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This Month's Tiny Gems - December 2021
AmpliTech Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AMPG)
Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN)
Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR)
FingerMotion Inc. (OTCQX: FNGR)
Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC)
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM)
Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX)
Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN)
Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD)
Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO)
Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD)
SRAX Inc. (NASDAQ: SRAX)
Tingo Inc. (OTCQB: IWBB)
Tingo Inc. (OTCQB: IWBB)
Tingo Inc. (OTCQB: IWBB) is a digital service agri-fintech technology company focused on foundation-level agriculture and related financial services in Africa. The company aims to be Africa's leading agri-fintech player, transforming rural farming communities to connect through its proprietary platform to meet their complete needs – from inputs and agronomy to off take and marketplace – and deliver sustainable income in an impactful way. The company's vision is to build complete digitally inclusive ecosystems that promote financial inclusion and deliver disruptive micro-finance solutions, empower societies, produce social upliftment in rural communities and open international opportunities.
AmpliTech Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AMPG)
AmpliTech Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AMPG) (NASDAQ: AMPGW) designs, develops and manufactures custom radio frequency (RF) components for the commercial, SATCOM, space and military markets. In addition to developing new products for the 5G/6G wireless ecosystem and infrastructure, the company has placed focus on the development of leading-edge solutions in quantum computing in support of U.S. efforts to reach the coveted position of quantum supremacy. The company maintains a commitment to R&D that allows it to remain at the forefront of emerging technologies. AmpliTech aims to use its advanced techniques and IP to provide tomorrow's technology today, improving everyone's quality of life.
AmpliTech was founded by Fawad Maqbool in 2002 to fill the need for affordable, high-quality, customized and state-of-the-art amplifiers and components. Headquartered in Bohemia, New York, the company currently has distributors and representatives available worldwide.
Product Portfolio
AmpliTech's mission is to develop quality, state-of-the-art microwave amplifiers by leveraging its experience, proven technical expertise and superior design heritage. The company's products cover a frequency range from 50 kHz to 44 GHz, with plans to eventually offer designs up to 100 GHz. Its current catalog includes:
Amplifiers
Passive Components
All the company's products come with a satisfaction guarantee, as the company is fully committed to providing only high-quality products free from manufacturing and material defects and guaranteed to perform according to applicable specifications.
Consulting Services
Leveraging more than 100 years of combined experience in microwave systems and component design ranging from active components to passive devices, AmpliTech also provides valuable consulting services and technical assistance to its customers.
With capabilities ranging from initial design to final manufacturing and delivery, the company's team also offers project management services and advice on both technical aspects and how to handle business issues such as resource allocation, customer contact, budget restraints, time limits and more.
Other key benefits of AmpliTech consulting services that can give its customers a definitive edge include:
Market Outlook
The global microwave devices market was valued at $7.44 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.23% and reach $9 billion by 2025 (https://nnw.fm/zqMEk). Governmental expenditures in the defense and space communications sectors are expected to expand the opportunities for growth within the industry.
AmpliTech continues to follow its strategy of identifying key elements in today's technological revolution. It is leveraging its technical expertise and experience to align product portfolios and IP with innovation (https://nnw.fm/rVzxX). The company has plans to be a catalyst in the enhancement, development and distribution of breakthroughs in the following sizeable markets:
Management Team
Fawad Maqbool is the Founder, President, CEO and CTO of AmpliTech Group Inc. He has been in the microwave industry for over 30 years. Mr. Maqbool spent 14 years developing state-of-the-art amplifiers and components for MITEQ Inc., a leading microwave and communications equipment supplier. He founded AmpliComm in 2000, which was subsequently acquired by Aeroflex Inc. Mr. Maqbool has management and design experience, which has led to the development of microwave technology on a commercial and military level. He holds a B.S.E.E in Microwave Engineering and a B.S.E.E in Bio-Medical Engineering from CUNY and an M.S.E.E from the Polytechnic University of New York.
Louisa Sanfratello is the company's CFO. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and has worked in various industries since 1998. During this time, she held roles as an accountant for charities and schools, consisting of the preparation of official financial documents and day-to-day financial management requirements. Ms. Sanfratello began her professional career in 1987 at Holtz, Rubinstein & Co., a public accounting firm. She gathered two years of experience there before gaining her CPA and taking on more challenging roles.
Brandon Worster is the company's Director of Engineering. He joined AmpliTech at the end of 2019, bringing over 14 years of design and management experience. His specialty is Low Noise and Medium Power Amplifiers, but Mr. Worster also has vast experience with various systems, including RF/Microwave devices and systems. He holds a master's degree in electrical engineering and is an adjunct professor at Farmingdale University in New York.
John P. Pastore is AmpliTech's Director of Sales. He has worked in the microwave industry for more than 35 years, including time with some of the industry's leading names. Mr. Pastore is a hands-on professional who has experience that spans over 20 years with progressive roles that blend technical, manufacturing, customer service and management expertise. He is an extremely valuable asset to the company as it moves forward due to his business savvy approach and deep industry knowledge. He has a B.S. in Business Management.
M. Syed handles Technical Sales and is the company's Director of IT. He is an electrical engineer with more than 10 years of business experience. Since 2011, he has led Technical Sales for AmpliTech, and he recently became the President and CEO of his own company while also serving as Chief Technical Sales consultant for numerous other companies and groups in New York City. Mr. Syed has been in the IT industry for 25 years. He is a Computer Engineer by trade and a Certified Netware Engineer and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.
Cybin Inc. (NYSE American: CYBN) (NEO: CYBN)
Cybin Inc. (NYSE American: CYBN) (NEO: CYBN) is focused on progressing psychedelic therapeutics by utilizing proprietary drug discovery platforms, innovative drug delivery systems, novel formulation approaches and treatment regimens for psychiatric disorders.
The company is on a mission to revolutionize mental health care.
Key Facts
Product Offering and Pipeline
Cybin has four drug development programs CYB001, CYB003, CYB004 & CYB005.
Cybin currently holds 13 patents filings and growing. The company's IP portfolio, technology rights and provisional patents include:
Cybin X Kernel
On January 11, 2021, Cybin announced its entry into an agreement with neurotech pioneer HI LLC (dba Kernel) to leverage its innovative Kernel Flow technology for Cybin's upcoming sponsored clinical work.
Kernel Flow is a full-head coverage, time-domain functional near-infrared spectroscopy system designed to detect hemodynamic changes in the brain. The platform pulses light through the skull and into the bloodstream in order to measure how much oxygen the blood is carrying at any given time. Kernel Flow is expected to facilitate further and more detailed research into psychedelic therapeutic offerings for those suffering from mental health disorders.
Through this partnership with Kernel, Cybin is able to:
Market Outlook for Psychedelic Therapies
Cybin's rich IP portfolio could help position the company in a prominent role in the expanding U.S. psychedelic therapies market.
Although 700 million people globally suffer from some sort of mental illness, according to the World Health Organization, Cybin is initially targeting two indications with its active drug programs – major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Management Team
Doug Drysdale is the Chief Executive Officer of Cybin Inc. He is an experienced corporate director and CEO, having chaired the board of directors of a Nasdaq-listed company and led turnarounds at three pharmaceutical companies as CEO. With over 30 years of experience in the health care sector, Mr. Drysdale has formed cohesive management teams, recruited board members, completed 15 acquisitions across three continents and raised $4 billion in private and public capital. He holds a bachelor's degree in microbial and molecular biology from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom and was recognized as the 'Entrepreneur of the Year' by Ernst and Young in 2012.
Eric So is Co-Founder, Executive Chairman and President of Cybin. He is the Co-Founder and current Managing Director of Trinity Venture Partners Inc., a boutique merchant bank. He is a veteran founder, investor, operator and advisor to disruptive companies. He began his career practicing in the areas of corporate commercial securities, finance and mergers & acquisitions at a leading international legal firm. Mr. So has a Bachelor of Science with a major in anatomy and cell biology and a minor in psychology from McGill University. He has a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor.
John Kanakis is Cybin's Co-Founder and SVP of Business Development. He is also the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Trinity Venture Partners Inc. He is the Co-Founder of several start-up companies across various sectors. Mr. Kanakis has raised over $100 million for the start-ups of which he has been a part and brings over 10 years of experience in medical device manufacturing and regulatory frameworks to Cybin.
