Agoracom Blog Home

Posts Tagged ‘stocks’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Gaming heavyweights raise $17M for new #Esports network as funds flow into this HOT sector – SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:03 PM on Tuesday, September 17th, 2019

SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 85 owned and affiliated websites, currently reaching over 150 million monthly visitors. The company exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue. Learn More

————-

Gaming heavyweights raise $17M for new esports network

  • VENN is set to launch in 2020 and aims to give the fragmented esports scene a home base for content with higher production value than gamers are used to with online streaming.
  • The network was co-founded by four-time Emmy-winning producer Ariel Horn and entrepreneur Ben Kusin and has raised $17 million from investors including co-founders from Twitch, Riot Games and Blizzard Entertainment.

NEW YORK — A new venture backed by many of video gaming’s biggest publishers is unveiling a network that hopes to be to esports what ESPN has been to traditional sports.

VENN is set to launch in 2020 and aims to give the fragmented esports scene a home base for content with higher production value than gamers are used to with online streaming. The network was co-founded by four-time Emmy-winning producer Ariel Horn and entrepreneur Ben Kusin and has raised $17 million from investors including co-founders from Twitch, Riot Games and Blizzard Entertainment.

VENN, short for Video Game Entertainment and News Network, will debut with live studios in New York and Los Angeles. There is expected to be 55 hours of original programming per week, including gamer streams, talk shows, documentaries and live esport events. It already has deals in place to broadcast on Twitch and YouTube and expects to be available on mediums like Roku or Sling.

Esports revenues are expected to top $1 billion this year, and global viewership numbers are rivaling those of traditional sports — nearly 100 million viewers watched last year’s League of Legends world championship, roughly on par with TV viewership for the Super Bowl.

Yet the industry remains disjointed. Just like not all football fans also watch hockey, Fortnite players aren’t necessarily keeping tabs on League of Legends or Overwatch. Creating a common space for all those gamers has proven difficult. Perhaps the closest thing is the online streaming platform Twitch, but gamers there tend to find streams specific to their interest, creating little overlap with other gaming domains.

VENN hopes to solve that with content built around the culture of gaming.

“I think we’re more of a hybridized ESPN and what MTV TRL (Total Request Live) was when it launched decades ago,” Kusin said. “That crossover that it brought music in that generation in the culture.”

It’s a lofty pitch, but one that’s proven credible to many of gaming’s most influential names. The group’s initial investors include Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill, Blizzard Entertainment co-founder Mike Morhaime, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin and aXiomatic Gaming, an investment group behind Team Liquid and Epic Games. That gives VENN financial connections to esports’ biggest titles — Riot owns League of Legends, Blizzard is behind Overwatch and Call of Duty, and Epic publishes Fortnite — as well as some of its biggest teams.

“We could go to these luminaries in the industry and say, ‘Hey, we want to come together, be swift, work with a bunch of different titles, a bunch of different publishers and move the industry forward in terms of its recognition and prominence, will you help us?'” Kusin said. “The answer was a resounding yes.”

Horn’s presence is a big part of that. Formerly a sports producer at NBC, he has become a pioneering figure in esports. His achievements included a sports Emmy in 2017 for his role in landing an augmented reality dragon inside a stadium during the 2017 League of Legends World Championships opening ceremony and a successful New Year’s Eve stream by Ninja from Times Square last year.

“Taking what’s already there on a platform that (gamers) understand, and taking that into a network environment, that’s what we’re looking to do,” Horn said.

Source: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/gaming-heavyweights-raise-17m-esports-133920118.html

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in All Recent Posts, Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc., eSports Investing | Comments Off on Gaming heavyweights raise $17M for new #Esports network as funds flow into this HOT sector – SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

How #Amazon $AMZN Web Service EdStart is powering Indian #Edtech startups – SPONSOR: BetterU Education $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:45 AM on Tuesday, September 17th, 2019

SPONSOR:  Betteru Education Corp. The Only Education Marketplace In India Serving 1.3 Billion Potential Customers Click here for more information.

——————-

How Amazon Web Service EdStart is powering Indian edtech startups

Nandita Mathur

  • AWS EdStart is focused on innovative teaching and learning technologies that create positive student outcomes
  • India is the third largest country in terms of investment in education technology, after China and the US, for EdStart

New Delhi: Amazon Web Services (AWS) EdStart, AWS’s educational technology startup accelerator, was launched in India in June 2018 and focuses on addressing education problems unique to India. On a visit to India last week, Vincent Quah, Regional Head, Education, Research, Healthcare and Not-for-Profit Organizations, Worldwide Public Sector, Asia Pacific and Japan, Amazon Web Services talks about how EdStart is powering Indian edtech start ups. Edited excerpts:

What is the EdStart programme all about?

