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5 reasons why you should learn more about #Blockchain #Blockstation $IDK.ca $HIVE.ca $BLOC.ca $CODE.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:35 PM on Tuesday, November 28th, 2017
  • Universal infrastructure once and for all
  • Futuristic Know-How
  • Complete Disruption in Chain
  • Blockchanization of Industries

Amirsan Roberto

28 November 2017

If you are one of those who, like myself, are working their way into the #blockchain industry for the first time, or are uncertain about whether to believe in the phenomenon or not, trust me: you aren`t alone. However, the reasons to be motivated about it are all about us. If we think back to the birth of Bitcoin in 2009, we might even compare it to the inception of the World Wide Web, developed with the help of Tim Berners-Lee around 1990.

Presently we are only in about year eight of adoption of blockchain technology, which is roughly equivalent to the web in 1998. We recall those hectic times in the DotCom era, during which rapid growth led to a bubble and wiped out a swathe of companies while making way for the success of companies like Amazon, Yahoo and Google, all of which have changed our global (digital) economy and society in previously unimaginable ways.

Can we think of blockchain and the multiplying variety of cryptocurrencies in the same way? Do cryptocurrency tokens have any potential? I would argue yes, knowing the fact that we have before us.

The more I learn, the more fascination I havefor this idea of blockchain computing. Based on my recent findings I would like to share some of thoughts. First of these reflections should be an expression of gratitude for those who are doing the stuff that is disrupting such powerful industries and pushing the human race forward.

Blockchain was developed as the nerve system of Bitcoin in the wake of the financial cataclysm of 2008. At its heart is a rebellious disdain for central authoritative control, offering instead a decentralized network of self-compliance and regulation. But the servant has become the master, offering business benefits not envisaged during its conception. In fact, it’s nothing short of a game changer for those who can master it.

But wait: What the hell is blockchain?

There are two major blockchains that we can say without hesitation are of global importance: the Bitcoin Blockchain and the Etherium Blockchain.

  1. A) Bitcoin is digital money. The Bitcoin blockchain stores and processes all past transactions since the start of its network. This ensures easy accounting and transfer of value (i.e. money).
  2. B) The Ethereum blockchain, apart from handling accounts and transactions, also stores programming logic.

Ethereum is different from Bitcoin because with Ethereum you can not only transfer money (i.e. Ether), you can execute smart contracts.

There are a lot of real-world scenarios where we trust third parties or escrow agents to enforce a transaction. In this way, they all earn their cut. With Ethereum, such parties will become useless as the technology matures and permits more activity to be processed in its revolutionary way.

So what are the five best reasons that indicate one should invest time in learning about the blockchain with a view to becoming a user, investor or developer? Here are my picks:

  1. Universal infrastructure once and for all

More than a single solution/ technology/infrastructure, blockchain and DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) technologies essentially connect together to form a new type of market infrastructure that sits on top of – and integrates into – existing systems and processes. And in doing so, they are quickly and quietly changing the way firms, regulators, investors, and managers communicate and share data.

  1. Futuristic Know-How

Blockchain investments may not be paying massive returns yet, but they are allowing some firms to create the right platform for future growth. The adoption of Blockchain and DLT is unlocking unprecedented business flexibility, improved efficiency and new capabilities that could be leveraged to rapidly respond to changing market dynamics and competition in the future. For example: Venture capital firm Mangrove Capital Partners has recently stated that if you had blindly invested into all ICOs, including all those that failed, you’d have a 1320% return.

  1. Complete Disruption in Chain

Blockchain will add significant value – improving confidence between parties, reducing friction in the value chain and speeding up complicated inter-party processes. But it will also mean the disintermediation (or, more likely a refocusing) of certain players in the value chain. Players should be sizing up their future position and managers should be reassessing their value chains.

  1. Blockchanization of Industries

Clearly, it will take many years – maybe decades – for Blockchain and DLT to become the dominant technology in the asset management space. But we expect to see many players (particularly in the mid- to large-sized funds) start to shift processes and transactions towards Blockchain and DLT platforms over the coming year, thereby creating the scale to drive ubiquity.

  1. November 29-30th Blockshow Asia, Singapore

Two hundred million dollars were raised by startups from BlockShow Europe 2017. Guess how much can be raised in Singapore given the weight advantage of Asia over the EU?

The show will feature over 1000+ attendees, 50+ handpicked speakers (making it a heaven for networking and learning), 40+ exhibitors and media will all be there for you to make the best use of your time and immerse yourself in the blockchain.

BlockShow Asia 2017, powered by CoinTelegraph, is a unique opportunity to meet those who are altering the financial and technological fabric of our world. In this most appropriate of contexts Genaro will be proud to present its revolutionary plans for #Decentralized Storage.

For those that are interested in understanding how blockchain is disrupting over 30+ industries, here are great pieces for you to look at: part-1, Part-2, Part-3

There is one more thing-I was really excited to learn that there’s a documentary movie coming that ought to help all us newbies dive deeper into the blockchain space and discover the ideas behind the paradigm shift.

Crypto Rush is a documentary by author and director Liliana Pertenava which will tell the story of the rise of cryptocurrencies such as #Bitcoin and #Etherium while also looking into some of the more intricate parts of the blockchain and the community around it.

The documentary has the potential to be a hit on two fronts when it comes to audience appeal – those who have an interest in the world of cryptocurrency but have a hard time understanding it, and those who have an interest in meeting some of the big players that are getting rich by investing in the new tech. Filming will take place all over the world including countries like Switzerland, USA, Germany and will end in Singapore, which has become one of the leading blockchain hubs.