Paul Glavine is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Cybin. He is also the Co-Founder of Global Canna Brands, which was granted the first-ever tier 3 cultivation license in Jamaica. His first cannabis start-up, Truverra, was sold to The Supreme Cannabis Company (TSX: FIRE). He has advised on M&A and other financial transactions totaling over $50 million. He is a serial entrepreneur and investor with vast experience in the biotech and cannabis industries.
Alex Nivorozhkin, Ph.D., is Cybin's Chief Scientific Officer. He is a lead NCE inventor of multiple successfully partnered drug discovery and development programs and a technology developer of proprietary formulations for CNS drugs. Dr. Nivorozhkin is a seasoned medicinal chemist, drug delivery expert and founder of multiple biotech companies.
Michael Palfreyman, Ph.D., is the company's Chief R&D Officer. He brings three decades of preclinical/clinical development experience to the Cybin team, including time with Scriptgen, EnVivo Pharma, Sanofi, GSK, Amorsa Therapeutics and others. Dr. Palfreyman has successfully led multiple IND filings and clinical programs, and he boasts a significant portfolio of CNS therapeutics patents and commercial products.
Brett Greene is Cybin's Chief Innovation Officer. He served as a research administrator for the Center for Drug Discovery (one of the top cannabinoid and serotonin research centers in the world) for over a decade. Greene is a recognized leader in the field of psychedelics and has co-managed more than $80 million in federal funding for cannabinoid and serotonin research. A co-founder of Psymposia, Greene also co-managed the NIDA-sponsored Chemistry & Pharmacology of Drug Abuse (CPDA) conference for five years.
Alex Belser is the company's Chief Clinical Officer. Mr. Belser is a licensed psychologist, clinical supervisor and psychedelic researcher at Yale. He has been active in the psychedelic research community for 20 years and has conducted clinical research with psilocybin and MDMA for a variety of indications. Mr. Belser's research has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Guardian and VICE, as well as in Michael Pollan's book, How to Change Your Mind.
Eric Hoskins is Cybin's Governance Committee Chair. He served as Ontario health minister from 2014 to 2018, maintaining responsibility for one of the largest health care systems in North America. Mr. Hoskins is a former elected Member of Ontario Provincial Parliament with cabinet positions in health, economic development and trade, children and youth services, and immigration. He brings to the Cybin team more than 30 years of experience in public policy, complex diplomacy, international affairs, health care, media and economic development at the intersection of business, politics and complex social and political circumstances. Hoskins is a proven negotiator and navigator at the highest levels of government and bureaucracy.
Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR)
Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR), based in Lakewood, Colorado, is the country's largest producer of uranium and the leading conventional producer of vanadium, both designated by the U.S. government as critical minerals. Energy Fuels also began production of rare earths in 2021 at a stage more advanced than any other U.S. company.
As the leading U.S. diversified uranium miner, Energy Fuels' uranium production portfolio stands apart in the world. Energy Fuels has more uranium production facilities, more production capacity, and more in-ground resources than any other company in the United States. In fact, the company's assets have produced over one-third of all U.S. uranium over the past 15 years and is uniquely positioned to increase production to meet new demand.
Energy Fuels utilizes both conventional and in-situ recovery ("ISR") technology to produce uranium from three strategic facilities:
In addition to being the largest uranium miner in the U.S., Energy Fuels' overall portfolio also includes a pipeline of high-quality, large-scale exploration and development projects that are permitted or are in advanced stages of permitting, as well as an industry-leading U.S. NI 43-101 Mineral Resource portfolio.
FACTOID: Energy Fuels has led industry efforts over the past two-plus years to get the U.S. government to recognize the importance of domestically produced uranium, including the 2018 – 2019 Uranium Section 232, the ongoing Nuclear Fuel Working Group and the recently announced creation of the U.S. strategic uranium reserve. The U.S. is by far the largest consumer of uranium in the world, yet we import almost all of our requirements; Energy Fuels aims to change that.
Nuclear Market Potential
Multiple studies in top scientific journals have shown that nuclear power is cleanest and most economical way to produce reliable electricity as worldwide demand continues to soar. Nuclear power is presently the only available and affordable low-carbon power source that can meet both current and future baseload electricity demands while simultaneously reducing air pollution and mitigating climate change. U.S. nuclear power plants currently generate nearly 20% of the nation's electricity overall and 55% of its carbon‐free electricity and even a modest increase in electricity demand would require significant new nuclear capacity by 2025. According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), there are currently 443 operable reactors, with another 57 units under construction and 426 in various stages of planning; in addition, the WNA has identified a potentially massive supply/demand gap through 2040 of 1 billion pounds. These factors among others are expected to significantly drive increased demand for uranium.
Reasons Nuclear is Gaining Traction
No. 1 U.S. Producer of Vanadium in 2019
Energy Fuels also produces vanadium as a byproduct of uranium production. Vanadium is designated a critical mineral, essential to the economic and national security of the United States. Energy Fuels was the largest producer of vanadium in the U.S. in 2019, and has significant high-grade, in-ground vanadium resources, as well as a separate high-purity vanadium production circuit at their White Mesa Mill, which is also the only conventional vanadium mill in the country. Crucial for use in the steel, aerospace, and chemical industries, vanadium plays a critical role in the production of high-strength and light-weight metallic alloys and demand is expected to increase across the globe. Energy Fuels has several fully permitted and developed standby mines containing large quantities of high-grade vanadium, along with uranium, including:
Vanadium has also gained increased attention as a catalyst in next-generation high-capacity, "community-scale" batteries used for energy storage generated from renewable sources. Demand is only expected to grow as this market expands. With recent upgrades in its vanadium production operations, in 2019 Energy Fuels produced 1.8 million pounds of the highest purity (99.7%) vanadium in the mill's history and can rapidly adjust production to meet volatile market conditions. Energy Fuels is one of the very few known avenues that provides investors access the vanadium market.
Rare Earth Element (REE) Production, Alternate Feed Material Recycling, and Land Cleanup
The White Mesa Mill also provides the company with diverse cashflow generating opportunities. Security of supply for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) supporting U.S. military and defense requirements is a major issue today. In 2021, the White Mesa Mill began processing a mineral called monazite, which is widely recognized as one of the most valuable REE-bearing minerals in the world due to excellent distributions of the magnetic REEs needed for electric vehicles (EVs), wind generation and a host of other clean energy and advanced technologies. Monazite also contains uranium and thorium, which processors need special licenses and capabilities to recover and manage.
Monazite is produced as a byproduct of titanium and zircon mines in the U.S. and around the world. Energy Fuels' White Mesa Mill is recovering the uranium from monazite and selling it for the production of clean, carbon-free nuclear energy. The mill is evaluating recovering the contained thorium for emerging 'targeted alpha therapy' cancer treatments, as well as producing a REE product called mixed rare earth carbonate which is ready for the next step in rare earth refining: separation. At the current time, no other U.S. company is producing a rare earth product ready for separation. Energy Fuels is also in the early stages of installing rare earth separation capabilities at the White Mesa Mill, with the potential to unlock significant revenue generating opportunities.
The White Mesa Mill is also the only facility in North America licensed and capable of recycling alternate feed materials (AFMs). AFMs are essentially low-level waste materials that contain recoverable quantities of natural (or unenriched) uranium. The Company typically generates between $5 and $15 million per year from AFM recycling. Finally, Energy Fuels is seeking to become involved in the cleanup of legacy Cold War era uranium mines in the Four Corners region of the U.S., including on the Navajo Nation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has access to over $1.5 billion for the cleanup of just a fraction of the sites on the Navajo Nation. The White Mesa Mill is fully licensed to receive much of this material, we are one of the government's lowest cost options, and we have the ability to recycle the material and produce usable uranium from it.
San Juan County Clean Energy Foundation
On September 16, 2021, Energy Fuels announced the establishment of the San Juan County Clean Energy Foundation, a fund specifically designed to contribute to the communities surrounding Energy Fuels' White Mesa Mill in Southeastern, Utah. In tandem with the announcement, Energy Fuels deposited $1 million into the foundation and detailed plans to provide ongoing annual funding equal to 1% of White Mesa Mill's future revenues, providing funding to support the local economy and local priorities. The foundation will focus on supporting education, the environment, health/wellness, Tribal initiatives and economic advancement in the City of Blanding, San Juan County, the White Mesa Ute Community, the Navajo Nation and other area communities.
