Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 PM on Sunday, April 14th, 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
———————–
Steph Curry discusses old-school video games, eSports popularity
The eSports world has become — well, a world of its own.
It’s a continued success that has turned a gamer’s paradise into what some view as a respected sport.
On his latest episode of the YouTube series, “5 Minutes from Home,”
Warriors guard Steph Curry sat down with eSports stars Myth and Hamlinz
to discuss the two’s success in the gaming industry.
“Very excited to talk about their background in the eSports world,”
Curry said. “Now they’re pioneering a new industry and creating a brand
and creating their legacy from the jump.”
Hamlinz and Myth didn’t waste any time asking Curry the important question: What are some of his favorite video games?
“I’m terrible at ‘Fortnite,'” Curry said amid chuckles from the group. “God awful.”
He listed the popular sports-related video games as the main ones he dabbles in.
“I love any golf game, 2K, Madden, Tiger Woods had his old game that I loved to play,” Curry said.
He also said “Call of Duty” was one he enjoys playing, but that changed when he got married and had kids. Naturally.
The trio finished out the night when they stopped by the KoJa Kitchen food truck — a favorite place of Curry’s to indulge in.
You can watch the interview in its entirety below.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:02 AM on Friday, April 12th, 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. Click Here For More Information
NBUD: CSE
—————
Why business is booming for cannabis extraction companies, despite the supply shortages
Although licensed producers are getting into extraction, observers predict it won’t be enough to meet future demand for cannabis in oil-form
In the most recent round of cannabis earnings, a little-known company called MediPharm Labs Corp. posted revenue of $10.2 million for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2018, a figure that placed it comfortably amongst the Top 10 for Canadian cannabis companies.
Vanmala Subramaniam
In the most recent round of cannabis earnings, a little-known company called MediPharm Labs Corp. posted revenue of $10.2 million for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2018, a figure that placed it comfortably amongst the Top 10 for Canadian cannabis companies.
For a company that does not grow cannabis, MediPharm’s financial
performance caught the attention of investors: Within days, its stock
soared 30 per cent, and has since maintained that upward trajectory.
Instead of growing, Barrie, Ont.-based MediPharm is one of just a
handful in Canada involved primarily in the business of extracting oils
from the marijuana plant and turning them into products like gel
capsules, or the high-potency concentrates that are expected to become
legal later this year.
Although some of the biggest licensed producers such as Canopy Growth
Corp., Tilray Inc. and Aurora Cannabis Inc. are either constructing or
have constructed their own extraction facilities, industry observers
predict that infrastructure simply won’t suffice to meet future demand
for cannabis in oil-form.
As such, they predict, companies focusing solely on cannabis
extraction will start comprising an increasingly important subsection of
the overall industry.
“Cannabis extraction is a huge growth opportunity in Canada. The
reason I say that, is because if you look to the U.S., it was not
uncommon to see 75 per cent of the market consuming cannabis flower
years ago but as product offerings became more differentiated, we saw
the market for flower drop to around 40 per cent, and the market for
oils surge to over 60 per cent,†said Beau Whitney, a senior economist
at the cannabis research firm New Frontier Data who was previously
involved in the cannabis extraction business.
Olivier Dufourmantelle, the chief operating officer of Canopy Rivers
Corp. — the venture capital arm of Canopy Growth — believes that as the
cannabis industry matures over time, it will become increasingly
fragmented, with specialists handling each part of the supply chain like
any other industry.
“Cannabis extraction companies are analogous to corn syrup
extractors, for example. They don’t grow corn, but they buy it, extract
the syrup and then sell it to a bottling company like Coke,†said
Dufourmantelle.
Indeed, MediPharm has over 20 supply, purchase or sales agreements
with a number of licensed producers — they function as the middle-man of
sorts in the cannabis supply chain, purchasing dried cannabis,
extracting the oil-like substance containing THC or CBD from the plant,
and selling it back to the same producers, or to other producers that
have requested cannabis extract.
In late March, the company became the first in the country to receive
a Health Canada licence exclusively for cannabis oil production which
allows it to focus on extracting cannabis concentrates.
“We have reduced the scale-up risk by dealing with many major players
because we know it has been difficult for some to scale up, so if we
don’t get flower on time from one, we have others to go to,†explained
MediPharm chief executive Pat McCutcheon.
MediPharm’s main competitors are Kelowna, B.C.-based Valens Groworks
Corp. and Quebec-based Neptune Wellness Solutions. In early April, GMP
Securities analyst Martin Landry initiated coverage on all three
companies, placing a buy rating on all and substantially increasing
their respective target prices.
“The extraction industry is poised to experience rapid growth with
the arrival of vape pens, beverages and edibles this fall. Value-added
products derived from cannabis extracts could represent 50 per cent of
the cannabis industry sales in Canada over time,†Landry wrote in a
note.
