Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 5:40 PM on Thursday, March 5th, 2020
SPONSOR: New Age Metals Inc.
The company owns one of North America’s largest primary platinum
group metals deposit in Sudbury, Canada. Updated NI 43-101 Mineral
Resource Estimate 2,867,000 PdEq Measured and Indicated Ounces, with an
additional 1,059,000 PdEq Ounces Inferred. Learn More.
Palladium, rhodium demand to remain, despite virus outbreak: analyst
Though the coronavirus outbreak may affect near-term automobile demand, long-term demand for palladium and rhodium will remain unchanged
Washington — Though the coronavirus outbreak may affect
near-term automobile demand, long-term demand for palladium and rhodium
will remain unchanged unless automakers substitute for other metals,
managing director Frederic Panizzutti of MKS Dubai said.
“If I was a carmaker, I would definitely stock palladium while the
price is lower, and I believe this is going to keep palladium strong,
even if the demand goes down in China, the UK, or the demand for parts
decreases,” Panizzutti said in an interview this week.
Rhodium and palladium, along with platinum, are used in automobile
catalytic converters to control emissions of certain greenhouse gases
and pollutants.
“It’s a bargain for car manufacturers to be able to acquire palladium
if it goes lower; it’s been a one-way street for months now,”
Panizzutti said, referring to the recent rallies in palladium and
rhodium.
NYMEX palladium has risen nearly 25% since the start of the year to
reach an intraday high of $2,789.80/oz on February 27. NYMEX palladium
for June delivery closed at $2,469.40/oz on Thursday.
Rhodium, which is not traded on major exchanges, has risen nearly
114% since the start of the year. The Platts New York Dealer rhodium
price was assessed at $12,700-$13,000/oz on February 27.
Analysts have attributed the sharp price increase to automakers
trying to secure enough metal for catalytic converters that meet new
emissions standards in China, India and Europe, as well as the US and
UK.
Further spread of the coronavirus outbreak globally could reduce
automobile demand, along with the projected 1 million oz supply deficit
in palladium, Panizzutti said.
The China Passenger Car Association on Wednesday said new car sales
in China had plummeted 80% in February from a year ago, the biggest
monthly decline on record, though it declined to provide a figure.
Analysts attributed the declining sales to government restrictions to
limit the spread of the coronavirus in China, where it began in Hubei
Province. Hubei is a major auto manufacturing hub in China.
But even if the coronavirus outbreak becomes a global pandemic,
governments and businesses will have to adapt as they do nearly every
year with widespread influenza outbreaks, Panizzutti said.
Automobile production, and by extension palladium and rhodium demand, would continue, though possibly at a lower rate, he added.
PLATINUM SUBSTITUTION
“I believe the palladium price now is far over the threshold that automakers are willing to accept,” Panizzutti said.
But substituting platinum for palladium in catalytic converters takes time due to design and testing procedures, he noted.
“In my opinion, it should happen, whether it takes several months or
longer because the palladium situation is unsustainable. And I see no
reason why the situation should change if nothing changes in the
supply/demand balance,” Panizzutti said.
“And the only way to change the supply/demand balance is to switch
partially or totally from palladium to platinum. If there is no switch,
the situation will be the same and will remain a struggle for
manufacturers to get hold of material,” he said.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 5:10 PM on Thursday, March 5th, 2020
SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited
(TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and
Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media
threats. The company announced three $1M contacts in Q3-2019. Click here for more info.
Trusting video in a fake news world
fake news is a tricky problem to solve, is probably not news to anyone at this point
However, the problem stands to get a lot trickier once the fakesters open their eyes to the potential of a mostly untapped weapon: trust in videos
That fake news is a tricky problem to solve, is probably not news to
anyone at this point. However, the problem stands to get a lot trickier
once the fakesters open their eyes to the potential of a mostly untapped
weapon: trust in videos.
Fake news so far has relied on social media bubbles and textual
misinformation with the odd photoshopped picture thrown in here and
there. This has meant that, by and large, curious individuals have been
able to uncover fakes with some investigation.
This could soon change. You see, “pics or it didn’t happen†isn’t just a meme,
it is the mental model by which people judge the veracity of a piece of
information on the Internet. What happens when the fakesters are able
to create forgeries that even a keen eye cannot distinguish? How do we
distinguish truth from fact?
We are far closer to this future than many realise. In 2017, researchers created a tool that produced realistic looking video clips of Barack Obama saying things he has never been recorded saying.
Since then, a barrage of similar tools have become available; an
equally worrying, if slightly tangential, trend is the rise of fake
pornographic video that superimpose images of celebrities on to adult
videos.
These tools represent the latest weapons in the arsenal of fake news
creators – ones far easier to use for the layman than those before.