"The communities that surround our facility deserve to share in the benefits of the Mill's clean energy future," Mark Chalmers, CEO of Energy Fuels, stated in the news release. "The very heart of our business – uranium and rare-earth production and recycling – helps us play a big part in addressing global climate change, reducing air pollution, and making the world a cleaner and healthier place. We see San Juan County as becoming a critical minerals hub for the U.S., and we believe the Foundation is truly the best way to make an impact and difference in the lives of those who work alongside us as we pursue these goals."
Management Team
Mark S. Chalmers, President and CEO
Mark S. Chalmers is the president and chief executive officer of Energy Fuels, a position he has held since Feb. 1, 2018, following his role as chief operating officer of Energy Fuels from July 1, 2016 – Jan. 31, 2018. From 2011 to 2015, Chalmers served as executive general manager of Production for Paladin Energy Ltd., a uranium producer with assets in Australia and Africa, including the Langer Heinrich and Kayelekera mines where, as head of operations, he oversaw sustained, significant increases in production while reducing operating costs. He also possesses extensive experience in in situ recovery ("ISR") uranium production, including management of the Beverley Uranium Mine owned by General Atomics (Australia), and the Highland mine owned by Cameco Corporation (USA). Chalmers has also consulted to several of the largest players in the uranium supply sector, including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, and Marubeni, and until recently served as the chair of the Australian Uranium Council, a position he held for 10 years. Chalmers is a registered professional engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from the University of Arizona.
W. Paul Goranson, COO
W. Paul Goranson is the chief operating officer for Energy Fuels. Goranson has 30 years of mining, processing and regulatory experience in the uranium extraction industry that includes both conventional and in-situ recovery ("ISR") mining, and he is a registered professional engineer. Prior to the acquisition by Energy Fuels of Uranerz Energy Corporation, Goranson served as president, chief operating officer and director for Uranerz, where he was responsible for operations of the Nichols Ranch ISR Uranium Project. In addition to those duties, he also managed uranium marketing, regulatory and government affairs, exploration and land. Prior to joining Uranerz, Goranson served as president of Cameco Resources, where he led the operations at the Smith Ranch-Highland, Crow Butte and North Butte ISR uranium recovery facilities. Goranson also served as vice president of Mesteña Uranium LLC, and he has served in senior positions with Rio Algom Mining, (a subsidiary of BHP Billiton), and Uranium Resource Inc. Goranson has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Gas Engineering from Texas A&I University, and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
David C. Frydenlund, CFO, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary
David C. Frydenlund is chief financial officer, general counsel, and corporate secretary of Energy Fuels. His responsibilities include oversight of all legal matters relating to the company's activities. His expertise extends to NRC, EPA, state and federal regulatory and environmental laws and regulations. From 1997 to 2012, Frydenlund was vice president of regulatory affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary of Denison Mines Corp., and its predecessor International Uranium Corporation ("IUC"). He also served as a director of IUC from 1997 to 2006 and CFO of IUC from 2000 to 2005. From 1996 to 1997, Frydenlund was vice president of the Lundin Group of international public mining and oil and gas companies, and prior thereto was a partner with the Vancouver law firm of Ladner Downs (now Borden Ladner Gervais) where his practice focused on corporate, securities and international mining transactions law. Frydenlund holds a bachelor's degree in business and economics from Simon Fraser University, a master's degree in economics and finance from the University of Chicago and a law degree from the University of Toronto.
Curtis H. Moore, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Development
Curtis H. Moore is the vice president of Marketing and Corporate Development for Energy Fuels. He oversees product marketing for Energy Fuels, and is closely involved in mergers & acquisitions, investor relations, public relations, and corporate legal. He has been with Energy Fuels for over 12 years, holding various roles of increasing responsibility. Prior to joining Energy Fuels, Moore worked in multi-family real estate development, government relations and public affairs, production homebuilding, and private law practice. Moore is a licensed attorney in the State of Colorado. He holds Juris Doctor and MBA degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Bachelor of Arts dual degree in Economics-Government from Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California.
FingerMotion Inc. (OTCQX: FNGR)
FingerMotion Inc. (OTCQX: FNGR) is an evolving technological company with core competencies in mobile payment and recharge platform solutions in China. FingerMotion is in the process of developing additional value-added technologies to market to users.
Founded in 2016, FingerMotion's goal is to serve over a billion users in the Chinese market and expand its model to other regional markets. The company has offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and New York City.
Current Offerings
FingerMotion is analyzing and transforming mobile data to improve the lifestyle of the public through technology and innovation. The company's current offerings include:
Telecommunications and Insurtech Markets
The global telecommunications market was valued at $1.74 trillion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5% from 2020 to 2027. The steady increase is expected to be driven by the adoption of 5G and the increased popularity of Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
The Chinese telecom market was valued at $254.1 billion in 2017 and is also constantly expanding. The current Chinese telecom market is dominated by three mobile operators – China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, which together are responsible for around 1.6 billion active subscribers (https://ibn.fm/zfwy9).
In addition, the insurtech (insurance technology) market was valued at $2.72 billion globally in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 48.8% from 2021 to 2028. The large increase is attributed to the rising use of technology solutions for everyday activities like acquiring insurance coverage (https://ibn.fm/TGo7D).
Through its proprietary platforms and technologies, FingerMotion is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the telecom and insurtech markets' growth and opportunities.
Management Team
Martin J. Shen is the Chief Executive Officer of FingerMotion Inc. He has over 15 years of experience in senior management roles within entrepreneurial startups and large multinational corporations. He has acquired a wide range of corporate management, financial oversight and operation administration expertise through these roles. In his most recent role, he founded Imperial Distributors (formerly known as AP Martin Pharmaceutical Supplies Ltd.), establishing the company as the preferred choice for distributional support to regional pharmacies throughout Western Canada. Before founding Imperial, Mr. Shen served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Wales and Son Industrial (formerly Weir Minerals), a firm specializing in global delivery and support for mining slurry equipment. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Vancouver, with work tours in the tax department in Singapore and the tax audit and advisory group in Hong Kong. Mr. Shen is a U.S. Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia.
Lee Yew Hon is the company's Chief Financial Officer. From 2006 until November 2020, he was the Chief Financial Officer of Cubinet Interactive Group of Companies, and he also took on the Chief Operating Officer role in 2011. During his tenure, he was instrumental in leading Cubinet and building teams across the Southeast Asia region, setting up financial processes within a short time. Mr. Lee spearheaded the growth of Cubinet to other regions, including Europe, the Middle East and Russia. He received his diploma from Tunku Abdul Rahman College in 1996. He is a Chartered Accountant, a member of the Malaysia Institute of Accountants (MIA) and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK (ACMA).
Li Li is the Senior Vice President of FingerMotion. She recently served as Advisor to Shenzhen WuYiKa Technology Co. Ltd., a comprehensive service platform dedicated to online service distribution and payment. The company has become a fast and efficient provider of new media marketing solutions for the mobile internet. She has held high-level management positions with multiple industry names, including Hangzhou JiuYue Information Technology Co. Ltd. and Hangzhou LingXuan Information Technology. Ms. Li started her career in 2004, founding Shanghai ChuangYeZZ Network Technology Co. Ltd. and serving as its Vice President. With the close cooperation of local operators, the company launched SMS, MMS, WAP, mobile JAVA games, Hunan Satellite TV e-magazine and other wireless internet services to meet the rapid development of wireless internet and application requirements. She received her degree from Nanjing Academy of Engineering.
Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC)
Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) is an internationally focused cannabis brand builder that leverages natural, cost-effective cultivation practices to supply cannabis derivatives to its diverse business divisions, including cosmetics, hemp textiles, and food and beverage. Flora Growth operates one of the largest outdoor cultivation facilities in the world with an aim of marketing a higher-quality premium product at below-market prices. By prioritizing natural ingredients and value-chain sustainability across its portfolio, the company creates premium products that help consumers restore and thrive.
Flora Growth completed the first traditional cannabis IPO on Nasdaq in May 2021. Although currently headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with plans to relocate its head office to Miami, Florida, the company's base of operations is in Colombia, where it has built an extensive distribution network that includes Colombia's largest distributors.
Currently, Flora Growth is organically growing market share for its existing brand portfolio (pharmaceuticals, textiles, cosmetics, and food & beverage) while seeking revenue-generating acquisitions that offer an accretive distribution network to amplify revenue growth.
Existing Brand & Product Portfolio
Flora Growth's portfolio spans a number of verticals – each with a thoughtful brand designed to resonate with its intended end consumer. In line with the company's mission, each brand prioritizes natural ingredients and value-chain sustainability.
