Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, July 23rd, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.
(TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated
websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The
company exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue. Learn More
EGLX: TSX-V ———————————-
Las Vegas Esports arena evolving with latest gaming trends
“It’s almost like an actual sports stadium feel,†General Manager Nico DeGeorge said. “We want people to have that awe-inspiring moment like when they go to Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park.â€
Prior to the opening of the Triple Crown
Royale at the HyperX Esports Arena at Luxor, employees were buzzing
about a new opening hype video.
The video showcased not only the arena’s
production capabilities but was a step toward proving this isn’t your
ordinary video game gathering spot.
“It’s almost like an actual sports stadium
feel,†General Manager Nico DeGeorge said. “We want people to have that
awe-inspiring moment like when they go to Yankee Stadium or Fenway
Park.â€
When the HyperX Esports Arena hosted the
Triple Crown Royale, it featured three of the most popular battle royale
games, Fortnite, Apex Legends and PUBG.
Several professional gamers took part in the event, as well as local players and gamers from across the country.
“We wanted to make it open to the fans,â€
NewEgg’s Vice President of Marketing, Mitesh Patel said. “Yet, we also
wanted to leverage our relationship with so-called influencers and give
people the opportunity to play with and compete against these
professionals. The arena allows us to give gamers a chance to play with
professionals on the same type of equipment that the professionals play
with.â€
The tournament featured two groups of players that competed in each game.
Organizers pulled out all the stops, including commentators, multiple cameras and giveaways.
“Right now, we see esports on more of a
local, community level,†DeGeorge said. “Now, the broad focus is
broadcast in general, being more content driven.â€
Since its opening, the arena has held several events.
“We’re putting more effort into the content
space and it’s also helping make people more aware of esports,†DeGeorge
said. “We have people walk in here every day and try and figure out
what’s going on. Events like this can be something fun and informative
as well.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:09 AM on Tuesday, July 23rd, 2019
SPONSOR:Â Betteru Education Corp. aims to provide access to quality education from around the world. The Company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing an integrated ecosystem. Click here for more information.
BTRU: TSX-V
————————
Six Quick Things You Should Know About the Edtech Marketplace
Students gather around a table during a plumbing class at an IACM
Smart Learn Ltd. learning center in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, Oct.
10, 2017. Photographer: Anindito Mukherjee/Bloomberg
By: Derek Newton
Investors continue to be enticed by education technology companies and products.
So much so that edtech investment isn’t a fringe pastime anymore, it’s grown into a robust, big market that, according to education research firm HolonIQ, will surpass $7.5 billion this year.
They say some 400 deals have moved more than $3.5 billion already this year with a whopping 90 deals north of $5 million in funding.
While the movement of capital to and among edtech projects is
substantive, investors still make some mind-numbing mistakes such as
depending on technologies that aren’t practical, sales cycles that can’t
exist or, even more common, market forces that don’t apply to
education.
Nonetheless, whether you’re an investor or an observer, here are a few things you may want to know about the edtech marketplace.
The US is Flat
The U.S. edtech market is remarkably stable in terms of spending and
enrollment demand. There are a few demographic crests and troughs
expected over the next ten to fifteen years but nothing outside 5% in
either direction. And for the past five years, edtech investment in
American markets has been stable too – never more than $1.6 billion, not
less than $1.0 billion.
The Demand is Global
It’s not just that the American market is tepid, the growth is elsewhere.
According to HolonIQ,
70% of the global investment in education technology took place in just
two markets – India and China. Four of the five largest investment
deals in edtech so far this year have been logged in China. Their report
says matter-of-factly, “The US and Europe will steadily lose ground to
China and India†over the next 20 years.
Pivot to Workforce
More and more companies that launched as education reformers intent
on creating market change by design, technology or pedagogy are shifting to workforce training
instead, banking on demand for lifetime learning, a constant need to
retrain or refresh workers on technology skills. In many cases, the long
sales cycles and lack of demand have stalled the early projections.