While the videos produced by these tools may not presently stand up to
scrutiny by forensics experts, they are already good enough to fool a
casual viewer and are only getting better. The end result is that
creating a good-enough fake video is now a trivial matter.
There are, of course, more traditional ways of creating fake videos
as well. The White House was caught using the oldest trick in the book
while trying to justify the barring of a reporter from the briefing
room: they sped up the video to make it look like the reporter was physically rough with a staff member.
Other traditional ways are misleadingly editing videos to leave out critical context (as in the Planned Parenthood controversy),
or splicing video clips to map wrong answers to questions, etc. I
expect that we will see an increase in these traditional fake videos
before a further transition to the complete fabrications discussed
above. Both represent a grave danger to the pursuit of truth.
However, these approaches rely on manual verification and by the time
a story catches the attention of a fact checker, it has already been
seen by millions. YouTube’s approach is particularly lacking since it
doesn’t say anything about an individual video at all, only about the
source of funding of a very small set of channels.
Now, forensically detecting forgeries in videos is a deeply
researched field with work dating back decades. There are many artefacts
that are left behind when someone edits a video: the compression looks
weird, the shadows may jump in odd patterns, the shapes of objects might
get distorted.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 3:47 PM on Thursday, March 5th, 2020
SPONSOR: Mota is seeking to become a vertically integrated global CBD brand. Mota is looking to establish sales channels and a distribution network internationally through the acquisition of the Sativida and First Class CBD brands. Low cost production, coupled with international, direct to customer sales channels will provide the foundation for the success of Mota. Click Here for More Info
New Frontier Data’s second consumer report in its EU CBD series
provides a comprehensive overview of the European CBD consumer
experience
New Frontier Data,
the global authority in data, analytics and business intelligence on
the cannabis industry, publishes the second volume of its EU CBD Consumer Report Series: Segmentation & Archetypes, in partnership with Deep Nature Project and Mile High Labs.
Drawing from the groundbreaking surveying of over 3,000 European CBD
consumers across 17 European nations, this study results in the most
comprehensive consumer archetype report for European CBD consumers to
date.
“Europe’s booming consumer interest in CBD and CBD-infused products
across the Food & Beverage and Health & Beauty sectors continues
to create material B2B and B2C market opportunities. Data-driven
insights of both EU and North American CBD consumerism, drawing from not
only comparative analysis but also known geo-centric market dynamics
and drivers, helps us educate and guide brands on how to address CBD
consumer priorities while managing known or expected challenges in this
new CBD space,†said New Frontier Data Founder & CEO Giadha Aguirre
de Carcer. “This report fills a major gap in business intelligence in
the CBD industry not only in Europe, but worldwide, providing new and
existing cannabis or hemp industry stakeholders with a uniquely valuable
and timely resource.â€
Key findings from the report include:
4 of the 5 consumer archetypes have purchased CBD; the Ambivalent & Experimental Consumers instead source CBD from family and friends
The largest consumer archetype, the Integrative & Consistent Consumers, are frequent users and staunch believers in CBD’s medical efficacy
26% of Europeans aged 18-34 have tried CBD, compared to 16% of the general population
73% of self-reported consumers claimed CBD has positively affected their quality of life
A third (34%) of non-consumers are somewhat or very curious about trying CBD
49% of CBD purchasers who did not themselves consume indicated buying it for a family member
Male consumers report spending more on CBD products than female
consumers, with more than a third of men (35%) reporting spending €100
or more per month
72% of consumers and 17% of non-consumers considered themselves likely to purchase CBD in the next 6 months
Consumers who use CBD primarily for medical reasons were the most
frequent CBD consumers, with nearly half (45%) consuming it at least
daily
New Frontier Data is an independent, technology-driven analytics
company specializing in the global cannabis industry. It offers vetted
data, actionable business intelligence and risk management solutions for
investors, operators, researchers and policy makers. New Frontier
Data’s reports and data have been cited in over 80 countries around the
world to inform industry leaders. Founded in 2014, New Frontier Data is
headquartered in Washington, D.C., with additional offices in Denver, CO
and London, UK.
New Frontier Data does not take a position on the merits of cannabis
legalization. Rather, its mission and mandate are to inform
cannabis-related policy and business decisions through rigorous,
issue-neutral and comprehensive analysis of the legal cannabis industry
worldwide. For more information about New Frontier Data, please visit: https://www.NewFrontierData.com.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:14 PM on Thursday, March 5th, 2020
SPONSOR: CardioComm Solutions (EKG: TSX-V)
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systems enable medical professionals, patients, and other healthcare
professionals, clinics, hospitals and call centres to access and manage
patient information in a secure and reliable environment.
DEA Proposes New Mhealth Rule for Substance Abuse Treatment
A proposed rule change would allow providers to use mHealth tools
more freely in substance abuse treatment programs, but it isn’t the rule
that telehealth advocates have been anticipating.
