“) and warrants (the “First Tranche Warrants“)
issued under the first tranche of the Offering, which closed on
November 6, 2019. The Company has amended the First Tranche Debentures
to reduce the conversion price to $0.18 per common share and has amended
the terms of the First Tranche Warrants to: (a) increase the number of
warrants issued per $1000 of principal amount of debenture from 2,000 to
5,556; (b) increase the exercise price from $0.25 to $0.30 per warrant;
and (c) extend the expiry date of the warrants from 18 months following
the closing date to 36 months following the closing date. The
amendments are subject to the final approval of the Canadian Securities
Exchange (CSE).
Corporate Update
The Company would also like to provide an update regarding the status
of its standard cultivation licence application with Health Canada
under the Cannabis Act. In the context of a regular follow-up
communication with Health Canada, representatives of the Company
received verbal feedback that the application review is complete and the
reviewers do not have any more questions. Subject to the re-submission
of a required foreign police certificate related to one of the foreign
directors of the Company, the Company will be in the final queue for
receiving its licence. The Company is confident that it will be able to
file the certificate promptly; however, there can be no assurance as to
the exact timing of the issuance of the licence by Health Canada or
whether the Company will receive any final request from Health Canada.
Further to the Company’s announcement regarding its acquisition of
certain California-based businesses on November 22, 2019, the Company
has proceeded with the issuance of 1,716,000 common shares, at an issue
price of $0.25 per share, to an arm’s length advisor to the Company. The
shares, which are subject to a statutory hold period as required by
applicable securities laws, are based upon the $429,000 cash value of
the 3% M&A fee payable to such advisor in respect of the foregoing
California acquisitions.
About North Bud Farms Inc. North Bud Farms Inc.,
through its U.S. subsidiary Bonfire Brands USA, has acquired cannabis
production facilities in California and in Nevada. The Salinas,
California 11-acre farm is actively cultivating cannabis in its 60,000
sq. ft. of licensed greenhouse production space. The Reno, Nevada
property is located on 3.2-acres of land which was acquired through the
acquisition of Nevada Botanical Science, Inc. a world class cannabis
production, research and development facility with 5,000 sq. ft. of
indoor cultivation which holds medical and adult use licenses for
cultivation, extraction and distribution. Through its wholly owned
Canadian subsidiary, GrowPros MMP Inc., the company is pursuing a
licence under The Cannabis Act, to cultivate in its state-of-the-art
purpose-built cannabis production facility located on 135-acres of
Agricultural Land in Low, Quebec, Canada.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE“)
nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy
of this release.
Forward-looking statements Certain statements
included in this press release constitute forward-looking information or
statements (collectively, “forward-looking statements”), including
those identified by the expressions “anticipate”, “believe”, “plan”,
“estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “should” and similar expressions
to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The
forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect current
expectations regarding future results or events. This press release
contains forward- looking statements that include, but are not limited
to, statements related to the intended use of proceeds from the
Offering, and the status of the Company’s licence application with
Health Canada under the Cannabis Act. These forward-looking statements
are based on current expectations and various estimates, factors and
assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk
factors included in North Bud Farms Inc.’s final long form prospectus
dated August 21, 2018, which is available under the issuer’s SEDAR
profile at www.sedar.com.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: North Bud Farms Inc. Edward Miller VP, IR & Communications Office: (855) 628-3420 ext. 3 [email protected]
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 5:24 PM on Monday, January 27th, 2020
SPONSOR: NORTHBUD (NBUD:CSE)
Sustainable low cost, high quality cannabinoid production and
procurement focusing on both bio-pharmaceutical development and
Cannabinoid Infused Products. Learn More.
Cannabis Industry: 2020 Predictions
Cannabis Legalization Is Going Global
Real Medical Testing Will Increase
Older Customers Will Expand Their Cannabis Purchases Beyond Medical Use
Here, industry executives predict top trends for 2020.
Cannabis Legalization Is Going Global
Legalization is growing outside of the United States, and countries
that are first to the global marketplace can create sustainable
advantages for themselves in their customer base and their funding. Kyle
Detwiler, chief executive of Clever Leaves, an
international operator with brands, extraction facilities, cultivation
operations, and other investments in six countries, says that countries
like Colombia and Portugal that have been among the first to legalize
cannabis “are poised to continue establishing their global dominance in
short order.â€
The countries’ first-mover status will also be a magnet for financial
interest he said. “There is little doubt that the expanding European
cannabis market will make it an attractive investment opportunity,â€
Detwiler said.
Hemp, the source for CBD in many non-psychoactive products, will
expand internationally as well, driven by the CBD’s demand. The CBD
market will grow to $2.1 billion
in consumer sales by 2020 according to the Hemp Business Journal, with
$450 million of those sales coming from hemp-based sources. Puerto
Rico’s Department of Agriculture has already reported there will be at
least 10,000 acres of hemp cultivated for commercial purposes in 2020
The CBD Product Market Will Mature
CBD is being added to products across the retail spectrum from food
to make-up, but with little legal oversight or requirements, the
products can easily be mislabeled or ineffective. Clever Leaves chief
executive Detwiler says in 2020 CBD standards will begin to emerge based
on customer demand. “Consumers are getting more savvy on the benefits
of CBD and they will begin to insist on knowing exactly what they are
paying for and what they are getting when they purchase ‘CBD’,â€
Detwiller said.