Unlike extractors focused solely on cannabis however, Neptune has a
fallback — in the event demand for cannabis derivatives do not match up
to forecasts and the bullish sentiment towards cannabis extractors
subsides, the company is in the wellness business and owns a patent for
the wildly successful Omega-3 Krill Oil supplement.
MediPharm Labs co-founders Keith Strachan, left, and Pat
McCutcheon in one of the company’s extraction clean rooms at their
facility in Barrie, Ont. Handout
“We have never been cultivators and we do not intend to. But we do
know the wellness business well, and to us, cannabis is a global
consumer products phenomenon that does not happen so often. We thought,
we got to get in there,†said Neptune’s chief executive Jim Hamilton,
whose company was founded in 1998 but only entered the cannabis space
three years ago.
Neptune says it has the capacity to extract 6,000 metric tons of
cannabis in a year and has multi-year supply agreements with Canopy
Growth, the first licensed producer to introduce extract-based CBD-heavy
cannabis softgels to the adult-use market. But the company only
received its license to process cannabis from Health Canada in early
January, and as such, has yet to see revenue from its cannabis business.
At least on paper, Valens Groworks has a smaller processing capacity
than Neptune — 240,000 kilograms a year, according to a recent press
release from the company. But the company’s president of strategy and
investments, Everett Knight says that efficiency in extraction is
Valens’ core focus.
“First of all, we have five different kinds of extraction methods at
our facility. Most people are only using CO2 as a solvent for
extraction. Second of all, we’re extracting at a 90 per cent rate, which
means that 90 per cent of the component we want in cannabis, THC or
CBD, is being extracted, so we are getting higher yields,†Knight
explained.
Last November, the company received a Health Canada licence to sell
its extracted product to other licenced producers. The company has
agreements with Tilray, Organigram Inc., Canopy Growth and The Green
Organic Dutchman but in 2018, its revenues came only from consulting
agreements and not from actual sales of cannabis extracts.
For the 2018 fiscal year ending November 30, Valens posted a loss of
$15.9 million, which Knight attributes to capacity expansion: “We’re
trying to expand to make sure we can make the most for our customers
because what we see going into 2020 and 2021 is there are simply not
enough extractors to meet the demand out there.â€
New Frontier Data’s Whitney believes that companies that either do
not align themselves with an extractor or have the financial capacity to
vertically integrate and do the extraction themselves are at risk.
“There’s millions upon millions of (square feet of) licensed capacity
to grow coming online. Prices for flower are going to decrease markedly
so you need to be considering this commoditization of prices and how to
diversify your business,†Whitney said.
But Dufourmantelle takes a slightly less bullish stance on the
companies that currently exist in the extracting space, saying that
while Canopy Rivers’ is looking to invest in extractors, it just hasn’t
found the right firm.
The fact that MediPharm appears to be leading the extraction pack by
miles is a point of caution for him. “I would warn investors on getting
too excited about their earnings. They have the benefit of being in
Ontario, and the bulk of cultivators are in Ontario. So they are in the
unique position right now of being the sole provider of extraction
services, and hence they have price leverage,†Dufourmantelle said.
“The question that remains to be seen is whether they can continue to sustain those numbers over time.â€
Tags: CSE, Hemp, Marijuana, stocks, tsx, tsx-v, weed Posted in All Recent Posts, North Bud Farms Inc | Comments Off on North Bud Farms Inc. $NBUD.ca – Why business is booming for cannabis extraction companies, despite the supply shortages $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $TRST.ca $OGI.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:34 AM on Friday, April 12th, 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.
——————-
Blockchain Trends 2019
Blockchain’s evolution over the past few years has been steady and solid.
Even so, this groundbreaking technology still has a lot to offer and continues to hold much promise.
By Teodor Stefan, Modex’s Head of Content. Modex helps developers, teams and businesses of all sizes get started on blockchain, providing the full set of tools needed to learn, create, test, deploy and sell smart contracts and DApps.
Continuing from last year’s buzz and the entrance of regulators, blockchain is poised to evolve even further.  A key area is technology for enterprises that require trustless transactions and secure record keeping. Enterprises can track transactions with greater confidence and security, and blockchain adoption – completely distinct from the cryptocurrency hype or doom – is steadily gaining in enterprise environments. While some may lament the entry of regulators in 2018, clamping down on ICO projects, and putting in place strict frameworks for compliance, these are signs of a market maturing.
Here’s what we can expect to see in the rest 2019:
Blockchain as a service (BaaS)
While many startups
and enterprises are working on their own blockchain solution, it is not
always feasible to create, maintain and manage an individual blockchain
solution. This is where Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) comes in.
Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) is an offering that allows customers to
leverage cloud-based solutions to build, host and use their own
blockchain apps, smart contracts and functions on the blockchain. A
cloud-based service provider manages all the necessary tasks and
activities to keep the infrastructure agile and operational. We predict
Baas will speed up the adoption of blockchain across businesses.