March 04, 2020 – Federal officials have proposed easing restrictions
on the use of mHealth in substance abuse programs – but the changes
aren’t what everyone has been expecting.
“The NTP registrants that operate or wish to operate mobile
components (in the state that the registrant is registered in) to
dispense narcotic drugs in schedules II-V at a remote location for the
purpose of maintenance or detoxification treatment would not be required
to obtain a separate registration for a mobile component,†a summary of
the rule states.
“This proposed rule would waive the requirement of a separate
registration at each principal place of business or professional
practice where controlled substances are dispensed for those NTPs with
mobile components that fully comply with the requirements of the
proposed rule, once finalized,†the summary continues. “These revisions
to the regulations are intended to make maintenance or detoxification
treatments more widely available, while ensuring that safeguards are in
place to reduce the likelihood of diversion.â€
The notice is different from what telehealth and mHealth providers
have been waiting for: a rule that would ease federal restrictions on
the prescription of scheduled drugs via telemedicine, and one that
federal officials had been expected to unveil. It even prompted Virginia
Sen. Mark Warner to issue a press release congratulating the DEA on
making that move.
“The opioid and addiction epidemic has had a devastating impact on communities in Virginia and across the country,†Warner, who had sent a letter to the DEA in January,
said in a press release that has since been deleted. “We need to use
every tool at our disposal to ensure that individuals struggling with
addiction can access the treatment they need, and telehealth is an
important part of that. I am pleased the DEA has finally issued proposed
rulemaking that will improve telehealth access for these patients and I
hope they will work quickly to finalize this rulemaking once
stakeholders have had an opportunity to weigh in.â€
That deadline passed without action. In November, the Justice Department announced plans to issue a proposed rule to
create that registration process. But nothing has happened since then,
and the DEA and other federal agencies have refused to give any updates.
Last month’s ruling leaves healthcare providers looking for more
leeway in treating substance abuse issues both pleased and disappointed.
It’s a step in the right direction for programs using digital health
tools, but not the leap forward that so many have been anticipating.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:54 AM on Thursday, March 5th, 2020
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aims to provide access to quality education from around the world. The
company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job
industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing
an integrated ecosystem. Click here for more information.
Tech Reskilling in India a Necessity
Behind the AI and data analytics boom, lies the story of a massive talent gap as workforce struggles to remain employable
The skills’ shelf life has shortened, with technology changing exponentially over the last decade, skills that were relevant at the beginning of the career have become obsolete
While skill development gets a major chunk of CSR funding, reskilling
in India isn’t a priority. Even with the third-largest developer base
and a substantial tech-savvy talent pool, India lags behind its peers on
major AI indicators. This is despite a thriving startup ecosystem,
high-growth companies which have made a substantial investment in
setting up CoEs (centres of excellence) and the Government investing in
building a robust tech infrastructure.
Behind the AI and data analytics boom, lies the story of a massive
talent gap as workforce struggles to remain employable. The skills’
shelf life has shortened, with technology changing exponentially over
the last decade, skills that were relevant at the beginning of the
career have become obsolete. In order to remain employable, the
workforce needs reskilling in India.
Reskilling in India can fill gaps
The rise of edtech companies in India is not surprising, given the
huge clamour for continuous learning that has taken root in the
professional sphere. This is backed by the rise of emerging technologies
— Artificial Intelligence, its subset Machine Learning and Data Science
which has spawned a booming job market revolving around new
technologies that has substantially transformed India’s IT labour
market.
The changing job economy has resulted in new opportunities for the Indian workforce. As estimated by a consulting major,
AI has the potential to add 15% of India’s current gross value in
2035. The booming economy, fuelled by AI and advanced analytics requires
more Indians to enter the workforce with a different skill-set. As per
estimates, close to 97,000 AI positions lie vacant in India.
However, the challenges are also increasing multifold — on the one
hand Indian companies are struggling with disruptions like automation
that are redefining jobs and secondly, it is grappling with finding the
right talent with the right skillset for AI/ machine learning and data
science teams. Meanwhile, the upcoming generation that will enter the
workforce soon is fed on an outdated curriculum that hasn’t kept up with
the industry’s demands.
What can key players do?
In order to capitalise on these opportunities, IT companies,
educators and policymakers need to develop a deeper understanding of the
existing workforce, the skill-set required in the future, and the gaps
that will need to be addressed. This implies that these three key
players need to align the broader economic developer agenda with the
shifting job market and work towards building a strong talent that has
the baseline and digital skills required for current landscape.
The government’s involvement in reskilling in India is a must. A
joint report by industry body NASSCOM and FICCI level says that the IT
workforce will become obsolete without government involvement. Policy
makers will have to assess secondary and postsecondary education and
align it with the skills that are required for tomorrow. Many leading
Indian IT majors have undertaken employer-training initiatives,
pre-employment training and have also provided their own courseware.