Flora Lab S.A.S
Flora Lab is the company's GMP certified manufacturing and R&D center focused on producing pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals for domestic and international markets. Its offerings include product lines that are private label, white-label, and custom formulas.
Through Flora Lab, Flora Growth has relationships with 1,500+ distribution channels, manufactures 63+ OTC products registered with INVIMA (Colombia National Food and Drug Surveillance Institute), and holds multiple GMP certifications enabling international export in an effort to leverage Flora Lab's capacity to produce a wide range of CBD-infused products.
Flora Beauty
Flora Beauty is the company's CBD beauty and cosmetics division founded by fashion and beauty industry icon Paulina Vega. Its current offerings include two CBD skincare brands targeting the U.S. and Latin American markets – MIND NATURALS and AWE. These lines exemplify Flora Growth's socially conscious approach to business.
Currently, Flora Beauty products are offered globally through e-commerce, as well as through Falabella's 111 retail locations across Latin America. The company is in negotiations with major department stores to launch the line in the U.S. and is also exploring opportunities in the U.K. and other European markets.
KASA Wholefoods
KASA Wholefoods is a Colombian manufacturer of food and beverages leveraging responsibly sourced exotic fruits from the Amazon. KASA has a $10 million+ distribution agreement with Tropi, Colombia's largest food distributor, which has 130,000+ distribution points across the country.
Mambe, KASA's leading brand, is already offered through over 980 distribution points across Colombia. Flora Growth expects this network to grow to over 1,200 distribution points in 2021, including one of Colombia's largest coffee chains, Tostao Café & Pan.
Hemp Textiles & Co.
Through its Hemp Textiles division, Flora Growth intends to utilize its large land package and cultivation infrastructure to capture market share in the rapidly growing hemp industrials segment.
The company's first brand through this division, Stardog Loungewear, offers a line of comfortable loungewear made from natural, organic materials. Stardog has been distributing globally through e-commerce and brick and mortar channels in Bogota since fall 2020, and the company intends to open U.S. brick and mortar locations in 2021.
Accretive M&A
Flora Growth is targeting transactions to complete the supply chain via key infrastructure to enhance its global distribution with the aim to compete on low-cost, high-quality inputs paired with premium brands that create business lines with robust margins.
To date, Flora has announced two major transactions.
Koch & Gsell (Acquisition)
Hoshi International (Investment)
Cultivation
Key to Flora Growth's expansion efforts is its cultivation strategy. The company's Cosechemos farm, located in Bucaramanga, Colombia, is currently licensed to cultivate 247 acres of cannabis. Through three successful pilot crop plantings, the location has demonstrated a production cost of just $0.06/gram. For comparison, the average cost of North American cannabis (based on 2019 figures from Aphria, Tilray, Sundial, and Aurora) equates to roughly $1.89/gram.
Flora Growth is uniquely positioned to capitalize on Colombia's favorable growing conditions, low-cost infrastructure, and affordable local workforce as it looks to ramp up its cultivation efforts moving forward.
Leadership Team
Bernard Wilson is the Chairman of Flora Growth. A senior financial professional, Dr. Wilson is the former Vice-Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and is the Chairman of the Founders Board of the Institute of Corporate Directors. He has also served as Chairman of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce – Canada; and Member of the Canada/U.S. Trade Committee. Dr. Wilson draws on this experience to ensure Flora Growth adheres to effective corporate governance practices.
Luis Merchan is the company's President and CEO. He is a proven executive with over a decade of experience in enterprise sales management, corporate strategy, merchandising and expense management, and customer experience. Mr. Merchan previously served as Macy's Inc.'s Vice President of Workforce Strategy and Operations, where he managed the enterprise's multi-billion-dollar P&L expense line for the entire 540 store portfolio. Throughout his tenure at Macy's, he led various sales and marketing initiatives, including the B2B corporate sales team that was responsible for $160 million in annual revenue. Mr. Merchan obtained his Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from Pontifical Xaverian University in Bogota, Colombia, and his MBA from McNeese State University. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Marketing Management from Harvard.
Juan Manuel Galan is a Strategic Advisor to the Flora Growth management team. Mr. Galan currently serves as a senior consultant to The World Bank. He is a politician and former senator of Colombia, serving three terms from 2006 to 2018 as a member of the Colombian Liberal Party. He is also a former professor at the University of Rosario and holds more than 20 years of journalistic, academic, governmental and parliamentary experience. During his time as a senator, Mr. Galan was a key leader, with 29 bills and 27 debates on political control, and 17 laws to his name. The most relevant of those laws was authoring the medical cannabis law that resulted in the legalization of medical cannabis in Colombia.
Stan Bharti is a Director of Flora Growth. Mr. Bharti currently serves as Executive Chairman of Forbes & Manhattan. He has more than 30 years of professional experience in business, finance, markets, operations and more, with a focus on the resource and technology sectors. To date, Mr. Bharti has amassed over $3 billion worth of investment capital for the companies with which he has worked and their shareholders. He is a Professional Mining Engineer and holds a master's degree in engineering from Moscow, Russia, and University of London, England.
Javier Franco is the company's VP of Agriculture. Mr. Franco is a master horticulturist with more than 25 years of experience in the design, implementation, and management of cultivation and propagation facilities of more than 30 species of cut flowers in Latin America. He completed his agricultural studies at Zamorano University in Honduras and later at an International Exchange Program at Ohio State University. Mr. Franco has directed technical, commercial, and research groups in the cut flower, fruit and vegetable markets in Latin America and has participated in the commercial development of new technologies applied in agribusiness. He has also led the agri-management of organic crops and certifications of Good Agricultural Practices.
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM)
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) is a global leader in the manufacturing and clinical development of rare cannabinoids. InMed is a clinical stage company developing cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical drug candidates, as well as manufacturing technologies for pharmaceutical-grade rare cannabinoids.
The company is dedicated to delivering new therapeutic alternatives to treat conditions with high unmet medical needs. The company is also developing a proprietary manufacturing technology to produce pharmaceutical-grade rare cannabinoids in the lab and has recently announced an LOI to acquire a leading rare cannabinoid manufacturer.
Research and Technology
There are more than 100 rare cannabinoids found in only trace amounts in the cannabis plant, together making up less than 1% of the plant's biomass. InMed is initially focused on the therapeutic benefits of cannabinol (CBN) in diseases with high unmet medical need. Preclinical studies of CBN demonstrated an excellent safety profile and showed CBN has potential for therapeutic benefit over other cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
Evidence suggests there may be great therapeutic potential in rare cannabinoids. Each has a specific chemical structure, and different cannabinoids have been observed to have distinct physiological properties in humans, including therapeutic potential for specific diseases as well as unique safety profiles. CBN is the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in InMed's two lead programs for dermatological and ocular diseases.
InMed's most advanced compound, INM-755, is a CBN topical cream under clinical development for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa, a severe genetic skin disorder. To date, INM-755 has been evaluated in two Phase 1 clinical trials in healthy volunteers. InMed has filed Clinical Trial Applications in several countries as part of a global Phase 2 clinical trial of INM-755 (cannabinol) cream in epidermolysis bullosa. Responses from the National Competent Authorities and Ethics Committees are expected throughout the summer of 2021.
InMed is also involved in developing INM-088, an ocular CBN formulation being researched for the treatment of glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness in the developed world. InMed is currently evaluating several formulations to deliver CBN into the eye to address issues of dosing frequency, side effects and treatment penetration. INM-088 is being designed for topical delivery to the eye. This localized delivery results in very little drug being absorbed or migrating into the bloodstream, thus minimizing potential adverse side effects. INM-088 shows promise to reduce intraocular pressure and provide neuroprotection of the eye.
Manufacturing
The limited availability of rare cannabinoids like CBN makes them economically impractical to extract directly from the plant for pharmaceutical use. InMed is developing IntegraSyn, a cannabinoid synthesis manufacturing system to create rare cannabinoids in the lab that are bioidentical to the compounds derived from the cannabis plant. IntegraSyn uses multiple standard pharmaceutical processes and has achieved a cannabinoid yield of 5 grams per liter, surpassing commercial viability and significantly exceeding currently reported industry yields. InMed is now focusing on manufacturing scale-up to larger batch sizes while continuing process optimization, targeting increased cannabinoid yield and further reducing overall cost of goods.