Consumers will “begin to insist†on CBD standards agrees Bill Thurman, chief executive of Redbird Bioscience a medical cannabis operator and producer of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis for patients in Oklahoma.
Thurman said companies will help the market succeed as a whole if
they adhere to high quality standards and agreed-upon guidelines in
testing and manufacturing. That kind of rigor is needed to significantly
increase the size of the market and only by conducting “science-driven
randomized clinical studies, can we shed reliance on anecdotal data to
support medical claims,†he said.
Barbara Goodstein of B GREAT
which produces full-spectrum upscale CBD items expects CBD to be added
to even more products like deodorant, hand soaps, throat sprays and
nasal sprays. The popularity of the category also creates additional
business risks according to Goodstein. “The hype around this space will
end up creating applications and uses that make no sense, which will
unfortunately diminish the real value of the product,†she said.
Real Medical Testing Will Increase
Until cannabis is taken of the Schedule One substance list, medical
research will be challenging to undertake. Still, executives in the
industry are seeing some movement in the area. Israel still leads the
world in global cannabis research, and Israeli scientists like chemist
Raphael Mechoulam, a researcher at Hebrew University and pioneer in
cannabis research, are being hired or given research grants by American
organizations.
Dr. William Levine, founder and chief scientific officer of CannRx
a subsidiary of Izun Pharmaceuticals that develops proprietary medical
and recreational products expects companies to use better data, and
well-designed clinical trials. His own company is focused on better
“bio-availability†which focuses on lower dose products that can offer
similar benefits to higher dose products, but with fewer side effects.
Older Customers Will Expand Their Cannabis Purchases Beyond Medical Use
CannRx’s Levine predicts there will be “increased recreational
expansion into older populations,†as product quality and more
controlled dosing options come to market.
Legislative Action Will Remain Robust
According to Marijuana Moment, as of January 16, there were 975 cannabis-related bills moving through state legislatures and Congress for 2020 sessions.
“We expect to see a lot more regulatory activity in 2020 on both the
state and federal levels,†said Redbird Bioscience’s Thurman.
Each state makes its own rules. For example, regarding medical
marijuana use, some states have a list of specific ailments that can
warrant a recommendation of the substance (states include Florida and
New Jersey). In other states the decision to use medical marijuana is
entirely between patient and doctor (states include Oklahoma and
California.)
States will have more models to look to as they develop their laws
and will likely start adopting each others’ best practices. Law makers
will start learning more from each other’s experiences and “harmonizeâ€
their regulations with each other said Levine. He also believes the
federal government could take the first step to legalize medical
marijuana.
Matt Anderson, chief executive of Vanguard Scientific,
a company that provides service resources for cannabis and hemp
botanical extraction, says just the ongoing discussion of legalization
and decriminalization will continue to drive market growth.
Multi-state Operators Will Face A Shake-out
Running a cannabis business is expensive, and running a multi-state
cannabis business when each state has its own rules to abide by make it
hard to achieve economies of scale. Lack of access to traditional
sources of capital like debt and equity add to the challenge. This year
will see a few multi-state operators (MSOs) fold and sell off their
component companies according to Lewis Goldberg, managing partner of KCSA Strategic Communications“
Most of the MSOs have been run by financial operators Goldberg said,
not operational experts, but “with the need to deliver results, that
will change.â€
Back To Basics
Businesses are focusing on the fundamentals to stay solvent or to
make themselves attractive acquisition targets. Matt Hawkins, chief
executive of Entourage Effect Capital
a cannabis-only private-equity firm that has deployed more than $50
million into 32 companies says companies will “make every effort to be
more efficient.†They will still aggressively seek out new customer
bases and explore innovation, he said, “but preserving margins will
matter.â€
Jeff Fallows, president of The Valens Company, says he also expects
to see a marked improvement in the underlying fundamentals of the
companies themselves. This will be a big year for the companies that
execute well on their business plans, he said. Those companies will
“emerge as leaders and those will be the ones to watch in 2020 and
beyond. “
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:40 PM on Monday, January 27th, 2020
SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp.
aims to provide access to quality education from around the world.
The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job
industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing
an integrated ecosystem. Click here for more information.
The Top 5 Tech Trends That Will Disrupt Education In 2020 – The EdTech Innovations Everyone Should Watch
According to Deloitte, the Chinese education market should reach $715 billion by 2025 and was responsible for creating seven new billionaires.
The richest was Li Yongxin, who leads Offcn Education Technology that provides online and offline training for individuals who want to take civil service exams, but there were other EdTech business leaders represented. Here we consider the key technologies that underpin the EdTech revolution as well as the top 5 tech trends set to disrupt education in 2020.
Key Technologies that Underpin the EdTech Revolution
A discussion about the top tech trends that will disrupt education
must first begin with the technologies that will influence these trends.