Collectively, the key stakeholders can foster a workforce development ecosystem and provide domain specific training
with a job-first approach. Given this scenario — educational
stakeholders have made a very strong business case for reskilling in
India and have actively partnered with renowned educational institutions
to launch technical certifications and degree programmes tailored to
fill the skill gap.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:24 AM on Thursday, March 5th, 2020
Announced the advancement of its previously announced Joint Venture Partnership with Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp. (CSE: CANN), based in Sandy, Oregon, USA.
Now advancing the JV with the order and installation of extraction and post-production equipment units at Empower’s existing licenced hemp processing facility in Sandy, Oregon,
Will immediately begin performing hemp-based product manufacturing for proprietary formulations, tolling services, and third-party white labelling services for other distributors throughout the United States
VANCOUVER, BC / March 5, 2020 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CSE:CBDT) (OTC:EPWCF) (Frankfurt 8EC) (“Empower” or the “Company“), a vertically integrated and growth-oriented life sciences company is pleased to announce the advancement of its previously announced Joint Venture Partnership (“JV”) with Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp. (CSE: CANN) (“Heritage”), based in Sandy, Oregon, USA.
In September 2019, Empower announced it had entered into a Letter of
Intent (“LOI”) to form a 50/50 ownership JV with Heritage for the
extraction of hemp for CBD oil production, and formulated CBD products.
The JV is equally funded by both parties and since formation CDN$250,000
has been provided to the JV.
Heritage and Empower are now advancing the JV with the order and
installation of extraction and post-production equipment units at
Empower’s existing licenced hemp processing facility in Sandy, Oregon,
in order to immediately begin performing hemp-based product
manufacturing for proprietary formulations, tolling services, and
third-party white labelling services for other distributors throughout
the United States.
The proprietary branded products will be distributed through
Empower’s corporately owned physician staffed health clinics in Oregon
and Arizona, online at www.sunvalleyhealth.com and in upcoming new franchise locations, which currently have access to over 165,000 patients.
Additionally, related downstream equipment is now being installed
including gel cap processing, tincture bottle and vape cartridge
filling, as well as labelling, packaging, storage and shipping services,
to offer full-service end-to-end products to third parties.
Heritage is providing training and supervision related to the
proprietary methods of extraction and oil production that is already
being successfully produced in Canada by Heritage.
“Having the backing of an experienced partner with the financial
strength of Heritage Cannabis is proving to be so beneficial for the
development of our first extraction facility”, said Steven McAuley,
Chief Executive Officer of Empower. “Together, we have already
identified numerous opportunities to bring new orders to the JV
facility, ensuring we leverage the capacity we are building.”
“We are very pleased to be advancing our U.S. strategy through this
mutually beneficial partnership with Empower, which provides Heritage
ease of access to the world’s largest cannabis market”, stated Clint
Sharples, Chief Executive Officer of Heritage. “The installation of
extraction units is the next phase of the JV and another step toward
successfully furthering our growth strategies.”
ABOUT EMPOWER
Empower is a vertically-integrated health & wellness brand with
it’s first hemp-derived CBD extraction facility under development, the
Company produces its proprietary line of cannabidiol (CBD) based
products and distributes products through company owned and franchised
clinics, with wholesale partnerships, online channels and with new
retail opportunities nationwide in the U.S. The company is a leading
multi-state operator of a network of physician-staffed wellness clinics,
focused on helping patients improve and protect their health, through
innovative physician recommended treatment options. The company has
commenced activity on how to connect its significant data, to the
potential of the efficacy of alternative treatment options related to
hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) therapies.
About Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp.
The Company is focused on becoming a vertically integrated cannabis
provider that currently has two Health Canada approved licenced
producers, through its subsidiaries Voyage Cannabis Corp. and CannaCure
Corp. both regulated under the Cannabis Act Regulations. Working under
these two licences, Heritage has two additional subsidiaries, Purefarma
Solutions, which provides extraction services, and a Medical Services
Division which is focused on cannabis based medical solutions. Heritage
as the parent company, is focused on providing the resources for its
subsidiaries to advance their products or services to compete both
domestically and internationally.
Investors: Dustin Klein SVP, Business Development [email protected] 720-352-1398
For French inquiries: Remy Scalabrini, Maricom Inc., E: [email protected], T: (888) 585-MARI
DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements”
or “forward-looking information” (collectively “forward looking
statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws.