BayMedica Inc. Acquisition
On June 29, 2021, InMed announced it had entered into a non-binding letter of intent to acquire BayMedica Inc., a private company based in Nevada and California that specializes in the manufacture and commercialization of rare cannabinoids.
As noted in the news release, BayMedica is a revenue-stage biotechnology company leveraging its significant expertise in synthetic biology and pharmaceutical chemistry to develop efficient, scalable and proprietary manufacturing approaches to produce high quality, regulatory-compliant rare cannabinoids for consumer applications. BayMedica is currently commercializing the rare cannabinoid CBC (cannabichromene) as a B2B supplier to distributors and manufacturers marketing products in the health and wellness sector. BayMedica is planning additional rare cannabinoid launches for the coming year.
Pursuant to the indicative terms of the LOI, InMed and BayMedica intend to negotiate and enter into a definitive agreement under which InMed would acquire 100% of BayMedica in exchange for 1.6 million InMed common shares to be issued to BayMedica's equity and convertible debt holders, with any such issued InMed common shares being subject to a six-month contractual hold period.
Market Outlook
There is a rapidly growing demand for rare cannabinoids. However, their low natural concentration makes traditional harvesting of these compounds cost prohibitive. Biosynthesis allows production of rare cannabinoids in the lab that are bioidentical to compounds found in nature, with significantly higher yields which reduce costs. Biosynthesis can produce pharmaceutical-grade, bioidentical, THC-free compounds at a cost that's 70 to 90 percent less than wholesale prices of naturally harvested rare cannabinoids.
Cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals are expected to overtake the market as rare cannabinoids become less expensive and more available. According to Statista, the value of the consumer market for cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals in the United States is forecast to grow to $25 billion by 2025 and to $50 billion by 2029, with cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals used to treat health conditions including pain, respiratory conditions, autoimmune conditions and more.
Management Team
Eric A. Adams has been CEO and president of InMed since June 2016. He has more than 25 years of experience in establishing corporate entities, capital formation, global market development, mergers and acquisitions, licensing and corporate governance. He previously served as CEO at enGene Inc. Prior to enGene, he held senior positions in global market development with QLT Inc. (Vancouver), Advanced Tissue Sciences Inc. (La Jolla, CA), Abbott Laboratories (Chicago, IL) and Fresenius AG (Germany).
Bruce S. Colwill is InMed's CFO. He has more than 25 years of financial leadership experience in public and private companies. Prior to InMed, he served as CFO of General Fusion Inc., a private clean energy company. He was also CFO at Entrée Resources Inc., a mineral exploration company, from 2011 to 2016. He has held CFO roles at Neuromed Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Response Biomedical Corp, Forbes Medi-Tech Inc. and Euronet Worldwide Inc.
Alexandra D.J. Mancini is Senior Vice President, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at InMed. She has more than 30 years of global biopharmaceutical research and development experience. She has been an executive with numerous biotech companies, including senior vice president of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at Sirius Genomics; senior vice president of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at INEX Pharmaceuticals; and vice president of Regulatory Affairs at QLT Inc.
Eric C. Hsu is Senior Vice President, Pre-Clinical Research and Development at InMed. He joined InMed with more than 18 years of scientific leadership experience in the field of gene therapy. He has held various positions within enGene Inc., including vice president of Research and vice president of Scientific Affairs and Operations. He received his Doctorate from the Department of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto.
Michael Woudenberg is Vice President, Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls at InMed. He has more than 20 years of successful drug development, process engineering, GMP manufacturing and leadership experience. He has held positions with 3M, Cardiome Pharma, Arbutus Biopharma and, most recently, was Managing Director of Phyton Biotech LLC.
Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX)
Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) is a global innovator in drug delivery platforms. The company's patented technology, DehydraTECH™, improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) enter the bloodstream by promoting healthier oral ingestion methods and increasing the effectiveness of fat-soluble active molecules. DehydraTECH promotes fast-acting, less expensive and more effective oral drug delivery and has been thoroughly evaluated through in vivo, in vitro and human clinical testing.
DehydraTECH is covered by 23 issued and more than 50 pending patents in over 40 countries around the world. Lexaria's first patent was issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in October 2016 (US 9,474,725 B1), providing 20 years of patent protection expiring June 2034. Multiple patents have been awarded since then and are expected in the future.
Lexaria has a collaborative research agreement with the National Research Council (NRC), the Canadian government's premier research and technology organization. The company has filed for patent protection for specific delivery of nicotine, vitamins, NSAIDs, testosterone, estrogen, cannabinoids, terpenes, PDE5 inhibitors (with brand names like Viagra), tobacco and more.
Lexaria began developing DehydraTECH in 2014 and has since continued to strengthen and broaden the technology. The company has no plans to create or sell Lexaria-branded products containing controlled substances. Instead, Lexaria licenses its technology to other companies around the world to offer consumers the best possible performance across an array of ingestible product formats.
The company's technology is best thought of as an additional layer that providers of consumer supplements, prescription and non-prescription drugs, nicotine and CBD products can utilize to improve the effectiveness of their own existing or planned new offerings. Lexaria has licensed DehydraTECH to multiple companies, including a world-leading tobacco producer for the research and development of smokeless, oral-based nicotine products, and for use in industries that produce cannabinoid beverages, edibles and oral products.
DehydraTECH is suitable for use with a wide range of product formats including pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, consumer packaged goods and over-the-counter capsules, pills, tablets and oral suspensions.
DehydraTECH Technology
Lexaria's DehydraTECH is designed specifically for formulating and delivering lipophilic (fat-soluble) drugs and active ingredients. DehydraTECH increases their effectiveness and improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients enter the bloodstream. The major benefits to a subject ingesting a DehydraTECH-enabled drug or consumer product can be summarized by the following:
Lexaria has demonstrated in animal studies a propensity for DehydraTECH technology to elevate the quantity of drug delivered across the blood-brain barrier by as much as 1,900 percent, initiating additional new patent applications and opening possibilities for improved drug delivery.
Since 2016, DehydraTECH has repeatedly demonstrated, with cannabinoids and nicotine, the ability to increase bio-absorption by up to five to 10 times, reduce time of onset from one to two hours to just minutes, and mask unwanted tastes. The technology is to be further evaluated for additional orally administered bioactive molecules, including antivirals, cannabinoids, vitamins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and nicotine.
Market Outlook
Lexaria's ongoing research and development efforts are mainly focused on development of product candidates across several key segments:
Management Team
Chris Bunka is Chairman and CEO of Lexaria Bioscience Corp. He is a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in several private and public companies since the late 1980s. He has extensive experience in the capital markets, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, as well as corporate finance. He is named as an inventor on multiple patent innovations.
John Docherty, M.Sc., is the President of Lexaria. He is a pharmacologist and toxicologist, and a specialist in the development of drug delivery technologies. He is the former president and COO of Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX: HBP). He is named as an inventor on multiple issued and pending patents.
Greg Downey is Lexaria's CFO. He has more than 35 years of diverse financial experience in the mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, and construction industries, and in the public sector. He served for eight years as CFO for several public companies and has provided business advisory and financial accounting services to many large organizations.
Gregg Smith is a strategic advisor to Lexaria. He is a founder and private investor with Evolution VC Partners. He is a member of the Sand Hill Angels and held previous investment banking roles with Cowen and Company and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Dr. Philip Ainslie serves as a scientific and medical advisor to Lexaria. He is co-director for the Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, Canada. He is also Research Chair in Cerebrovascular Physiology and Professor at the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Development at the University of British Columbia.
Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN)
Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) is a Southern California-based automotive company that owns and partners with several synergistic businesses working toward the unified goal of creating clean and scalable energy solutions. Mullen has evolved over the past decade in sync with consumers and technology trends. Today, the company is working diligently to provide exciting EV options built entirely in the United States and made to fit perfectly into the American consumer's life. Mullen strives to make EVs more accessible than ever by building an end-to-end ecosystem that takes care of all aspects of EV ownership.
Commencement of Trading on Nasdaq
On November 5, 2021, Mullen announced its commencement of trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
"Today is a monumental day for Mullen Automotive. I am especially proud of our team, investors and all who have believed in Mullen and taken us to this point as a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq Capital Market," David Michery, CEO and Chairman of Mullen Automotive, stated in the news release. "Trading on Nasdaq now opens us up to new investors, both institutional and retail shareholders, and broadens our awareness and company profile, while increasing awareness of Mullen and our technology platform and opening new opportunities in EV and beyond. The road ahead has never been brighter for Mullen, and I am proud to lead us into the future."