Those in blockchain welcome to reach out to director, indeed, exciting project…

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)

Source: https://yourstory.com/2017/11/5-reasons-learn-blockchain/

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How a 23-Year-Old Gamer Got Billionaires to Back His #Esports Team $GMBL $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:56 AM on Tuesday, November 28th, 2017
  • 23-year-old college dropout has raised tens of millions of dollars
  • From investors such as former junk bond king Mike Milken and billionaire Phil Anschutz’s AEG, to be among the first team owners in a new international video-game league

By

Christopher Palmeri
November 28, 2017, 5:00 AM EST

Noah Whinston is a young man on the go. The 23-year-old college dropout has raised tens of millions of dollars, from investors such as former junk bond king Mike Milken and billionaire Phil Anschutz’s AEG, to be among the first team owners in a new international video-game league.

The Los Angeles Valiant will start competing next month in the inaugural year of Activision Blizzard Inc.’s Overwatch League. Whinston and his backers paid the video-game giant $20 million for their franchise rights, aiming to get in on the ground floor of what could be the next big professional sport.

Video-game competitions have been around since the 1970s. What’s different now is that young people are spending less time watching traditional sports like football and basketball and more time glued to game consoles and tablets. Companies like Activision see live events and broadcasts of their games as a natural extension of their business and are tapping big names in media, finance and sports to participate.

Noah Whinston at the training facility for the Los Angeles Valiant.
Photographer: Troy Harvey

Activision, based in Santa Monica, California, has raised $240 million selling franchises for the Overwatch League, in which players compete in a cartoon-like shooting game that’s a little more than a year old. Last week, Riot Games, part of Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd., announced 10 franchises for its newly revamped North American League of Legends Championship Series. Prices started at $10 million.

“Everybody is looking at an audience base that is 300 million people and saying there has to be a way to harness the commercial part of this,” said Bruce Stein, a former Mattel Inc. executive whose company acquired the rights to a League of Legends team. “We see this as a sea change in the way people interact with content,” said Stein, whose company attracted investments from basketball great Magic Johnson and Walt Disney Co.

The change is dizzying for the older hands. Last month, Jason Lake sold a majority stake in his 14-year-old CompLexity Gaming to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and investor John Goff for an undisclosed sum. Lake said he always operated on a break-even basis, but competing in a world of $20 million franchise fees and dedicated training facilities required outside capital. Players who used be paid $2,500 a month are being lured to other teams for 10 times that salary, according to Lake. “We were becoming a farm team,” he said.

Whinston grew up in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, where his father was an economics professor and his mother taught political science. Whinston played online poker for money in high school and built a business selling Magic: The Gathering trading cards. He later discovered a site called Vulcun where fans could build esports teams and win money much like in fantasy sports. Soon Whinston’s name was popping up at the top of leader boards.

Amid questions about the legality of such betting, Vulcun shut down, but not before Whinston was introduced to Clinton Foy, a Los Angeles-based venture capitalist. The pair bought an existing esports business, Team 8, and renamed it the Immortals, bringing in investors including Peter Levin, an executive at Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., and a venture capital fund affiliated with the rock band Linkin Park. Foy said he had to sign leases on property for the Immortals because no landlords would rent to the boyish CEO.

Noah’s father Michael Whinston, who now teaches at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said he and his wife tried to talk their son out of leaving school. The senior Whinston now feels his son was right. “I’m an economist,” Michael Whinston said. “He passed the market test.”

A team meeting at the new Immortals and Los Angeles Valiant training facility located in Los Angeles.
Photographer: Troy Harvey

The Immortals now fields teams playing four games, including Valve Corp.’s Dota 2 and Nintendo Co.’s Super Smash Bros. The company failed to win a League of Legends franchise, despite having a team in a prior version of the league and seeming like a shoo-in to everyone in the industry. “I won’t lie, I’m disappointed, even a little heartbroken, in not being able to participate,” Whinston said in a video statement to fans.

In an online chat with fans, Riot Games esports executive Chris Hopper declined to discuss why some teams didn’t make the cut, calling the decision “really difficult.”

Esports competitions generate money from ticket sales, corporate sponsorships and team merchandise. The Immortals’ sponsors come from the video game world: HP Inc., chairmaker LF Gaming and Bloody Gaming, which sells mouses and other accessories. Stein’s Team Liquid has 12 sponsors including Monster Beverage Corp. listed on its website.

Whinston’s company houses its two dozen pros in an apartment building in Marina Del Rey. Players practice from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Immortals’ Culver City campus. They scrimmage and in some cases play other teams, working from inside a handful of garage-like “pods.” Lunch and dinner are provided. Physical therapists and sports psychologists are on call.

The 20,000-square-foot property is among the first standalone training facilities for esports. Previously players lived and practiced in houses rented by the company. Whinston lived in one with nine other people. “I lasted 18 months,” he said. When the new Overwatch League season starts, teams will compete in a theater Activision leases in Burbank, California.

Whinston said his approach to picking teams involves a mix of data and human dynamics. Eight of his 11 Overwatch players are under 20 years old, green even by esports standards. Seb Barton, a U.K. native who goes by the name Numlocked, is an elder statesman at 24. He’s an important part of the team, Whinston said, because his effusive personality rallies others when they’re not performing well.

“We’re not looking to go out there, sign the biggest name free agents, and just try to throw them in a room and hope it all works out,” Whinston said. “We’re not the New York Yankees of esports. We’re not trying to be.”

—With assistance from Eben Novy-Williams

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-28/how-a-23-year-old-gamer-got-billionaires-to-back-his-esports-team

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Marijuana Company of America $MCAO Provides Update on 30,000 Sq. Ft. Cultivation Facilty in Washington State $AERO $CBDS $CGRW $APH.ca $GBLX

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:47 AM on Tuesday, November 28th, 2017

15233 mcoa

  • Announced that it’s joint venture partner, Bougainville Ventures, Inc., initiated construction on a 30,000 square foot cultivation facility in Washington state
  • Delivery of the first pre-designed greenhouses, with full tracking and reporting protocols, is expected to be completed this week for the I-502 facility

Escondido, California–(November 28, 2017) – MARIJUANA COMPANY OF AMERICA INC. (OTC: MCOA) (“MCOA” or the “Company“), an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, is pleased to announce that it’s joint venture partner, Bougainville Ventures, Inc., initiated construction on a 30,000 square foot cultivation facility in Washington state. The delivery of the first pre-designed greenhouses, with full tracking and reporting protocols, is expected to be completed this week for the I-502 facility. The site will eventually consist of 6 greenhouses providing a total of 30,000 sq. ft., of cultivation area. The construction is expected to be completed in February of 2018.