Outside the Classroom
Most of the successful technology innovations in education will be outside the classroom. According to a 2016 report by McKinsey,
“Educational Services†was the least vulnerable sector to technology
disruption and automation. “The importance of human interaction is
evident in two sectors that, so far, have a relatively low technical
potential for automation: healthcare and education,†it read.
That doesn’t mean the door is closed. It’s somewhat open outside the
classroom. “27 percent of the activities in education—primarily those
that happen outside the classroom or on the sidelines—have the potential
to be automated with demonstrated technologies,†McKinsey said.
Online Higher Ed is Splitting
While enrollment in online higher ed classes continues to increase,
the pool of students is bifurcating. Competition for enrollment online
is increasingly being narrowed to two concerns – global brands that can
compete anywhere and hyper-local ones.
According to the 2019 Online College Students Report by Learning House,
a Wiley brand, more and more students who study online are doing it
closer and closer to home. “When this study was first conducted in 2012,
44% of online college students chose a school within 50 miles of their
residence. However, in 2019, 67% of online college students are
enrolling at schools within 50 miles of their residence, and 44% of
those students live within 25 miles of their school,†the report said.
Coding and STEM Skills Merging
Discrete, tech-heavy skills such as coding are increasingly being rolled into existing education offerings
by established education providers. Mergers, take-overs or expanded
offerings by community colleges and even four-year schools will expand
and stand-alone, bootcamp-style models will struggle due to increased
competition, lack of scale, non-competitive branding and lack of access
to federal student funding support.
This convergence is taking place against the backdrop of a repeated
employer surveys showing that so-called soft skills such as writing,
teamwork and flexibility are as important as the hard skills of coding,
for example.
Unfortunately, these quick points don’t easily melt into a neat
package of what’s happening in edtech. Nonetheless, a few themes emerge.
For example, investors who don’t think and look globally may be missing
the biggest growth opportunities. Another is that, in the U.S. at
least, innovations designed to work outside the classroom and/or support
career training may be better bets than those intended to change
teaching or compete with or disrupt established education norms.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:36 AM on Tuesday, July 23rd, 2019
MCOA:OTCQB
Company began sign-ups for Viva Buds Inc., a cannabis delivery service developed with joint venture partner Natural Plant Extracts of California
Viva Buds’ staff and marketing team have successfully initiated the prelaunch for prospective customers ahead of its official 2019 launch date.
ESCONDIDO, Calif., July 23, 2019 — via NetworkWire - MARIJUANA COMPANY OF AMERICA INC. (“MCOA†or the “Companyâ€) (OTCQB: MCOA), an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, is pleased to announce the prelaunch of cannabis delivery service Viva Buds Inc. in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California, with sign-ups now available on its website at https://vivabuds.com.
Viva Buds’ staff and marketing team have successfully initiated the
prelaunch for prospective customers ahead of its official 2019 launch
date. By signing up for free for the Viva Buds prelaunch, customers will
have the opportunity to make referrals before the actual launch date.
Viva Buds will offer customers a dynamic opportunity to purchase
low-cost premium cannabis products and utilize the “call your friendâ€
approach to build their own personal business. Viva Buds will have its
own user-friendly app and will utilize its strategic partnership with
MassRoots Inc. to reach out to thousands of its social media followers,
beginning in the San Fernando Valley.
In March, Natural Plant Extracts of California (“NPEâ€) and MCOA
announced they had established a joint venture to form Viva Buds,
sharing the net profits on a 50-50 basis. NPE will manage all operations
pertaining to distribution, manufacturing and delivery of cannabis
products, and MCOA will provide capital, consulting and marketing
services. Additionally, MCOA is the direct owner of 20% of NPE.
“Our management team is excited to provide this innovative
opportunity to future customers of Viva Buds in one of the largest U.S.
markets for recreational cannabis,†said Mr. Don Steinberg, CEO of
Marijuana Company of America.
“We are excited to be a partner in what we believe will be a game
changing and disruptive delivery model in the marketplace,†said Mr.