All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are
forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and
projections as at the date of this news release.Forward-looking statements
can frequently be identified by words such as “plans”, “continues”,
“expects”, “projects”, “intends”, “believes”, “anticipates”,
“estimates”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar
words, or information that certain events or conditions “may” or “will”
occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include
statements regarding; the Company’s intention to open a hemp-based CBD
extraction facility, the expected benefits to the Company and its
shareholders as a result of the proposed acquisitions and partnerships;
the effectiveness of the extraction technology; the expected benefits
for Empower’s patient base and customers; the benefits of CBD based
products; the effect of the approval of the Farm Bill; the growth of the
Company’s patient list and that the Company will be positioned to be a
market-leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2019
and beyond. Such statements are only projections, are based on
assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks
and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or
developments to differ materially from those contained in the
forward-looking statements, including; that the Company may not open a
hemp-based CBD extraction facility; that legislative changes may have an
adverse effect on the Company’s business and product development; that
the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its
business plan; general business, economic, competitive, political and
social uncertainties; failure to obtain any necessary approvals in
connection with the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; and other
factors beyond the Company’s control. No assurance can be given that any
of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur
or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking
statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by
these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and
expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any
forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by
applicable laws.
Tags: CSE, Hemp, Marijuana, small cap, small cap stocks, stocks Posted in Empower Clinics Inc. | Comments Off on Empower Clinics $CBDT.ca Announces Advancement of Joint Venture with Heritage Cannabis in the United States $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca
Reported (Q3-2019) revenues of $1,683,985 compared to $589,648, up by 186%
For the nine months operations, company reported revenues of $2,559,068 compared to $1,872,944, up by 37%
Cash position improved significantly, $812,853 compared to $66,296 in the previous quarter
Recent Achievements:
Secured the second contract of a multi
phase R&D program through the Department of National Defence’s
Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program with a
value of approximately $945,094.
Software licencing contract with
GreenInsightz Limited for the use of its proprietary Nexalogy’s
Artificial Intelligence software platform for a value of approximately
$1 million in cash and shares
Secured another contract with a division of Lotte for approximately $1,000,000.
Participated in NATO Research Task Group in Paris, France.
The Technology:
NexaIntelligence
Social-media discovery and monitoring platform for those who need to extract actionable insights out of discussions to inform decision-making.
Current languages supported: English, French, Russian, and Korean (more coming soon).
The system collects and analyses data from Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, blogs, web forums, online news sites, Google Alerts and RSS feeds. With it, you’ll be able to make qualitative analyses based on both quantitative and qualitative data so you can provide context for the numbers, not just spreadsheets.
When exploring Twitter data, users immediately have access to:
An interactive timeline showing peaks of activity
Most frequent publishers and most frequently mentioned accounts
Most common words and hashtags
A lexical map that automatically clusters conversations to show common patterns of interactions and key topics
A geolocation-based heat map
FULL DISCLOSURE: Datametrex AI Limited is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 3:04 PM on Wednesday, March 4th, 2020
Further to its previous press release dated November 4th, 2019, Company has completed all torch tests successfully, and has received final payment from RISE Energy Technology Center AB
As a result of this success, PyroGenesis has received numerous requests for proposals from potential clients in the field, and recently signed a small order from a multi-billion-dollar international producer of iron pelletsÂ
MONTREAL, March 04, 2020 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF) (FRA: 8PY), a high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation†or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, announced today that, further to its previous press release dated November 4th, 2019, the Company has completed all torch tests successfully, and has received final payment from RISE Energy Technology Center AB (the “Clientâ€).
This contract, originally announced in January of last year, is for a
900-kW plasma torch system which was won in a competitive bid process.
PyroGenesis’ 900-kW plasma torch is used to replace fossil fuel
burners in the iron ore induration (pelletization) process.
Pelletization is the process in which iron ore is concentrated before
shipment, thus significantly reducing the cost of transportation. In
conventional technology, the process heat is provided by fuel oil or
natural gas burners. The combustion, in the burners, of fossil fuels
results in the production of greenhouse gases, mainly CO2. Plasma
torches, by the fact that they can convert renewable electricity to heat
offer an environmentally attractive alternative to fossil fuel burners.
Following the success of the SAT (Site Acceptance Test) of the
high-power plasma torch at the Client’s facility in Sweden, a series of
additional torch tests were performed at the client’s site. As
announced, these tests have concluded successfully, and discussions are
now taking place for follow on work and additional torch orders.
According to management, a typical pellet plant producing 10 million
metric tonnes of pellets annually emits approximately one million metric
tonnes of CO21. The total world pellet production of 400 million metric
tonnes of pellets represents a potential market for torch sales in
excess of $10B worldwide. The world pellet industry generates about 40
million metric tonnes of CO2 every year. The use of plasma torches
running off a clean electrical grid would reduce these emissions
significantly. For reference, 40 million tonnes of CO2 represent the
combined yearly emissions of 8.7 million US passenger vehicles2.