This one acre footprint of greenhouse is anticipated to be a technologically advanced and predominantly automated cannabis production facility. The Company also has an option to purchase additional contiguous acreage and so may choose to expand its leasehold in the area. Bougainville Ventures, Inc. anticipates the facility to be capable of producing in excess of 12,000 lbs. of high quality cannabis annually once the cultivation area is fully built out. The location of the new facility provides access to transportation, industrial infrastructure, power, water, gas, and courier services.

Donald Steinberg, CEO of the Company, observed: “We have raised eight hundred thousand dollars and have issued fifteen million shares of the Company’s common stock, per the revised agreement with Bougainville Ventures, Inc. The tenant is in the process of obtaining approval of plans and issuance of permits from Okanogan County and Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) to authorize construction on the first phase of the project. This transaction enables the joint venture to install 4 of the 6 design automated greenhouse systems.” Mr. Steinberg also added “The attainable goal for the joint venture is to deliver the finished project early in Q1 2018 so that our tenant can begin producing revenues shortly thereafter.”

Additional details on this specific project will be announced in the coming weeks. MCOA continues to be a company pursuing aggrotech, cannabis, and advanced organic greenhouse farming assets. Meanwhile, for more information on this project including images of the jobsite, please visit: http://marijuanacompanyofamerica.com/

About Bougainville Ventures, Inc.
Bougainville Venture Inc. is in the core business of converting irrigated farmland that was traditionally used to grow marginally profitable feed crops, to greenhouse-equipped farmland used to grow luxury crops with a primary focus on marijuana. Bougainville is an agricultural services company that focuses on providing growers with state-of-the-art computer controlled greenhouses and processing facilities. Bougainville offers fully built out turnkey solutions to licensed I-502 tenant-growers and luxury crop growers who will lease the facilities for production and processing. MCOA does not “touch the plant” and only provides growing infrastructure as a landlord for licensed marijuana growers in the state of Washington. Bougainville has a strong management team with relevant experience and education in place with a focus on build-out and occupancy of its planned greenhouses in Oroville, WA. Strategic plans to expand its land bank, greenhouse campus and I-502 tenant-grower clients are scheduled for expanding operations.

About Marijuana Company of America, Inc.
MCOA is a corporation which participates in: (1) product research and development of legal hemp-based consumer products under the brand name “hempSMART™”, that targets general health and well-being; (2) an affiliate marketing program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products containing CBD; (3) leasing of real property to separate business entities engaged in the growth and sale of cannabis in those states and jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized and properly regulated for medicinal and recreations use; and, (4) the expansion of its business into ancillary areas of the legalized cannabis and hemp industry, as the legalized markets and opportunities in this segment mature and develop.

Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as “anticipate”, “seek”, intend”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “project”, “plan”, or similar phrases may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company’s reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-12G, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov.

For more information, please visit the Company’s websites at:

MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica.com
hempSMART.com
agoracom.com/ir/MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica

Marijuana Company of America, Inc.
Investor Relations
1+(888)-777-4362
Communications Contact:
NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
212.418.1217 Office

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FEATURE: American Creek $AMK.ca JV Drill Program is Well on Its Way to Defining a #Gold Resource $SEA $SA $SKE.ca $TUD.ca $PVG

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:51 PM on Monday, November 27th, 2017

AMK: TSX-V, OTCBB: ACKRF

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

  • Encountered numerous high grade gold/silver intercepts in preliminary drilling at the new HC zone at the Treaty Creek Project Read More
  • Additional gold discovery of 5.1m of 9.57 g/t gold from 249.35m to 254.45m Read More
  • Discovered a New Gold Zone at Treaty Creek: 110 M of 0.909 g/t Gold, Upper 316 M of Hole Yet to Be Assayed
  • Specimens from the Electrum property average 27,092 gm/tonne silver and 248 gm/tonne gold. Read More
  • Completed the previously announced Magnetotelluric survey and has commenced drilling Read More
  • Hole CB-16-03 returned 0.526 g/t gold over 629.7 meters
  • Included within this wide 629.7 meter interval is 338 meters of 0.70 g/t gold
  • Also included 54 meters (from 88 to 142 meters) of 1.117 g/t gold and 122 meters of 0.965 g/t gold
  • Reports that drill program is well on its way to defining a Gold Resource

View Presentation

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Posted in AGORACOM Client Feature, All Recent Posts, American Creek Resources Ltd., Featured | Comments Off on FEATURE: American Creek $AMK.ca JV Drill Program is Well on Its Way to Defining a #Gold Resource $SEA $SA $SKE.ca $TUD.ca $PVG

$AAO.ca Augusta Industries Through Its Sub FOX-TEK Receives a Contract for an Application in the Nuclear Space

Posted by AGORACOM at 12:36 PM on Monday, November 27th, 2017

 

  • FOX-TEK Canada Inc. received a contract for phase one ( proof-of-concept application) in the Nuclear Space
  • Will demonstrate technological ability to measure minute changes in pressure in a test pipe.
  • “Contract represents a first big step toward serving a new market and an exciting space for the Corporation.”

Toronto, Ontario–(November 27, 2017) – Augusta Industries Inc. (TSXV: AAO) (the “Corporation”), a developer and marketer of patented non-intrusive sensing systems, is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, FOX-TEK Canada Inc. (“Fox-Tek”), received a contract for phase one (a proof-of-concept application) in the Nuclear Space. For this application FOX-TEK will look at the use of its high precision Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) acquisition equipment to measure very small changes in strain in injector ports.

