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betterU $BTRU.ca & OttoLearn Join Forces to Quickly Deploy Critical COVID-19 Resources $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 1:07 PM on Monday, April 20th, 2020
  • As COVID-19 spread around the world, its speed was surpassed only by the rapid transmission of misinformation.
  • betterU Ready-To-Go COVID-19 toolkit is available, free, to anyone with an internet-connected device. betterU is building and maintaining the content, and OttoLearn is providing free usage licenses

By: Pamela S. Hogle

In the wake of disruption to education, business, and leisure, threats to the health and lives of millions of people, betterU CEO Brad Loiselle knew he had to do something.

He needed a platform to deliver vetted, accurate information, including text and video resources, to users of all ages, anywhere in the world. It had to be mobile-first, and it had to be available in multiple languages. 

betterU had started working with OttoLearn in 2019 to create and distribute corporate training globally. That’s how Loiselle knew that OttoLearn was the right tool to get accurate information on COVID-19 into people’s hands, fast.

OttoLearn & betterU deliver free COVID-19 toolkit

Ottawa-based betterU is a multilingual digital learning powerhouse, with a library of educational and training content, Ready-To-Go, that comprises training for dozens of industries. With betterU customers and learners spanning the globe, Loiselle knew that his company was ideally positioned to make a difference.

In 2019, Loiselle had searched for a scalable platform to upskill millions of workers in India, in multiple languages. He needed to provide mobile eLearning without requiring complicated individual integrations for each customer.

Extensive research on eLearning platforms from vendors around the world led Loiselle to his own backyard — Winnipeg-based eLearning experts at Neovation Learning Solutions and their OttoLearn Agile Microlearning platform. OttoLearn’s mobile-first multilingual platform was a perfect fit for betterU’s needs. 

“I can say this confidently — it’s the most comprehensive resource toolkit that exists today. I haven’t seen anything out there so far that has brought together so many elements to support so many different people.” — betterU CEO Brad Loiselle

With OttoLearn’s rapid content building, it took Loiselle and a colleague only a week to create  a comprehensive COVID-19 toolkit.

The betterU Ready-To-Go COVID-19 toolkit is available, free, to anyone with an internet-connected device. betterU is building and maintaining the content, and OttoLearn is providing free usage licenses.

“I was thrilled to partner with Brad and betterU to quickly bring this vital resource to users globally — at their moment of greatest urgency.” — Neovation Learning Solutions CEO Dan Belhassen

Essential information at users’ fingertips

As of early April, the resource kit was already available in six languages, with 14 more in the works. Loiselle made sure the content was accessible to all users — the toolkit even includes video resources that feature sign-language interpretation.

“The great thing about [OttoLearn] is it has the ability to convert text-based information into different languages. It’s a huge advantage.” — betterU CEO Brad Loiselle

The COVID-19 toolkit covers multiple “tracks” or types of information, including:

  • Updates, charts, and directives from governmental and international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, the World Economic Forum, and country-by-country resources
  • Factual information about COVID-19, its spread, and its symptoms and self-care
  • Work-from-home resources, such as videoconferencing links and tutorials
  • Online learning and life-at-home resources, from exercise to guidance on avoiding feelings of isolation
  • Age-appropriate information and resources for children
  • Fun resources, ranging from songs to games and puzzles
  • A comprehensive collection of all Canadian resources, assistance, government aid, including resources for indigenous communities

Some of the resources are static, while other links update in real-time to ensure accurate and current information about COVID-19. Content includes text, links, maps and infographics, videos, games, and more.

The curated content easily enables any user to quickly find related, relevant, factual information, from trusted and reliable sources — on demand and on any mobile device.

OttoLearn makes it possible

The COVID-19 toolkit showcases Otto’s abilities to rapidly create, deploy, and update information-rich content.

Key features that helped Loiselle build and deliver the COVID-19 toolkit in record time include:

  • Rapid building of multimedia knowledge cards to provide factual content and links
  • AI-based multilingual translation
  • Mobile-first, desktop friendly delivery
  • Ability to update content in real time
  • Instantly scalable to unlimited users
  • Responsive & skilled support team at Neovation

Loiselle also cited Neovation’s culture as a huge advantage: “Your company is so collaborative … I love your company.”

Source: https://www.ottolearn.com/post/122-quickly-deploy-critical-covid-19-resources?utm_source=Mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BetterU&utm_source=OttoLearn+Communications+Master+List&utm_campaign=c013010f3b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_17_02_01_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fb97458567-c013010f3b-178370649

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PyroGenesis $PYR.ca Confirms Additional Payment of $1.4M Towards $25M+ DROSRITE™ Contract $RTN $NOC $UTX $HPQ.ca $DDD.ca $SSYS $PRLB

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 1:52 PM on Thursday, April 16th, 2020
  • Announced that further to its press release dated March 24th, 2020, the second payment of approx. $1.4M has already been received under the exclusive contract with Drosrite International LLC
  • “Due to an unprecedented number of inquiries received from investors, we decided to confirm receipt of the second payment of $1.4M noted in this press release,” said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis

MONTREAL, April 16, 2020 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://www.pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF) (FRA: 8PY), a high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation” or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, in response to an extraordinary volume of inquiries with respect to the subject matter, is pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated March 24th, 2020, the second payment of approx. $1.4M has already been received under the exclusive contract with Drosrite International LLC (“DI”).