EdStart is a global programme designed to help entrepreneurs build the next generation of online learning, analytics, and campus management solutions on the AWS Cloud. The programme is designed to enable educational technology (edtech) startups to move faster with specially tailored benefits. Right now, we have two tiers in this programme. The first is the innovator tier, and the second is the member tier. They are primarily differentiated by how early start-ups are in their journey to become an edtech company. The Innovators Tier supports the earliest stage edtech start-ups and provides them with resources, technical assistance and exposure to a large community of fellow entrepreneurs besides giving them AWS promotional credits valued at $500. The members tier is for entrepreneurs to advance their business, driving further innovation and growing their footprint globally. AWS EdStart is focused on innovative teaching and learning technologies that create positive student outcomes.

What is the application criteria?

Start-ups can apply to join AWS EdStart if they are less than five years old and generate less than $10 million in annual revenue. The application is online and very simple. We also have an innovators application criteria where those start-ups that have been founded within the past two years, with annual revenues not exceeding $1 million can apply. I believe that AWS EdStart’s launch in India can help edtechs grow and scale rapidly, and provide learning and teaching resources to even the remotest areas of the country.

Why did you think of launching EdStart in India?

India is the third largest country in terms of investment in education technology, after China and the US. So India is an important market that we want to make available our EdStart programme. We find that edtech companies here are actually spearheading innovation with cutting edge technology and what better way for us to catalyse this market than to bring about a programme like this.

What is your long-term plan in India?

The message that we want to send out is inviting all the education technology startups in India to come and join us. Innovation has always been part and parcel of our DNA so we are delivering more innovation and innovative services to our customer. You know, AWS is a technology company, so we can’t say that we actually understand education. And so the combination of us being the technology services provider, the cloud service provider, and collaborating with the education expert, is a perfect combination, to bring the best of the technology and cloud services, with the knowledge of the education domain and solve a problem. The Indian startup community is one of the most robust and exciting in the world and we want to be part of this.

Tell us about some of the Indian EdStart customers.

I’d like to mention three members — Eckovation, enGuru and PlayAblo — who are using AWS to transform the learning experience and grow their user base. Social learning platform Eckovation, for instance, uses more than 20+ services offered by AWS. These include machine learning tools like Amazon SageMaker, large scale image processing for OMR, face and emotion recognition (using Amazon Rekognition) in the classroom to judge effectiveness. enGuru which is an app that teaches English for employability uses Amazon Polly, that enables them to offer voice support in Indian accents on non-Android devices. Similarly, PlayAblo, a gamified learning platform has been part of the edStart programme since June 2019 and offers a seamless experience over AWS cloud to learners across various channels (mobiles, tablets, browsers, AmazonAlexa).

Source: https://www.livemint.com/

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in betterU Education Corp | Comments Off on How #Amazon $AMZN Web Service EdStart is powering Indian #Edtech startups – SPONSOR: BetterU Education $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Vancouver #Canucks buy #CallofDuty pro #Esports team – Did you know Esports Entertainment $GMBL has partnered with 190 Esports Teams? $TECHF $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:51 AM on Tuesday, September 17th, 2019

OUR FEATURED SPONSOR:

GMBL: OTCQB

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • S-1 Filed for NASDAQ Listing
  • Partnered with 190 esports teams
  • Partnered with 250+ esports streamers
  • Launched VIE.gg P2P esports betting platform
  • P2P means an esports fan always wins
  • Superior to “House” model where fans VS. casino
  • Traditional sports teams owners are investing
  • Athletes and celebrities are investing
  • Wall Street is starting to invest
  • Biggest paradigm shift ever seen on the internet

Hub On AGORACOM

————————————–

Vancouver Canucks buy Call of Duty pro esports team

Canucks Sports & Entertainment is diving even further into the growing esports scene.

  • The organization has announced that they’ve partnered up with Enthusiast Gaming, a video game and esports company, and franchised a professional Call of Duty team.
  • The announcement comes less than a year after the Vancouver Titans, Vancouver’s professional Overwatch team, were unveiled to the public.

“Esports has shown extraordinary growth and we’re excited to be at the forefront with a new Call of Duty esports team,” Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini said in a statement. “With the continued support and expertise of our partners at Luminosity and Enthusiast Gaming, we believe the new Call of Duty esports league is also well-positioned for success.”

The newly-franchised team won’t be sharing space with the Canucks, the Titans, or the Warriors, however. Day-to-day operations and home games of the new team will be based out of Seattle.

The Aquilini Group and Canucks Sports & Entertainment will oversee the new franchise, while Luminosity Gaming, another partner esports organization, will handle player recruitment.

The league they’ll be playing in

The Seattle-based team will be playing in a brand new league owned by Activision, the video game company responsible for Call of Duty.

From 2016 to 2019, the company owned and oversaw the Call of Duty World League (CWL). Activision recently announced on Reddit that they would be closing the current professional league and creating a brand new one. Similar to the Overwatch League (OWL), the new league will be franchised with city-based teams from around the world.