Alan Tsai, CEO of Natural Plant Extracts of California. “We offer an
incentivized program that is mutually beneficial for our customers as
well as the company. We are confident this adds a lot of unique value
and will position Viva Buds as a key player in the delivery sector.â€
About Marijuana Company of America, Inc. MCOA is a
corporation that participates in: (1) product research and development
of legal hemp-based consumer products under the brand name “hempSMART™â€,
that targets general health and well-being; (2) an affiliate marketing
program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products
containing CBD; (3) leasing of real property to separate business
entities engaged in the growth and sale of cannabis in those states and
jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized and properly regulated
for medicinal and recreational use; and, (4) the expansion of its
business into ancillary areas of the legalized cannabis and hemp
industry, as the legalized markets and opportunities in this segment
mature and develop.
About Our hempSMART Products Containing CBD The
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recognized CBD
as a safe and effective drug for any indication. Our products containing
CBD derived from industrial hemp are not marketed or sold based upon
claims that their use is safe and effective treatment for any medical
condition as drugs or dietary supplements subject to the FDA’s
jurisdiction.
About Natural Plant Extracts of California NPE
is a fully licensed cannabis manufacturing, distribution and non-store
front retail delivery. The Company has secured its licenses with the
state of California and city of Lynwood, CA. For more information about
the Company, please visit its website at https://nldistribution.com The
owners and founders of NPE are marijuana industry veterans with decades
of experience in establishing retail, manufacturing and distribution of
cannabis in California, including obtaining the first retail dispensary
licenses in Los Angeles, CA.
Legal Status of Cannabis While legalized in
California for recreational and medicinal use, cannabis remains a
Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 811)
and illegal under the federal law.
Forward Looking Statements This news
release contains “forward-looking statements” which are not purely
historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans,
expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking
statements include, among other things, the development, costs and
results of new business opportunities and words such as “anticipate”,
“seek”, intend”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “project”, “plan”, or
similar phrases may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual
results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking
statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others,
the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S.
and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company’s
reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of
cannabis-based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of
the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update
the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual
results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking
statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations
and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can
be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or
intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of
the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk
factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-12G, our
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from
time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more
information, please visit www.sec.gov.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 7:22 AM on Tuesday, July 23rd, 2019
Announced that the board of Directors have approved the terms of a Contract Production Agreement with a Co-packing Company
Co-packing Company is a fully-licensed cannabis co-packing and bottling company that operates to GMP standards.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 23, 2019 — BOUGAINVILLE VENTURES INC. (CSE: BOG) (FRA: 8BV) (DEU: 8BV) (MUN: 8BV) (STU: 8BV) (“Bougainville” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that the board of Directors have approved the terms of a Contract Production Agreement (the “Production Agreementâ€) with a Co-packing Company subject to acceptance of final terms, to produce and process our dedicated line of Cannabidiol derived (“CBDâ€) products which include the proprietary CBD blended, Medium Chain Triglycerides (“MCTâ€) Oils tincture product for anxiety, energy and sleep recently acquired from the Island Biopharma Inc., acquisition.
The Co-packing Company is a fully-licensed cannabis co-packing and
bottling company that operates to GMP standards. The Production
Agreement will enable Bougainville to launch its patented line of
bio-cannabis MCT Oil tincture products cost effectively. Pursuant to the
Production Agreement the co-packing company has agreed to provide
product development, manufacturing, and distribution of our CBD blended
MCT Oil tincture products for anxiety, energy and sleep. Bougainville
Ventures will commit to a minimum purchase order of 1,000 gallons or
56,000 units. Packaging costs are very competitive with industry norms
for the nutraceutical and herbal treatment products and the company’s
strategy is primarily to sell to the wholesale market first.
According to an estimate from cannabis industry analysts the hemp-CBD
market alone could reach $22 billion by 2022. CBD can be used to
effectively to treat epilepsy, anxiety, insomnia and chronic pain. The
Island Biopharma CBD line is designed to harness the healing power of
cannabis without the psychotropic effects of THC.