Artificial intelligence will continue to fill gaps in learning and
teaching and help personalize and streamline education. As students
interact with connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices and other
digital tools, data will be gathered. This big data and analysis of it
is instrumental for personalized learning, determining interventions,
and what tools are effective. Extended reality, including virtual,
augmented, and mixed realities, helps create different learning
opportunities that can engage students even further. Education is
increasingly becoming mobile, and educational institutions are figuring
out ways to enhance the student experience by implementing mobile
technology solutions. Of course, this technology requires a capable
network to handle the traffic demands, and 5G technology will provide
powerful new mobile data capabilities. Finally, blockchain technology
offers educational institutions to store and secure student records.
Top 5 Tech Trends That Will Disrupt Education in 2020
1. More accessible education
There aren’t only financial considerations when speaking about how accessible education is. The UN estimates there are more 263 million kids globally who are not getting a full-time education.
While there are many reasons for this statistic, such as access to a
qualified educational facility, there are also issues with proper
materials, learning accommodations, and more. Online learning makes
education available to those even in remote areas as well as make it
easy to share curriculum across borders. EdTech solutions can overcome
many common barriers to a quality education.
Technology can improve access to education. Digital textbooks that
can be accessed online 24/7 won’t require transportation to get to an
educational facility or library during certain hours. Digital copies are
relatively cheap to produce, so textbook fees aren’t as taxing for
digital versions as they might be with physical versions that cost more
to create. Similarly, translating physical textbooks into all the
languages natively spoken is cost-prohibitive for publishers when they
are producing only physical copies of books. Digital versions make these
translations much more feasible.
Within the classroom, the ultimate accommodation for learning
differences is called differentiated learning. This allows students to
have learning that is tailored to their personal needs. This and
student-paced learning where students can move through and review
material at the speed they need is much more feasible when using
technology. There are also tech solutions for students who have physical
or learning disabilities.
2. More data-driven insights
Just like it does for other industries, technology can help
educational institutions and educators be more effective and efficient.
By analyzing the data about how digital textbooks are consumed, or
educational technology is used, valuable data-driven insights
for how to enhance learning can be attained as well as provide info to
make decisions about what tools aren’t effective. Technology, including
big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, will also allow
for more in-depth personalization of the content for an individual’s
learning needs. At the university level, data is no longer siloed into
individual department’s Excel spreadsheets but is consolidated at the
institution level, so insights can be extracted. With the assistance of
data-driven insights to readily see where students need more support and
what support is necessary, teachers are freed up to inspire students
and change lives.
3. More personalized education
While a personalized education
experience isn’t a novel concept, technology can make achieving it much
easier. Today’s classrooms are diverse and complex, and access to
technology helps better meet each student’s needs. Technological tools
can free teachers up from administrative tasks such as grading and
testing to develop individual student relationships. Teachers can access
a variety of learning tools through technology to give students
differentiated learning experiences outside of the established
curriculum.
4. More immersive education
Extended reality
encompassing virtual, augmented, and mixed reality brings immersive
learning experiences to students no matter where they are. A lesson
about ancient Egypt can literally come alive when a student puts on a VR
headset and walks around a digital version of the time period. Students
can experience hard-to-conceptualize current-day topics through
extended reality, such as walking among camps of Syrian refugees. This
technology enables learning by doing. Students are used to using voice interfaces
at home when asking Alexa to define a word when doing homework, but
this technology can also support learning and improve education in other
ways. Chatbots can deliver lectures via conversational messages and
engage students in learning with a communication tool they have become
quite comfortable with, such as what CourseQ
offers. Ultimately, if chatbots can make the learning process more
engaging for students and reduce the workload on human educators, their
use in education will continue to grow.
5. More automated schools
Many schools already rely on online assessments that are flexible,
interactive, and efficient to deliver. Automation will continue to alter
schools as more smart tools get incorporated, including face
recognition technology to take attendance, autonomous data analysis to
inform learning decisions so teachers don’t need to analyze data as well
as help automate administrative tasks. When a student interacts with
online technology, they leave a digital footprint that informs learning
analytics. But automation will also help control building costs by
automatically controlling lighting and heating/cooling systems and to
help keep students safe with automated school security systems.
Tags: CSE, edtech, india, online education, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in betterU Education Corp | Comments Off on The Top 5 Tech Trends That Will Disrupt Education In 2020 – The #EdTech Innovations Everyone Should Watch SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:13 PM on Monday, January 27th, 2020
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small-cap companies which are both defensible and mass scalable. More
than just lip service, Inwentash has financed many of Canada’s biggest
small-cap exits. Click Here For More Information.
Nearly 80 crypto projects supposedly backed by gold
Cryptocurrency projects backed by gold continue to persist, with around 77 of them remaining active right now.
Numerous gold-backed coins were launched in the last few years, with
the most recent one being Tether’s Tether Gold (XAUt) which saw launch
last week.
With the popularity of gold on the rise, many speculate whether it
might return as the future of money thanks to decentralized
technologies.
Everyone in the crypto community has heard Bitcoin’s alternative name
of ‘digital gold.’ However, it is worth noting that there are nearly 80
other projects that are active right now, that are backed by actual
physical gold.