The milestone came in the wake of the company's stock-for-stock merger with Net Element Inc.
The Mullen FIVE
The Mullen FIVE EV Crossover, debuting at the Los Angeles International Auto Show (LAIAS) on November 17, 2021, embodies Mullen's Southern California roots with an inspired design focused on two complementary Golden State themes – California landscape and California urban.
The FIVE is built on an EV Crossover skateboard platform that offers multiple powertrain configurations and trim levels in a svelte design that is Strikingly Different™ and exciting to experience in person. Capable of 0-60 in 3.2 seconds with a max speed of 155 mph, the FIVE comes with an estimated range of 325 miles.
Prior to the start of LAIAS, the Mullen FIVE was selected as a finalist by the LA Auto Show for Top EV SUV in the Zero Emission Vehicle Awards (ZEVAs) "People's Choice" Awards.
LAIAS provides Mullen an opportunity to display multiple variants of the FIVE model while also showcasing its powertrain, battery and charging technology. Additionally, the FIVE will be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January 2022. The company intends to bring the FIVE to market in 2024, and reservations are currently open here.
Mullen's development portfolio also includes EV Fleet Vans, which it intends to bring to market in Q2 2022, and the pure electric, high-performance Sports Car, the DragonFLY.
Expansion of Manufacturing Capacity
On November 2, 2021, Mullen announced plans to expand its facility in Robinsonville, Mississippi.
Mullen's Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Facility (AMEC) currently occupies 124,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The total available land on the property is over 100 acres, and Mullen is moving ahead with plans to build out another 1.2 million square feet of manufacturing space to support class 1 and class 2 EV cargo vans and the Mullen FIVE EV Crossover.
On the expanded site, Mullen plans to build a body shop, a fully automated paint shop and a general assembly shop.
EV Market Outlook
The global EV market was reported to consist of 3,269,671 units in 2019, a figure that is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.1% through 2030 to a total of 26,951,318 units worldwide. This market's monetary value was estimated at $162.34 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.6%, resulting in an approximate value of $802.81 billion by 2027. The primary driver for this exponential growth is a worldwide increase in vehicle emissions regulations.
Management Team
Mullen is led by an executive team with extensive EV, OEM and, high-growth startup experience. David Michery is the CEO and Founder of Mullen and has been leading the company and its divisions since inception in 2014. With over 25 years of executive management, marketing, distressed assets, and business restructuring experience, Mr. Michery brings a wealth of relevant knowledge and expertise to the Mullen brand. He has notably created 12 trademarks so far to develop the company brand and vision.
Mr. Michery is working toward a sustainable future accessible to all by creating a suite of clean-energy electric vehicles at varied price points. With entirely U.S.-based manufacturing and operations, he is also determined to have Mullen Technologies play a role in shaping a self-sustaining local economy by creating more jobs in America.
Mr. Michery manages risks and company expectations as a pathway to success and has personally overseen several businesses that totaled over $1 billion in transactions. His key strength is the ability to be fiscally responsible and lead teams to complete projects on time and within budget. As a seasoned professional in this space, Mr. Michery has demonstrated skill in building businesses from the ground up and into successful entities that subsequently sold for hundreds of millions of dollars.
Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD)
Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD) is a medical technology company developing affordable diagnostic and digital tools for chronic disease management. Its flagship product, sugarBEAT®, is a wearable, non-invasive and flexible Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) designed to help people with diabetes and prediabetes manage their glucose levels. Insulin users can adjunctively use sugarBEAT when calibrated with a finger-stick glucose reading.
sugarBEAT consists of a daily disposable adhesive skin patch connected to a rechargeable transmitter with a smartphone app displaying glucose readings at five-minute intervals for periods of up to 24 hours. One of the great advantages of the product, apart from the fact that users no longer need to draw blood samples or prick their fingers, is that a person can wear the CGM patch on whatever day they choose. Existing CGM devices must be implanted under the skin. Wearable disposability is a unique feature of sugarBEAT and a world first, opening up vast potential for changing the way people manage their chronic disease conditions. sugarBEAT received CE mark clearance in May 2019, allowing it to be marketed and sold within the European Union as a Class 2b Medical Device. The company submitted a premarket approval (PMA) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020 which is currently under review.
Founded in 2011, Nemaura set out to develop a single platform technology to measure blood markers at the surface of the skin. Since then, the company has evolved with the creation of wearable technologies and digital health care solutions that encourage and empower people to take charge of their own health and well-being. Nemaura's skin surface blood monitoring technology has allowed the company to create additional products, which are in the pipeline, such as Lactate Monitoring.
Technologies
Digital Solutions for Weight Loss and Potential Reversal of Type 2 Diabetes
This is a digital program that comes with more than a decade of clinical evidence demonstrating excellent efficacy. The company has combined this with its glucose-monitoring platform to bring a product to market to help people with diabetes manage their condition and potentially reverse Type 2 diabetes.
Glucose Monitoring Solutions for Diabetes Prevention and Reversal
Over 420 million people worldwide are living with diabetes, and prediabetes cases total almost three times that number. Undoubtedly, diabetes is an urgent global health crisis. Combining clinical research with patient-friendly technology, Nemaura's sugarBEAT product delivers a non-invasive, affordable and flexible method of blood glucose tracking for improved diabetes management.
Continuous Lactate Monitoring for Athletic Performance (Non-Medical)
Lactic acid is a key performance indicator for the body and a guide to how well muscles react to long term exertion and recovery. Well-trained athletes and those who regularly engage in sports are very efficient at faster lactate 'recycling' for extra energy (ATP). Nemaura expects to launch its lactate sensor to the sports and personal training market in 2022.
Continuous Lactate Monitoring in Disease State (Medical)
An increase in blood lactate levels is also a marker of critical disease states. Recent publications have indicated the presence of elevated lactate levels in patients with COVID-19 infection. Nemaura has developed a lactate sensor that is being integrated into the company's platform, which will be submitted for regulatory clearance upon completion of requisite clinical studies.
Continuous Temperature Monitoring for Viral Infection Detection and Disease Progression
A person's body temperature says a lot about their health. Several diseases, including COVID-19, are characterized by an increase in body temperature, so temperature monitoring is a vital tool in the detection, diagnosis and prevention of the spread of disease. Nemaura is expecting to submit this adaptation of the device for regulatory clearance in 2022.
MiBoKo
On September 29, 2021, Nemaura announced the beta launch of MiBoKo, a new metabolic health program utilizing a non-invasive glucose sensor along with an AI based mobile application. In development for 18 months leading up to the announcement, MiBoKo addresses a significant mass market opportunity that Nemaura believes could benefit roughly a third to half of the population by measuring and monitoring users' metabolic health scores, which are based on glucose tolerance or insulin resistance.
"A person's response to sugar intake can influence a number of factors from appetite and body weight to sleep patterns, energy levels, and even mood, not to mention also being a considerable factor in chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and dementia," Dr. Faz Chowdhury, CEO of Nemaura, stated in announcing the beta launch. "With MiBoKo, we are able to extend our proprietary non-invasive device and sensor technology and interactive lifestyle and AI based coaching programs beyond the traditional diabetes market and into an adjacent, yet separate, market application of metabolic health. At Nemaura, we continue to look for the intersection of patient comfort and convenience through advanced and unique technology that addresses significant healthcare needs for large patient populations. We believe that MiBoKo offers insights into metabolic health in a user-friendly way unlike any other program on the market."
Anyone interested in participating as a MiBoKo user can now register for the beta program at www.MiBoKo.com. There is no cost during the beta period, with approved MiBoKo beta testers receiving the sensors and AI based program free of charge.
Market Opportunity
Obesity and diabetes are two of the major drivers of the current chronic disease epidemic. According to the International Diabetes Federation, there are more than 463 million people living with diabetes worldwide. In the U.S., about 28,000 people are diagnosed with diabetes every week, and more than 34 million suffer from diabetes. Another 88 million Americans have prediabetes. Other industrialized countries show similar numbers based on their populations. In the U.K., 4.8 million people have diabetes, with another diagnosed every two minutes. In Germany, 9.5 million have diabetes, with almost half estimated to be undiagnosed and so at greater risk.
On average, employers and insurers spend more than $9,000 annually on health care for an employee with diabetes, compared to $1,600 annually for a healthy employee. In the U.S. alone, more than $760 billion was spent on diabetes-related health care expenditures during 2019. Nemaura is positioned at the intersection of the global Type 2 diabetes market that is expected to reach nearly $59 billion by 2025, the $50-plus billion prediabetic market, and the wearable health-tech sector for weight loss and wellness applications forecast to hit $60 billion by 2023.