Activision said that so far, there are 12 teams included in the league: Seattle, London, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Florida, Minnesota, New York, Paris, Toronto, and two teams in Los Angeles.

Teams will have between seven to 10 members and similar to other professional sports leagues, players will sign contracts and enter free agency.

The company also says that in this new league, pro players will receive a minimum base salary of $50,000 (USD) per year, health and retirement benefits, and housing. At least 50% of a team’s prize pool earning must also go towards the players.

More details about the league, its franchised teams, and how play will work will be announced in the near future.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in All Recent Posts, Esports Entertainment Group, Esports Entertainment Group Inc., eSports Investing | Comments Off on Vancouver #Canucks buy #CallofDuty pro #Esports team – Did you know Esports Entertainment $GMBL has partnered with 190 Esports Teams? $TECHF $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $TNA.ca

Empower Clinics $CBDT.ca Announces Joint Venture with Heritage Cannabis for the Production of Hemp Derived #CBD Oils and Formulated Products in Oregon USA $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca $FAF.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 7:55 AM on Tuesday, September 17th, 2019
  • Announced that it has entered into a Letter of Intent to form a Joint Venture Partnership with HERITAGE CANNABIS HOLDINGS CORP. (CSE: CANN) in Sandy, OR for the extraction of hemp for CBD oil production, and formulated CBD products
  • Heritage, via its wholly owned subsidiary Purefarma Solutions Inc., will install extraction units and related downstream extraction equipment inside Empower’s existing 5,000 sq. ft. licenced hemp processing facility in Sandy, OR.
  • JV will be equally funded by both companies with Heritage investing an initial $500,000 for start-up funds, as the build out completes and the JV secures high quality hemp supply from local growers.

VANCOUVER, Sept. 17, 2019 – 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 it has entered into a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) to form a Joint Venture Partnership (“JV”) with HERITAGE CANNABIS HOLDINGS CORP. (CSE: CANN) (“Heritage“) in Sandy, OR for the extraction of hemp for CBD oil production, and formulated CBD products.

Terms of the LOI have Empower and Heritage each with a 50% ownership of the JV. Heritage, via its wholly owned subsidiary Purefarma Solutions Inc. (“Purefarma”), will install extraction units and related downstream extraction equipment inside Empower’s existing 5,000 sq. ft. licenced hemp processing facility in Sandy, OR. In addition, Purefarma will train and supervise the staff on the proprietary methods of extraction and oil production that it produces in Canada. The JV will be equally funded by both companies with Heritage investing an initial $500,000 for start-up funds, as the build out completes and the JV secures high quality hemp supply from local growers.

Once operational, the JV will begin producing proprietary branded products for Empower’s corporately owned physician staffed health clinics in Washington State, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona. These clinics include Sun Valley Health (“Sun Valley”), a subsidiary of Empower, which has direct marketing access to over 165,000 patients and growing as Sun Valley expands its franchised network nationwide. The JV will utilize formulations from Heritage in Canada, as well as manufacture proprietary Sollievo branded products that Empower distributes throughout its clinic network.

“By moving forward with Heritage in this JV, it allows us to execute our growth strategy more quickly and efficiently. We will expand our clinics and CBD product offerings throughout the USA via our franchise model, as we aim to become a significant part of the cannabis wellness marketplace.” states Steven McAuley, Empower’s Chief Executive Officer.

The JV will also look to manufacture white label products for other distributors throughout the USA, and it is currently in talks with several potential customers to produce tinctures, topicals, gel caps and formulated bulk CBD oil.  

“This is a big step for Heritage as we expand our unique capabilities south of the border into the USA. We are fortunate to be working with Empower as they bring distribution, and a licensed facility which will allow us to begin immediately filling an order pipeline.” says Clint Sharples, CEO of Heritage “Since our 30% acquisition of Endocanna Health in California, they have introduced us to many quality opportunities, including this one with Empower, and are targeting many more in the future.”

Additional HIGHLIGHTS

  • Extraction Facility Progress The Company has been awarded its hemp-handlers license from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and now are approved to operate the new 5,000 sq. ft. facility in Sandy, OR. Pathangay Architects have been retained to complete the design and drawings, to submit permit approvals that commence the next phase of build-out. Security systems and IT networks have been installed. The Company intends to include these assets as part of the JV.

  • Hemp Bio-Mass Supply The Company has commenced RFP’s (Request For Proposal’s) to access the more than 1,300 licensed hemp farmers in the State of Oregon, that are known to produce some of the highest quality hemp bio-mass in the United States.