As a result of this success, PyroGenesis has received numerous
requests for proposals from potential clients in the field, and recently
signed a small order from a multi-billion-dollar international producer
of iron pellets. This order is to model and evaluate the performance
of PyroGenesis’ torch in an existing industrial furnace. If successful,
this would potentially lead to a multi-torch order aimed at replacing
burners in their industrial pelletizing plant. An iron pelletizing
furnace typically uses dozens of high-power burners (typically between
1-5 MW).
“Our success with RISE has demonstrated to the industrial
manufacturing sector that our Plasma Torches represent an opportunity to
significantly cut GHG emissions through a simple bolt-on replacement of
their current fossil fuel burners,†said Mr. P. Peter Pascali,
President and CEO of PyroGenesis. “Given how compelling our torch
offering is, particularly in light of the environmental pressure the
industry is under (only recently a new trend has emerged where financial
institutions are tying credit facilities and debt issuances to carbon
reduction targets for multi-national industrial and mining
conglomerates) we expect the demand for our torches to grow
exponentially.â€
1 M. Huerta, J. Bolen, M. Okrutny, I. Cameron and K. O’Leary,
“Guidelines for Selecting Pellet Plant Technologyâ€, Iron Ore Conference
2015 Proceedings, Perth, WA, July 13-15, 2015
PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a high-tech company, is the world leader in
the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced
plasma processes and products. We provide engineering and manufacturing
expertise, cutting-edge contract research, as well as turnkey process
equipment packages to the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced
materials (including 3D printing), oil & gas, and environmental
industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and
technicians working out of our Montreal office and our 3,800 m2
manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage
by remaining at the forefront of technology development and
commercialization. Our core competencies allow PyroGenesis to lead the
way in providing innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes,
high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to
the global marketplace. Our operations are ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D
certified, and have been since 1997. PyroGenesis is a publicly-traded
Canadian Corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker Symbol: PYR)
and on the OTCQB Marketplace. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements,
including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”,
“plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”,
“expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which
constitute “forward- looking information” within the meaning of
applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the
Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited
to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the
market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the
capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research
and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new
product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory
approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the
Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in
the Corporation’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory
authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com, or at
www.otcmarkets.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ
materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward- looking statements either as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as
required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture
Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in
the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the OTCQB accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
SOURCE PyroGenesis Canada Inc.
For further information please contact:
Rodayna Kafal, Vice President Investors Relations and Strategic Business Development Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: [email protected]
Tags: PyroGenesis, small cap stocks, stocks, tsx Posted in PyroGenesis Canada Inc. | Comments Off on PyroGenesis $PYR.ca Successfully Completes all Torch Tests for RISE Energy Technology Center AB LMT $RTN $NOC $UTX $HPQ.ca $DDD.ca $SSYS $PRLB
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:45 PM on Wednesday, March 4th, 2020
SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp.
aims to provide access to quality education from around the world. The
company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job
industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing
an integrated ecosystem. Click here for more information.
Education Is the New Healthcare, and Other Trends Shaping Edtech Investing
Private equity and venture funds have invested record sums into the global education sector—$30 billion in the past five years across K-12 and workplace learning
Since 2017, investment has accelerated with $14 billion allocated, according to research firm HolonIQ.
Despite the influx of capital, employers, schools and policymakers
are only just beginning to harness the sector’s advancements in the
delivery, accessibility and effectiveness of education technology. As
adoption of these products and services increases around the world, so
too does the opportunity for investors and entrepreneurs to generate
positive social and economic impact alongside financial returns.
Here are five key trends to consider as education enters a new decade:
1. In the workplace, education is the new healthcare.
In the 1940’s and ‘50s, employers seeking to attract the best workers
offered healthcare benefits. In the early 2000’s, employers offered
free snacks and installed foosball tables.
Those perks have lost their luster, and with help from the Affordable
Care Act, even healthcare is becoming less of a differentiator. Today,
leading corporations hope to drive employee engagement, retention and
advancement through providing education.
In 2014, Starbucks and Arizona State University pioneered a new kind of partnership.
By offering high-quality, affordable online courses and programs,
coupled with tuition assistance, ASU and Starbucks enabled thousands to
become degree holders—debt free. In a recent interview with CNBC,
Starbuck’s CEO Kevin Johnson pointed to the College Achievement Plan as a
driver for sales growth, because employee engagement yields customer
engagement.
To broaden this workplace education initiative, The Rise Fund partnered with ASU and other leading online universities to launch InStride,
providing valuable educational credentials to the employees of
forward-thinking corporations. In bringing affordable education to the
workplace, companies like InStride, Guild, Degreed and EdAssist are
addressing the biggest issues in higher education: career relevance and
student debt.
2. Our schools are facing a mental health crisis.
Today, 95 percent of teenagers have access to a smartphone, and the average teen is now spending more than 7 hours per day on their screens,
including over 1.5 hours on social media. But the proliferation of
technology does not come without concerns. These tools can amplify
feelings of loneliness and serve as a platform for cyberbullying.