If successful, the technology will be incorporated within the end users injection control system to verify (in real time) that the injection ports are not clogged. This will be part of a safety program due to the material being transported to the injectors. A failure of the injectors could lead to a hazardous situation.

The proof-of-concept will demonstrate that the technology will be able to measure minute changes in pressure in a test pipe. A number of FBG sensors will be mounted on the test spool for validation of the technology.

“This is an example of the Corporation’s strategy to expand our bandwidth and offering New technologies and concepts. We pursuing markets untapped in the past with new concepts and applications in the Industrial Nuclear arena,” commented Allen Lone, President and CEO of the Corporation. “This contract represent a first big step toward serving a new market and an exciting space for the Corporation.”

About the Corporation

Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Marcon International Inc. (“Marcon”) and Fox-Tek Canada Inc. (“Fox-Tek”), the Company provides a variety of services and products to a number of clients.

Marcon is an industrial supply contractor servicing the energy sector and a number of US Government entities. Marcon’s principal business is the sale and distribution of industrial parts and equipment.

Fox-Tek provides world leading solutions to various sectors including the oil and gas industry. With non-intrusive technologies including fiber-optic sensors and electric field mapping systems, Fox-Tek is able to accurately measure changes that could negatively impact our client’s operations.

Corporation Contact:

Allen Lone, President, CEO, Augusta Industries Inc.
Tel: (905) 275 8111 Ext 226, email: [email protected]

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Deal-Making in the #Cannabis Industry Hits an All-Time High: What It Means for #Marijuana Stocks $TBP.ca $N.ca $MCOA $ATT.ca $ABCN.ca $ACG.ca $ACB

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:12 AM on Monday, November 27th, 2017

Could more deals mean more dollars for marijuana stock investors?

  • If it seems like there’s been a spurt of deals and potential deals going on in the cannabis industry lately, it’s because that’s exactly what’s happening.
Keith Speights
Nov 27, 2017 at 9:16AM

Canopy Growth Corporation (NASDAQOTH:TWMJF) scored what was probably the most highly publicized deal with large beverage company Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) buying a 9.9% stake in the Canadian marijuana grower for $245 million. But Canopy has also forged other agreements with smaller companies both before and after the Constellation partnership.

More recently, Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQOTH:ACBFF) launched a takeover bid for CanniMed Therapeutics. Aurora had wanted CanniMed’s board of directors to agree to an acquisition proposal made last week. When the board failed to respond, Aurora moved forward with its unsolicited takeover attempt.

Major deal-making in the cannabis industry is hitting an all-time high. Here are three ways it impacts not just the parties involved but marijuana stocks in general.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Acceptance of the cannabis industry

While it’s true that more people have accepted legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana than ever before, the cannabis industry hasn’t entirely been viewed as part of the mainstream economy in the past. I think Constellation Brands’ partnership with and investment in Canopy Growth changes that significantly.

Constellation Brands isn’t a small fish in the pond. The company is a member of the S&P 500 and has a market cap of $43 billion. Its decision to partner with Canopy Growth amounted to an endorsement of the cannabis industry — at least in Canada. However, Constellation’s move could also lead to greater acceptance of the cannabis industry in the U.S.

The company’s CEO, Rob Sands, said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, that Constellation thinks that legalization of recreational marijuana in the U.S. is “highly likely, given what’s happened at the state level.” Although Constellation Brands is echoing the stance taken by Canopy Growth of only selling marijuana in markets where it’s legal at a federal level, the prospects of future legalization throughout the U.S. can only be helped by a major company like Constellation making a big investment in a marijuana grower.

2. Acceleration of more deal-making

There have been plenty of deals that haven’t received quite as much attention as Constellation’s investment in Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis’ takeover attempt of CanniMed. For example, Canopy Growth recently acquired small Canadian medical marijuana grower TerrAscend. Earlier this month, Aurora increased its stake in Hempco Food and Fiber to more than 50%.

Image source: Getty Images.

There’s something of a “me, too” factor when mergers and acquisitions activity picks up. Companies that haven’t been making big deals can be spurred to action in fear of missing out.

Canopy Growth is currently the biggest marijuana grower in Canada. I have no doubt that its size made a difference in Constellation Brands choosing Canopy Growth as a partner. But Aurora Cannabis could become the largest marijuana grower (at least in terms of market cap) if its attempt to buy CanniMed is successful.

Just imagine what’s going through the minds of the executives running other major marijuana growers in Canada. If you’re the CEO of MedReleaf (NASDAQOTH:MEDFF) or Aphria (NASDAQOTH:APHQF), you have to at least be thinking about making some deals of your own.

In fact, MedReleaf recently announced a stock offering that will generate $100.5 million. What will this money be used for? The company intends “to finance the acquisition and/or construction of additional cannabis production and manufacturing facilities in Canada as well as in other jurisdictions with federal legal cannabis markets.” In other words, expect an acceleration of deal-making in the cannabis industry.

3. Attraction of more investors

My view is that deal-making in any industry attracts more investors to stocks in that industry. I see it happen frequently in the bopharmaceutical world, where the possibility of mergers and buyouts tends to bring some individual investors off the sidelines. I suspect that’s what is happening already and will only pick up in the months ahead.

There are several factors that could contribute to this. Size matters for many investors who are leery of putting their money into companies that are small. Deals also make headlines, and therefore bring the involved stocks to the attention of more investors.

Another key reason why I suspect the recent deals for marijuana stocks could attract more investors is the bandwagon effect. That’s especially applicable with Constellation Brands’ investment in Canopy Growth. Some individual investors are likely to think, “If a big company like Constellation thinks it’s a good investment, it probably is a good investment.” I’m not saying that line of thinking is necessarily correct, but I’d bet plenty of people have similar thoughts.

Adding it all up

So what does all of this mean for marijuana stocks in general? It should be good news.

Smaller companies could find themselves takeover targets of somewhat larger companies, just like the situation with CanniMed and Aurora Cannabis. Relatively larger companies like Aurora, Aphria, and MedReleaf could attract the attention of other alcoholic beverage makers not wanting to be left behind by Constellation Brands in a potential cannabis-infused beer market.