  • CBD Market Demand The passing in the United States of the US$867 billion Agriculture Improvement Act (the “Farm Bill“) has legalized hemp and hemp-based products. This has created an opportunity for the production and sale of a variety of CBD-based products that can provide genuine help and effective relief to millions of people suffering from a variety of qualifying conditions. Recent reports and studies indicate the approval of the Farm Bill could create a US$23 billion industry by 2023

  • Sun Valley Health Franchise Sun Valley Health www.sunvalleyhealth.com offers a scientific approach to alternative medicine supported by a network of nine (9) corporate locations and a nationwide franchise program that offers a turnkey opportunity including:
  • An electronic medical system that handles patient data and sensitive information, and deals with program tracking, referrals, and appointment reminders
  • A proven operational system that has 165,000 patients in its database
  • A retail CBD and premium wellness product offer to diversify and attract customers
  • An industry leading campaign management system using text messaging, email and call center systems to engage patients and customers
  • Paperless communication channels that are HIPAA compliant
  • On-site and web-based training systems to develop franchisees
  • Sophisticated advertising programs proven to connect with local customers
  • Support and infrastructure to ensure franchisees have a formula for success

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.

About Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp.

The Company is a vertically integrated cannabis provider that currently has two Health Canada approved licenced producers, through its subsidiaries Voyage Cannabis Corp. and CannaCure Corp. both regulated under the Cannabis Act Regulations. Working under these two licences, Heritage has two additional subsidiaries, Purefarma Solutions, which provides extraction services, and BriteLife Sciences that is focused on cannabis based medical solutions. Heritage as the parent Company, is focused on providing resources for its subsidiaries to advance their products or services to compete both domestically and internationally.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Steven McAuley
Chief Executive Officer

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 terms of the proposed JV 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 the hemp-based CBD extraction facility may not be fully operation in 2019 if at all; 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 JV 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.

SOURCE Empower Clinics Inc.

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2019/17/c9158.html

Investors: Steve Low, Boom Capital Markets, [email protected], 647-620-5101; Investors: Steven McAuley, CEO, [email protected], 604-789-2146Copyright CNW Group 2019

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Empower Clinics Inc. | Comments Off on Empower Clinics $CBDT.ca Announces Joint Venture with Heritage Cannabis for the Production of Hemp Derived #CBD Oils and Formulated Products in Oregon USA $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca $FAF.ca

CLIENT FEATURE: CardioComm Solutions $EKG.ca – Connecting Your Heart To The Cloud $ATE.ca $TLT.ca $OGI.ca $ACST.ca $IPA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 5:37 PM on Monday, September 16th, 2019

Global Leaders in Mobile ECG Connectivity

  • 20 years of medical credibility licensing technologies to hospitals, physicians, remote patient monitoring  platforms, research groups and commercial call centers
  • Sold into > 20 countries, with the largest customer base located in the US
  • Class II medical device clearances and device agnostic for collecting, viewing, recording, analyzing and  storing of ECGs for management of patient and consumer health
  • ECG solutions for both consumer (OTC) and medical (Rx) markets
  • Owns all IP and source code
  • Market expert contributor for reports in m‐health, mobile cardiac monitoring and new advances in  consumer health and wellness monitoring

Recent Highlights

  • Announced ECG Services Integration and Co-Marketing Agreement with California-Based BodiMetrics LLC Read More
    • GEMS™ Universal will be available under two subscription models:
    • $6 US per month with one free ECG interpretation included; and,
    • $69 US per year with 12 free ECG interpretations that may be requested any time during the one year subscription.
  • GEMS(TM) Universal ECG App Launched in Partnership with Multiple ECG Device Manufacturers Read More
    • GEMS™ Universal ECG app , a version of the Company’s US Food and Drug Administration cleared and Health Canada approved GEMS™ Mobile ECG app,
    • Now available for download from the Google Play store
  • CardioComm Solutions’ Heartcheck(TM) CardiBeat Handheld ECG Device Cleared by Health Canada for Direct-to-Consumer Sales Read More
    • Received approval from Health Canada for the over-the-counter sales and marketing of its existing GEMS™ Mobile smartphone app and for the HeartCheck™ CardiBeat, its newest handheld heart rhythm monitor.
    • Both devices were cleared by the Food and Drug Administration in early 2019.
  • CardioComm Solutions Files with Health Canada for Direct to Consumer Sales Approval of the Heartcheck(TM) Cardibeat Handheld ECG Device Read More
    • Filed with Health Canada for approval for the over-the-counter  sales and marketing of their GEMS™ Mobile smartphone app and their newest handheld, heart rhythm monitor, the HeartCheck™ CardiBeat.
    • Both were cleared by the Food and Drug Administration in early 2019 and are available for sale direct to consumers in the US.

Company Accolades

FULL DISCLOSURE: CardioComm Solutions Inc. is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in AGORACOM Client Feature, All Recent Posts, CardioComm Solutions | Comments Off on CLIENT FEATURE: CardioComm Solutions $EKG.ca – Connecting Your Heart To The Cloud $ATE.ca $TLT.ca $OGI.ca $ACST.ca $IPA.ca

As Canada gears up for #pot 2.0, more shortages are on the menu, bodes well for #NORTHBUD $NBUD.ca $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:04 PM on Monday, September 16th, 2019

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.