Mental health problems, especially among teens, increased significantly in the last decade. Seventy percent of teenagers identify mental health as a major issue, worse than drug addiction, and gangs. Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds, and the rate has tripled over the last 10 years. In a Harvard Medical School study
of 67,000 college students across more than 100 institutions, 1 out of 5
students surveyed said that they had thought about suicide.
“Teachers and administrators are hungry for effective ways to teach
social and emotional learning,†says former U.S. Secretary of Education
Arne Duncan.
Who will pay for these needed services? Most are paid by schools or
districts, but other funding approaches are emerging. One of our
portfolio investments, EverFi, finds corporate partners to fund their
bullying prevention programs in schools. Other companies, like Presence
Learning, are experimenting with models that may be reimbursed by health
insurance, while Aperture Education helps schools to find grant funding
for their services.
3. Schools spent a decade buying technology. Now they want it to work.
Education technology reached a tipping point in the last decade. Broadband penetration in K-12 schools reached over 98 percent, while low-cost computing devices like Chromebooks have proliferated in classrooms.
This has laid the infrastructure to support new instructional tools,
many built by new companies that have emerged to compete with
traditional print publishers. HolonIQ estimates that global spending on
digital education tools surpassed $150 billion last year, and will double by 2025.
But purchasing is not proof that something works. Even more concerning: many tools may simply be gathering (digital) dust. A recent study by the University of Pennsylvania, only 30 percent of edtech licenses are actually used.
In any future economic downturn, expect technology providers who fail
to show evidence of improvement—let alone usage—to get axed. Those
seeking to avoid this fate would do well to invest in proving that their
products work. DreamBox, (another portfolio company) invests in efficacy research
led by independent third-parties including Harvard and SRI
International. Lexia Learning, a subsidiary of Rosetta Stone, employs a
team of PhDs who send their research out for peer review.
Recently updated federal guidelines
have also raised the bar for efficacy evidence that educational
services should demonstrate before public funds can be used to purchase
them.
4. There is growing international demand for English-language learning.
Duolingo made headlines in December when it raised $30 million at a $1.5 billion valuation,
reaching the “unicorn†milestone just seven years after the company
launched. While it offers courses in several languages, a big growth
driver internationally is English language learning, where it competes
with online providers Babbel, Busuu and Rosetta Stone.
As businesses have expanded globally through tech and business
process outsourcing, English language proficiency has become an
important path to economic opportunity. According to studies by the
World Bank, in India, those fluent in English earn 34 percent more on
average than those who are non-fluent, while in Nigeria, the
English-language wage premium is 40 percent.
In emerging markets, English language proficiency is a core component
of what many parents look for as they seek high-quality schools for
their children. That demand has fueled the growth of multi-billion
dollar, dual-language K-12 platforms like Cognita, GEMS and Nord Anglia
in markets around the world.
5. Will edtech be caught up in a backlash against ‘big tech’ over data privacy?
Rising edtech expenditures and privacy concerns have caught the eye of regulators. A group of U.S. Senators recently requested
50 technology companies—including education technology providers—to
provide written responses to questions about student privacy safeguards.
These inquiries come at a time when many believe the enforcement of
federal education regulation is increasingly lax.
Edtech providers are as vulnerable as their peers in other
industries. At a major cybersecurity conference last fall, an
18-year-old student detailed vulnerabilities he found in Blackboard, one of the most widely-used learning management systems in the country.
As U.S. edtech companies expand globally, they will also find
themselves subject to stricter European data privacy laws, like GDPR.
They may also find themselves at the mercy of sudden changes in national
policies, such as the restrictions recently imposed in China on foreign
investment in K-12 programs.
2020 and Beyond
The Rise Fund has made investments across these themes, and as we
enter the next decade, the correlation between educational attainment
and economic opportunity will continue to drive the demand for tools and
services that bridge these two goals. For investors and entrepreneurs
who choose wisely, opportunities abound for attractive returns and
impact through the power of education.
Tags: CSE, edtech, india, online education, stocks Posted in betterU Education Corp | Comments Off on Education Is the New Healthcare, and Other Trends Shaping #Edtech Investing – SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:48 AM on Wednesday, March 4th, 2020
SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited
(TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and
Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media
threats. The company announced three $1M contacts in Q3-2019. Click here for more info.
States launch ‘trusted information’ efforts against fake news on social media
Wrong claims in Maine that Election Day is on different days for Republicans than for Democrats.
The misinformation on social media is contributing to a heightened alert ahead of Super Tuesday, when millions of Americans are expected to cast 2020 primary ballots.
(CNN)A Facebook account impersonating the Swain County board of elections in North Carolina. Unfounded rumors that Tarrant County, Texas, doesn’t have former Vice President Joe Biden on the ballot.