I think these and other Canadian marijuana stocks should go higher in the coming months. This won’t be driven entirely by mergers and acquisitions, though. Legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada in 2018 will be the biggest catalyst.

At the same time, investors shouldn’t throw out all the traditional rules of investing in stocks. Look at the underlying businesses, growth prospects, and valuations before investing in any stock. After all, the most important deal is the one that requires you to put your own hard-earned money at stake.

Tom Gardner: Forget Aurora Cannabis Inc.! This buying opportunity is bigger than I ever imagined…

A few months ago, Motley Fool CEO Tom Gardner recently discovered what he considers the greatest buying opportunity he’s seen in more than a decade… within a group of stocks no one is talking about. On Monday, November 27, at 9:30 A.M. ET, Tom is making an important announcement where he will discuss this buying opportunity and how it potentially impacts any investor in the market today. To learn how to access Tom’s timely update, click the button below.

Source: https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/11/27/deal-making-in-the-cannabis-industry-hits-an-all-t.aspx

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Posted in All Recent Posts, Marijuana Company of America, Medical Marijuana Stocks, Namaste Technologies Inc., Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. | Comments Off on Deal-Making in the #Cannabis Industry Hits an All-Time High: What It Means for #Marijuana Stocks $TBP.ca $N.ca $MCOA $ATT.ca $ABCN.ca $ACG.ca $ACB

PyroGenesis $PYR.ca Announces Receipt of $508,000 Down Payment on Previously Announced Sale of Second DROSRITE™ Furnace System to North American Automobile Parts Manufacturer $DDD $SSYS $ PRLB

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:53 AM on Monday, November 27th, 2017

Pyr header 1

  • Further to its press release of November 16, 2017 announced the receipt of the amount of US$ 400,000 (Can $508,000) as a down payment for the sale of a second commercial DROSRITE™ furnace system to a North American automobile parts manufacturer

MONTREAL, Nov. 27, 2017 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V:PYR) (OTCQB:PYRNF), a high-tech company (the “Company” or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, announces today, further to its press release of November 16, 2017,  the receipt of the amount of US$ 400,000 (Can $508,000) as a down payment for the sale of a second commercial DROSRITE™ furnace system (the “System”) to a North American automobile parts manufacturer (the “Client”) which System is scheduled to be delivered in Q2-2018. The name of the Client has been withheld and will remain confidential for competitive reasons.

“This is an important order because it is the second commercial System sold to date and is the first re-order of a DROSRITE™ system from an existing client, and incidentally this order is a carbon copy of the first,” said Mr. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis Canada Inc. “More importantly, our ability to have secured a higher price for this System (Can $1.02 Million) over the first System (Can $600,000) from the same Client, underscores what we have said all along, which is that PyroGenesis’ DROSRITE™ system provides significant value to end-users.”

PyroGenesis‘ DROSRITE™ system is a salt-free, cost-effective, sustainable process for maximizing metal recovery from dross, a waste generated in the metallurgical industry. PyroGenesis’ patented process avoids costly loss of metal while reducing a smelter’s carbon footprint and energy consumption, providing an impressive return on investment.

“With aluminum manufacturers being subjected to increased pressure from regulatory authorities to eliminate landfilling of hazardous salt cakes from traditional recovery operations, combined with tight operating margins, PyroGenesis’ DROSRITE™ system is able to (i) increase metal recovery from waste, without producing any hazardous by-products, while at the same time (ii) reducing operating costs,” said Mr. Pierre Carabin, Chief Technology Officer of PyroGenesis.

“We expect DROSRITE™ to start becoming a significant contributor to our non-additive business segment in 2018,” said Mr. Pascali. “Not only does our existing Client have a need for an additional three Systems, which we expect will be ordered/delivered in 2018, but as previously disclosed, negotiations for the purchase of several DROSRITE™ systems continue with a client in the Middle East and, separately, a pilot demonstration of the DROSRITE™ system is scheduled for Q1-2018 in India.  Amongst all this activity we recently hired a fulltime business development Account Manager whose role is exclusively to secure DROSRITE™ system sales. We are aggressively targeting both primary aluminum smelters in Asia and the Middle East where the market is estimated to be in excess of 1 million tonnes of dross1, as well as tertiary casting producers worldwide. These two markets alone represent a potential market for DROSRITE™ systems numbering in the hundreds of units.  2018 is shaping up to be a good year for DROSRITE™ system sales.”

Separately, PyroGenesis is pleased to announce today that Mtre Ilario Antonio Gualtieri has joined the Company as Senior Legal Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Board of Directors effective November 22nd, 2017. Mtre Gualtieri was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1984 and has over 30 years of experience in corporate and commercial law including, amongst other things, mergers and acquisitions, share purchase agreements, letters of intent, joint venture agreements and commercial litigation.

It is with regret that the Company also announces the departure, effective December 8th, 2017, of Mtre Vanessa Romano who will be leaving PyroGenesis to pursue other opportunities. We thank Mtre Romano for her contributions, and wish her well in her future endeavors.