“Due to an unprecedented number of inquiries received from investors, we decided to confirm receipt of the second payment of $1.4M noted in this press release,” said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis. “We would also like to confirm that additional payments are being processed as anticipated and that, as per DI’s press release dated January 27th, 2020, work has already begun. I would also like to take this opportunity to further emphasize to readers that in general, notwithstanding receipt of payments, revenues and expenses are based on percent completion and not receipt of payments.”

As previously disclosed, and as part of this exclusive arrangement between DI and PyroGenesis, DI will pay PyroGenesis approximately $25M, based on current exchange rates, over the first 12 months as well as approx. $3M per year (fixed) for the next two (2) years, together with a variable amount for the subsequent 18 years based on certain international benchmarks.

About Drosrite International LLC

DI is a US based private company duly constituted and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, providing state-of-the-art waste management technologies to the aluminum industry. DI is duly licensed by PyroGenesis to manufacture, market, sell and distribute DROSRITE™ systems and technology to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and certain other countries in the Middle East, on an exclusive basis. All DROSRITE™ systems supplied by DI are manufactured in the USA.

About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a 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 and AS9100D 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:

Rodayna Kafal, Vice President Investors Relations and Strategic Business Development,
Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: [email protected]

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

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Significance Of Upskilling & Reskilling To Overcome #Covid19 Crisis #Edtech SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:17 AM on Wednesday, April 15th, 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. betterU / Ottolearn launch FREE COVID-19 mobile resource toolkit to fight the global crisis – Click here for more information.

Significance Of Upskilling & Reskilling To Overcome Covid-19 Crisis

  • While the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic saw a partial – or even complete – lockdown at several places across the globe, people have been reorienting their lives indoors.
  • Just as Covid-19 has been reshaping education with a grand global experiment in remote learning, so have businesses adapted by shifting operations online.

By: Anu Thomas

However, some companies are creaking under pressure with these sudden changes. While this has meant job cuts in some enterprises, others are either delaying key operations or deferring hiring plans. With no end – or certainty – in sight, it necessitates that professionals turn these circumstances into opportunities to upskill.

This can be made possible with the effective use of technology, and signals a massive chance for edtech providers and online career marketplaces to reinvent learning to meet the needs of a new economy. Upskilling For The Future Of Work

According to MD of Udemy India Irwin Anand, in addition to Covid-induced uncertainty around the future of jobs, advanced technology and the impact of globalization also demands that professionals prioritize learning.

“Learning is the new currency that can help us succeed as a workforce,” says Anand. “At a time of unprecedented change and heightened concern around recent events, the most important job skill would be the ability to learn,” he adds.

With an oncoming recession and economic downturn strongly anticipated, it is critical to pay heed to warning signs that your job may be at risk. Bolstered by an automation boom and ever-changing technological landscape, the shelf life of skills have shortened. To remain employable in such competitive times, people need to upskill themselves. Also Read  Pros & Cons Of Choosing A Career In Data Science

Given this huge clamour for upskilling – especially since the Covid-19 pandemic took root – edtech companies have been offering more industry-ready courses. Additionally, they have launched both short-term and long-term courses on emerging technologies like AI, ML and data science for professionals looking to take advantage of a job market anchored around these new technologies.

“We are seeing increased demand across every segment of users – from individual learners, to repeat instructors, to employees learning for their jobs since the pandemic began,” says Anand.

Nudged by current circumstances and buoyed by trends including freelancing and technology disruption, the labour market is poised to be transformed and usher in a talent economy. 

ALSO READ: Addressing India’s Reskilling Challenge

Accelerant To Digital Transformation 

Whether you are a digital novice or fairly comfortable with technology, there cannot be a better time for you to dive deep into technologies, and upskilling can help in this digital transformation with the use of new applications. This will also help you ease into working remotely – another direction the changing landscape of work is moving towards.

With the Covid-19 pandemic heralding increasing pay cuts and furloughs, most companies also do not have the budget for additional training. And with work processes changing, so have capabilities and expectations of employees to adjust to this scenario as fast as possible by taking ownership of their own learning.

This means that a lot of upskilling needs to happen to digitally transform oneself, especially in these times.

Online Learning Trends Amid Covid-19

As mentioned earlier, a clutch of edtech players and e-career companies have witnessed a jump in new registrations since the outbreak of the virus. Online career marketplace Shine Learning has seen a massive surge for online course takers over the last few weeks. Also Read  Top Analytics Job Openings in India At The Moment

According to the firm, there has been a sharp rise in the number of users choosing to upskill themselves in courses like data science, blockchain, and machine learning. “With remote working increasingly becoming the norm, we may see more demand for specific talent in this field,” says CEO of Shine Learning, Zairus Master. “Moreover, with more time and fewer entertainment options at their disposal, this is an opportune time for people to upskill themselves,” he adds. 