More Security Tokens
In 2018, the utility token market saw a
slowdown, so the arrival of security tokens has been one of the hot
topics last year. The market has long-waited for the grand entrance of
institutional investors, but they have not yet significantly entered the
scene. The success of security tokens is contingent on digital asset
exchanges being up and running. Alongside crypto exchanges seeking
regulatory clearance for security tokens, we also see traditional
players like Nasdaq, London Stock Exchange and the Swiss Stock Exchange
developing digital asset platforms, signs indicating that market
infrastructure will be in place by the second half of this year. As
processes stabilize and regulatory concerns are addressed, most likely
we will see the launch of several STO projects towards the end of 2019,
with major activity in early 2020.
With several indicators pointing
towards the possibility of a global slowdown this year, investors are
looking for alternative asset classes. With the developing market for
security tokens, there are immense possibilities in the tokenisation of
well-performing assets that previously lacked liquidity. Consider
healthy Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Real Estate Assets, that
tend to have robust returns, but lack wide market access. While they may
not be able to afford public market listing, opening up to global
markets of investors could provide an infusion of capital that could
help scale their businesses. With over 90% of companies in operation
globally listed as SMEs, the potential for growth is significant.
More digital asset services by financial institutions
This trend started last year and, most
likely, will continue in 2019. The user experience of managing your own
assets is scary to a lot of people, and there is a strong desire from a
business point of view to have custodial services for digital assets.
While many businesses are looking for new blockchain use cases, some are
embracing cryptocurrency market. Yes, this market has been hit hard
last year, with major cryptocurrencies but despite that, people know
that cryptocurrency is here to stay, even if they don’t use it
themselves in the near future.
Interoperability between blockchains
As the market progresses, there are new
blockchain networks showing up, which leads to new chains that offer
different speeds, network processing, use-cases. Blockchain
interoperability aims to improve information sharing across diverse
networks. These cross-chain services improve blockchain interoperability
and also make them more practical for day-to-day usage. For instance,
with blockchain interoperability, you can send information from EOS to
Ethereum blockchain. In 2019, we should see an improvement in the
technology that enables blockchain interoperability.
UX Development and scalability
Scalability and performance hurdles
affect both enterprise and public adoption. Promising solutions, like
sidechains or innovative platforms, are expected to become more
sophisticated and adapted this year. Moreover, many blockchain
applications now have a mostly complex user interface, which is far from
intuitive for the average, non-tech user. In 2019 we expect to see more
user-friendly solutions, which are capable of mass adoption both in
technology and design.
Convergence between blockchain and the Internet of Things
This topic is quickly picking up steam.
IoT adoption is increasing the number of devices and sensors that
gather data, and many parties are typically involved in a business
transaction based on that data. Blockchain enables safe record-keeping
through an immutable ledger, and
permits decentralized operations and transactions while preserving trust
between all players in the value chain. In 2019, look for the
intersection of these two technologies to speed up implementation of
both.
More favourable regulations around the world
European countries like Switzerland, Malta, Lithuania, and Lichtenstein will find competition around the world heating up as more and more states will push for additional favorable regulations around blockchain and crypto-ventures. Malaysia, for instance, is planning in Q1 to review its
crypto and ICO (Initial Coin Offering) regulations. In addition,
governments of various countries will start to explore what blockchain
technology can do for them and look for possible use cases.
Stable Coins
Stable Coins could also see a boost in
2019. Cryptocurrencies are the side product of blockchain, but they are
volatile. This gives rise and more market traction to Stable Coins.
Unlike cryptocurrencies, Stable Coins have stable prices. It is not
affected by the market condition and ensures that the stability is
maintained all time. Most of the
Stable Coins are fiat-backed, but there is still another type of Stable
Coins that are backed by commodity, cryptocurrency or belong to the
non-collateralized.
2019 should also see more
decentralization of apps themselves. Too many applications using a
blockchain ledger rely on a centralized application that represents a
single point of failure and also a vulnerability that could allow
tampering with the data before it gets written to the ledger. The same
approach needs to be applied to the application’s logic, which must be
decentralized with no single point of control. Each trading partner or
member of the ecosystem runs their
own app. Building such applications is no easy feat, but it is a
required step to ensure wide blockchain adoption for business usage.
Hybrid blockchains
Without doubt,
hybrid blockchains should be on your radar in 2019! The hybrid
blockchain works by providing the best features and functionality of
both public and private blockchain. Hybrid blockchains stand out by
offering a customizable solution and also making proper use of what
blockchain has to offer – characteristics such as transparency,
integrity and security. To name several use-cases of hybrid blockchain:
Internet of Things (IoT), banking, supply chain, enterprise services.
Federated blockchains
This year we can also expect to witness a rise in the use of federated blockchain as it gives private blockchain a more customizable outlook. Federated blockchains are similar to private blockchains, but with a simple twist: instead of one organization controlling it, many authorities can control the blockchain and pre-select nodes. The selected group of nodes then ensure that block is validated for processing transactions. Some of the use cases of federated blockchain include insurance claims, financial services, and supply chain management. IBM’s blockchain for food traceability is another good example of federated blockchain.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 3:21 PM on Thursday, April 11th, 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 ———————————-
Chinese esports expected to be worth £2.3bn by 2020
According to the report from CCTV, the Chinese esports market reached 8.48bn RMB (£960m) in 2018, and the total output value of Chinese esports industry is expected to reach ¥21.1 bn RMB (£2.3bn) by 2020.