About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

PyroGenesis Canada Inc. is the world leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes. PyroGenesis provides engineering and manufacturing expertise, cutting-edge contract research, as well as turnkey process equipment packages to the defense, metallurgical, mining, additive manufacturing (3D printing), oil and gas, and environmental industries.  PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization with a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of our Montreal office and our 3,800 m2 manufacturing facility. Its 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. Its operations are ISO 9001:2008 certified, and have been ISO certified since 1997. PyroGenesis is a publicly-traded Canadian company on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker Symbol: PYR) and on the OTCQB Marketplace (Ticker Symbol: PYRNF). 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 Company’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 Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company’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 Company 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 OTC Markets Group Inc. accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

For further information: Rodayna Kafal, VP, Investor Relations and Communications, Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

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Aurora’s $ACB.ca BC Northern Lights and Namaste Technologies $N.ca Sign Supply Agreement $ATT.ca $ABCN.ca $ACG.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:41 AM on Monday, November 27th, 2017

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  • Announced that Aurora’s wholly owned subsidiary BC Northern Lights and Namaste Technologies have signed a Hardware Supply Agreement
  • Namaste will be the first third-party distributor to sell BCNL’s premium home cultivation systems and accessories through its online technology platform

VANCOUVER, Nov. 27, 2017 – Aurora Cannabis Inc. (the “Company” or “Aurora”) (TSX: ACB) (OTCQX: ACBFF) (Frankfurt: 21P; WKN: A1C4WM) and Namaste Technologies Inc. (“Namaste”) (CSE: N) (FRANKFURT: M5BQ) (OTCMKTS: NXTTF) are pleased to announce that Aurora’s wholly owned subsidiary BC Northern Lights (“BCNL”) and Namaste Technologies have signed a Hardware Supply Agreement (the “Agreement”) whereby Namaste will be the first third-party distributor to sell BCNL’s premium home cultivation systems and accessories through its online technology platform.

Namaste will roll out same-day delivery service of select BCNL products to the Greater Toronto Area (“GTA”), as well as next day delivery in most other parts of Canada, to help meet the growth in demand for home gardening systems anticipated with the passing of the federal Cannabis Act (the “Act”) to legalize adult consumer use, as well as continued rapid growth of the medical cannabis market.

Legislation announced by the Ontario Government foresees a provincial monopoly on cannabis sales upon introduction of adult consumer use, with only a limited number of stores servicing Canada’s most populous province. As the Act does allow for up to four cannabis plants per household, it is anticipated that home gardening will become an increasing segment of the market. This creates an opportunity that BCNL, with its gold standard products and strong brand recognition, is exceptionally well positioned to capitalize on.

The Agreement is expected to accelerate BCNL product sales and create a new revenue channel for Namaste by leveraging its existing traffic, distribution network, and e-commerce platform, and is aligned with Namaste’s intention to offer the most extensive range of high-quality ancillary products in the cannabis industry. The distributorship of BCNL products follows on an earlier agreement between the two companies, as announced on September 28, 2017, through which Aurora, through its website, is offering a specially curated selection of industry-leading, Namaste-sourced vaporizers to its registered patient base, utilizing Namaste’s technology platform and delivery infrastructure.

Management Commentary

“Aurora and our growing constellation of top-notch subsidiaries have become partners of choice in this sector, at home and around the world, and that’s extremely gratifying,” said Terry Booth, Aurora’s CEO. “It speaks to the power of the Aurora Standard in terms of product quality and customer care, to the trust we inspire in our partners, and to our ability to execute fast and well. We love bringing great companies together, and we’re delighted that Namaste is now helping us bring BCNL’s excellent, efficient and elegant cultivation products to an even broader audience of customers.”

Sean Dollinger, President and CEO of Namaste said, “We are very proud to have signed this Agreement with BCNL and to bring value to our relationship with Canada’s most dynamic licensed producer. We greatly value our relationship with Aurora. Namaste sees large growth potential in home-based indoor cultivation industry and has high expectations for sales through this new channel. This Agreement further exemplifies Namaste’s role as the industry’s leading e-commerce retailer in offering the most innovative products along with partners like Aurora. The ancillary market, in our experience, is ideal for e-commerce penetration and offers very substantial expansion opportunities, and we would like to thank both the Aurora and BCNL management teams for this amazing opportunity.”

About BC Northern Lights

Founded in 2001 and with over 10,000 units sold, BCNL is a leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing self-contained indoor hydroponic grow systems. BCNL’s offerings include grow boxes and cultivation consumables such as lights, carbon filters, grow medium and specialized nutrients, as well as seven days per week support for its customers. The nature of BCNL’s systems enables year-long, consistently high yields of cannabis within a safe, efficient, and discrete environment. BCNL’s multi-award winning systems provide for discreet and odorless operations. Professionally engineered, BCNL’s products provide the highest level of safety, addressing one of the key concerns neighbours living in the vicinity of home growers may have, particularly in multi-dwelling settings. www.bcnorthernlights.com

About Aurora

Aurora’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Aurora Cannabis Enterprises Inc., is a licensed producer of medical cannabis pursuant to Health Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”). The Company operates a 55,200 square foot, state-of-the-art production facility in Mountain View County, Alberta, known as “Aurora Mountain”, a second 40,000 square foot high-technology production facility known as “Aurora Vie” in Pointe-Claire, Quebec on Montreal’s West Island, and is currently constructing an 800,000 square foot production facility, known as “Aurora Sky”, at the Edmonton International Airport, as well as is completing a fourth facility in Lachute, Quebec through its wholly owned subsidiary Aurora Larssen Projects Ltd.

In addition, the Company holds approximately 9.6% of the issued shares (12.9% on a fully-diluted basis) in leading extraction technology company Radient Technologies Inc., based in Edmonton, and is in the process of completing an investment in Edmonton-based Hempco Food and Fiber for an ownership stake of up to 50.1%. Furthermore, Aurora is the cornerstone investor with a 19.9% stake in Cann Group Limited, the first Australian company licensed to conduct research on and cultivate medical cannabis. Aurora also owns Pedanios, a leading wholesale importer, exporter, and distributor of medical cannabis in the European Union, based in Germany. The Company offers further differentiation through its acquisition of BC Northern Lights Ltd. and Urban Cultivator Inc., industry leaders, respectively, in the production and sale of proprietary systems for the safe, efficient and high-yield indoor cultivation of cannabis, and in state-of-the-art indoor gardening appliances for the cultivation of organic microgreens, vegetables and herbs in home and professional kitchens. Aurora’s common shares trade on the TSX under the symbol “ACB”.

About Namaste Technologies Inc.