Edtech players like Upgrad, Udemy and Simplilearn are also capitalizing on increased demand. Udemy recently released the Udemy Free Resource Center – a curated collection of more than 150 free Udemy courses – to help learners upskill themselves. What is more, it also has courses and resources especially targeted at professionals for them to learn how to adapt to remote work and how to search for a job. And while there has been demand for all kinds of skills, one subset in the realm of new technologies has been piquing the interest of learners.

“Data science has emerged as one of the top five topics users on Udemy choose to learn,” says Anand. “We have seen double-digit growth in learning globally as well as in India as people spend the majority of their time working remotely,” he adds.

ALSO READ: Why This Is The Right Time To Learn New Data Skills Amid Covid-19

Outlook

Accepting that everything is not under our control, we need to learn how to adapt to situations. And the fastest way to adapt is to be prepared through upskilling by making learning a lifelong commitment. Also Read  Analytics courses that are most in demand today

Covid-19 could be a tipping point for learning – and working – as we know it. With virtual learning emerging as a one of the best practices in our quest to self-learn, we need to constantly keep ourselves updated on new applications and smart devices to smoothly transition into a post-Covid digital world.

Source: https://analyticsindiamag.com/significance-of-upskilling-reskilling-to-overcome-covid-19-crisis/

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betterU $BTRU.ca signs Positive Venture Group into their SaaS Enterprise Ready-To-Go skills platform $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:08 AM on Tuesday, April 14th, 2020

PVG to promote betterU’s solution to their 75+ Corporate clients

  • Announced that Positive Venture Group an Ottawa based outsource finance firm has entered into the Company’s newly launched Software as a Service program
  • PVG, one of betterU’s early beta clients, has been testing Ready-To-Go’s system and working with betterU to customize assessments for the accounting and finance sector

OTTAWA, April 14, 2020 — betterU Education Corp. (TSX VENTURE: BTRU, Frankfurt: 5OGA) (the “Company” or “betterU“) is pleased to announce that Positive Venture Group (“PVG”) an Ottawa based outsource finance firm has entered into the Company’s newly launched Software as a Service (“SaaS” or “Ready-To-Go”) program. PVG, one of betterU’s early beta clients, has been testing Ready-To-Go’s system and working with betterU to customize assessments for the accounting and finance sector.

This partnership has also now enabled betterU to assist PVG’s employees in managing COVID-19 pandemic pressures and over the months to come, betterU will be working to support effective skills development programs. betterU has already onboarded over 50 of PVG’s employees into Ready-To-Go and is working to support PVG for what they need today.

“It is important that all our clients know we are there to support them when they need it. Building a good partnership starts with understanding the challenges and working together to overcome them. COVID-19 has impacted all working families, employers and their clients, so we need to be supportive and willing to provide solutions to address the realities of the situation,” said Brad Loiselle, President / CEO betterU.

betterU has worked closely with Kaitlyn Buse, PVG’s Human Resource Manager to understand the structure, content and assessments that need to be in place to support the accounting and outsourced finance industry. betterU and PVG have since assembled multiple assessments for General Accounting, Accounts payable and receivable which received high reviews from PVG’s team. PVG is also now promoting betterU to their 75+ Corporate clients.

“Staying up-to date and keeping our employees informed is a priority for us at Positive. The biggest challenge was the over-communication in the news and online throughout the crisis. It takes time and effort to consolidate accurate information from reputable sources. Working with betterU changed that and while working on their SaaS program, the COVID-19 toolkit provided an all-in-one place that our employees can go to get up-to date information about the pandemic, including news updates, Health Canada information, and federal and provincial guidelines. My team was spending hours putting together information and guidelines on our new way of life – from how to be effective working from home to manage stress and anxiety during a pandemic. betterU’s app was already loaded with all of these tools, and more. I instantly had hours of my time back to focus on moving the business forward, while trusting that my employees were supported in every way possible.

The betterU team did everything – with almost no effort from us. They signed up our employees and provided the communication templates announcing the tool to our staff along with sign-up instructions. From there, when employees log in for the first time, they get an automatic tutorial that shows them how to use the application. betterU was able to get our employees up and running on the platform in just a few hours. We are looking forward to working closely with betterU in the weeks and months to come,” said Kaitlyn Buse, Positive Venture Group’s HR Manager.

Ready-To-Go, launched early 2020 and was developed to support corporate needs for delivering and managing effective skills development. The base program includes an assessment of an employee’s current skills, with up to 4 learning paths per month per employee, broken into microlearning programs to support and reinforce on-demand learning. Each month the employee is reassessed to determine their improvements in their skills gap and their learning path is adjusted accordingly. In addition, employers can use Ready-To-Go to support orientation programs, onboarding, policy and procedure updates and more customized solutions to meet their unique needs and challenges. “Our team has been working closely with our global education partners to build a solution that focuses on employee’s skills development rather than simply selling courses. With Ready-To-Go we are focused on providing only what an employee needs to support their corporate requirements. This approach creates better results, while saving money and time,” said Brad Loiselle, President, CEO betterU.