More and more crypto projects
continue to emerge with claims that their assets are backed by physical
gold. According to recent data, there are around 77 active projects
backed by gold right now, while around 30 others that claimed the same
have failed.
Some examples of gold-backed projects that still around include
Digixglobal’s DGX, Darico (DEC), the recently-announced Tether Gold
(XAUt) Blockstock (BSO), GoldMint (MNTP), GramGold Coin (GGC), AurusGold
(AWG), Cash Telex (CTLX), and many others.
Is gold the future of money?
Still, these projects only scratch the surface of the gold-backed
altcoins in the crypto industry today, as many others were launched with
the same idea in mind, some of which have even managed to fail already.
As mentioned, around 30 such projects were launched over the years.
Despite this, many token developers are still not discouraged, and
such coins continue to emerge, such as the coins launched by Coinshares,
MKS, Blockchain.com, and Tether. Coinshares, headquartered in the UK,
supposedly launched a coin backed by $20 million in gold.
Tether, the company behind the controversial stablecoin, USDT, also launched its own Tether Gold (XAUt) only last week, and it already got listed on Bitfinex on January 24th. According to the trading platform, XAUt owners enjoy the benefits of digital and physical assets alike.
The platform claims that this is a way for people to invest in gold
without having to worry about issues like limited accessibility or
storage costs.
However, some have already questioned projects like these, such as a
known crypto supporter, John Paul Koning, who noted that these projects
do not charge custody fees, but only redemption and trading fees.
Koning wonders whether or not this is sustainable. Some have also
questioned whether gold and not Bitcoin might be the future of money
once more.
Attempts to pull it off were already made back in 1996 when they failed. Now, with decentralized technology that cryptocurrencies themselves utilize, gold might be getting another chance to take its old place as money in the e-gold form.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:44 AM on Monday, January 27th, 2020
Announced the extension of the Development Agreement signed in 2017 with Apollon Solar SAS from January 1 to June 30, 2020
Biggest change to this fourth renewal is that the Agreement’s main focus is now on manufacturing and value generation associated with the deployment of Porous Silicon in the Lithium-ion batteries market, using Apollon’s patented process to manufacture Porous Silicon Wafers with Silicon Metal (Si) produced by the HPQ PUREVAP™ Quartz Reduction Reactor
MONTREAL, Jan. 27, 2020 — HPQ Silicon Resources Inc.(“HPQâ€Â - “The  Companyâ€)TSX-V: HPQ; FWB: UGE; Other OTC : URAGF; is pleased to announce the extension of the Development Agreement signed in 2017 with Apollon Solar SAS  (“Apollon”) from January 1 to June 30, 2020. The biggest change to this fourth renewal is that the Agreement’s main focus is now on manufacturing and value generation associated with the deployment of Porous Silicon (PSi) in the Lithium-ion batteries market, using Apollon’s patented process to manufacture Porous Silicon Wafers with Silicon Metal (Si) produced by the HPQ PUREVAP™ Quartz Reduction Reactor (“QRR”). While the agreement is ongoing, HPQ will have a North American exclusivity over the use of Apollo’s patented process to manufacture Porous Silicon. If required, the Parties have already agreed to meet in May 2020 to negotiate an extension.
“HPQ and Apollon are consolidating their collaborations
in order to take maximum advantage of our pioneering position in the
manufacture of Porous Silicon wafers using PUREVAPTMsilicon metal. During 2020, we intend to demonstrate the commercial potential of the technology and Porous material produced†said Bernard Tourillon, President and CEO HPQ Silicon. “Silicon Metal’s potential to meet energy storage demand is undeniable and generating massive investments, as well as, serious industry interest, so our timing could not be better.â€
POROUS SILICON – AN ADVANCED MATERIAL WITH CURRENT HIGH COST CONSTRAINTS
Porous silicon is a Silicon Metal (Si) structure in which Nanopores have been formed by electrochemical etching.
Market opportunities for porous silicon are massive, ranging from
electronics, batteries, environment, consumer goods, sensors and
medicine, to name just a few. Their high manufacturing cost, since
available electrochemical etching processes require electronic grade
silicon (9N to 11N) as a raw material, represent a significant barrier
to their commercial application.
APOLLON PATENTED LOW-COST PROCESS TO MANUFACTURING POROUS SILICON (PSi) WAFERS
In 2012, Apollon, working in collaboration with France INSA Lyon Å“Å“â€)
France CNRS (“Centre National de la Recherche Scientifiqueâ€), developed
and obtained a worldwide patent for a unique low-cost process that uses
standard metallurgical Silicon Metal (2N to 4N+ Si) to produce porous
Silicon Wafers that can have porous structure sizes of either
Microporous (<5nm), Mesoporous (5nm – 50nm) and Macroporous
(>50nm) as per end-users requirements.
NDA WITH LITHIUM-ION BATTERY MANUFACTURER LOOKING FOR POROUS SILICON WAFERS
The complement of HPQ and Apollon’s unique capabilities attracted the
interest of a next generation Lithium-ion battery manufacturer looking
for a potential supplier of porous silicon wafers. HPQ and partner
Apollon, acting as one party, have already signed a non-disclosure agreement
(“NDAâ€) with the battery manufacturer, with discussions and technical
information exchanges are now ongoing. The aim of these discussions is
to have the technical specifications required in order to provide the
battery manufacturer with the Porous Silicon wafers they are looking for
as soon as feasible. For competitive reasons, the name of the battery
manufacturer will remain confidential for the time being.