Namaste is the largest online retailer for medical cannabis delivery systems globally. Namaste distributes vaporizers and smoking accessories through e-commerce sites in 26 countries and with 5 distribution hubs located around the world. Namaste has majority market share in Europe and Australia, with operations in the UK, US, Canada and Germany and has opened new supply channels into emerging markets including Brazil, Mexico and Chile. Namaste, through its acquisition of Cannmart Inc., a Canadian based late-stage applicant for a medical cannabis distribution license (under the ACMPR Program) is pursuing a new revenue vertical in online retail of medical cannabis in the Canadian market. Namaste intends to leverage its existing database of Canadian medical cannabis consumers, along with its expertise in e-commerce to create an online marketplace for medical cannabis patients, offering a larger variety of product and a better user experience.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Terry Booth,

Sean Dollinger

Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

 

This news release includes statements containing certain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities law (“forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”, “continue”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Aurora and Namaste are under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Neither TSX, nor CSE, nor their Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of Toronto Stock Exchange and Canadian Securities Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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INTERVIEW: Peeks Social $PEEK.ca Revolutionizing the Way the World Interacts and Transacts

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:40 PM on Friday, November 24th, 2017

Video is the future of the web. Don’t bother with the stats, take our word for it that the data is irrefutable. When you consider the human race has made video (via TV) its’ preferred mode of content consumption over the last 50 years, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

The challenge, however, is monetization. Yeah, YouTube has done a great job by running ads … but how optimized is that given the number of times we all hit “skp this ad” in our rush to watch a video? Forget about the fact that you have to be a major brand or influencer to even qualify.

AGORACOM sat down with Peeks CEO, Mark Itwaru to discuss the company’s revolutionary live streaming video app where people can interact and transact in real time by selling goods and services for real cash. Users are even able to send cash tips as appreciation for content. We love what Peeks is doing because transactions take place in REAL time … and that is an eye opener for everyone from major brands to a brand new broadcaster.

It also explains why Peeks just paid $128 Million to get out of its’ revenue share agreement and own the technology outright. Sounds like a crazy number? Think again. The Company’s user metrics are skyrocketing and big things are planned for 2018, including a Peeks credit card for broadcasters to instantly access and spend their money. You may even just see an AGORACOM channel broadcasting in the new year.

Watch this interview. Spread the word. Peeks is the new kids on the live streaming block …and their bringing real-time monetization with them.

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In Israel, a #blockchain and #crypto #hyper-cluster is just getting started $IDK.ca #Blockstation

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 1:30 PM on Friday, November 24th, 2017

  • Moshe Hogeg announced he would invest in every Israeli blockchain that approached him. That investor group, called Alignment,
  • Consisted of the Singulariteam Technology Group, together with CoinTree Capital, and BlockchainIL

In recent times, it’s Eastern Europe and Russia which have become a hot-bed of crytpocurrency development. But on a recent trip to Tel Aviv, Israel, I took part in what might well turn out to be a historic lunch.

The lunch took place just after well-known tech investor Moshe Hogeg announced he would invest in every Israeli blockchain that approached him. That investor group, called Alignment, consisted of the Singulariteam Technology Group, together with CoinTree Capital, and BlockchainIL.

Held at Alignment’s new blockchain Hub in Tel Aviv, we got to hear from an array of new companies.

Dubbed by many as “Startup Nation”, Tel Aviv has begun to produce a new breed of tech giants, but it’s now turning its hand to blockchain and crypto companies. In recent months, my mailbox has become inundated with pitches from companies claiming to be the next blockchain phenomenon, with plans to revolutionize the finance world, healthcare landscape, travel industry, you name it. The problem is, which one, if any, can deliver? However, after getting deep into the subject with the companies I met, I realized many were at least ‘on to something’. Whether they would survive or not…

Here’s a run-down of who I met with:

Erachain

The idea of a blockchain network that works for the average person still seems far off. But Erachain wants to address that. Russian programmer Dmitrii Ermolaev, co-founder and CEO has grown it from a small operation to a distributed organization. Erachain is a decentralized blockchain platform that has incorporated European and World-Wide AML laws, potentially eliminating the need for traditional banks. It ties all coins with physical assets, reduces the cost of normal crypto transactions, and claims to eliminate anonymous transactions by verifying all users upon registration.

It’s been 4 years in development and is all about creating a Proof of Stake system where verified accounts are used as nodes. The use cases are enterprise and government, where using these technologies is often a huge barrier to entry. Right now it’s about document management and digital signatures.

In the future, most applications of large-scale are going to require some kind of verification platform.

Zen Protocol

This team has been involved in the Bitcoin space since 2011. After the DAO hack, founder Adam Perlow wanted to focus on making Bitcoin better, more usable and useful. He has spent the last year creating Zen Protocol, leveraging the blockchain technology and the popularity of Bitcoin to try to decentralize the financial system by building a new protocol purpose-built for finance. Zen’s pitch is that it allows anyone to create financial transactions, at any time, anywhere in the world using Bitcoin. Zen is designed to be open, frictionless, transparent, and completely decentralized across a Proof-of-Work Blockchain. Zen Core is implemented in the .Net stack and uses the F* functional programming language, built by Microsoft Research, to power contracts.

Perlow says: “Today it’s very hard to enforce agreements. You put funds with the exchange and enter an agreement with a broker. But on the blockchain you don’t need a trusted 3rd party. Banks have huge control and too much control over our lives.”

Zen wants to bring the entire financial world onto the blockchain, connecting digital and crypto assets with fiat stocks and commodities. “If we had a mechanism by which to enforce contractual obligations you wouldn’t need this trusted third-party,” he says.

COTI

Its global world and commerce is global but it doesn’t tap into the full potential because of trust. Trust is centralized and held by banks, Visa etc. These are centralized, high on fees and the approval rate is not good for rest of the world outside of the G10. Meanwhile, Ethereurm and ripple not designed for payments. So the solution is a system built from the ground up to be payment mechanism which is instant, zero fees, reversible, and has anti-fraud mechanisms.

Founder Nir Gazit says: “Bitcoin is not good for stuff, it’s not reversible, there’s no mediation.” So they are building a full stack, an exchange, a wallet, a credit card.

COTI aims to make the global economy truly global by providing instant, scalable, and secure transactions using the COTIcoin. COTI, which appropriately stands for Currency of the Internet, is aimed at incentivizing honest conduct between sellers and buyers by creating a ‘unique behavior scoring’ feature on the Bitcoin sidechain. Users who achieve an “honest” score, meaning those vendors who ship products on time, or buyers who pay when they’re supposed to, are rewarded. The system lets both buyers and sellers see the score of another user before he or she chooses to interact with them. COTI aims to reduce high checkout abandonment rates and eliminate uncertainty while shopping online.

There are currently over 1,000 digital currencies operating on a decentralized basis, however, none can provide the services leading centralized payment providers can. By combining a centralized mediation process and a decentralized payment process, COTI says it has created a technological solution for the consumer payments sector.

Jelurida

Jelurida is the development company behind Nxt and Ardor blockchain platforms. It creates customized commercial versions of these platforms while continuously supporting and maintaining the decentralized public Nxt blockchain. With the upcoming Ardor platform, Jelurida will be creating custom child chains for its clients and partners as well.

Whereas many blockchain companies are still in the fundraising stage, Nxt is fully operational and trading with a market cap of over a hundred million dollars. The company, which has in the past offered functions specifically designed for crypto developers, is turning its focus to use cases which have to do with everyday life, from introducing new voting mechanisms to offering transparent international bank transfers that consumers can enjoy. Ardor is the newest blockchain platform Jelurida has been working on, and functions as sort of a Nxt 2.0. Ardor features a unique parent-child chain structure, which helps combat blockchain bloat.

  • Investor Moshe Hogeg has created the Alignment investment vehicle to invested purely in Israeli blockchain and crypto startups.

CrowdWiz

CrowdWiz, which is a fully decentralized crypto investment platform that lets users ditch third-party fund managers, recently began its ICO on November 20th. The company has already raised over $5 million in a public pre-sale, and plans to use the money to develop their investment platform. CrowdWiz relies on the so-called ‘wisdom of the crowd’ to make funding decisions. The CEO Slavena Savcheva claims that a collective entity makes a better decision as a whole than the most intelligent person in the group alone.

CrowdWiz allows the crowd, not fund managers, banks or middlemen, to decide on how the general fund is spent. Users of CrowdWiz will use the company’s cryptocurrency, the OPX token, to vote on which asset they want funds to go to. The platform then distributes based on the majority opinion of the crowd. CrowdWiz solves some of the issues associated with traditional funds today, such as high entrance costs and large fees. Savcheva wants to make the trading process fun, easy, and completely transparent using the wisdom of the crowd to decide where the money goes.

Prior to founding CrowdWiz, Savcheva was the Business Development Manager for TRADOLOGIC, one of the world’s leading FinTech software providers, where she operated and steered the firm’s business in Asian markets.

Orbs

Orbs sits under Cointree and is based on the “Spector” paper written by Hebrew university researchers. It takes the blockchain and turns it into a DAG, another database structure, so it can then process many more blocks in a second. The idea is that it puts the bottleneck at the communication layer not the not the consensus layer. Since the more forks in a blockchain the less secure and slower it become, Orbs claims to be able to process a transaction at whatever speed the network is.

Alignment

Alignment came about because the VC firm Singulariteam partnered with two local Israeli firms, Blockchain IL and CoinTree Capital, to form a sort of blockchain and ICO consultancy which they dubbed “Alignment.” The company aims to groom and support the next blockchain unicorn coming out of Israel. The company consults, develops and funds Blockchain early-stage projects and existing companies, from inception through ICO, and later.

Startups will need to pay for the privilege, of course. Its listed clients to date include Bancor, messaging app Kik, and Stox. Of those, Bancor conducted a $153 million ICO, while Kik raised $98 million in its token sale earlier this year.

Since many people are skeptical of ICOs at the moment (especially in light of the Tezos controversy), Alignment supports blockchain companies, in a climate that’s at best lukewarm towards ICOs. Moshe Hogeg, VC, Founder & Chairman of the Singulariteam, pledged Alignment would “invest, without exception, in every Israeli blockchain company in 2017.”

Bancor

If you’ve been following the blockchain revolution, you’ve probably heard about Bancor. This company made history when it held one of the most successful ICO’s (at the time it was a world record), raising over $153 million from over 10,000 participants in less than three hours. Bancor has created a market maker application that aims to facilitate trading with other digital coins. The Bancor protocol enables built-in price-discovery and a liquidity mechanism for tokens on smart contract blockchains. Bancor’s claims it allows anyone to create their own cryptocurrency and operate it independent of a third-party exchange. The Bancor Protocol allows for the creation of thousands of cryptocurrencies on the Ethereum blockchain, creating a interconnected asset exchange ecosystem which unlocks the long tail of user-generated tokens. Smart tokens are designed with additional functionality such as “delegated account recovery” and “vaults” to address security issues. The aim of these features is to make cryptocurrencies more accessible and to encourage mass adoption.

Stox

You may have heard the news about Stox’s ethereum based prediction market platform when Floyd Mayweather boasted he would “make a $hit t$n of money … on the Stox.com ICO.”

Following Mayweather’s bullish words, Stox raised $33 million in an ICO last August. Stox claims users can predict and trade the outcome of events in almost any imaginable category: Finance, sports, politics and even the weather, as they might in a traditional stock market.

Unlike a lot of crypto companies which tailor their services to blockchain experts, the Stox platform is designed to accommodate, and be intuitive for mainstream audiences.

As you can see, Israel, and specifically Tel Aviv, is creating a huge force in this new world. If they play their cards right, they could well start to rival the co-called ‘Crypto Valley’ in Switzerland.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/23/in-israel-a-blockchain-and-crypto-hyper-cluster-is-just-getting-started/

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