NBUD: CSE

As Canada gears up for pot 2.0, more shortages are on the menu

  • Canada will add edibles, extracts and topicals to the list of legal cannabis products no later than Oct. 17.
  • Many analysts agree these products will generate better demand and margins than dried flower.
  • But the federal government has not yet issued regulations for the new formats, making it difficult for producers to prepare lest they unknowingly violate some rule.

By: Kristine Owram, Bloomberg News

Canada’s legalization of pot edibles later this year is facing an even more shambolic start than the dried flower market, which is still struggling to meet demand, according to industry players.

“At least that time we knew what the permissible product types were going to be and were already making them in the medical context,” said cannabis lawyer Trina Fraser, a partner at Brazeau Seller Law in Ottawa.

Canada will add edibles, extracts and topicals to the list of legal cannabis products no later than Oct. 17. Many analysts agree these products will generate better demand and margins than dried flower. But the federal government has not yet issued regulations for the new formats, making it difficult for producers to prepare lest they unknowingly violate some rule.

A spokeswoman for Health Canada declined to comment on when the regulations will be released.

In addition, a huge licensing backlog has built up at Health Canada, the government agency that oversees cannabis regulations. About 614 applications were waiting in the queue as of March 31.

“A full rollout amongst a nice wide array of producers and a wide array of these new product types is going to take time, literally years, because we have such a licensing backlog,” Fraser said.

Company Stockpiling

Canada’s market for edibles and other alternative pot produces will eventually be worth C$2.7 billion ($2 billion) annually, but consumers should expect “missteps, delays and frustration” in the early days, Deloitte said in a report published Monday. Jennifer Lee, Deloitte Canada’s cannabis national leader, estimated it will be a minimum of 24 months before the industry normalizes.

In the meantime, many pot companies are stockpiling, choosing to forgo revenue today to ensure they have enough supply for the new high-value products. This is exacerbating the shortage of dried flower, but executives say it’s worth it.

“We’ve made a very conscious effort to delay revenue,” said Chuck Rifici, chief executive officer of Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. Selling into the market today doesn’t build brand recognition because shelves are empty and consumers are buying whatever’s available, he added. “I would much rather save that product, get a multiple of margin on that brand and make sure that I have enough inventory.”

Lab Delays

This is proving to be a boon for extraction companies like Valens GroWorks Corp. Valens has contracts with many of the biggest pot companies, including Canopy Growth Corp., Hexo Corp. and Tilray Inc., to extract cannabis oil from their plants, which is then used for products like edibles and vape cartridges. It’s also investing heavily in its testing labs in the belief that Health Canada will have stringent regulations to ensure pesticides and other contaminants don’t make it into the new consumer products.

“Even in labs today there’s delays where people are waiting three weeks to a month to get lab results back and I think that will only get worse,” said Everett Knight, Valens’ executive vice president of strategy and investments.

Companies are also making big bets on what products will be in demand, with Canopy and Hexo leaning toward cannabis beverages and others toward vaping.

Be Prepared

“Why do I want an edible or a drink when I can have a vape?” Irwin Simon, interim CEO of Aphria Inc., said in an interview on the sidelines of a cannabis conference last month. “I see the margins and the opportunities there.”

Rifici at Auxly also believes vape pens will be “the most important category by far.” But there are many unanswered questions. For example, will the government require companies to engrave its mandatory THC warning symbol into the pen itself, or will a sticker suffice?

This is why Valens is offering its customers 196 different options for its white-label vape pens. “You’ve got to make sure you cover your bases and prepare for all the possibilities,” Knight said.

Despite the uncertainty, it’s better to be prepared even if plans and production lines have to be tweaked once the regulations come out, said Bruce Linton, CEO of Canopy, which is building a 197,000 square foot bottling plant for cannabis beverages in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

“We’re in a situation where it’s better to spend money to be ready than to save money and be late,” he said.

 Cannabis Canada is BNN Bloomberg’s in-depth series exploring the stunning formation of the entirely new – and controversial – Canadian recreational marijuana industry. Read more from the special series here and subscribe to our Cannabis Canada newsletter to have the latest marijuana news delivered directly to your inbox every day.

Source: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/as-canada-gears-up-for-pot-2-0-more-shortages-are-on-the-menu-1.1268844

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in All Recent Posts, North Bud Farms Inc | Comments Off on As Canada gears up for #pot 2.0, more shortages are on the menu, bodes well for #NORTHBUD $NBUD.ca $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca

8 Ways #Edtech Startups Are Setting Classroom-Innovation Trends – SPONSOR: betterU Education $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:07 AM on Monday, September 16th, 2019

SPONSOR:  Betteru Education Corp. The Only Education Marketplace In India Serving 1.3 Billion Potential Customers Click here for more information.