GLOBAL ENERGY STORAGE MARKET READY TO EXPLODE
A recent report
by Wood Mackenzie Power projects that energy storage deployments are
estimated to grow 1,300% from a 12 Gigawatt-hour market in 2018 to a 158
Gigawatt-hour market in 2024. An estimated US$71 billion in
investments will be made into storage systems where batteries will make
up the lion’s share of capital deployment.
MASSIVE ENERGY STORAGE DEMAND CANNOT BE MET UNLESS SILICON ANODES REPLACE GRAPHITE
The Li-ion battery is the dominant technology in energy storage while graphite, a fairly low energy density material compared to other anode materials, is the dominant anode material in for Li-Ion batteries.
Presently, silicon metal powders are blended with graphite to make anodes for Li-ion batteries, resulting in less than 10 wt%
Si content in Li-ion batteries. Even with the limited performance
improvement achieved to date, demand for Silicon Metal powders is
estimated to represent an addressable market of US $ 1B by 20221
expanding at a CAGR of 38.9% between 2019 – 2024.
MANUFACTURING POROUS SILICON POWDERS FOR TRADITIONAL LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES
By crushing porous silicon wafers, it should be possible to make a
porous silicon powder that, when combined with graphite, could improve
the performance of currently available lithium-ion batteries. Porous
silicon wafers (Microporous, Mesoporous and Macroporous) will be
manufactured and crushed into powder. Batteries cycling tests will be
carried in order to define and validate the characteristics of the
powders produced.
About Silicon Metal
Silicon Metal (Si) is one of today’s strategic materials needed to
fulfil the renewable energy revolution presently under way. Silicon does
not exist in its pure state; it must be extracted from quartz, one of
the most abundant minerals of the earth’s crust and other expensive raw
materials in a carbothermic process.
About HPQ Silicon
HPQ Silicon Resources Inc. (TSX-V: HPQ) is developing, with PyroGenesis Canada Inc.(TSX-V: PYR), a high-tech company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma base processes, the innovative PUREVAPTM “Quartz Reduction Reactors†(QRR),
a truly 2.0 Carbothermic process (patent pending), which will permit
the One Step transformation of Quartz (SiO2) into High Purity Silicon
(Si) at prices that will propagate its considerable renewable energy
potential. The Gen3 PUREVAPTM QRR pilot plant that will validate the commercial potential of the process is scheduled to start during Q1 2020.
HPQ, working with PyroGenesis, is also developing a process that can take the High Purity Silicon (Si) made by the PUREVAPTM
and manufacture Spherical Silicon Metal nano-powders for Next Gen
Li-ion batteries. During Q1 2020, the plan is to validate our game
changing manufacturing approach using a modified Gen2 PUREVAPTM reactor to produce spherical Silicon Metal (Si) nano-powders samples for industry participants and research institutions’.
Concurrently, HPQ is also working with industry leader Apollon Solar to develop a manufacturing capability that uses the High Purity Silicon (Si) made with the PUREVAP™
to make Porous silicon wafers needed for solid-state Li-ion batteries.
The first Silicon wafer should be ready to be ship for testing to a
battery manufacture (under NDA) during Q1 2020.
Finally, with Apollon Solar, we are also looking into developing a
metallurgical pathway of producing Solar Grade Silicon Metal (SoG Si)
that will take full advantage of the PUREVAPTM QRR one-step production of Silicon (Si) material of 4N+ purity with low boron count (< 1 ppm).
All in all, HPQ focus is becoming the lowest cost producer of Silicon
Metal (Si), High Purity Silicon Metal (Si), Spherical Si nano-powders
for Next Gen Li-ion batteries, Porous Silicon Wafers for Solid states
Li-ion batteries, Porous Silicon Powders for Li-ion batteries and Solar
Grade Silicon Metal (SoG-Si).
This News 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.
Disclaimers:
The Corporation’s interest in developing the PUREVAP™ QRR and any
projected capital or operating cost savings associated with its
development should not be construed as being related to the establishing
the economic viability or technical feasibility of any of the Company’s
Quartz Projects.
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
Company’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
Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks
and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the
Company’s on-going filings with the security’s regulatory authorities,
which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and
performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company
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 nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
For further information contact Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman, President and CEO Tel (514) 907-1011 Patrick Levasseur, Vice-President and COO Tel: (514) 262-9239 http://www.hpqsilicon.com Email: [email protected]
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:43 PM on Thursday, January 23rd, 2020
Announced that its Sun Valley Health division has sold it’s first franchise territory in the United States
first Sun Valley Health Franchise territory has been sold in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to a highly skilled entrepreneurial couple, with an extensive professional background that includes 20 years of owning and operating a health & wellness center.