About the Co-Packing Company
The Co-packing Company is a Canadian-based company, which is engaged
in expanding the ancillary side of the cannabis industry. The company
offers local and international brands key services, such as formulation,
manufacturing, co-packing, and distribution for THC & CBD infused
products.
About Bougainville Ventures, Inc. Bougainville
Ventures Inc. is dedicated to rapid growth in production, processing,
retail and branding of cannabis and cannabis related products. Currently
the company provides strategic capital to the thriving cannabis
cultivation sector through ownership and development of commercial real
estate properties. We offer fully built out turnkey facilities equipped
with state-of-the-art growing infrastructure to cannabis growers and
processors. Also, the Company is focused on building a strong presence
in the hemp industry with the objective of extracting cannabinoids in
both Canada and the United States. Along with our flagship Hemp project
in Oregon State and the Greenhouse campus in Washington state, the
Company has proprietary formulas for cannabis edibles, topical, and
tinctures.
On behalf of the Board of Directors BOUGAINVILLE VENTURES INC.
Andy Jagpal, President and Director
For further information, please contact Andy Jagpal at [email protected]. Please note that our Toll free number has changed to 1-877-517-7816.
http://bougainvilleinc.com/
https://twitter.com/bougainvilleinc
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release
contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are based on the
expectations and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the
statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such
statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation,
may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be
placed on forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims
any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained in this news release.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 PM on Monday, July 22nd, 2019
betterU and NSDC officially launched their partnership on July 15th, World Youth Skill Day in Delhi India. This partnership will support efforts to Skill India. Through collaboration, betterU and NSDC will work together to further develop programs to support each industry.
During the media conference, betterU also announced the launch of their Mobile App
and Upskill Engine that will put the world’s education in the hands of
anyone across India and help support efforts for individualized
learning.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 4:40 PM on Monday, July 22nd, 2019
SPONSOR: CardioComm Solutions (EKG: TSX-V) – The heartbeat of cardiovascular medicine and telemedicine. Patented systems enable medical professionals, patients, and other healthcare professionals, clinics, hospitals and call centres to access and manage patient information in a secure and reliable environment Click here for more info.
EKG: TSX-V ————————————-
mhealth Solutions Market to witness major growth in coming years
mhealth Solutions Market size is projected to experience significant growth from 2019 to 2025.
Growing prevalence of chronic diseases such as blood pressure and cardiac diseases will drive cardiac health related mobile devices growth in the coming years.
mHealth technology is viewed as the solution to improve healthcare cost-efficiency as healthcare providers seek to maximize their patient outreach while minimizing costs, thus leading to industry growth.
Increasing penetration of tablet and
smart phones users and growing need for remote patient monitoring
services will boost mHealth solutions market growth in the future.
Increasing demand for healthcare information systems and launch of new
applications of mHealth technologies are the factors driving the growth
of mHealth solutions market.
Favorable government initiatives will
boost mHealth solutions industry in the upcoming years. For instance, in
Europe, European commission had launched a public consultation project
to gain input from various participant of digital health industry to
promote digital health innovations and care for European citizens. Such
government initiatives should propel industry growth over the forecast
timeframe.
However, lack of lack of favorable
reimbursement policies may restrict growth of mHealth solutions market.
Highly fragmented mHealth solutions market can hamper revenue generation
and company growth in the future.
Glucose meter market will show
tremendous growth during the forecast period. Rising incidence of Type-1
and Type-2 diabetes across the globe, increasing usage of homecare
devices and growing significance of remote blood glucose monitoring will
boost business growth. Moreover, risk of diabetes among the obese
individuals and increasing popularity of less invasive glucose
monitoring devices has led to rise in demand for digital glucose meters.
Fitness apps market will witness
remarkable growth over the forecast period and similar trend is expected
in the future. Fitness apps permits consumers to keep a track and
monitor on their fitness levels and sports related activities by using
smartphones. These apps also help users to keep track on their heart
rate and the number of calories lost during workout thus having positive
impact on segmental growth.