——————-  

By: Devishobha Chandramouli

  • Change drives change.
  • Technology and digital footprints have altered the way businesses work, employees perceive work and even the way families function.
  • Classrooms were not to be left behind. In 2018, there was a marked increase in investor interest in learning startups, especially those that are AI-based.
  • According to a report by market-research firm Metaari titled “The Stunning 2018 Global Learning Technology Investment Patterns: The Rise of the Global Edtech Unicorns,” the investments made to EdTech companies soared past $16.34 billion, with China and the U.S. leading the way, followed by India and Israel.
  • More recently, UK education conglomerate  Pearson announced a commitment of  $50 million solely to fund next generation EdTech startups to keep up with changing trends.

With that in mind, here are eight ways in which EdTech is shaping the next generation’s skills through tech intervention.

1. Immersive Learning

Classroom learning is no longer relegated to the chalkboard. Today, students can participate in immersive experiences while learning about everything from specific timelines in history to climate change in Antarctica. EdTech companies like Early Adopter work with educators to create augmented-reality tutorials, including virtually transporting students to the surface of the moon while reading books about space. 

2. Industry-Specific Learning

Today’s fast-paced business sectors require that learners enter the workforce with a fundamental understanding of how an industry works. Companies like Yellowbrick and InternView create industry-specific online programs by partnering with major colleges, media outlets and organizations with a goal of helping learners get useful training in the industries they’re passionate about.

3. Seamless Classrooms

With limited resources and time-based pressures, it’s increasingly difficult for teachers to ensure 100 percent student comprehension. That’s why companies like Brainly and OneClass have decided to connect the whole world as one collaborative learning group that’s capable of adapting dynamically to global topics and trends. Theirs is a great example of using technology as a leveler while governments figure out how to invest more in the classroom experience. 

4. Big Data

As test scores and attendance persist as traditional metrics for classroom success, seemingly simplistic technologies are creating ripples. Companies like Peachjar promote parent-teacher collaboration and engagement in extracurricular activities using big-data analytics to discover new ideas, opportunities and resources available across the country.

5. Future-Ready Design

With AI set to wipe out millions of repetitive tasks, experts predict that everything that can be automated will be automated in the future, sparking enormous demand for skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, ideation, creativity and, most importantly, empathy. EdTech startups such as Cartedo provide students with a future-readiness platform and design-thinking workshops to develop creative confidence. The foremost goal is to equip students to become agents of change in their own communities, even encouraging them to work on solutions to address subject matter as lofty as UN sustainability and development goals.

6. Gamification.

Classrooms are coming alive with personalized, adaptive learning through gamification. Platforms like Mangahigh are employing gamification to ease understanding of even serious subjects like math by encouraging participation, engagement and collaboration. Gamification also improves context-based comprehension through adaptive and personalized learning.

7. Digital Safety

Given kids’s increased engagement with the internet, there is a need for designing online spaces that are safe for young learners. One company leading the charge is AI-based platform Securly, which intuits risks of bullying and self-harm and innovates protections that meet modern needs.

8. Sustainability and Life Skills

The tendency to confine classroom instruction to solely academic goals is slowly but surely diminishing. Companies like Mindvalley collaborate with schools to impart online lessons on living a meaningful life. Topics include communication and negotiation, finding purpose, staying calm under stress and sustainability design. In other words, all the skills required in real life. 

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/334000

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in All Recent Posts, betterU Education Corp | Comments Off on 8 Ways #Edtech Startups Are Setting Classroom-Innovation Trends – SPONSOR: betterU Education $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca Announces the Vancouver #Titans Are Heading to Grand Finals with $3.5M Prize Pool #Esports $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:23 AM on Monday, September 16th, 2019
  • Vancouver Titans, a professional esports team which the Company has a non-controlling interest in, will be competing in the Overwatch Grand Finals on September 29, 2019 in Philadelphia.
  • The #1 ranked Vancouver Titans team is competing in its first season of the Overwatch League with a season record of 25-3.
  • Winning team taking home US$1.1 million from the total prize pool of US$3.5 million.
  • Finals will be held at sold out Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and broadcast on ESPN and ABC

Toronto, Ontario–(September 16, 2019) –  Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (“Enthusiast Gaming“), is excited to announce that the Vancouver Titans, a professional esports team which the Company has a non-controlling interest in, will be competing in the Overwatch Grand Finals on September 29, 2019 in Philadelphia. The #1 ranked Vancouver Titans team is competing in its first season of the Overwatch League with a season record of 25-3. The Vancouver Titans are managed by Enthusiast Gaming’s esports division, Luminosity Gaming Inc. (“Luminosity Gaming“).

The Grand Finals will be broadcast across major media networks, ESPN and ABC, from the sold out Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia. The Vancouver Titans will face off against the San Francisco Shock, with the winning team taking home US$1.1 million from the total prize pool of US$3.5 million.