China’s prominent state television broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported the current state of the Chinese esports market and expectations for the future of the industry.
According to the report from CCTV,
the Chinese esports market reached 8.48bn RMB (£960m) in 2018, and the
total output value of Chinese esports industry is expected to reach
¥21.1 bn RMB (£2.3bn) by 2020. CCTV also reported that there are over
50,000 working in the industry — a number which is expected to increase
to past 250,000 by 2020.
Bang Xu, the vice president of Tomorrowland Esports Ltd,
told to CCTV that: “Three years ago, it may have taken two or three
months to get one or two applicants for the director of an esports
league. The number of esports leagues in 2016 was just less than 10. At
present, we may have dozens of applicants in a month, and the number of
esports leagues has exceeded 100.
“Although
more and more people are willing to engage in the esports industry,
esports talents are still in short supply compared to the speed of the
industry development.â€
To meet the
demand from the esports industry, numerous Chinese colleges have opened
esports related courses to cultivate talents across different areas
including event management, event operation, esports broadcasting and
esports streaming.
“Esports talents are still in short supply compared to the speed of the industry developmentâ€
Besides
adding esports majors to education, the Chinese government is also
trying to raise public awareness of esports as a whole. On Apr.3, the Chinese government officially confirmed
“esports operator†and “esports player†as two new professions in the
country. With support from the government, Chinese esports lovers are
more confident to engage in the industry and contribute to the
development of Chinese esports.
Esports
Insider says: “The Chinese government have noticed the great potential
in China’s esports market and they are trying to develop it deeply. With
announcements of multiple policies for Chinese esports industry, we may
see how Chinese practitioners can effectively utilise the country’s
support to develop the esports industry.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:32 PM on Thursday, April 11th, 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. Click Here For More Information
NBUD: CSE
—————
Highs & Lows: Ontario’s First Week of Cannabis Retail
Business got off to a roaring start
The stores drew long lines of cannabis enthusiasts and curiosity seekers. Some people stood in line for hours and at least one went further.
Five and a half months after Canada became the first G7 nation and
the second country in the world to pass legislation legalizing
recreational cannabis, the first brick-and-mortar stores opened in
Ontario. Nine stores opened for business on April 1, the government-designated date. One opened six days later.
Here are the highs and lows of cannabis retail in Week One.
Highs
Business got off to a roaring start. The stores drew long lines of
cannabis enthusiasts and curiosity seekers. Some people stood in line
for hours and at least one went further. Caryma’ Sa’d set up a pup tent outside The Hunny Pot in downtown Toronto almost 24 hours before the store opened its doors Monday morning.
“Someone had to be first in line so why not me? My office is just
down the street and I do have a professional interest in what’s going on
here,†Sa’d, a lawyer who specializes in cases where cannabis issues
intersect with criminal law and landlord-tenant law, told Leafly. “It’s a
historic moment.â€
7/10 Ontario stores that opened Apr. 1 recorded an average of $50,913 in sales and 867 transactions.
Cova Software
“I haven’t been able to purchase cannabis from the Ontario Cannabis
Store website [which launched in October] because I have a Visa debit
card and that doesn’t work on the site,†she added. “I’m also mindful
that people who don’t have fixed addresses or don’t have computer
literacy also haven’t been able to purchase cannabis online—and they are
some of our most vulnerable community members.â€
The budtenders at The Hunny Pot had background knowledge and
experience in cannabis and made some good recommendations,†she said,
adding that she had purchased her a gram of her go-to strain, Tangerine Dream.
The Hunny Pot, the only cannabis store to open in Toronto on Apr. 1, was jammed with customers for the next four days.
He was just one of many cannabis consumers who was high on the excitement of the day.
Sales were brisk on Day One. According to Cova Software, an American
cannabis retail software provider that serves 100 stores in Canada,
seven of the ten Ontario stores that opened Apr. 1 recorded an average
of $50,913 in sales and 867 transactions. Other Canadian stores that are
tracked by Cova averaged $4,976 in sales per day and 111 transactions
over the first quarter of this year.
Cova’s chief executive officer, Gary Cohen, said sales in Ontario
exceeded expectations. “When you think of what the stores in other parts
of the country looked like, compared to what we’re seeing in Ontario,â€
he told Bloomberg News, “Ontario is just on a bigger scale.â€
It’s amazing to see it come to life after all the work we’ve put in the last couple of months.
Hunny Gawri, Hunny Pot
None were more enthusiastic about the stores’ robust sales than the
owners, each of whom had won the right to apply for a cannabis retail
license through a government-run lottery.