VANCOUVER, BC / January 23, 2020 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CSE:CBDT)(OTC:EPWCF)(Frankfurt:8EC) (“Empower” or the “Company“), a vertically integrated and growth-oriented CBD life sciences company is pleased to announce that its Sun Valley Health division has sold it’s first franchise territory in the United States.
The first Sun Valley Health Franchise territory has been sold in
Tulsa, Oklahoma, to a highly skilled entrepreneurial couple, with an
extensive professional background that includes 20 years of owning and
operating a health & wellness center.
“The Sun Valley Health team have developed a robust pipeline of
strong franchise candidates in multiple states across the U.S., who are
all advocates of the medical cannabis clinic model.” said Steven
McAuley, Chairman & CEO of Empower. “Completing the sale of our
first franchise sets the stage for our next phase of growth, introducing
our turnkey business model to likeminded people throughout the
country.”
The state of Oklahoma is a medical cannabis state that has gone from
non-existent to one of the largest and most valuable cannabis markets in
the nation. Oklahoma’s launch far outpaces that of other medical
cannabis markets including Illinois, Maryland and Ohio with sales
figures more akin to a recreational launch.
Marijuana Business Daily indicates that patient counts have
skyrocketed throughout 2019 with nearly 210,000 as of November 1st with
more than 5% of Oklahoma’s population now registered as medical cannabis
patients, exceeding any other program in the nation. Under State
Question 788, the bill legalizing medical cannabis in Oklahoma:
There are no caps on the number of business licenses that can be awarded.
Doctors are allowed to recommend the product for any condition they deem fit.
Municipalities are prohibited from enacting zoning restrictions to prevent dispensaries from opening.
A Sun Valley Health Franchise provides a franchisee “A Scientific
Approach To Alternative Medicine” with a protected territory and access
to potential patients and consumers with a geo-fenced population zone.
Franchisees pay an upfront franchise fee to Sun Valley Health based
on the territory location and population index, plus an ongoing monthly
royalty based on franchisee revenue, they pay a variable monthly
technology and marketing support fee plus they are required to purchase
the various Sun Valley Health CBD product lines for their clinic
location.
Sun Valley Health provides a fully turnkey business plan with
complete technical and marketing support, based on over six years of
successful operating experience.
“Oklahoma is now the fastest growing medical marijuana market in the
country and we are fortunate to find such great partners who believe in
our vision, and are in a position to take advantage of such a robust
market,” said Dustin Klein, SVP Business Development.
The Company also announces that it has entered into debt settlement
agreements with creditors for the settlement of debt in the aggregate
amount of $240,000 CAD, which is to be settled through the issuance of
an aggregate of 4,800,000 common shares in the capital of the Company
(each, a “Share”) at a deemed issue price of $0.05 per Share (the “Debt
Settlement”). As the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and
SVP, Business Development and Board member both participated in the Debt
Settlement, it is considered to be a “related party transaction” under
Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders
in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”).
The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and
minority approval requirements of MI 61- 101, based on a determination
that the securities of the Company are only listed on the CSE and that
the fair market value of the Shares issued in connection with the Debt
Settlement does not exceed $2,500,000 or 25% of the market
capitalization of the Company. As the material change report disclosing
the Debt Settlement is being filed less than 21 days before the
transaction, there is a requirement under MI 61 101 to explain why the
shorter period was reasonable or necessary in the circumstances.
In the view of the Company it was necessary to immediately close the
Debt Settlement and therefore, such shorter period was reasonable in the
circumstances.
All Shares issued pursuant to the Debt Settlement will be subject to a
statutory four month and one day hold period from the date of issue in
accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. None of the Shares
will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and none may be offered or sold in the United States absent
registration or an applicable exemption from the registration
requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell
or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company,
nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in
which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
ABOUT EMPOWER
Empower is a vertically-integrated health & wellness brand with
it’s first hemp-derived CBD extraction facility under development, the
Company produces its proprietary line of cannabidiol (CBD) based
products and distributes products through company owned and franchised
clinics, with wholesale partnerships, online channels and with new
retail opportunities nationwide in the U.S. The company is a leading
multi-state operator of a network of physician-staffed wellness clinics,
focused on helping patients improve and protect their health, through
innovative physician recommended treatment options. The company has
commenced activity on how to connect its significant data, to the
potential of the efficacy of alternative treatment options related to
hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) therapies.
Investors: Dustin Klein SVP, Business Development [email protected] 720-352-1398
For French inquiries: Remy Scalabrini, Maricom Inc., E: [email protected], T: (888) 585-MARI
DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements”
or “forward-looking information” (collectively “forward looking
statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws.