About betterU Education Corp.

betterU is an education-to-employment technology company offering an end-to-end solution leveraging business intelligence to automate skilling, reskilling and upskilling for companies operating on domestic and global scales. If you are looking for support in regards to COVID-19, please visit https://readytogo.betteru.ca/ to download your free COVID-19 Resource Toolkit.

betterU has integrated into its platform the content, technology and support for tailored skills assessments, learning pathways and training modules from 100+ of the world’s leading online education providers. betterU’s eco-system includes detailed job, skill, employer, and educational profiles spanning 3,000+ standardized jobs. betterU’s integrated platform is the most efficient solution to address evolving skilling challenges for employers and employees through the employment lifecycle from entry level to executive. We don’t sell content, we help build better people.

About Positive Venture Group

Positive Venture Group | CFO, Finance and Accounting Outsourcing Firm, Ottawa | Canada’s Only NetSuite BPO and Solution Provider

Positive Venture Group is Canada’s market leader in providing complete outsourced finance services, virtual CFO services and executive consulting solutions. Since birth, we’ve been 100% focused on helping startups, high growth ventures, and established companies meet their financial obligations, while also preparing them to raise capital.

We thrive on the energy of the growth stage company culture, and are always looking for opportunities to work with emerging companies on a customized, on-demand basis.

For more information, please visit https://corporate.betteru.ca/corporate-gov/

For more information about betterU’s Enterprise SaaS Program please visit https://readytogo.betteru.ca/

Contact:

Brad Loiselle, CEO
1-613-695-4100

betterU Education Corp.
Investor Relations
Email: [email protected]

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.

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Eyecarrot $EYC.ca Ships Over 400 Binovi Touch Units to the Market

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 6:55 AM on Tuesday, April 14th, 2020
Eyecarrot | LinkedIn
  • Shipped over 400 Binovi Touch units into the marketplace. With over 1500 practices in 20 countries using the Company’s products (Wayne Saccadic Fixator & Binovi Touch),
  • The Company continues to grow its base of monthly recurring revenue through the development of strategic alliances with neurovision training facilities, including world class sports teams, athletic training organizations, vision training clinics, and concussion recovery centers

Toronto, ON, Canada – Tuesday April 14th, 2020 – Eyecarrot Innovations Corp., (Eyecarrot) (TSXV:EYC) | (OTC:EYCCF) is pleased to announce that it has shipped over 400 Binovi Touch units into the marketplace. With over 1500 practices in 20 countries using the Company’s products (Wayne Saccadic Fixator & Binovi Touch), the Company continues to grow its base of monthly recurring revenue through the development of strategic alliances with neurovision training facilities, including world class sports teams, athletic training organizations, vision training clinics, and concussion recovery centers. It is the company’s goal to exit 2020 with an installed base of 2500 Binovi Touch Units.

To meet this objective, the company has been actively pursuing strategic alliances with sports training organizations to gain further market exposure, with more to come in the near. These alliances will expose the Company to tens of thousands of athletes globally. Sports teams and high performance athletic training organizations are realizing the benefit of neurovision training to augment their physical training regimen. With the current COVID-19 pandemic and the isolation measures being taken to minimize exposure to coronavirus, athletes are looking to hone their skill set, including the gained performance advantages of neurovision training. This has led to a heightened level of interest in the Binovi Touch Platform. The company is not constrained by distribution problems due to COVID-19 and does not anticipate delivery problems of the product.

“Working with our suppliers, we have streamlined our manufacturing process to improve the reliability and performance of Binovi Touch. This latest generation of devices has brighter and more consistent light, improving stimulus recognition when combining multiple devices together for a larger field of view. This continuous innovation is a core tenet of everything we do at Eyecarrot,” commented Sam Mithani, CTO.

This achievement marks another major milestone in the continued evolution of the Company’s product fulfillment and distribution goals.

“As we seek to strengthen our global footprint, continuous innovation and timely order fulfillment represents a key milestone in our overall growth,” said Adam Cegielski, Eyecarrot Founder + CEO. “Product demand within sustainable markets outside of Canada demonstrates our commitment to deliver world-class human performance products across all of the markets we serve.”

For additional information, please visit our info page on the Binovi Platform and or https://www.binovitouch.com/.

About Eyecarrot Innovations Corp

Eyecarrot is a human performance technology company that has developed Binovi , a hardware and software-centered platform. Binovi combines hardware, software, specialized expert knowledge, and unique big data insights in order to deliver customized one-on-one training and treatment. Binovi is designed for vision optimization and the enhancement of cognitive skills related to human performance. We are working together under a common banner to help neuro-optometry, vision rehabilitation, and vision performance professionals gain measurable results in less time, and with less effort.

Adam Cegielski

Founder | CEO

Sam Mithani PhD

Chief Technology Officer

Investor Relations

Email: [email protected]

Toll-free: 1 (844) 866-6162

https://www.eyecarrot.com/investors/

Forward looking information:

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute “forward-looking information” as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Company’s financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains regulatory approval. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, that occurrences such as those referred to above are realized and result in delays, or cessation in planned work, that the Company’s financial condition and development plans change, and delays in regulatory approval, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company’s continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law. Neither 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.

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Embracing #Edtech in a post-lockdown world SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:22 AM on Monday, April 13th, 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. betterU / Ottolearn launch FREE COVID-19 mobile resource toolkit to fight the global crisis – Click here for more information.

Embracing EdTech in a post-lockdown world

  • More than a billion children are currently out of school with no return date.
  • As we enter another month with educational institutions around the world in lockdown, it has become clear that the Covid-19 outbreak has the potential to forever change not just how we learn, but how we think about learning.

By Geoffrey Alphonso

While the world’s schools, colleges and universities may be closed, education must go on. This is a challenge unlike any we have faced before, but it is also an opportunity to harness the human capacity for learning and to further develop our tools.

In this environment, online systems, data-driven structures, and artificially intelligent algorithms offer critical resources for students, teachers and even parents. But realising the full value of these resources requires re-thinking how our education systems interact with technology, forging a new path and incorporating technology into every aspect of learning.

For several years now education has been one of the fastest growing sectors in technology.  According to HolonIQ, a global education intelligence firm, the ‘Edtech’ field is projected to be worth $341 billion by 2025.

This is unsurprising given its obvious potential, not just today, but for the cities of tomorrow, which will need to be agile enough to embrace change and disruption. Those that thrive will be the ones already investing in the wider strategic infrastructure that supports online learning.

Communities around the world have been wrangling with the demands of continued support for education through the Covid-19 lockdown. When Abu Dhabi closed schools on March 9th, the emirate immediately activated an “at home” model, with all of its school children continuing to learn through online platforms.

In a time of social distancing, that means that not only can students continue to learn, they can also continue to engage with their peers and their teachers. And during these trying times, it is clearer than ever just how important these relationships remain for our mental and emotional health.

That shouldn’t be regarded as a replacement for the social warmth of physical classrooms and human interaction, but it is a viable way to foster and maintain connections when the alternatives are not available.

In some areas, we shouldn’t be afraid of also considering how to retain some of these technologies in a post-Covid-19 world. Learning online means students can progress at their own pace, with personalised systems that puts each student at the centre of every class. Instant and ongoing assessments also provide teachers with feedback on individual progress, giving them a chance to adjust, correct and spend additional time on material through one-on-one instruction.

Videos, games and interactivity can also keep the lessons flowing, harnessing an approach known as the “gamification of learning”. This motivates them to learn, practice, and ultimately achieve full mastery of the material. The most successful platforms also allow for streamlined and consistent delivery of lessons, relieving teachers and parents of the time needed to build resources from scratch. This frees them up to focus on the actual delivery of the lessons, maximising their direct engagement with students.

It can be more than just continuing to teach, it can be a qualitative shift in our education systems if we grasp the nettle.

This is not to say that embracing Edtech is without challenge. For example, schools need to be scaled up with the necessary IT infrastructure and hardware, while external systems themselves have to be able to handle the processing demands of home access.

Similarly, the tools we use also have to be based on sound learning principles and properly aligned with national curricula, with the most important stakeholders in mind: the teachers and students. From a design perspective, teachers and students will bring endless varied challenges and Edtech systems must be designed with this diversity in mind, especially for those students with special educational needs.

Lastly, we should not be so arrogant as to assume that teachers and parents can simply be “dropped” into Edtech systems. Software designers may always be confident that their tools are eminently intuitive for all users, but the reality is that scaling up online technologies also means ensuring we provide support in the form of the training required for our students and children, helping them to get the maximum value from these technologies.

These things are not easy. They take time, they take investment and they require a government that is committed to deploying innovative systems in an environment that doesn’t always rapidly embrace change. Abu Dhabi invested heavily over the years, directly and indirectly, to support companies that deliver these programmes as well as a stable infrastructure to support them, giving the emirate and its students flexibility and a way forward.

Ultimately, the most effective providers will be those who keep users at the heart of their endeavours, offering a holistic learning experience which ensures that no student misses a beat, whether inside the classroom or out.

And the education systems that are best placed to thrive in a post-Covid-19 world will be those who retain the technologies and tools that have been tested so fiercely during this outbreak.

Source: https://www.techradar.com/news/embracing-edtech-in-a-post-lockdown-world

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AGORACOM Companies Making Big News Over Last 10 Days Despite COVID-19 $CBDT.ca $BTRU.ca $HOLL.ca $NAM.ca $MOTA.ca $PRMO.ca $DM.ca $PYR.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:00 PM on Sunday, April 12th, 2020

Dear AGORACOM Members, we hope this message finds your families well.  We also want to wish Happy Easter and Happy Passover to those that are celebrating.

During this turbulent time, our job now more than ever is to bring you the small cap companies that are actually thriving in order to help you discover your next great company.  Thanks to our focus on quality over quantity, AGORACOM clients have been operating exceedingly well and we are very happy to provide you with the following highlights over the last 10 days (in reverse chronological order):

* Empower Clinics (CBDT:CSE) Up 55% On 4.5M Shares Traded – Clinic Patient Visits Up 478% In Q1 (NEWS + VIDEO)

* BetterU Education (BTRU:TSXV) UP 37% On 1M Shares Traded – Closes Deal With USA Paramount For Enterprise Skills Development (NEWS + VIDEO)

* Hollister Biosciences (HOLL:CSE) Up 60% on 4M Shares – Acquisition Adds $16.4M Rev / $2.5M EBITDA (NEWS + VIDEO)

* New Age Metals (NAM:TSXV) 2.9M Ounces Of Palladium Equivalent Is Why Eric Sprott Owns 18.5% (VIDEO)

* Mota Ventures (MOTA:CSE) Acquires Over 20,000 Customers in March, Launches New Immune Support Product Line (NEWS + VIDEO)

* Primo Nutraceuticals (PRMO:CSE) Up 100% On 2.6M Shares – Signs Acquisition LOI with Celebrity brand Beauty Kitchen (NEWS)

* Datametrex A.I. (DM:TSXV) Hired By US Government Agencies On COVID-19 / Coronavirus Fake News and Disinformation (NEWS + VIDEO)

* PyroGenesis (PYR:TSXV) Receives $550K Under an Exclusive Agreement with a US Tunneling Company (NEWS)

We know that most of you have seen most of these headlines on our front page – but make sure to never miss a timely piece of news by also adding us into your social media streams on Twitter and Facebook.

Finally, look for some big news and changes coming to AGORACOM in the next 60 days.  We are going to be bigger and better than ever!

Stay Home. Stay Safe. Keep Our Heroes Healthy.

Regards,

George et al.

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Posted in All Recent Posts, betterU Education Corp, Datametrex AI Limited, Empower Clinics Inc., Hollister Biosciences, Mota Ventures Corp., New Age Metals, PyroGenesis Canada Inc. | Comments Off on AGORACOM Companies Making Big News Over Last 10 Days Despite COVID-19 $CBDT.ca $BTRU.ca $HOLL.ca $NAM.ca $MOTA.ca $PRMO.ca $DM.ca $PYR.ca

Indian #Edtech’s Demonetisation Moment? Online Learning Takes Off Under Quarantine – SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 5:23 PM on Thursday, April 9th, 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. betterU / Ottolearn launch FREE COVID-19 mobile resource toolkit to fight the global crisis – Click here for more information.

Indian Edtech’s Demonetisation Moment? Online Learning Takes Off Under Quarantine

  • Over 91% of the world’s student population is out of school currently
  • This has led to a surge of users on online learning platforms
  • Startups are looking to convert this temporary surge into a permanent customer base
  • As per The Future Of India’s $2 Bn Edtech Opportunity Report 2020 by DataLabs by Inc42, the Indian online education market is expected to become a $1.96 Mn opportunity

By: Kritti Bhalla

Indian education system might be one of the oldest in the world, but it is definitely not the most technologically advanced in the world. But this coronavirus outbreak has brought out a different side of learning and school education with the proliferation of edtech products and services. From local schools to colleges and universities, everyone is gunning for the new reality — online learning.

With almost 91% of the world’s student population out of school for the foreseeable future, many have said it’s time to take traditional education to another technologically advanced level. After all, for how long will the education of the students get affected by lockdowns, war, natural disasters and other such situations?

Mrinal Mohit, chief operating officer at BYJU’s, believes that learning from home has gained utmost importance more than ever before due to temporary school closure. “Students need a holistic and reliable solution that helps them continue learning from the comfort of their homes.”

Following China’s footsteps, Indian edtech startups and educational institutions have also emerged as leaders in ensuring that digital learning becomes a viable option for more students regardless of their capacity to afford online learning. In fact, edtech has ensured that education is one of the last things to get impacted by the pandemic. Whether it’s schools going online, or online classes going free, every stakeholder is doing their bit to keep the cycle of education running.

For Indian edtech startups, this means a sudden influx of online users, engagements and startups. It’s similar to what played out in the Indian market soon after demonetisation in 2016, when digital payments and the cashless economy got a major boost. Can India’s edtech startups capitalise on this momentary surge?

As per The Future Of India’s $2 Bn Edtech Opportunity Report 2020 by DataLabs by Inc42, the Indian online education market is expected to become a $1.96 Mn opportunity, rising from $247 Mn in 2017. In the financial year 2018, the gross merchandise value (GMV) of edtech startups was above $120 Mn, a surge of 48% compared to FY17.

The Numbers Behind Edtech Growth

BYJU’s, which is one of the most valued edtech startups in the world, has noted a 150% surge with 6 Mn new students on the platform in March 2020. The company has noted the hike in both metro and non-metro regions.

Meanwhile, other edtech platforms have also been noting increase, especially after school started shutting down as a precautionary measure to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement for a 21-day-lockdown led to another spike in the users opting for online learning platforms.

For instance, upGrad claimed that it started noting an exponential growth in usage from February 24 to March 2, with almost 34% hike compared to the previous week. Then, in the first week of March, the company’s traction went up by 75%. Moreover, the enquiries on the platform have also increased by 50% from 2,500 to 3,800 per day.

Doubtnut, which is a video-based Q&A platform, has also noted a 76% in engagement time and 72% in the questions asked and 75% between March 20 to April 5th. The company also elaborated that it has noted a 107% increase in Beetia, 52% in Muzaffarpur, 70% in Allahabad, 29% in Hyderabad and 34% in Vizag and 187% in Vijayawada.

Meanwhile, test prep startup Testbook has noted seven lakh transactions in the last 10 days and over 150x free users in the same time period. Simplilearn has also highlighted that it has witnessed a 20% increase in terms of volume and a 100% hike in usage. Whereas, Gradeup has noted an increase of 25% to 45% users, with JEE and NEET courses gaining high tractions. LidoLearning has also witnessed a 25% hike.

Khan Academy, on the other hand, 130% year-on-year (YoY) surge between March 29 to April 5. In the same time period, the company has also noted a 1000% YoY increase in parents, 700% YoY increase in teachers and 450% YoY increase in students.

Monthly learning time on the platform in March increased by 50% YoY.  The company also noted that until last year, March was the month where the company would face a drop in usage due to term-end exams, boards and schools preparing for summer holidays.

Meanwhile, Vedantu highlighted that it adds over 50K paid users on its platform annually. However, the company has added 100K new users in just 10 days. Besides this, Vedantu is also noting a 42% user stickiness on the platform, compared to 54% of paid users.

The company also noted that there has been a high session attendance of 70% from the free users. Overall, the company has seen a surge of 52x in the number of users signing up till date, while it has noted a 10x growth since March 12.

The Bengaluru-based online tutoring startup has raised INR 96 Cr ($12.5 Mn) in an extended Series C funding round led by global investment firm Legend Capital. Vedantu’s existing investors Omidyar Ohana Holdings LLC also participated in the round.

Online open course platform Coursera, on the other hand, has noted a 325% YoY hike in new registration, 284% YoY in overall enrollment and 1747% hike in public health content in the last 30 days till April 3. Overall, the company has over 53 Mn registered learners worldwide, 2100 enterprise partnership and 4,100 active courses. In India, Coursera has 5.9 Mn registered learners.

K-12 learning startup Toppr has also noted a 100% growth in free user engagement in the last month. Meanwhile, growth in time spent on Toppr by students of senior classes (10-12) is double that of junior classes (6-9).

Read More: https://inc42.com/buzz/indian-edtechs-demonetisation-moment-online-learning-takes-off-under-quarantine/

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#Edtech startup closes $7.5m series B round led by Ant Financial-backed BAce – SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:40 PM on Wednesday, April 8th, 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. betterU / Ottolearn launch FREE COVID-19 mobile resource toolkit to fight the global crisis – Click here for more information.

Edtech startup closes $7.5m series B round led by Ant Financial-backed BAce

Miguel Cordon

  • Following a string of investments in Indian education startups this year, local edtech firm Lido Learning has announced the close of its series B round at US$7.5 million
  • The round pushes its total capital raised to US$10.5 million.

The capital injection was led by Ant Financial-backed BAce Capital, while new investors including Picus Capital and Paytm president Madhur Deora, along with several existing investors in Lido, also participated in the round.

Photo credit: primagefactory / 123RF

Launched in April 2019, Lido aims to provide a one-size-fits-all solution to education in India through interactive online tutorials. Every session has a maximum of six students to ensure that each child receives attention and personalized feedback.

Students are also given customized homework, remedial help, and challenges based on class performance. AD. Remove this ad space by subscribing. Support independent journalism.

With the new funds, Lido aims to extend its reach into the less populated towns in India and expand into more curriculum-focused subjects. Right now, its online coaching sessions are focused on math and science for Class 5 to Class 9 students – typically children who are 10 to 15 years old – across all major cities.

According to Lido’s founder and CEO Sahil Sheth, online tutorials are set to take off in India, owing to the country’s high-speed internet penetration. “And as more students and parents experiment with online learning in the current pandemic, the customer mindset is ready,” he added.

Lido is BAce Capital’s first edtech investment in India, and the move is part of the latter’s strategy to invest in early-stage companies in emerging economies, focusing on India and Southeast Asia.

Several other edtech companies have raised funds this year.