Management Team
Dr. Faz Chowdhury has been CEO and chairman of the board of Nemaura Medical since 2013. He has more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industry, taking products from concept to commercial launch. He is sole inventor on more than 100 granted and pending patents and has authored textbook chapters on nano-biosciences for Wiley and Elsevier. He holds a master's degree in microsystems and nanotechnology from Cranfield University, and a doctorate from the University of Oxford in nano-medicine and drug delivery.
Justin Mclarney is CFO at Nemaura. He most recently was the Senior Director, International Finance at Lands' End Inc. He also worked for Office Depot as Senior Director of Finance for the largest business unit within the European group. Prior to that, he spent more than 10 years in practice, the majority of which was with Ernst & Young LLP.
Dr. Fred Schaebsdau is Vice President of Strategy & Strategic Alliances at Nemaura. He has more than 15 years of executive experience in the CGM, blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery industries, including time with Abbott Diabetes Care, as General Manager of Dexcom Germany and at Roche Diabetes Care, where he was Senior Vice-President, Head of Global Strategy and Business Development. The firm he founded is the exclusive distributor in Europe, the Middle East and Africa of UniStrip®, the world's first generic blood glucose test strip. He is licensed to practice medicine in the U.S. and Germany.
David Scott is Director of Commercial Development and Licensing at Nemaura. He is a trained chemist with over 35 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including deal brokering, marketing, strategic planning, finance, business development and acquisitions. He has also provided licensing training for a number of multinational pharma companies and training organizations and is the author of best-selling report Scrip's Practical Guide to Pharmaceutical Licensing.
Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO)
Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO) develops, markets and sells proprietary laboratory instrumentation and associated consumables to the life sciences sample preparation market. Sample preparation refers to the wide range of activities that precede most forms of scientific analysis. It is often complex and time-consuming, yet a critical part of scientific research. The market for sample preparation products is currently estimated at $6 billion worldwide.
The Company's product line can be used to exquisitely control the sample preparation process. It is based on a patented, enabling technology platform called pressure cycling technology ("PCT"). PCT uses alternating cycles of hydrostatic pressure between ambient (14.5 psi) and ultra-high levels (up to 100,000 psi) to safely and reproducibly control critical biological processes, such as the lysis (breakage) of cells, the digestion of proteins, and the inactivation of pathogens.
Pressure BioSciences' product line is led by its newly released, next-generation Barocycler 2320EXTREME instrument. Named a finalist in the prestigious 2017 R&D Awards (also known as the "Oscars of Innovation"), the Barocycler 2320EXT is already being touted by some key opinion leaders as an essential element of the $1.8 billion U.S. "Cancer Moonshot" program. For example, Professor Phil Robinson, Co-head of the cancer research center of the Children's Medical Research Institute (Sydney, Australia), said in a recent interview: "We are collecting the whole proteome on 70,000 tumor samples from all classes where complete clinical outcome is known. Due to its unique capabilities, the Barocycler 2320EXT has become a critical part of our program. It is the primary enabler of the high-throughput component of the project. Without this step, our project simply could not be done. In fact, the Barocycler 2320EXT works so well we have just purchased two more."
Momentum is building when it comes to the potential for using the Company's unique PCT technology platform. Leading scientists are intrigued by Pressure BioSciences' approach, which among other attributes, revolutionizes the process of rupturing cells (lysis) for further study, yielding superior biomolecules for investigation. The Company's technology transcends current methods of breaking open cells, which use chemicals, blades, metal beads, or other damaging and altering methods that can ultimately adversely affect the result for researchers. Pressure BioSciences' PCT technology utilizes customized, controlled hydrostatic (water) pressure to rupture cells in a chamber, enabling exquisitely customized levels of pressure to optimally break open different types of cells at prescribed pressure levels—something never before accomplished in a commercial setting. Using this pioneering method, the result is a truer, more legitimate sample, which boosts the efficacy of research and the quality of results. The potential impact of this technology on scientific advancement is enormous, enabling research scientists to begin their studies with biological samples of unprecedented integrity, with the potential to improve research outcomes at the earliest, most critical step. PCT can additionally inactivate pathogens (e.g., viruses, bacteria) using hydrostatic pressure, making the samples safer to study—another innovation with astronomical potential for application in a variety of markets.
The Company's high-pressure instruments for research purposes are marketed throughout the United States, Europe, China and Japan. To date, Pressure BioSciences has installed nearly 300 PCT Systems in over 165 leading academic, government, biotech and pharma laboratories around the world. Its primary applications are in biomarker discovery, forensics, agriculture and pathology. Over 100 scientific papers have been published on the advantages of the PCT platform, which is also being used in the specialized fields of drug discovery and design, bio-therapeutics characterization, soil and plant biology, vaccine development and histology.
Impressive as their biotech business is, there is more to the PBI story. Pressure BioSciences recently received two patents in China for its novel Ultra Shear Technology (UST), a process that has potential in a wide range of industrial applications, including extending the shelf life of some food products and making two insoluble liquids (like oil in water) soluble. Patents have also been filed in many other countries worldwide. UST is a novel technique based on the use of intense shear forces generated from ultra-high-pressure valve discharge.
This important technology has the potential to play a significant role in a number of commercially important areas through its ability to create high-quality, stable nanoemulsions. Scientific studies indicate that improved absorption, higher bioavailability, greater stability, lower surfactant levels and other advantages can be achieved with nanoemulsions – all hugely important factors in the fields of nutraceuticals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and in various medical products. There is an enormous opportunity in the cannabis market, since the technology can potentially reduce oil droplets containing cannabidiol (CBD) to nanoparticles, after which they can be safely suspended in a stable water solution—something many companies have endeavored to achieve without success. Researchers looking for a way to increase the bioavailability of cannabinoids in the body will find this technology a game changer.
The Company's UST technology also has possibilities in the production of clean label foods, which are currently processed using several innovative methods, including high-pressure treatments (such as Starbucks' Evolution line of juices). In 2015, the worldwide market for high-pressure processed (HPP) food was estimated at U.S. $10 billion. UST uses ultra-high pressures and certain valves to generate intense shear forces under controlled temperature conditions to produce nanoemulsions, and which also significantly reduces food-borne pathogens. Pressure BioSciences' initial focus with this technology will be to evaluate UST for the production of high-quality dairy products and beverages.
Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD)
Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD) is an agri-food tech company focused on developing and selling eco-friendly products specifically designed to ensure food safety and extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. The company is focused on addressing two of the most significant challenges faced by the industry: (1) food waste and loss, and (2) food safety.
Fungi like mold and yeast, as well as foodborne pathogens, are typically responsible for fresh produce spoilage and foodborne illness. Save Foods' integrated solutions improve safety, freshness and quality every step of the way, from field to fork. The company's natural products control human and plant pathogens, allowing growers, packers and food retailers to reduce waste and boost revenues. More food ends up on consumers' plates, and less ends up in landfills.
Save Foods' products use all-natural ingredients to protect fresh produce from microbial spoilage and pathogens with zero toxicity. The company's treatments leave no harmful residues on produce or in the environment and maintain product freshness over time. Fresh produce treated with Save Foods' products can already be found in supermarket chains across the U.S. Those chains have reported that the company's products are reducing fruit spoilage by 50% on average at the retail level. With no need for additional steps in the treatment process nor special equipment, Save Foods' products are easy to implement and come in versatile applications suitable for the different stakeholders along the food supply chain.
Initial applications for the company's offerings include post-harvest treatments in fruit and vegetable packing houses that process citrus, avocados, pears, bell peppers and mangos. By controlling and preventing pathogen contamination and significantly reducing the use of chemicals and their residues, Save Foods' products not only prolong shelf life; they also ensure safe, natural and healthy food. Save Foods has the first green products that could realistically replace the different chemicals used today in food treatment while controlling waste and food safety.
Products & Technology
Save Foods' products are based on a proprietary blend of food acids which have a synergistic effect when combined with certain types of sanitizers and fungicides at low concentrations in a non-organic setting. The combination eliminates fungicide residues or reduces them to levels below the established Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). The company's fruit and vegetable wash is odorless and does not irritate human eyes, skin or airways. Save Foods' blend does not leave any residues of toxicological concern on the treated surface of produce, and all its ingredients are classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). There are 7 patent families related to Save Foods' technology.