Steve Maida, President of Luminosity Gaming, Enthusiast Gaming’s esports division commented, “Congratulations to the Vancouver Titans on their remarkable season as the #1 ranked team in the Overwatch league! I’m proud of the guys for their hard work, dedication and chemistry this season, and we are all excited to see them in the Grand Finals at the sold out, 20,000 person capacity, Wells Fargo Arena!” He continued, “Esports has crossed into the mainstream and is now being broadcast from the top media networks in North America, and selling out some of the largest stadiums in the world. With viewership expected to reach almost 460 million in 20191, we are excited to be a leader in the space as esports continues its rapid growth.”

Luminosity Gaming is one of the leading esports organizations with 8 championship calibre teams across the world’s most popular game titles. The Vancouver Titans compete in the Overwatch League, which consists of 20 teams across six countries and three continents. Enthusiast Gaming acquired its interest in the Vancouver Titans from the team’s majority owner, the Aquilini Investment Group. Enthusiast Gaming recently announced that it will be joining the 2020 Call of Duty League, with the acquisition of a non-controlling interest in the Seattle based team.

About Enthusiast Gaming

Enthusiast Gaming is one of the largest vertically integrated video game and esports companies in the world. The Company’s digital platform includes +85 gaming related websites and 900 YouTube channels which collectively reach 150 million visitors monthly. Enthusiast’s esports division, Luminosity Gaming, a leading global esports organization consists of 8 professional esports teams under ownership and management, including the #1 ranked Overwatch team, the Vancouver Titans and over 50 gaming influencers with a total audience of 60 million followers. Collectively, the community reaches over 200 million gaming enthusiasts on a monthly basis. Enthusiast also owns and operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo, EGLX, (eglx.ca) with approximately 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com. For more information on Luminosity Gaming, please visit luminosity.gg

1Source: Newzoo https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/newzoo-global-esports-economy-will-top-1-billion-for-the-first-time-in-2019/


CONTACT INFORMATION

Investor Relations:
Julia Becker
Head of Investor Relations & Marketing
Telephone: 604-785-0850
Email: [email protected]

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including risks related to factors beyond the control of Enthusiast Gaming. The risks include risks that are customary to transactions of this nature and customary to companies which have their stock traded on the TSXV. 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 Enthusiast Gaming will obtain from them.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities 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 and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to a U.S. Person unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

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.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. | Comments Off on Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca Announces the Vancouver #Titans Are Heading to Grand Finals with $3.5M Prize Pool #Esports $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

What Drives the Engagement Factor in #Edtech? betterU Education $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:46 PM on Friday, September 13th, 2019

SPONSOR:  Betteru Education Corp. The Only Education Marketplace In India Serving 1.3 Billion Potential Customers Click here for more information.

What Drives the Engagement Factor in Edtech?
  • Many edtech developers say that their products foster student engagement
  • Research supports the fact that many digital edtech products have the ‘new and shiny factor’—they boost student engagement by virtue of their novelty

By Henry Kronk

Many edtech developers say that their products foster student engagement. Research supports the fact that many digital edtech products have the ‘new and shiny factor’—they boost student engagement by virtue of their novelty. Others, meanwhile, aren’t flashy, but still promote engagement through their own unique functions and mechanisms. A white paper put out today by the L.A.-based edtech developer GoGuardian investigates student engagement in the classroom, what allows for it, what enhances it, and how it fits into current industry trends.

The first issue with studying engagement is that no one can say exactly what it is. GoGuardian researchers Mariana Aguilar and Kayla Sheldon write that, while there is no set definition, even among academic circles, “it is widely agreed that engagement is a metaconcept composed of multiple dimensions.”

Engagement Isn’t Easy to Define

To conduct their research, the authors reached 359 stakeholders—about 310 of whom were students—across K-12 levels at 19 districts in seven different states (Florida, California, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Washington). These districts were identified because they were existing GoGuardian customers, and that represents a potential limitation of the study. Besides students, the rest of the respondents were teachers, school leaders, and IT admins.

The authors took a qualitative approach to their research. They collected information via focus groups, interviews, and classroom observation. From these, they identified 43 different thematic elements that fall within four aspects of a conceptual framework surrounding engagement: 1) “contextual variables affecting engagement,” 2) “qualities of an engaging learning experience,” 3) “industry trends,” and 4) “indicators of engagement.”

To broadly summarize their findings, the authors found that, to boost engagement, both teachers and the edtech tools they use need to meet students where they are, and not the other way around.

In Edtech, ‘There Is No Silver Bullet’

The authors repeat the conclusion that many have come to before them: there is no silver bullet in edtech. In other words, there is no edtech solution or intervention that can effectively help all the students, all the time.

The authors identified numerous instances in which teachers created a more engaging learning experience with analogue technology compared to when digital entered the mix. For example, they sat in on one math class where the teacher got things started by asking students to do a short period of independent work on their Chromebooks at the beginning of class.