In January, Bengaluru-based InterviewBit secured US$20 million in a series A raise led by Sequoia India and Tiger Global. In contrast to Lido, InterviewBit offers computer science courses aimed at creating job-ready professionals. AD. Remove this ad space by subscribing. Support independent journalism.

WizKlub, another startup from Bengaluru, also raised nearly US$1 million in seed funding this year and looks to further enhance its AI-based product and expand to other markets.

More recently, Vedantu in February secured US$24 million in an extended series C round led by GGV Capital, pushing its total funding to US$85 million to date.

Source: https://www.techinasia.com/lido-closes-7m-bace

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betterU $BTRU.ca closes deal with USA Paramount Staffing for their newly launched Ready-To-Go SaaS Enterprise skills development $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:14 AM on Wednesday, April 8th, 2020
  • Entered into an annual Software as a Service Enterprise agreement with one of the largest staffing firms in the USA, Paramount Staffing
  • Paramount, is a $200+ Million USD Staffing Firm, with over 300 employees across the USA and Canada
  • betterU, supported by many of their global education and assessment partners has been able to curate and integrate a Ready-To-Go content library across top subjects so that HR managers could provide simple access to their entire organization

OTTAWA, April 08, 2020 – betterU Education Corp. (TSX VENTURE: BTRU, Frankfurt: 5OGA) (the “Company” or “betterU“) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an annual Software as a Service (“SaaS” or “Ready-To-Go”) Enterprise agreement with one of the largest staffing firms in the USA, Paramount Staffing (“Paramount”).

Earlier this year, betterU’s CEO Brad Loiselle met in Chicago with Paramount’s VP of Sales Anthony Hegarty and President Matthew Schubert to demo the Company’s SaaS Enterprise Ready-To-Go platform. Paramount, is a $200+ Million USD Staffing Firm, with over 300 employees across the USA and Canada and, like many organizations, were in search of learning and development resources and skills development tools that was cost effective, agile, mobile and scalable to help support their employees’ learning on the go. Many company’s Learning and Development managers often do not have the ability or bandwidth to bring together the content required to support all their departments and teams. betterU, supported by many of their global education and assessment partners has been able to curate and integrate a Ready-To-Go content library across top subjects so that HR managers could provide simple access to their entire organization.

“With betterU’s Ready-To-Go platform offering so much value-add for a very appealing monthly subscription cost per employee, it was a no brainer for us to work together as we train and develop our rapidly growing sales teams. Brad and his team have been incredible with their development work, turnaround time and innovative thinking on how to support us during these unprecedented times. We are excited about the many great things we will do together over the coming years,” said Tony Hegarty, Vice President Paramount Staffing.

Ready-To-Go, launched early 2020 and was developed to support corporate needs -in delivering and managing effective skills development. The base program, for only $19.95 per employee per month includes an assessment of an employee’s current skills and up to 4 learning paths per month per employee, broken into microlearning programs to support and reinforce on-demand learning. Each month the employee is reassessed to determine their improvements in their skills gap and their learning path is adjusted accordingly. In addition, employers can use Ready-To-Go to support orientation programs, onboarding, policy and procedure updates and more customized solutions to meet their unique needs and challenges.

“Our team has been working closely with our global education partners to build a solution that focuses on employee’s skills development rather then simply selling courses. With Ready-To-Go we are focused on providing only what an employee needs to support their corporate requirements. This approach creates better results, while saving money and time,” said Brad Loiselle, President, CEO betterU.

About betterU Education Corp.

betterU is an education-to-employment technology company offering an end-to-end solution leveraging business intelligence to automate skilling, reskilling and upskilling for companies operating on domestic and global scales. If you are looking for support in regards to COVID-19, please visit https://readytogo.betteru.ca/ to download your free COVID-19 Resource Toolkit.

betterU has integrated into its platform the content, technology and support for tailored skills assessments, learning pathways and training modules from 100+ of the world’s leading online education providers. betterU’s eco-system includes detailed job, skill, employer, and educational profiles spanning 3,000+ standardized jobs. betterU’s integrated platform is the most efficient solution to address evolving skilling challenges for employers and employees through the employment lifecycle from entry level to executive. We don’t sell content, we help build better people. 

About Paramount Staffing

Paramount Staffing has created a strong reputation providing industrial staffing services for a wide variety of businesses. Their success is their ability to incorporate top performancing teams at their locations with a focus on the industrial sector of the market.

Paramount Staffing believes in working closely with clients, learning their long-term vision and long-term strategies. These strategic relationships allow Paramount Staffing to take full responsibility for both short and long-term staffing needs. The company’s complete focus on the industrial client makes them different from other companies who do not specialize. This focus allows Paramount Staffing to have dedicated team members who are trained, knowledgeable, and fully prepared to assist you in your recruiting needs.

For more information, please visit https://corporate.betteru.ca/corporate-gov/

For more information about betterU’s Enterprise SaaS Program please visit https://readytogo.betteru.ca/

Contact:

Brad Loiselle, CEO
1-613-695-4100

betterU Education Corp.
Investor Relations
Email: [email protected]

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.

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