U.S. will dominate North America mHealth
solutions market in the forecast period. U.S. is in forefront for
technology adoption. The country is working towards developing smart
manufacturing infrastructure that will help operators to make real time
use of big data. The implementation of HITECH Act and HIPAA Act are
promoting the use of mHealth solution in the country, thus propelling
business growth in U.S. during projected timeframe.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 3:42 PM on Monday, July 22nd, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
Over 3.5 billion people are on social media; Facebook still biggest with teens; Esports on the rise
Within internet users aged 16 to 24, 32 percent saying they’ve recently watched an esports tournament
By: Simon Kemp
The new Global Digital Statshot report from Hootsuite and We Are Social
is packed with all the latest data you need to understand how people
are using the internet in July 2019. You’ll find the complete report in
the SlideShare embed below, but read on for my summary of this quarter’s
essential headlines.
Social media users pass 3.5 billion
The number of people around the world using social media has just passed the 3.5 billion mark, less than two years after we reported
that the number had reached 3 billion. The number of social media users
has grown by more than a quarter of a billion over the past twelve
months, with 46 percent of the world’s total population using social
media in July 2019.
What’s more, if we focus on ‘eligible audiences’ – people aged 13 and
above – the social media penetration figure increases to 59 percent,
with the latest trends indicating that it should pass 60 percent within
the next few months.
Half the world now watches online videos
The latest data from GlobalWebIndex
shows that more than 4 billion people around the world now watch online
video content each month, equating to more than half of the world’s
total population. Vlogs are particularly popular, with more than 2
billion people tuning in to watch their favorite influencers over the
past 30 days.
Snapchat’s audience jumps
Data published in Snapchat’s self-serve tools show that the
platform’s advertising audience jumped by a massive 19 percent in the
past three months, reaching a total of 369 million users by July 2019.
That translates to an increase of almost 60 million users since April,
with growth rates consistent across all age groups.
It’s not just Snapchat’s data that shows the platform is growing,
either. The latest data from App Annie shows a spike in downloads of the
Snapchat app over the past three months, with App Annie’s analysts
attributing the platform’s renewed success to the launch of new A.R.
filters, and improvements to its Android app.
Facebook still rules when it comes to teens
Despite Snapchat’s impressive growth, the platform still can’t claim
to be the kids’ favorite. That honour doesn’t belong to Instagram or
TikTok, either.
Perhaps surprisingly, it’s Facebook that boasts the largest number of
global users aged 13 to 17, and if we extend the age range to include
all teenagers, Facebook now has almost as many users as Snapchat and
Instagram combined.
Facebook’s youth audience actually increased over the past three
months, with the number of 13 to 17-year-olds using the platform up by
almost 5 million since April.
The key take-away here is that we need to be more wary of clickbait
and received wisdom. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that
‘the kids’ have given up on Facebook, but the cold, hard facts tell a
different story.
Esports win with younger audiences
There are more surprises for brands marketing to teens when it comes
to sports. The latest data from GlobalWebIndex suggest that esports may
have reached a tipping point amongst internet users aged 16 to 24, with
32 percent saying they’ve recently watched an esports tournament,
compared to 31 percent who say they’re interested in watching more
‘conventional’ sports like football, cricket, or motor racing.
Almost 1 billion people around the world have watched an esports
tournament in recent months, with interest particularly high in Asian
countries.
‘Game spectating’ is gaining broader momentum, too. Roughly 3 in 10
internet users say that they recently watched a live stream of someone
else playing video games, equating to a global audience of 1.25 billion
people.
The case for voice gets stronger
100 million people started using voice search and voice commands
since April, with more than 43 percent of internet users now using voice
tech every month. More than 1.88 billion people around the world now
use voice to control their devices, with half of all internet users
below the age of 35 already converted.
It’s also important to stress that most voice activity takes place on
smartphones, so you don’t need to wait for everyone to have a ‘smart
speaker’ before you take voice seriously. Now is the time to start
making sense of what voice means for your business – before you need to
play catch-up.
The value of truth
Despite the fact that more than half of the world’s internet users
say they’re worried about ‘fake news’ online, it turns out that we’re
four times more likely to use an ad-blocker than we are to pay for
digital news content.
However, the excellent new Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2019
finds that people are starting to realize the potential value of paying
for quality news content, although they’re much more likely to pay for a
video streaming service like Netflix than they are to pay for news.
These findings are supported by the latest data from GlobalWebIndex,
who report that roughly two-thirds of all internet users paid for some
form of digital content in the past 30 days. Once again, video streaming
platforms were the top choice.
Digging deeper
That’s all for this summary, but I’ll be digging deeper into all of
these stories – together with the rest of this quarter’s key findings –
in a series of additional articles over the next few days, so be sure to
check back for those.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:41 AM on Monday, July 22nd, 2019
SPONSOR: North Bud Farms Inc. (NBUD:CSE) Sustainable low cost, high
quality cannabinoid production and procurement focusing on both
bio-pharmaceutical development and Cannabinoid Infused Products. Learn More.
Welcome to the Cannabis Countdown.
In this week’s rendition, we’ll recap and countdown the top 10
marijuana industry news stories for the week of July 15th – 21st, 2019.
With Thailand’s legalization of medical cannabis in February, some
experts predict that other Southeast Asian countries may move to
decriminalize the plant. If that happens, it could prove a significant
opportunity for investors interested in the space.
At the end of 2018, Canada, the United States, and Mexico agreed on
new terms to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
The new treaty, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA),
establishes updated legal language surrounding trade tariffs,
environmental and labour regulations, and intellectual property
protections.
It was only just last year that Canopy GrowthCGC 2.14% completed
the first legal export of medical cannabis to the United States. As the
world waits for the United States and Canada to follow Mexico in
ratifying the new trade agreement, this is what cannabis investors
should know about how the deal affects the marijuana industry.
Hip-hop star A$AP Rocky made global headlines in July because of an
altercation and is now locked up Sweden. Thousands of fans and even
politicians like President Trump are calling for his release.
Like many other rappers, A$AP Rocky’s fortunes are not tied up only
in lyrics. These famous artists aren’t just signing record deals
anymore. Top rappers are now signing lucrative weed contracts.
Now that cannabis is going mainstream, let’s take a look at the top ten hip hop artists who are capitalizing on the green rush.
U.S. health authorities are taking final comments from the public on
how to regulate over-the-counter cannabis extracts such as CBD. The
suggestions are due to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by
midnight ET Tuesday, July 16, on how the agency should regulate
cannabis-derived products.
The FDA has vowed to expedite its review of cannabis-derived
compounds because of a surge in CBD products hitting the market. The
agency now says it will have an update on the review by late summer or
early fall.
The Ohio House on Wednesday voted 88-3 in favor of legislation that
would move Ohio closer to decriminalizing hemp and hemp products,
including CBD oil. Under current state law, hemp is considered a
Schedule I drug because it — like marijuana — comes from the cannabis
plant. However, hemp contains a low concentration of THC, marijuana’s
psychoactive stimulant.
The bill would exclude hemp and its products from the definition of
marijuana that the state uses to enforce controlled substance laws, and
it would further prohibit the state’s Board of Pharmacy from listing
hemp as a controlled substance.
But the award may come at a cost for Aurora as the average price it
offered – 1.73 euros per gram ($1.94) – was less than half the tender
reference prices and only slightly above the company’s latest reported
average “cash cost of sales per gram of dried cannabis sold.â€
On June 15, Fenwick resident Nick Lalonde, who worked at the Balfour
Street site for almost two years, had emailed the Voice and several
Health Canada employees with various allegations of infractions—
including cannabis being grown in unlicensed areas.
If you weren’t already convinced that cannabis has gone mainstream — you will be now.