All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are
forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and
projections as at the date of this news release.Forward-looking statements
can frequently be identified by words such as “plans”, “continues”,
“expects”, “projects”, “intends”, “believes”, “anticipates”,
“estimates”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar
words, or information that certain events or conditions “may” or “will”
occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include
statements regarding; the Company’s intention to open a hemp-based CBD
extraction facility, the expected benefits to the Company and its
shareholders as a result of the proposed acquisitions and partnerships;
the effectiveness of the extraction technology; the expected benefits
for Empower’s patient base and customers; the benefits of CBD based
products; the effect of the approval of the Farm Bill; the growth of the
Company’s patient list and that the Company will be positioned to be a
market-leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2019
and beyond. Such statements are only projections, are based on
assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks
and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or
developments to differ materially from those contained in the
forward-looking statements, including; that the Company may not open a
hemp-based CBD extraction facility; that legislative changes may have an
adverse effect on the Company’s business and product development; that
the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its
business plan; general business, economic, competitive, political and
social uncertainties; failure to obtain any necessary approvals in
connection with the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; and other
factors beyond the Company’s control. No assurance can be given that any
of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur
or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking
statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by
these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and
expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any
forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by
applicable laws.
Tags: CSE, Hemp, Marijuana, stocks, tsx, tsx-v, weed Posted in Empower Clinics Inc. | Comments Off on Empower Clinics $CBDT.ca Announces Sun Valley Health Has Sold Its First Franchise Territory and Provides a Corporate Update $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:30 AM on Thursday, January 23rd, 2020
SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp.
aims to provide access to quality education from around the world.
The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job
industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing
an integrated ecosystem. Click here for more information.
Edtech Startup Eupheus Learning Raises $4.3 Mn To Scale Operations
The funds will be used to increase nationwide presence, develop new product offerings etc
It will also start its operations in the Middle East
The company claims that in H1 FY20, it recorded a 3x increase in revenues
New Delhi-based edtech startup Eupheus Learning, on Thursday (January
23), announced that it has raised $4.3 Mn (INR 30 Cr) in its Series A
funding round. The investment is a mix of equity and venture debt, which
was led by Yuj Ventures.
Other investors in the round included Sixth Sense Ventures.
The funds will be used to increase nationwide presence, develop new
product offerings, and expand the team. The company said it will also
start its operations in the Middle East and drive international
expansion in other markets.
Eupheus Learning was founded in 2017 by Sarvesh Shrivastava, Rohit
Dhar, Ved Prakash Khatri, and Amit Kapoor. Operating across the Pre-K to
Class XII segments, Eupheus offers products in all subject areas and
packages both the curriculum and homework tracking tools in phygital
form.
Sarvesh Shrivastava, managing director of Eupheus Learning said, “The
online education segment in India is primed for massive growth, as the
next generation of children enter classrooms across the country. By
leveraging the power of technology, we’ve been able to bridge the divide
between in-school and at-home learning and offer a seamless, end-to-end
learning experience.â€
The company claims that in H1 FY20, it recorded a 3x increase in
revenues compared to the same period last year. It also said that it
expanded its geographical presence to 70 cities in India from 52
earlier. The team has also grown to 175 employees as it has also forged
new alliances with four international education players, taking its
roster of global partnerships to 17.
“We are impressed by the founders’ experience, the previous track
record of developing cutting edge content at Britannica, and the manner
in which they have scaled Eupheus in a profitable manner in the last two
years in a competitive market,†said Madhav Soi of Yuj Ventures.
Digital evolution and the boom in smartphone adoption are expected to
define the way Indian students learn. Real-time book updates, online
tutoring, edutainment, online test preparation, web-based research, and
gamification — technology has changed our traditional education system
in more ways than one.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:51 AM on Thursday, January 23rd, 2020
SPONSOR:ThreeD Capital Inc. (IDK:CSE)
Led by legendary financier, Sheldon Inwentash, ThreeD is a
Canadian-based venture capital firm that only invests in best of breed
small-cap companies which are both defensible and mass scalable. More
than just lip service, Inwentash has financed many of Canada’s biggest
small-cap exits. Click Here For More Information.
BTC/USD is currently trading at $8,650 (+0.40%) in the afternoon in U.S. hours, the range continues to tighten, ahead of next explosive breakout. Â
ETH/USD is currently trading at $168.25 (+0.30%), there is a lack of committed direction for now following the big pump last week. Â
XRP/USD is
currently trading at $0.2360 (+1.30%), price action remains very much
narrow. The range to the upside of $0.2500 to the downside $0.2300.
Among the 100 most important cryptocurrencies, the best of the day
are GNT $0.043133 (+28.95%), KMD $0.712816 (+15.49%) and SXP $1.72
(+11.27%) and The day’s losers are BCN $0.000272 (-12.50%), CENNZ
$0.55991 (-11.49%) and BCD $0.588775 (-4.30%).
Chart of the day: BCH/USD weekly chart (price action moving within a bullish pennant pattern)
Market
Vitalik Buterin believes that Ethereum Classic can be merged into
Ethereum 2.0 in the same way as a new shard-like ETH’s current Proof of
Work (PoW) chain will be integrated.
Blockchain payments processor BitPay has added support for XRP, the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. XRP has been integrated on BitPay’s platform via Ripple’s open developer platform, Xpring.
Regulation
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), has
created a Blockchain Expert Policy Advisory Board (BEPAB) to make it
easier for governments and other stakeholders to tap the benefits of
distributed ledger technology (DLT). BEPAB is made up of several heavy
hitters in the blockchain space, including IBM, R3, and ConsenSys.
Industry
British telecom giant Vodafone has become the latest member to leave the Libra Association.