Wrong claims in Maine that Election Day is on different days for Republicans than for Democrats. The misinformation on social media is contributing to a heightened alert ahead of Super Tuesday, when millions of Americans are expected to cast 2020 primary ballots.
“Misinformation is the most likely source of trouble we’re going to experience this year,” Keith Ingram, elections director at the Texas Secretary of State’s office, told CNN. Â State officials say misinformation poses as big a threat to elections as cyber-attacks that could cripple voting infrastructure.
So to counter the bad information online, states are increasingly going on the offensive — trying to spread good information to inoculate the public. But while experts commend the effort, many have questions about its effectiveness — and some say states could be doing more. Â Earlier this week, California’s secretary of state sent emails to the 6.6 million registered voters with email addresses on file, directing them to the state’s election education guide. North Carolina’s board of elections ran radio ads recently reminding voters that photo identification will not be necessary in the state on Super Tuesday, thanks to a recent court ruling. Ingram said Texas’s online portal for accurate election information, votetexas.gov, is being “pounded in people’s minds” through social media. Â
And across the country, officials are using the hashtag #trustedinfo2020 to tell Americans exactly where to find the bedrock truth for election information. Â “Your source for #TrustedInfo2020 is ALWAYS your state and county election officials,” Oklahoma’s state election board tweeted last week — pointing voters to an internet portal for identifying polling places and requesting absentee ballots. The hashtag campaign is organized by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS).
Drowning out misinformation
By flooding the zone with constructive content, states are hoping to drown out negative or harmful material. It’s an idea linked to a growing body of research on online extremism, which has found that offering a contrasting view against hate speech can minimize its impact and lead to more engagement for the positive messages on social media. Â
“The #trustedinfo2020 campaign is really a sort of reminder to people that there are resources that they can trust if they hear something or if they have some question about the news,” said Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap in an interview with CNN. Â
Meanwhile, in California, Secretary of State Alex Padilla has taken out ads on social media to promote the visibility of accurate information, according to Sam Mahood, an agency spokesman. In some cases, Mahood said, posts from the secretary’s official social media accounts correcting online misinformation were picked up by news outlets who helped further suppress the spread of false claims. Â
Social media platforms have also dramatically improved their relationships with states compared to 2016 and 2018, election officials said. Whereas some states once lacked ways to contact Facebook or Twitter in earlier cycles, that’s changed, said Ingram. Â “They’ve all made themselves accessible,” he said. “They all have folks who reach out to us, and we have their [contact] information.” Â The same goes for the federal government.
The Department of Homeland Security has established real-time communications channels for state and local officials to share reports of suspicious activity. Those portals are mostly focused on cybersecurity threats. But the US government will “continue to plan for the worst” as it anticipates Russia continuing its misinformation efforts this year, acting Homeland Security secretary Chad Wolf told CNN last week in North Carolina. Â
Wolf also called on voters to make sure they are “getting their information straight from the source.”
States reaching out to social media
As recently as last week, Facebook removed a misleading page that falsely told North Carolina voters they could fill out one bubble on a general-election ballot in order to vote for a single party across all eligible races, said Patrick Gannon, a spokesman for the state board of elections.
The page risked confusing North Carolinians and damaging trust in the democratic process, he added, but Facebook removed it at the state’s request. Â Still, playing Whack-a-Mole against individual cases of misinformation is no substitute for providing credible information, according to state officials. Â
Experts say awareness campaigns like #trustedinfo2020 are critical to improving public trust in the democratic process. Â But, they added, there’s no single solution for a problem as abstract and multi-faceted as online misinformation, said Matt Sheehan, managing director of the Center for Public Interest Communications at the University of Florida. Â
“I wish there was a fix as simple as a hashtag, but it runs counter to how we’re wired as humans,” he said. “Our personalities and worldviews color the information we find credible, or seek out as consumers.” Â The dedication of those trying to mislead voters, as well as the natural ebb and flow of ordinary misinformation, makes it hard for officials to compete, said Rachel Goodman, an attorney at the civil society nonprofit Protect Democracy. Â
“The unfortunate reality is, because there’s so many resources on the misnformation side,” she said, “it’s hard to see until we’re really in the crucible how it really measures up.” Â By some estimates, the #trustedinfo2020 campaign doesn’t appear to have spread very far. One researcher who analyzed the hashtag told CNN that since late last year, it has been mentioned in about 10,000 tweets, mostly in posts created by election officials themselves. NASS declined to comment. Â “Ten thousand mentions since mid-November is a relatively low volume,” said Ben Nimmo, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab. “It shows there’s been some pickup, but it’s not a viral phenomenon yet.” Â Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/02/politics/state-efforts-against-social-media-misinformation/index.html