By contrast, as the authors describe a 10th grade history class, “in which students were instructed to work in groups to research the historic relationship between nationalism and violence in a given country and to collaboratively present their findings and perspective in a presentation. While both of these examples demonstrate the use of education technology, the methods of implementation resulted in significantly different levels of cognitive effort required from the students. These examples illustrate the importance of how the technology is used and its impact on student learning.”

‘Personalizing’ Learning

There’s a much-repeated term that describes conforming to students’ needs: personalized learning. While many edtech products seek to personalize learning, effective teachers who boost engagement also do it on their own. Other qualities of engagement identified by the authors include: positive emotional experiences, interactivity and gamification, the social aspect of learning, and validation from teachers and peers.

Another quality they pointed out was blended learning. “[W]e noted that many of the digital learning experiences were supplemented by the offline processing of information,” the authors write. “For example, when observing students complete math problems on a web application, the majority of students were entering the answers on the computer while solving the problems in a notebook. A few of the students were even counting on their fingers! Enabling students to process offline was also observed as a technique for fueling stronger engagement.”

While edtech works with various effectiveness to promote these variables and qualities of engagement, stakeholders also described a few challenges when putting them to use.

Most stakeholders realize the benefits of creating consistency with the edtech used in a given school, but in most, the products and tools used vary widely.

The Struggle to Streamline

As one IT Admin said, “It has been like the wild west at times. They [teachers] are buying different products. One might buy this program and the other buys that one, and there’s been some slipping through some cracks.”

There’s also a huge discrepancy among teachers regarding digital literacy. That impacts both the tools that can be put to use, along with the data that can be collected about how well they work.

One leader said, “We have some teachers that are using technology and others not that much. But when it comes to tracking that piece of information—that becomes part of the problem. Some may be using the technology more than others.”

While edtech works with different degrees of effectiveness, most were adamant about one fact: “Technology will never be able to replace a teacher.”

“This comment came up again and again by both school leaders and teachers,” the authors write, “and it reflects a level of apprehension about the role of education technology. One middle school leader shared, “The teacher still plays a crucial role. We’ve seen those extremes. Neither are good. The successful classrooms are just the right balance. The digital platform should be a tool rather than the teacher.”

Source: https://news.elearninginside.com/what-drives-the-engagement-factor-in-edtech/

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in All Recent Posts, betterU Education Corp | Comments Off on What Drives the Engagement Factor in #Edtech? betterU Education $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Facebook’s $FB #Crypto Launching in H2 2020, Says #Libra Association Chief – SPONSOR: ThreeD Capital $IDK.ca $HIVE.ca $BLOC.ca $CODE.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:44 AM on Friday, September 13th, 2019

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.

IDK: CSE
————————

Facebook’s Crypto Launching in H2 2020, Says Libra Association Chief

By William Suberg

The head of the nonprofit organization behind Facebook’s Libra digital currency has said the company is committed to launching it and clearing regulatory hurdles.

Perez: “We don’t want to be like BlackRock”

In an interview with French news magazine Les Echos on Sept. 12, Bertrand Perez, director general of the Libra Association, said the token should appear in the second half of 2020. 

The comments came the day France’s economy and finance minister said the country would refuse to allow Libra to operate within its borders. 

As Cointelegraph reported, concerns over financial stability fuelled the resentment, with Bruno Le Maire appearing to wish to shape a hostile European Union policy towards Libra. 

According to Perez, however, Facebook does not wish to create new supplies of money via the token. He drew comparisons to BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, saying the social media giant did not want to compete in that market.

“We don’t want to become a new BlackRock,” he told Les Echos, continuing:

“That’s why these concerns about the destabilizing effect our reserve currency could have on central banks’ fiat currencies — which figure in our basket — seem unfounded to us.”

Facebook will resolve gov’t worries 

Perez likewise confirmed Libra, upon launch, would be tied to a selection of major world currencies, but notably not the Chinese yuan. 

As Cointelegraph previously noted, Beijing is putting the finishing touches to its own digital currency, with central bank officials already voicing direct worries of their own about Libra’s backing. 

Nonetheless, Perez is confident that all the regulatory difficulties could be solved by the launch. 

“The year we’ve taken prior to release will allow us to iron out all the problems,” he added. 

France meanwhile has pledged not to tax crypto-to-crypto transactions, highlighting its potentially permissive stance towards the phenomenon.

Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/facebooks-crypto-launching-in-h2-2020-says-libra-association-chief

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in All Recent Posts, Bitcoin, Blockchain stocks, Canadian Blockchain Stocks, Smallcap Blockchain stocks | Comments Off on Facebook’s $FB #Crypto Launching in H2 2020, Says #Libra Association Chief – SPONSOR: ThreeD Capital $IDK.ca $HIVE.ca $BLOC.ca $CODE.ca

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »