E-learning platforms are changing the Indian education landscape by addressing the demand-supply gap of both students as well as corporate employees by dispensing personalised learning outcomes, experts say.
Online learning has widened the scope of education and transcended it beyond classroom boundaries.
With high internet penetration in the last two years, it has taken over the traditional methods not just in the urban landscape but also in rural areas. The education system is evolving at a very fast pace, online education platform upGrad co-founder and MD Mayank Kumar said.
“With industries directly connecting with e-learning institutions
like ours, content has never been so up-to-date. All this put together
makes e-learning platforms complete, and students and working
professionals future-ready, in a matter of months,” he said.
Kumar noted that e-learning penetration in corporations is
increasing, regardless of the company’s size. Since class-based training
is more expensive, proportionately, for small and medium-sized firms,
these firms are increasingly recognising e-learning as a convenient and
cost-effective mode.
According to a report by KPMG, the Indian online education industry
will grow from 1.6 million users in 2016 to 9.6 million users by 2021.
“In the current scenario, professionals will be required to re-skill
themselves every 3-4 years to remain relevant in their evolving job
roles,” said Zairus Master, CEO, Shine Learning.com, which gives access
to certification courses from top global educational service providers.
At this scale, e-learning platforms are the only way forward.
Professionals will need to equip themselves with relevant skills before
their current skills become obsolete. Moreover, the government is
adopting a series of measures to bring a technological revolution to
accentuate e-learning which will ultimately lead to a major shift in the
Indian education sector, experts added.
“E-learning platforms are bringing a measurable difference in
students’ engagement and performance. It is reducing gaps in the
delivery of education and giving a new dimension to the education
space,” Pearson India Managing Director Vikas Singh said.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:07 AM on Tuesday, April 16th, 2019
Announced the upcoming launch of its WASDPro eGaming and eSports streaming service www.wasdpro.tv.Â
WASDPro is a purpose built eGaming/eSports video streaming service built on the Peeks Social Platform.
Company’s goal for WASDPro is to capture and monetize a significant share of this growing market which currently produces 355bn minutes of eSports and gaming streams watched in 2017 — a 22% year over year increase compared to 2016.
TORONTO, April 16, 2019 — Peeks Social Ltd. (TSXV: PEEK; OTCQB: PKSLF) (“Peeks Social†or the “Companyâ€) is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of its WASDPro eGaming and eSports streaming service www.wasdpro.tv.Â
WASDPro is a purpose built eGaming/eSports video streaming service
built on the Peeks Social Platform. The Company’s goal for WASDPro is to
capture and monetize a significant share of this growing market which
currently produces 355bn minutes of eSports and gaming streams watched
in 2017 — a 22% year over year increase compared to 2016. WASDPro will
be based off of the Peeks Social Platform, which is a robust ecommerce
enabled, video streaming platform that provides broadcasters and content
creators with a wide variety of proprietary content monetization
services. Content creators can make money by charging their viewers
monthly subscription fees (Subscription Service), by receiving donations
from viewers (Tipping Service) and by charging viewers for access to
content (Paywall Service. In addition, the Peeks Social Platform
provides a proprietary AdShare Service. The AdShare service allows all
content creators to make money by selecting sponsored ads that run on
their video content. The AdShare network dynamically matches sponsors
with content creators and allows the content creators to select their
desired sponsors. The company shares its cost per impression-based
advertising revenues with the content creator; thereby allowing content
creators an effortless way to make free money.
The company believes that the unique features of the WASDPro service
will provide eGamers and their fans, with one of the most satisfying
eGaming streaming experiences in the industry today. According to
Goldman Sachs 3.5 billion people are online today and nearly 2.2 billion
are active video gamers. Video Gaming today is a US$180bn industry
projecting to grow at a 5% compounded annual growth rate. By 2022, the
relatively new eSports segment of the industry is projected to reach an
audience of 276,000,000 people similar in size to the National Football
League (NFL). Currently 50 colleges have varsity eSports teams and
discussions have been held for inclusion of eSports in the 2024 Paris
Olympics. Goldman Sachs has identified the opportunity for
live-streaming to monetize the growth of eSports in a way that few other
businesses can.
“We are extremely excited to add the WASDPro service to the Peeks
Social family of services. Our goal is to make WASDPro an industry
leading eGaming and eSports destination for: content creators, fans and
advertisers alike. We have been, and will continue to, work with content
creators, affiliates and other partners to ensure that WASDPro reaches
the global audience it deserves.†states Mark Itwaru, CEO and Chairman
of Peeks Social.
The WASDPro beta site will be available May 2019.
The Peeks Social app can be downloaded in either the Apple or Google app stores, or by visiting www.peeks.social. WASDPro is available at www.wasdpro.tv
Mark Itwaru Chairman & Chief Executive Officer 416-639-5339 [email protected]
David Vinokurov Director Investor Relations 416-716-9281 [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) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this Release
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 PM on Monday, April 15th, 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
———————–
HIVE Berlin: Jens Hilgers, Peter Warman Discuss Trends in Esports
Warman spoke about gatekeeping in the industry and the challenges of breaking in, and estimated that between himself and Hilgers, they have collectively taken more than 1,000 calls over the years from people who want to get into esports
At the HIVE esports business
conference in Berlin this week, influential minds from across the
industry gathered to discuss the future of esports. Before the
wide-ranging panels began, Jens Hilgers and Peter Warman took the stage
to explore some of the trends they’ve seen and expect to see in the
future.
Both are long-standing fixtures of the esports industry. Hilgers has spent more than two decades in esports, co-founding Turtle Entertainment and ESL
in 2000 and serving as its CEO until 2010, when he transitioned to the
role of chairman of the board until 2015. He has also co-founded G2 Esports and tools maker DOJO Madness , and is a founding partner in BITKRAFT Esports Ventures . Warman, meanwhile, is the CEO and founder of gaming and esports analytics firm Newzoo , which was established in 2007.
“Every single time that something like that has happened in history, it was the most important and most exciting times for me.â€
Warman spoke about gatekeeping in the
industry and the challenges of breaking in, and estimated that between
himself and Hilgers, they have collectively taken more than 1,000 calls
over the years from people who want to get into esports—whether it’s
startups, brands, media, or financial services. Carefully explaining the
industry to people who are outside of it is critical, although both
said that detailing the subject to government representatives is a less
enjoyable situation.
“You sometimes have to explain what
the hell is going on,†said Warman. Added Hilgers: “I try to avoid those
meetings… those are the most frustrating ones.â€
Many more people in recent years have
seen the boom around esports, said Warman, between the excitement
building around the industry and the money flowing into it. But
newcomers who think that esports is a completely new thing need to be
educated that it’s actually a long-running, gradually-maturing industry,
he said.
“We have to explain to people: this
esports thing—it’s been around for a long time,†said Warman. “It’s not
this ‘hockey stick’ expectation, new industry thing, but a very healthy
and growing business.â€
Amidst all of the excitement and
investment around the space, however, Warman and Hilgers both said that
people in the space need to manage expectations for incoming
stakeholders, in part to help avoid the possibility of a bubble. Warman
added that part of managing expectations is making it clear that the
rise of esports is not a standalone thing—that the underlying growth is
tied into the popularity gaming and other industries and technologies.
It’s also a matter of new generations growing up with gaming, esports,
and digital devices.
“You sometimes have to explain what the hell is going on.â€
“What I’ve been observing for the
last 23 years in my career,†said Hilgers, “is that when we see the
growth year-over-year in esports, it’s mostly driven by digital natives
growing up with video games and the paradigm of esports.â€
Looking back on his career to date,
Hilgers pointed to key games that have defined or redefined genres and
helped boost esports at that time. He noted the impact of Counter-Strike , World of Warcraft , and League of Legends in the past, and more recently Fortnite ,
as each raised the bar for its respective genre and the level of
competition and interest around it. If that kind of trend continues,
then Hilgers said that we could see another paradigm-shifting
competitive game in two to four years’ time that might draw even larger
numbers of players and viewers.
“Every single time that something
like that has happened in history, it was the most important and most
exciting times for me,†said Hilgers, “because these new, genre-defining
games truly elevated competitive multiplayer gaming and esports.â€
Warman pointed to the exponential
growth of both gaming and esports over the years compared to other types
of popular media. He said that the wider gaming industry’s evolving
focus on engaging fans, making them happy, and providing them free tools
before
expecting any kind of payment is helping to drive that. That’s seen
both with free-to-play games and freely-streamed esports tournaments and
related content.
“What makes us very special in games is we put time first before money,†he said. “That’s the secret sauce of our business.â€
“I think there’s going to be a generation of games going forward that
actually will start the design process by reflecting these assumptions
in the right way.â€
But there’s a fine line to walk, he
continued, as some people have more time than money, while others have
plenty of money and are willing to spend it within games. Creators in
both the game development and esports sides of the games industry need
to balance the accessibility on one end with premium features and
services on the other. “We are entertaining people who don’t want to
spend money or don’t have money, but have a lot of time,†said Warman.
“And people that have a shitload of money, and they will all spend it in
our game. One single environment has to serve both. Think about it:
that’s very, very hard.â€
Hilgers spoke about the impact of Fortnite
and how its success has come in part from breaking the mold of the
battle royale genre. It’s a competitive game, yes, but the colorful
experience is also more accessible and targeted at a less die-hard
audience. Games like Apex Legends, Call of Duty , and Overwatch have more of a hardcore fan base, he said, while some Fortnite players simply want to play casually and hang out with friends in the game. It has wide-ranging appeal.
When it comes to the next wave of
esports games, however, he said that developers need to consider the
viewing experience as much as the gameplay and moment-to-moment action.
“Having a game that is equally great to spectate and to watch as it is
to play the game will ultimately make for the best esports games,†said
Hilgers. He doesn’t believe that most games in the market now were built
with that kind of mentality, but that developers are learning lessons
from today’s games and their challenges, and that the next generation of
esports-ready titles will be better poised to deliver on both fronts.
“I think there’s going to be a
generation of games going forward that actually will start the design
process by reflecting these assumptions in the right way,†he said, “and
that will lead to a greater entertainment offering and elevate
esports.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:23 PM on Monday, April 15th, 2019
Investment Highlights
Kenbridge property has a measured and indicated resource of 7.14 million tonnes at 0.62% nickel, 0.33% copper
17.5 (21.8 fully diluted) percent equity stake in Eloro Resources and 2 percent NSR in their La Victoria property
Kenbridge Ni Project (ON, Canada)
Advanced stage deposit remains open in three directions, is
equipped with a 623m deep shaft and has never been mined.
Preliminary Economic Assessment completed and updated returned robust project economics and operating costs including a NPV of C$253M and cash costs of US$3.47/lb of nickel net of copper credits.
Plans for Kenbridge include updating PEA,
advancing the project through to feasibility and exploring the open
mineralization at depth
FULL DISCLOSURE: Tartisan Nickel Corp. is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:23 AM on Monday, April 15th, 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.
——————-
Bithumb’s parent company receives $200 million investment from Japan’s ST Blockchain Fund
Bithumb’s parent company, Blockchain Exchange Alliance [BXA], received a massive $200 million in funding during its Series A round.
This huge sum was offered by Japan’s ST Blockchain Fund, reported Coin Telegraph.
Though based in Japan, ST Blockchain Fund interests investors from around the world, including Europe and the United States.
BXA is raising funds to take Bithumb to the international level. Bithumb, already one of the largest exchanges in South Korea, will expand in international markets with new trading pairs.
BXA’s press release read,
“The fund shared our vision of creating a global digital exchange
platform that can efficiently transfer value across borders with lower
costs, which was the key rationale behind this investment decision.â€
The news of massive funding comes in after Bithumb lost around $13
million in March following a hack. According to reports, this was
considered to be an inside job, done to deceive the company. However, in
the third-party public audit, Bithumb reassured investors that their
funds were in a secure storage.
Bithumb was also hacked in 2018, losing around $30 million. However,
the figure was later corrected to $17 million. The investment by ST will
be a much-needed impetus to Bithumb, an exchange that has been reeling
under major losses. It has been reported that the South Korean exchange
reported losses over $180 million since the price of Bitcoin dropped,
while it also had to lay off half of its staff last month.
The timing of the investment also falls in line with the rising
prices of cryptocurrencies, especially since Bitcoin has finally
breached the $5K mark.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:11 AM on Monday, April 15th, 2019
Entered into a non-binding letter of intent dated April 12, 2019, to acquire a 25% ownership interest in five Mountain Mellow Alberta locations
Mountain Mellow management is in their final stage of AGLC approval, has secured two prime retail locations in the Province of Alberta and is in the process of securing a minimum of three more.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 15, 2019 — BOUGAINVILLE VENTURES INC. (“Bougainville” or the “Company”) (CSE:BOG) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent (the “LOI”) dated April 12, 2019, to acquire a 25% ownership interest in five (5) Mountain Mellow Alberta locations in exchange for cash and common shares of Bougainville Ventures, Inc.
Mountain Mellow management is in their final stage of AGLC approval,
has secured two (2) prime retail locations in the Province of Alberta
and is in the process of securing a minimum of three (3) more. Mountain
Mellow locations may be leased and/or owned and will have continuous
daily traffic of no less than 5,000 drive by vehicles per day.
Andy Jagpal, President of Bougainville says, “Bougainville has gained
a tremendous opportunity with Mountain Mellow to become the Premier
Cannabis retailer in Alberta. Mountain Mellow and Bougainville Ventures
are committed to providing the perfect consumer retail experience and
Mountain Mellow will add to the Bougainville strategy in its retail
expansion.â€
Pursuant to the terms of the LOI, the Company will acquire 25% of the
issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of Mountain Mellow
in exchange for Two hundred and Fifty Thousand ($250,000.00) Canadian
dollars plus Seven Hundred and Fifty thousand ($750,000.00) in common
shares share’s at a deemed share value as set at close of market on the
fifteenth (15) day after the opening of each AGLC approved and occupancy
permitted location, for an aggregate consideration of $5,000,000.
Bougainville has also secured the right of first refusal for any
additional locations garnered by Mountain Mellow management, terms of
which are to be determined in the Definitive Agreement.
The completion of the Definitive Agreement is limited to the
following; (i) the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement,
(ii) completion of a satisfactory due diligence by Bougainville and
Mountain Mellow; and (iii) receipt of all required regulatory,
corporate, permits, Canadian Securities Exchange requirements and any
other conditions necessary to complete the transaction.
About Bougainville Ventures, Inc. Bougainville provides cannabis infrastructure and seed-to-sale services to I-502 tenant-growers leasing greenhouse facilities space and providing fully built-out, turnkey solutions and ancillary services including processing, cannabis expertise and marketing and sales resources. Greenhouse canopies provide a 50% saving in cultivation cost. Bougainville has 10,000 sq.ft., in near production in Oroville, WA.Â
For further information, please contact Andy Jagpal at [email protected] or by phone at 1-888-395-6399
Tags: CSE, Hemp, Marijuana, stocks, tsx, tsx-v, weed Posted in Bougainville Ventures | Comments Off on Bougainville $BOG.ca to Acquire an Interest in Five Alberta Retail Locations #Marijuana #Cannabis $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $TRST.ca $OGI.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:11 AM on Monday, April 15th, 2019
Company Cites Other Positive Financial Developments Which Include
Decrease in SG&A Expenses and Significant Improvements on Balance
Sheet
Total revenues of hempSMART™ products were $252,135 for the year ended Dec. 31, 2018, as compared to $26,830 from the prior year, representing a significant 840% increase year over year.
Gross profit for 2018 increased to $170,885, a 68% gross margin, compared to a gross margin of $12,536 for 2017, a 47% gross margin
Escondido, California–(April 15, 2019) – MARIJUANA COMPANY OF AMERICA INC. (OTCQB: MCOA) (“MCOA” or the “Company”), a vertically integrated hemp and cannabis corporation, is pleased to announce its financial results for the year ended Dec. 31, 2018, as reported in its annual report on Form 10-K.
2018 Financial Highlights
Total revenues of hempSMART™ products were $252,135 for the year
ended Dec. 31, 2018, as compared to $26,830 from the prior year,
representing a significant 840% increase year over year.
Net loss from operations decreased by 82% from $21,262,798 for the year ended Dec. 31, 2017, to $3,814,949 from the prior year.
Gross profit for 2018 increased to $170,885, a 68% gross margin,
compared to a gross margin of $12,536 for 2017, a 47% gross margin.
SG&A expenses, including non-cash items and one-time
transactional expenses, for 2018 decreased substantially by $17,292,265,
or 81%, to $3,980,493, compared to $21,272,758 for the prior year.
For the year ended Dec. 31, 2018, the Company realized the following
other one-time income items: Gain cancellation of debt of $1,500,000
and a gain of $560,000 from the change in value of its trading
securities investment in Global Payout. The Company also settled a debt
that resulted in a gain of $94,933.
Total assets increased by 70% from $1,129,958 in 2017 to $1,919,781
in 2018. This increase is due primarily to the increase in value of the
Company’s investment in Global Payout’s stock, which is accounted for
using the trading security method of accounting as well as an increase
in cash and inventory.
Total liabilities decreased by 56% from $11,447,710 for 2017 to
$5,053,887 for 2018. This decrease was largely due to the decrease in
liabilities related to warrants and joint venture obligations.
Cash used by operating activities for 2018 was $2,385,349, compared
to cash used for operating activities of $895,743 for 2017. Cash used by
investing was $686,458, compared to $1,176,919 for 2017. Cash provided
by financing activities for 2018 was $3,181,553, compared to $2,175,007
for 2017.
“I could not be prouder of the growth and accomplishments our company
and team members achieved in 2018,” said Don Steinberg, founder,
chairman and CEO of Marijuana Company of America. “Our industry
experienced unprecedented legislative developments, including Canada
going full adult use and the Farm Bill passing in the U.S. We are now
better positioned than ever to be a leader in the cannabis industry. Not
only did we expand our team, but we also launched our hempSMART sales
in Europe. We expect to complete and announce our acquisition of a
California marijuana manufacturing and distribution license shortly.
Upon completion, this acquisition will allow us to capture additional
market share, implementing a fully integrated cannabis model that
includes cultivation of hemp, distribution and manufacturing of
cannabis, and the retail delivery of our new Viva Buds brand.”
Jesus Quintero, CFO of Marijuana Company of America, said, “We are
very pleased with the strong financial results of 2018. Our financial
results were better than many other cannabis public companies in our
sector, which are still in the development stage and not yet producing
revenue. Marijuana Company of America, through our hempSMART brand, has
experienced a dramatic increase in sales, most of which occurred in
fourth quarter. This trend is continuing to grow in first and second
quarter of 2019. We think our shareholders are going to be very
satisfied with the execution of our highly aggressive growth and
restructuring plans in 2019.”
Further details about the Company’s financial results are available
in its annual report on Form 10K, which will be available in the
investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.marijuanacompanyofamerica.com.
MCOA is a corporation that participates in: (1) product research and
development of legal hemp-based consumer products under the brand name
“hempSMART™” that target 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.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” that 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.
For more information, please visit the Company’s websites at:
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:04 AM on Monday, April 15th, 2019
Closed the  acquisition of 100% of the assets of The Sims Resource from Generatorhallen AB and IBIBI HB, as previously announced in its press release dated January 7, 2019
Expects to realize the revenue of TSR beginning in Q2 2019 following the closing and integration on the Enthusiast platform
TORONTO, April 15, 2019 – Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (OTCQB: EGHIF), (“Enthusiast†or the “Companyâ€), is pleased to announce today, that it has closed the  acquisition of 100% of the assets of The Sims Resource (“TSRâ€) from Generatorhallen AB and IBIBI HB, as previously announced in its press release dated January 7, 2019.
Enthusiast expects to realize the revenue of TSR beginning in Q2 2019
following the closing and integration on the Enthusiast platform.
Menashe Kestenbaum, CEO of Enthusiast, commented, “We are thrilled to close The Sims Resource acquisition and look forward to fully integrating it onto the Enthusiast platform. TSR is the
largest female video gaming content site in the world and is ranked on
Quantcast’s Top 25 websites with the highest concentration of female
audience in the US, closely behind Oprah.com. He continued, “We
have a monetization strategy for TSR and we anticipate enhancing our
advertising revenue through direct sales, capitalizing on the
opportunity to monetize with advertisers seeking a large female video
game audience. Further, we will look to adopt TSR’s subscription model
to add additional revenue streams across our entire portfolio.â€
The
acquisition of TSR is the largest acquisition to date for Enthusiast
and follows the successful completion of several strategic and accretive
acquisitions in 2018 and 2019.
Founded in 2014, Enthusiast is the fastest-growing online community
of video gamers. Through the Company’s unique acquisition strategy, it
has a platform of over 80 owned and affiliated websites and currently
reaches over 75 million monthly visitors with its unique and curated
content and over 50 million YouTube visitors. Enthusiast also owns and
operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo,
EGLX, (eglx.ca) with over 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Investor Relations:
Julia Becker Head of Investor Relations & Marketing [email protected] (604) 785.0850
This news release contains certain statements that may constitute
forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All
statements, other than those of historical fact, which address
activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or
achievements that Enthusiast anticipates or expects may or will occur in
the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking
information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to,
comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations
and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such
as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”,
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or
variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain
actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will”
(or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or
come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently
available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans,
strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
Enthusiast to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information. Such factors may be based on information currently
available to Enthusiast, including information obtained from third-party
industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on
management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth,
results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and
sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all
forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly
qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of
the Company should be considered highly speculative.
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.
The securities of the Corporation have not been and will not be
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration
or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press
release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:45 PM on Sunday, April 14th, 2019
SPONSOR: Tartisan Nickel (TN:CSE) Kenbridge Property has a measured
and indicated resource of 7.14 million tonnes at 0.62% nickel, 0.33%
copper. Tartisan also has interests in Peru, including a 20 percent
equity stake in Eloro Resources and 2 percent NSR in their La Victoria
property. Click her for more information
Healthy growth in nickel demand from the stainless steel and battery sectors and shrinking inventories on the Shanghai Futures Exchange and London Metal Exchange bode well for nickel prices
Nickel inventories at both LME and SHFE warehouses have been on a downward trajectory since 2018
Stainless steel demand still dominates, but EV sector grows faster
By: Violet Li
Healthy growth in nickel demand from the stainless steel and
battery sectors and shrinking inventories on the Shanghai Futures
Exchange and London Metal Exchange bode well for nickel prices,
Macquarie Capital senior commodities consultant Jim Lennon said.
“Our view is that we have these two drivers in demand: stainless steel
and batteries, and nickel inventories have been falling over the last
few years. I think it will [continue to] fall over the next few years;
the nickel market will remain in a deficit between supply and demand,
which should push prices higher,†Lennon said at Fastmarkets Battery
Materials Conference in Shanghai on Thursday April 11.
Lennon did not give a breakdown of the forecast price at the presentation.
Nickel inventories at both LME and SHFE warehouses have been on a
downward trajectory since 2018. LME nickel stocks totaled 182,446 tonnes
as of April 1, down by 50% from 368,430 tonnes on January 1, 2018.
Meanwhile, nickel stocks in SHFE-approved warehouses fell by 80% during
the same period, to 9,749 tonnes on April 4 from 48,920 tonnes on
January 1, 2018.
Lennon concluded the large decline in stock levels reflects deficits and some financial buying of stocks.
“Last year there’s probably about 50,000 tonnes of inventories
transferred from the LME warehouses in Asia into non-reported
inventories in Europe, held by banks and traders, partly for reasons of a
positive outlook for the market or better premiums in the European
area,†Lennon said.
Stainless steel demand still dominates, but EV sector grows faster Stainless
steel takes up 70% of global nickel usage compared with a small
fraction of 6% of nickel used by the electric vehicle (EV) sector,
Lennon said. But EV demand growth is speeding up, he said.
“Total world production of stainless steel in 2016 grew by 8.5%, 2017 by
6% and last year by 5%. This year, our projection is 3.5-4%, so we do
see some slowdown but still a steady growth rate. Nickel usage in
batteries will grow by 30-40% [in 2019], so the underlying growth in
nickel [consumption] continues to be quite impressive,†Lennon said.
Notably, more nickel briquette was used in the EV sector following
rising demand for batteries and this has raised the nickel briquette
premium over the past year.
Fastmarkets MB’s monthly duty-free
nickel briquette premium cif Shanghai stood at $240-270 per tonne at the
end of March, up from $220-260 per tonne at the launch of the
assessment in August last year.
Nickel briquette is the one of
the main raw materials of nickel sulfate, a key material used in the
production of nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) and nickel-cobalt-aluminium
(NCA) batteries used in EVs.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:15 PM on Sunday, April 14th, 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’s partial 2018 (first 9 months) revenue of $7.4 million
representing a 625% increase over the same period in 2017.
EGLX: TSX-V ———————————-
Twitch’s Head of Esports on the Trends Driving Viewer Engagement
According to Twitchtracker, the streaming service grew its average concurrent viewers by 43% to cross the one million average across the entire year, while streamers chasing the dream of Twitch stardom grew by 70% to 3.4M broadcasters per month.
From Fortnite’s breakout success and Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevin’s rise to mainstream celebrity status, to Overwatch
driving new styles of interactive engagement with fans – the year was
about a lot more than just seeing the statistics continue to climb. It
redefined the trends we thought we knew about what streaming is all
about and how esports builds its fan dynamics through real-time
interactions.
“Battle Royale games are highly competitive and easy to follow. They translate very well to Twitch.â€
It also saw a clash of the traditions
of team-based esports with the trend of viewers falling in love with
Battle Royale as their favorite game genre to watch.
“Battle Royale games are highly
competitive and easy to follow. They translate very well to Twitch,â€
Justin Dellario, head of esports at Twitch, told The Esports Observer.
“Twitch viewers thrive on live, shared moments and there is no shortage
of that spontaneity in Battle Royale games.
“Best of all, Battle Royale games are
simple – fight to be the last one standing – so nobody is left in the
dark when they see a best play or big win.â€
Dellario joined Twitch in February
2016, and since that time the wider entertainment industry has woken up
to the idea that game streaming isn’t a sideshow but an actual
competitor to its living room dominance. According to Dellario, the
strength of Twitch is its community spirit.
Credit: EA Games
“That’s what today’s young audiences
crave: the ability to interact and even influence what they watch.
Twitch gives them that opportunity to do so with their fellow fans,
their community,†said Dellario.
“People watch Twitch for shared
moments, something to enjoy with like-minded people. That’s no different
than sports fans gathering at a bar or a friend’s living room to watch a
game. How people interact with content and content creators on Twitch
builds a live, shared, interactive viewing experience that provides that
exact atmosphere from the comfort of wherever you are watching from.
That’s what we call multiplayer entertainment – unique, live,
unpredictable experiences created by the shared interactions of
millions.â€
“It’s important to note that while viewer rewards play a part in
driving viewership, they also play a part in driving engagement and play
time.â€
That blend of interactivity and
community is also represented in game developers delivering rewards to
viewers, particularly around esports tournaments, as part of using the
Twitch platform. And Dellario sees them shifting from a viewer incentive
to a community expectation.
“It’s important to note that while
viewer rewards play a part in driving viewership, they also play a part
in driving engagement and play time,†Dellario said. “They cause players
to return to the game to use the rewards, continue to have experiences
that keep them tied to the game, and ultimately help drive them back to
watching again to complete the loop.
“Developers recognize the need to strengthen this bond with their communities inside and outside of the game.â€
One of the deepest integrations between the Twitch fan experience and an esports competition was the launch of the Overwatch
League All-Access Pass. For a one-off season subscription price (unique
compared to Twitch’s typical monthly subscription system) a viewer gets
a special viewing experience with real-time game statistics, options to
watch specific player cameras, or combine multiple views to create
their own custom viewing experience.
Credit: Blizzard
“We are always looking for ways to
enhance the esports broadcast experience for our partners and viewing
experience for the fans,†said Dellario. “The Overwatch
League All-Access Pass was the result of our work with Blizzard to
develop new methods of engagement and learning from the community on how
to provide more control in how they watch and experience matches.â€
The top personalities on Twitch now
single-handedly command audiences just as big, or bigger, than the
biggest weekly esports leagues on the platform. So some events are
finding new ways to get the best of both worlds through one of the
newest trends on Twitch – co-streaming.
“We just saw Ninja gather a large viewing party for Thursday Night
Football, bringing the program to people who may not otherwise watch
it…â€
“Many of our top streamers got
successful because they are entertaining commentators of their own
gameplay. Therefore, letting an online personality present the content
in a way that resonates with their viewer community is a perfect way to
find a new audience,†said Dellario.
“Twitch viewers enjoy their content
more when they get to enjoy it with commentary from their friends, and
especially their favorite personalities. What that creates is a unique
viewing experience they can’t get from watching something alone.â€
This co-streaming concept is even
extending beyond the realm of esports and gaining the attention of
traditional sports leagues as well.
“We just saw Ninja gather a large
viewing party for Thursday Night Football, bringing the program to
people who may not otherwise watch it – cord cutters and cord nevers,â€
Dellario said.
Credit: Twitch
“That’s, of course, where you might
run into challenges. Co-streaming counts on getting the right
personalities who can get creative in a way that compliments your
content and gets their viewers interested. However, we were able to
secure that with the NFL by handpicking which streamers got rights to
co-stream Thursday Night Football.â€
For Dellario, one of the biggest
lessons in his three years at Twitch has been seeing streaming and
esports “go hand-in-hand†as commentary, personality, and community make
Twitch the preferred place to watch.
With Twitch Rivals, we are further fostering the relationship between esports and streaming.â€
“People don’t just turn out for the
game. People turn out for personalities in esports, and we have proven
that esports help boost personalities through Twitch Rivals,†Dellario
said.
“Twitch Rivals is a series of
competitions organized by Twitch, which pits our top and growing
streamers against each other in varying formats of competition and
challenges spanning all types of popular and budding game categories.â€
Rivals events use a central broadcast hub
as a base for viewers to tune in and catch the big picture coverage,
while all participants are streaming their personal point-of-view where
their fans – or new fans – can tune in.
“This helps streamers grow their
channels while maintaining their traditional programming and broadcast
times. With Twitch Rivals, we are further fostering the relationship
between esports and streaming,†Dellario said.
Want to hear more about Twitch’s
role in the esports industry? Justin Dellario will be a speaker at the
HIVE esports business conference in Berlin on April 11, 2019. The first
international esports business conference in Europe’s capital of
esports. An unprecedented conference format featuring thought leaders of
industries adjacent to esports sharing their insights. Click here to reserve your seat!