American rapper, business mogul, and all-around cultural giant, Shawn
“Jay-Z†Carter, just announced a multi-year partnership with this
leading California cannabis company. In addition to helping strengthen
the company’s bottom line, Jay-Z will also look to create opportunities
for those hurt by the prohibition of cannabis.
When it comes to bringing cannabis banking out of the informal cash
exchange world and into America’s banking sector with Senate’s support,
the train is finally leaving the station. The Senate has scheduled a
hearing next week to discuss cannabis companies and their access to
legitimate banking.
Open and fair banking access for cannabis companies in the United
States will play a crucial role in the industry’s expansion and will
eventually lead to the implementation of interstate and online cannabis
commerce.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:57 AM on Monday, July 22nd, 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.
————-
Understanding blockchain technology and its implications on the future of transactions
Blockchain technology will disrupt the way we write and enforce contracts, execute transactions and maintain records.
Since blockchain technology is at the heart of Bitcoin and other virtual currencies, it can at the very least be expected to power even more consequential mediums of exchange in the future.
Shaan Ray Jul 22, 2019 Blockchain technology is transformative, and several commentators expect that it will have a massive economic impact similar to the one the Internet has had in the past few decades.
Blockchain could be the future of the financial industry.
Since blockchain technology is at the heart of Bitcoin
and other virtual currencies, it can at the very least be expected to
power even more consequential mediums of exchange in the future.
However, virtual currencies are merely the first use case of blockchain
technology.
Blockchain fundamentals
The blockchain is an open and distributed ledger. It uses an
append-only data structure, meaning new transactions and data can be
added on to a blockchain, but past data cannot be erased.
This results in a verifiable and permanent record of data and
transactions between two or more parties. This has the potential to
increase transparency and accountability, and positively enhance our
social and economic systems. A blockchain is built by running software
and linking several nodes together.
The main chain (black) consists of the longest series of blocks from the genesis block (blue) to the current block. Orphan blocks (red) exist outside of the main chain.
A blockchain is not one global entity — there are several
blockchains. Imagine a network of connected computers inside a highly
secure office, which are connected to each other, but not to the
internet. A blockchain is similar to this: it can have numerous
connected nodes, but remain totally separate and unique from other
blockchains.
Institutions and banks can build internal blockchains with their own
features for various organizational purposes. A consensus mechanism and a
reward system are required to maintain the integrity and functionality
of a blockchain.
In the Bitcoin blockchain, consensus is achieved by ‘mining’, and the
reward system is a protocol awarding a miner some amount of Bitcoin
upon successfully mining a block. Mining is undertaken by powerful
computers solving complex mathematical puzzles. Once a transaction is
verified and accepted as true by the entire network, miners start
working on the next block. Thus, a blockchain keeps growing (linking
each new block to the one before it).
Implications for transactions
Blockchain technology will disrupt the way we write and enforce
contracts, execute transactions and maintain records. Keeping records of
transactions is a core function of all businesses. These records are
meant to track past performance and help with forecasting and planning
for the future.
Most organizations’ records take a lot of time and effort to create,
and often the creation and storage processes are prone to errors.
Currently, transactions can be executed immediately, but settlement can
take anywhere from several hours to several days. For example, someone
selling stock in a corporation on a stock exchange can sell immediately,
but settlement can take a few days.
Similarly, a deal to purchase a house or car can be negotiated and
signed quickly, but the registration process (verifying and registering
the change in property ownership) often takes days and may involve
lawyers and government employees. In each of these examples, each party
maintains its own ledger, and cannot access the ledgers of the other
parties involved. On the blockchain, the process of transaction
verification and recording is immediate and permanent.
The ledger is distributed across several nodes, meaning the data is
replicated and stored instantaneously on each node across the system.
When a transaction is recorded in the blockchain, details of the
transaction such as price, asset, and ownership, are recorded, verified
and settled within seconds across all nodes. A verified change
registered on any one ledger is also simultaneously registered on all
other copies of the ledger. Since each transaction is transparently and
permanently recorded across all ledgers, open for anyone to see, there
is no need for third-party verification.