“It’s amazing to see it come to life after all the work we’ve put in
the last couple of months,†Hunny Gawri, the owner of Hunny Pot, told
Leafly. “The last few months have been a challenge, but a fun
challenge.â€
Photos by Jesse Milns for Leafly
“I’m happy with the way the day has gone,†Clint Seukeran, the owner of Ganjika House
in Brampton, ON., told Leafly. “We had a couple of issues with software
early on but other than that, everything is going according to plan. I
think the customers are having a fantastic experience.â€
This resulted in such high demand at the stores that did open, there
were concerns about supply shortages. When he was asked about the
possibility of running out of product at The Hunny Pot, Gawri gave an
equivocal response. “It’s hard to say,†he told The Canadian Press.
A consultant affiliated with Ameri,
a store that opened in the upscale Toronto neighbourhood of Yorkville
on Apr. 7, did his best to allay concerns. “We have more than enough
product. There’s no need to panic to come down and buy product,†he said. He requested his last name not be used because of concerns crossing the Canada-US border.
While some cannabis consumers fretted over possible product
shortages, others raised concerns about accessibility. Not all the
stores were prepared to accommodate customers with limited mobility—no
small glitch considering the high number of consumers who use cannabis
for therapeutic purposes.
The Hunny Pot said it had a ramp that customers on wheelchairs,
scooters and other wheel-assisted devices could use to enter the
building but none was spotted. As a result, some customers faced
challenges entering the building and moving around the multi-level
store. About 400 kilometres east, in Ottawa, Fire & Flower,
didn’t have an accessibility ramp either. Representatives of both
stores say they plan to make their outlets more accessible, in
compliance with Ontario law.
“I’m not sure what accommodations are in place at these stores. I
think that is something we should all turn our mind to,†said Sa’d.
“That being said, I’m excited about having our first brick-and-mortar
stores,†she said. “But we have a long way to go.â€
Chegg eyes India for next level growth, aims to cash in on edtech boom
Santa Clara-based education technology (edtech) major Chegg is eyeing India for its next level of growth.
Company is studying the market, including other edtech firms, to gauge the feasibility of starting operations in the country.
Listed on the New York Stock Exchange, it is a major player in the connected learning or online education space.
It has a subscription-based model for college students, offering
study help, writing and learning tools, tutoring and text book rental.
Currently, India is one of the biggest markets for Chegg for
talent and content acquisition, and is employing more than 500 people
for the same. In addition to its full-time employees, they also have a
network of 80,000 qualified experts and students.
“For us, Chegg India is
the hub of content and talent. Also, a chunk of our back end
engineering teams that power our technology platform are based out of
India. It remains one of the most attractive markets beyond the US, and
we will continue to evaluate options,†said Nathan Schultz, president of
learning services at Chegg.
The company said that it has over 3.1 million paid subscribers in the US, an increase of 38 per cent year-on-year.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:00 PM on Thursday, April 11th, 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.
———————
Will Technical Factors Push Bitcoin To $50,000 In The Coming Years?
Bitcoin could could experience a parabolic bull run to $50,000, climbing more than 800% from current prices, says a prominent technical analyst.
Veteran trader Peter Brandt recently made a bold prediction, stating that bitcoin could reach $50,000 in the next two years.
Bitcoin could could experience a parabolic bull run to $50,000,
climbing more than 800% from current prices, says a prominent technical
analyst.
Veteran trader Peter Brandt recently made a bold prediction, stating that bitcoin could reach $50,000 in the next two years.
Credited with forecasting bitcoin’s more than 80% decline in 2018, Brandt cited market history and technical analysis when providing this estimate.
“I believe that charts reflect underlying supply and demand fundamentals and that’s how we have to look at it,” he stated on Yahoo Finance YFi PM.
After bottoming out in 2015, bitcoin prices enjoyed a parabolic advance, emphasized Brandt.
Now, he expects cryptocurrencies will once again enter a parabolic bull market.
[Ed note: Investing in cryptocoins or tokens is highly speculative
and the market is largely unregulated. Anyone considering it should be
prepared to lose their entire investment.]
Analyst Skepticism
While several analysts emphasized that Brandt’s prediction certainly
could materialize, many were understandably skeptical, emphasizing their
wariness of price forecasts.
“Peter Brandt’s assessment is purely based on technical indicators
and market history,” noted Joe DiPasquale, CEO of cryptocurrency fund of
hedge funds BitBull Capital.
“While technical analysis has a place in all markets, past performance is no guarantee for future results,” he stated.
“Meanwhile, however, the current rally is consolidating nicely and we
can expect further price appreciation if the trend continues,”
added DiPasquale.
Marouane Garcon, managing director of crypto-to-crypto derivatives platform Amulet, urged caution.
“We have to be careful when trying to predict markets,” he noted.
“Parabolic movements happen once in a blue moon,” said Garcon.
As a result, “we can’t depend on them as they tell us more about the crowd’s sentiment than the actual value of the asset.”