The original consortium of 28 members supporting Facebook’s ambitious
digital currency project has only left with 20 participants.
Huobi Group has announced the launch of Huobi Brokerage, a digital
asset brokerage platform, during the annual Davos forum. As the global
blockchain company’s first brokerage solution, Huobi Brokerage will
provide digital asset trading products and services to institutional
clients and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs).
Binance has announced the launch of its Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Merchant
Program. The P2P program will allow merchants to provide fiat currency
payment solutions to people around the world and earn revenue, according
to a blog post.
The Blockchain Association has filed an amicus curiae brief in
response to litigation against Telegram initiated by the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The Blockchain Association, a collective of advocates involved with
the blockchain industry, filed an amicus curiae brief with the court of
the Southern District of New York on Jan. 21.
According to a former executive from the Bank of Japan, who made a
statement on Wednesday, major central banks started to set up study
groups into crypto shortly after Facebook’s threat was made clear.
Quote of the day
The biggest barrier to Bitcoin adoption is the lack of understanding about what money is and how it works.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:45 AM on Thursday, January 23rd, 2020
Engaged IBK Capital Corp. to manage a private placement financing of up to C$2,000,000 by way of units of the Company at a price of $0.05 per Unit
Each Unit consists of one common share and one share purchase warrant, where each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share at a price of $0.10 per share for a period of two (2) years from the date of closing.
January 23rd, 2020 – Rockport, ON, Canada – New Age Metals Inc. (TSXV:NAM); (OTC:NMTLF); (FSE:P7J) has engaged IBK Capital Corp. to manage a private placement financing of up to C$2,000,000 by way of units (“Units”) of the Company at a price of $0.05 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share and one share purchase warrant (“Warrant”), where each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share at a price of $0.10 per share for a period of two (2) years from the date of closing. This financing is fully subscribed and is anticipated to close on Friday January 31, 2020.
The securities to be issued in
connection with the private placement will be subject to a four-month
plus one-day hold period from the date of closing in accordance with
applicable Canadian Securities Laws. Completion of the private placement
and any finder’s fees payable are subject to regulatory approval.
Harry Barr, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of New Age Metals, reports: “This year’s palladium
price increase to more than US$2,400 per ounce or C$3,100 highlights the
potential of our River Valley PGM project as one of the largest
undeveloped primary palladium projects in North America.”
Michael White, Chief Executive
Officer of IBK Capital Corp., states, “We believe there will be a
positive rerating of the market value of palladium exploration
companies. This would reflect the increasing value of the metal in the
ground due to strong palladium prices based on a lack of stable supply
from South Africa. We also believe the PGM producers of the world will
need to acquire ounces in the ground in favourable jurisdictions to
replace and geographically diversify their PGM reserves.”
Use of Proceeds
The Company intends to use the
proceeds of this private placement to complete certain recommendations
from the recent PEA completed on the company’s River Valley Project; one
of North America’s largest undeveloped primary Platinum Group Metals,
(PGM) Projects. Additionally, proceeds will be used to build global
investor awareness in NAM, and for working capital purposes.
The River Valley PGM Project is 100%
owned by New Age Metals and located in the Sudbury Mining District, 100
kms away from the Sudbury Metallurgical Complex.
About NAM
New Age
Metals is a junior mineral exploration and development company focused
on the discovery, exploration and development of green metal projects in
North America. The Company has two divisions; a Platinum
Group Metals division and a Lithium/Rare Element division. The PGM
division includes the 100% owned River Valley Project, one of North
America’s largest undeveloped Platinum Group Metals Projects, situated
100 kilometers from Sudbury, Ontario as well as the Genesis PGM Project
in Alaska. The Lithium division is the largest mineral claim holder in
the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field where the Company is exploring for
hard rock lithium and various rare elements such as tantalum and
rubidium. Our philosophy is to be a project generator with the objective
of optioning our projects with major and junior mining companies
through to production. New Age
Metals is a junior resource company on the TSX Venture Exchange, trading
symbol NAM, OTCQB: NMTLF; FSE: P7J with 96,843,766 shares issued to
date.
Investors
are invited to visit the New Age Metals website at www.newagemetals.com
where they can review the company and its corporate activities. Any
questions or comments can be directed to [email protected] or Harry Barr at [email protected] or Cody Hunt at [email protected] or call 613 659 2773.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
“Harry Barr”
Harry G. Barr, Chairman and CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor
its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward
Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements
that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ
materially from actual future events or results and are based on current
expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical
fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition,
forward-looking statements include statements in which the Company uses
words such as “continue”, “efforts”, “expect”, “believe”, “anticipate”,
“confident”, “intend”, “strategy”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”,
“project”, “goal”, “target”, “prospects”, “optimistic” or similar
expressions. These statements by their nature involve risks and
uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a
variety of important factors, including, among others, the Company’s
ability and continuation of efforts to timely and completely make
available adequate current public information, additional or different
regulatory and legal requirements and restrictions that may be imposed,
and other factors as may be discussed in the documents filed by the
Company on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including the most recent reports that
identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to
differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The
Company does not undertake any obligation to review or confirm analysts’
expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the
date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