From virtual currencies to enterprise
Use The blockchain underlying Bitcoin is currently the largest and best-known blockchain. Ethereum is a separate blockchain:
while it supports the Ether currency, it also acts as a distributed
computing platform that features smart contract functionality.
Therefore, despite having a virtual currency element, it has many more
uses than Bitcoin. For example, companies in various industries raising
funds through ICOs use Ethereum for their projects.
The Hyperledger Project, by the Linux Foundation, aims to bring
together a number of independent efforts to develop open protocols and
standards in blockchain technology for enterprise use.
Here for the long term
Blockchain technology will disrupt the way we write Blockchain
technology, but is still in an early, formative stage, and
cryptocurrencies are only its first major use case.
Beyond cryptocurrency, blockchain technology will change how we
transact, and how we record and verify transactions. This will
revolutionise contracts and reduce friction in the exchange of assets.
Over the next few decades, blockchain technology will percolate
through our organizations and institutions, and shape how we transact
with one another. Just as the Internet continues to power emergent
technologies, we can expect to see new use cases of blockchain
technology across all industries.
Shaan Ray (MBA) is the head of Denver Hill, a group that uses
emerging technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence, additive
manufacturing and the industrial internet to create new products and
processes.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:54 AM on Monday, July 22nd, 2019
Announced that it has received approval on their development permit for a flagship retail location in the heart of Calgary
Spyder has now been accepted by Alberta Health Services and will begin construction in the coming weeks.
Vaughan, Ontario–(July 22, 2019) – Spyder Cannabis Inc.TSXVÂ :Â SPDR) (“Spyder“), an established Canadian cannabis and vape retail operator, is pleased to announce that it has received approval on their development permit for a flagship retail location in the heart of Calgary.
In July 2018, Spyder acquired a lease for an approximately 8,000
square feet location in Calgary, Alberta, which Spyder intends to
operate both as its flagship retail location, and as a central
distribution hub for its product offerings. Spyder had received a
municipal development and building permit in late 2018, subject to
receiving a variance from the Province of Alberta. Spyder has now been
accepted by Alberta Health Services and will begin construction in the
coming weeks.
“We have built our Spyder retail brand to provide a superior customer
experience and have focused on locations with high foot traffic in
urban centres and destinations” said Dan Pelchovitz, Spyder President
and CEO. “This will give us plenty of room to present an engaging retail
experience, rooted in a customer centric retail concept with unique
design, warm features, complete with well trained and knowledgeable
staff”
This location brings Spyder’s total retail to 6 locations across
Ontario and Alberta. This number is expected to grow over the coming
months as the Spyder is currently negotiating additional leases with the
intention of submitting applications for retail licenses. Spyder is
executing an aggressive expansion plan to create a significant retail
brand in the Canadian and U.S. adult use market. It is committed to
acquiring and developing prime North American retail locations and
continuing to expand the reach of its brand.
About Spyder
Founded in 2014 Spyder is an established chain of three high-end vape
stores, and two cannabis accessory stores, in Ontario, with locations
in Woodbridge, Scarborough, Burlington, Pickering and Niagara Falls. The
Spyder brand is defined by its high-quality proprietary line of
e-juice, liquids and exclusive retail deals, dispensed in uniquely
designed stores creating the optimal customer experience. Spyder is
building off this leading retail, distribution and branding eCig and
vapes company and is pursuing expansion into the legal cannabis and hemp
derived market. Spyder has developed a scalable retail model with plans
to create a significant footprint with targeted and disciplined retail
distribution strategy focusing on Canadian retail and U.S. boutique
retail and kiosks in high traffic peripheral areas.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
For more information, please contact:
Spyder Cannabis Inc. Dan Pelchovitz President & Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (905) 265-8273 Email: [email protected]
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
This news release includes statements containing certain
“forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable
securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking
statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”,
“continue”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”,
“estimate”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar
words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will”
occur..
These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were
used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in
the forward-looking statements throughout this news release.
Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of
management at the date the statements are made. Any number of risks and
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or
results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking
statements.