He emphasized that while market history can prove helpful, “going
forward we have to be more careful because the market has matured and
the participants have changed.”
Adoption’s Key Role
Several analysts emphasized the key importance of bitcoin expanding
its user base, emphasizing that if the digital currency makes enough
progress on this front, it could hit $50,000.
“The focus, I believe, should be on adoption instead of price, because the latter follows the former,” said DiPasquale.
“If Bitcoin adoption continues to grow exponentially in the next two
years, we can easily see it hitting the $50,000 mark,” he noted.
“On the other hand, if adoption drives fail and there is no meaningful traction, even $5,000 will be difficult to hold.”
“As a blockchain gains more users,
the price moves up on a quadratic growth curve — similar to [Brandt’s]
idea of a parabolic advance.”
Charles Cascarilla, cofounder & CEO of Paxos, offered a similar take.
“The next wave of growth in this cycle will be driven by adoption
from mainstream retail and institutions, markets that are order of
magnitudes larger than the current users. In that context, $50k seems
possible.”
Disclosure: I own some bitcoin, bitcoin cash and ether.
Tags: Bitcoin, blockchain, CSE, ether, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in All Recent Posts | Comments Off on ThreeD Capital Inc. $IDK.ca – Will Technical Factors Push Bitcoin To $50,000 In The Coming Years? $HIVE.ca $BLOC.ca $CODE.ca
Mark Cuban-Backed 3D-Printed Rocket Will Boost Canadian Orbital Internet Dreams
Telesat’s broadband satellites will come to low Earth orbit on the back of 3D-printed rockets
A startup company called Relativity Space announced that in 2021 (or perhaps later), they will launch an undisclosed number of Telesat’s satellites using the Terran 1 launch vehicle.
Telesat’s broadband satellites will come to low Earth orbit on the
back of 3D-printed rockets. A startup company called Relativity Space
announced that in 2021 (or perhaps later), they will launch an
undisclosed number of Telesat’s satellites using the Terran 1 launch
vehicle. As Telesat battles competitors, including behemoth SpaceX,
Relativity says their technology gives their customers an iteration
edge.
It’s an ambitious contract given that Relativity hasn’t launched a
single satellite yet, but the twentysomething chief executive (Tim
Ellis) and chief technology officer (Jordan Noone) are used to bold
moves. In 2015, they wanted some startup money and had the idea of
asking billionaire Mark Cuban. Instead of taking the obvious route —
meeting him on the television show Shark Tank, where he brokers deals with other venture investors — they directly e-mailed him with details of their company,
asking for $100,000 in the company’s initial $500,000 funding round. To
their surprise, Cuban came up with the full half-million.
Since then, Relativity quickly raised $14 million in a Series A round
and another $30 million in Series B — and there’s a Series C planned
very shortly, said Noone. “We have a technology approach here that
disrupts 60 years of aerospace manufacturing,” he said in an interview.
“We’re baselining 3D-printing the entire rocket … using proprietary
technology developed in-house.”
Telesat’s contract is a vote of confidence for Relativity, given that
the Canadian satellite giant is among the top five integrators in the
world. Relativity said Telesat is the first among this group to work
with a venture-backed startup.
What may have got Telesat’s attention is the ability of Relativity to
iterate its rocket components quickly. With 3D printing, Relativity
promises a six-month iteration time between vehicles, compared to the
traditional three or four years most companies can offer. This means
that when it comes to launching constellations of satellites, they can
adapt with changing requirements, Noone said.
Telesat isn’t alone in working on a broadband constellation.
SpaceX’s Starlink constellation plans an ambitious 12,000 satellites in
orbit by the mid-2020s, and it already has two prototypes in orbit. And
other companies are also trying to get in on the action, such as
OneWeb, since multiple satellites working together in a constellation
are cheaper to launch than a more traditional, larger satellite with
higher resolution. While the smaller satellites take images with less
detail, between them they can revisit a site multiple times a day.
Relativity Space tests its 3D-printed rocket engine, called Aeon.
Relativity Space
Space analyst Chris Quilty, the founder of Quilty Analytics, said
Relativity stands out among 100+ new entrants to the launch vehicle
sector due its unique manufacturing approach, its ability to fundraise
and its management team. He also said it was interesting that Telesat
selected Relativity over the more established Firefly Aerospace,
although Quilty didn’t speculate as to why.
He added, in an e-mail, that there might be speculation that
Telesat’s contract with Relativity was meant to be a “shot across the
bow” of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, since Amazon (the company Bezos is more
famous for) recently announced its own LEO constellation, called
Project Kuiper. He said that’s unlikely, because the two rocket
providers launch very different payload masses (half a ton, vs. 45
tons).
Relativity, meanwhile, has grown sixfold in its employee base to keep
up with demand. A year ago there were only 14 employees, and this week
there are 83. This came in large part due to the Series B funding, as
well as their plans to launch a test flight in late 2020 and the first
operational flight in early 2021. Being privately backed, Relativity
does not disclose its revenues.
The company is focusing fully on its rocket design for the moment,
but in future years it plans to apply its 3D printing technology to
other aerospace and space contracts. 3D printing allows Relativity to
waste no material, and to reduce the machining time from traditional
aerospace techniques, Noone said.
Once launches begin, the pace will accelerate quickly. The company
has already secured a deal with the U.S. Air Force to launch from Cape
Canaveral’s Launch Complex 16. Relativity plans three launches in 2021
and to double their rate annually until they reach at least 12 to 24
launches a year, Noone said. “We’re evaluating options, whether we
continue to expand the Terran 1 fleet, or go into other alternatives to
scale to low Earth orbit or other orbits at once,” he added.
The long-term version for Relativity is to send a 3D-printed rocket
to Mars. The idea there is that colonists could use Relativity’s
technology for in situ resource utilization, meaning 3D-printing
components on Mars using the resources already on site from Mars. ISRU
allows Mars missions to bring less material with them, in favor of
living off the land. However, it’s unclear when the first human mission
to Mars will be.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 AM on Thursday, April 11th, 2019
PyroGenesis has now produced titanium powder on its NexGen™ Plasma Atomization System with production rates in excess of 25 kg/h.
Of note, these increased production rates are achieved with lower operating and capital costs.
MONTREAL, April 11, 2019 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF) (FRA: 8PY), a TSX Venture 50® high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation†or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch  products, announced today that, further to its press release dated March 19th, 2019, PyroGenesis has now produced titanium powder on its NexGen™ Plasma Atomization System with production rates in excess of 25 kg/h. Of note, these increased production rates are achieved with lower operating (“OPEXâ€) and capital (“CAPEXâ€) costs.
NEW OPPORTUNITY 1: NEXGEN™ OPENS NEW DOORS FOR TITANIUM POWDER
On March 19th, 2019 PyroGenesis unveiled itsgame-changing NexGen™ Plasma Atomization System, which produces metal powder at over 25 kg/h, shattering any published plasma-atomized production rates for titanium known to management, and announced having fulfilled a specialty metal powder order using the NexGen™ unit.
PyroGenesis announces today that it has successfully produced
titanium powder on the NexGen™ Plasma Atomization System at over 25kg/h
while maintaining all the characteristics demanded by the Additive
Manufacturing (3D Printing) industry (ie. oxygen content, flowability,
density, etc.). Of note, this increased production rate was achieved at
lower OPEX per hour, which translates into significant cost per kilogram
savings.
“A limiting factor in titanium adoption in the marketplace has been
its cost,†said Mr. Massimo Dattilo, Vice President of PyroGenesis
Additive. “By lowering the cost of a typically expensive product,
NexGen™ has opened the door to other markets and applications which,
until now, found titanium to be too expensive to utilize. We expect that
the NexGen™ price reduction will drive an increased adoption of
PyroGenesis’ powders into new markets and applications where the higher
cost of plasma atomized powders was typically restrictive.â€
NEW OPPORTUNITY 2: NEXGEN™ CAN NOW PROCESS NEW MATERIALS
“By increasing the production rate, and thereby lowering the cost of
production, the NexGen™ process can now produce materials via plasma
atomization that were typically cost restrictive,†continued Mr. Massimo
Dattilo, Vice President of PyroGenesis Additive. “As a result of
NexGen™â€™s game-changing advantages, there is now an opportunity for the
Additive Manufacturing industry to start experimenting with other
materials which can now be produced economically with the NexGen™ Plasma
Atomization System. Essentially, NexGen™ will allow PyroGenesis to
convert low value materials to high quality powder that, until now, have
been deemed to be too expensive to produce.â€
SIGNIFICANT CAPEX REDUCTION AS WELL
“In addition to a significant reduction in OPEX, the NexGen™
technology also boasts significant CAPEX reductions,†said Mr. P. Peter
Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis. “The CAPEX reductions occur
on two fronts: (i) the reactor itself has been simplified compared to
conventional plasma atomization resulting in lower fabrication costs
and, (ii) given the increased production rate, the number of reactors
and associated service equipment required has been reduced by up to a
factor of four. This is a clear advantage over anyone using our legacy
technology. We are now in a rush to incorporate these advantages into
our current production process before it is frozen during audits by
aerospace clients. The production process is typically frozen by an
aerospace end-user as a condition for contracting powder long-term.â€
About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.
PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a TSX Venture 50® high-tech company, is the
world leader in the design, development, manufacture and
commercialization of advanced plasma processes and products. We provide
engineering and manufacturing expertise, cutting-edge contract research,
as well as turnkey process equipment packages to the defense,
metallurgical, mining, advanced materials (including 3D printing), oil
& gas, and environmental industries. With a team of experienced
engineers, scientists and technicians working out of our Montreal office
and our 3,800 m2 manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its
competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology
development and commercialization. Our core competencies allow
PyroGenesis to lead the way in providing innovative plasma torches,
plasma waste processes, high-temperature metallurgical processes, and
engineering services to the global marketplace. Our operations are ISO
9001:2015 certified, and have been since 1997. PyroGenesis is a
publicly-traded Canadian Corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker
Symbol: PYR) and on the OTCQB Marketplace. For more information, please
visit www.pyrogenesis.com
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements,
including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”,
“plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”,
“expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which
constitute “forward- looking information” within the meaning of
applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the
Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited
to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the
market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the
capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research
and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new
product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory
approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the
Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in
the Corporation’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory
authorities, which filings can be found atwww.sedar.com, or at www.otcmarkets.com. Actual
results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by
applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of
the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Tags: PyroGenesis, small cap stocks, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in Featured, PyroGenesis Canada Inc. | Comments Off on PyroGenesis $PYR.ca Titanium Powder Produced with the NexGen™ #Plasma Atomization System; Significant CAPEX and OPEX Reductions $LMT $RTN $NOC $UTX $HPQ.ca $DDD.ca $SSYS $PRLB
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:08 AM on Thursday, April 11th, 2019
Signs Agreement to Become Exclusive Monetization Partner
Addicting Games network of .io games reaches over 10 million gamers a month
Increases Enthusiast’s revenue and profits through 8 large web properties
Advanced internet speed and
browser capabilities have propelled .io and “browser multiplayer†games
into a fast growing gaming sector
Investment by Enthusiast allows Addicting Games to continue building network and developing new .io games
TORONTO, April 11, 2019 — Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (OTCQB: EGHIF), (“Enthusiast†or the “Companyâ€), is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Senior Convertible Debenture Purchase Agreement (the “Agreementâ€) to invest in Addicting Games Inc. (“Addicting Gamesâ€), one of the largest online game networks in the United States.
The Addicting Games network reaches over 10 million gamers
monthly(1). They are leaders in developing and distributing browser
games, and their platform focuses on the increasingly popular “browser
multiplayer†.io website games. .io games are a popular new genre of
real-time multiplayer games which are played in a browser, featuring
addictive online multiplayer battles, with simple but hard to master
gameplay. These games are becoming increasingly popular due to easy
accessibility, mass multiplayer battles, and allowing players to play
games within seconds from any computer with an internet connection.
The network includes popular games: Tactics Core (tacticscore.io),
pumking.io, warfronts.io, shotz.io, skywars.io, seapop.io, skyarena.io
and break out hit, Little Big Snake (littlebigsnake.io). It also
includes Shockwave, the original “Netflix†of games, where players
subscribe to play over 1500 games online. Addicting Games and Shockwave
were previously purchased for $200 million in 2006 by Viacom. Most
recently, Addicting Games was bought from Defy Media by the original
founders and they have been expanding the network rapidly ever since.
Under the Agreement, Enthusiast will invest US$1.5 million by way of a 3 year secured convertible debenture (the “Debentureâ€)
with interest accruing at 2% per annum which is convertible into equity
at the value of Addicting Games’ next equity raise. Enthusiast invested
in Addicting Games to capitalize on the rapidly growing .io games
sector and a new niche of lifestyle gamer that the network currently
doesn’t reach.
Menashe Kestenbaum, CEO of Enthusiast, commented, “With
the rise in mobile gaming and the advent of HTML5 technology, every
browser can now be a game console and therefore attract significantly
more visitors. We see the growth potential in console agnostic games
and are excited to be partnering with Addicting Games to provide them
with the best monetization strategy to execute on their continued growth
and development of new browser based games.â€
Bill Karamouzis, CEO of Addicting Games, commented, “It’s
an exciting time to be in the gaming industry. The maturing of new
technology has resulted in new alternative platforms for game
distribution as well as ways to connect players in real time with each
other to enhance the player experience. Addicting Games has always been
the place to find great new fun games that can be played instantly and
enjoyed by everyone. Partnering with Enthusiast is a natural fit with
their deep commitment to gamers and community. We hope to leverage their
expertise as we commit to the next generation of casual gamers and game
developers.â€
Enthusiast has also entered into a Representation Agreement to
exclusively monetize advertisements across the Addicting Games portfolio
of websites. The exclusive representation will increase Enthusiast’s
revenue and profits through Addicting Games’ eight large digital
properties. The Company plans to utilize its strong sales force and
programmatic engine to further optimize the monetization of the
Addicting Games platform which will help fund the development and
acquisition of new .io games.
About Addicting Games
Founded by Bill Karamouzis, the world famous Addicting Games
pioneered the casual game genre in the early 2000’s and continues to
develop and distribute the very best games online.
Reaching over 10 million gamers every month Addicting Games network
players can enjoy a wide range of free browser-based games from brands
such as Shockwave to the latest in streaming gaming IO Games Space. Visit us for the best free games released every week. Learn more about Addicting Games here: http://company.addictinggames.com/
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.