Applications
The company's products have been commercially validated on citrus, mangos, avocados, pears, bell peppers, microgreens and various fresh cut vegetables. Save Foods is in the validation process for bananas, apples, figs, berries, lettuce, papayas and more. The company is also validating the efficacy of its products for pre-harvest treatment, starting with citrus trees.
Market Outlook
The world population is expected to grow to almost 10 billion by 2050, boosting current agricultural demand by some 50%. Providing healthy and safe food for the world's population is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century.
Globally, around 664 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables are lost every year from field to fork, wasted by spoilage, and almost one in 10 people globally falls ill every year from eating contaminated food, with an estimated resulting cost around $90 billion.
Disposing of all that wasted food requires additional expense and harms the environment with resulting greenhouse gas emissions. The post-harvest food treatment market was valued at $1.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow to $2.3 billion by 2026, achieving a CAGR of 6.5%.
Management Team
David Palach is CEO of Save Foods. He spent over a decade with Intel Israel, where his last position was Manager of Business Development for Israel and Europe. Prior to that, he served as a controller of two of Intel's largest factories in Israel, where he supervised a budget of over $1 billion. He also served as the CEO of B-Pure Corporation Ltd., a management and maintenance company involved in protecting and improving the environment. During his tenure, he helped turn around several struggling subsidiaries and made them profitable.
Vered Raz Avayo is the company's CFO. Before joining SaveFoods in 2018, she spent more than 10 years as CFO at LGC, the Leviev Group of Companies. She has operated her own financial and business consultancy and has served as a director for a number of public companies in Israel.
Dan Sztybel is CEO of SaveFoods Ltd., the Israeli subsidiary of Save Foods Inc. He previously led the Life Sciences Advisory at EY Israel and early on recognized the potential of Israel as a center of innovation in the digital health space. He has been an adviser on digital health strategy to large pharmaceutical companies and is a cofounder of MyndYou, a digital health start-up focusing on cognitive impairment. He is also a co-founder of the DigitalHealth.il conference, the largest digital health conference in Israel.
Dr. Neta Matis is Chief Operation Officer at Save Foods Ltd the Israeli subsidiary of Save Foods Inc . She holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry and an MBA from Tel Aviv University. Prior to joining Save Foods in 2019, she held multiple research chemist and product development roles at Verdia Inc. and its parent company, Helsinki-based Stora Enso Oyj.
Nimrod Ben Yehuda is the founder and CTO of Save Foods Ltd. He was previously the CEO/CTO of Swissteril Water Purifications Ltd. He has also been CEO at Nir Ecology Ltd., and was Joint-CEO at NitroJet Ltd.
Dr. Art Dawson is the U.S. Business Manager for SaveFoods Inc. He has been president of The Dawson Company, which focuses on creating sales opportunities for new agricultural technologies, previously Dr. Dawson held senior industry positions like General Manager Worldwide of the Decco , the Post Harvest Division for Elf Atochem. He holds a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from UC Riverside and is licensed in California as an agricultural Pest Control Advisor.
SRAX Inc. (NASDAQ: SRAX)
SRAX Inc. (NASDAQ: SRAX) is a digital marketing and consumer data management technology company. SRAX's technology unlocks data to reveal brands' core consumers and their characteristics across marketing channels.
Through its BIGtoken platform, SRAX has developed a consumer-managed data marketplace where people can own and earn from their data, thereby providing everyone in the internet ecosystem choice, transparency and compensation.
SRAX's tools deliver a digital competitive advantage for brands in the CPG, automotive, investor relations, luxury and lifestyle verticals by integrating all aspects of the advertising experience, including verified consumer participation, into one platform.
SRAX Verticals
International Expansion
BIGtoken is formally launching into several international markets and partnering to foster local support. SRAX recently signed a joint venture with the Yash Birla Group to launch BIGtoken in India. Based in Mumbai, the Yash Birla Group, one of India's largest conglomerates, has diversified interests in consumer and industrial products.
The partnership will bring BIGtoken's platform to India, which has a digital population of 627 million. The India digital advertising market is $3.6 billion and is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 32%, making it one of the largest growing digital ad markets in the world.
SRAX Mexico is led by Moe Avitia, who has more than 18 years of experience in business development and building high-tech teams. SRAX Mexico includes a team of 90 employees, including 70 engineers.
BIGtoken Europe is currently evaluating data centers in individual countries for privacy laws.
Leadership
Christopher Miglino is CEO and founder of SRAX. He has spent the past 20 years working in the digital advertising space and has successfully launched and sold two internet companies. Both of these companies were sold to publicly traded companies on the NASDAQ. He has a detailed understanding of how technology interacts with brands.
Kristoffer Nelson is COO of SRAX and a founding member of BIGtoken. With over 15 years of technology and creative business experience, Nelson has been a guest speaker for Loyola Marymount University among other academic institutions, the National Association of Broadcasters, the IAB and numerous other professional and media organizations.
Tingo Inc. (OTCQB: IWBB)
Tingo Inc. (OTCQB: IWBB) is a digital service agri-fintech technology company focused on foundation-level agriculture and related financial services in Africa. The company aims to be Africa's leading agri-fintech player, transforming rural farming communities to connect through its proprietary platform to meet their complete needs – from inputs and agronomy to off take and marketplace – and deliver sustainable income in an impactful way. The company's vision is to build complete digitally inclusive ecosystems that promote financial inclusion and deliver disruptive micro-finance solutions, empower societies, produce social upliftment in rural communities and open international opportunities.
Tingo believes that a truly connected world will help contribute to a better global society. The company's core focus areas are telecoms, financial services/fintech and agritech. Tingo's goal is to provide a best-in-class customer experience, support the domestic economies of its host countries and support technological and financial inclusion to end the poverty premium. Through this, Tingo hopes to deliver attractive returns to shareholders while investing in the long-term future of the company and its subsidiaries.
Global climate change is challenging sustainable production and food security. Tingo's strategy and market execution provide an opportunity for Africa to be a core focal point to solve a number of key areas of concern, including food security, gender equality, financial inclusion and poverty alleviation, to name a few. Disruption of micro finance through the use of DeFi-based stable coins and smart contracts will give agri-communities access to capital markets-driven digital finance solutions that make them more competitive and sustainable economically, striking a good balance of returns between digital asset providers and Tingo as the service partner. This innovation will deliver significant access to much needed finance at 'Grassroot' levels, delivering tangible social upliftment and GDP growth in the African markets served by Tingo.
Tingo Mobile, with more than nine million subscribers, is Nigeria's leading technology and device-as-a-service platform aimed at accelerating digital commerce, especially in the country's agritech and fintech verticals. The company helps farmers acquire mobile phones through a unique leasing plan, connecting them to mobile and data networks through its own virtual mobile network. Tingo also connects farmers to markets, services and resources via Nwassa, its digital agritech marketplace platform that commenced operations in 2020. The company has also launched a beta version of TingoPay – a B2B and B2C fintech app aimed at providing financial services to users inside and outside of the agriculture value chain. Among the services offered are mobile wallets, payment processing and access to specialist lenders, insurers and pension products.
Tingo will soon announce its innovative blockchain-based solution for use of digital stable coins to empower frictionless trade across borders in Africa. The company's market-proven model in Nigeria is its core foundation, enabling Tingo to deliver the same service model across Africa to become the continent's leading agri-fintech business powered through smartphone technology.
The African Continental Free Trade (ACFT) plan will be a key framework to prepare the company to be the leading intra-Africa trading hub for trade flows across Africa in the medium term, when it is likely the agreement will be executed into tangible activity. Tingo is well positioned to easily transform the goals of the ACFT into reality when finally implemented by the African Union and the various African countries that have not signed up.
Tingo posted total revenue of $594 million in 2020, with $212 million EBITDA. As of December 31, 2020, Tingo has 9,344,000 subscribers. The company is confident that these figures will grow through its expansion across Africa and natural progression of business in Nigeria.
Businesses
Tingo has four core businesses:
TingoPay is still in its beta phase and will launch in 2021 with a comprehensive marketing campaign. TingoPay offers the following services:
Market Opportunity
Africa is the second-largest continent by population. It is also the youngest by far, with a median age of 18 for its 1.3 billion people. Tingo believes the building blocks for growth in Africa's agriculture industry are in place and that the company is well positioned to participate in the upside. Sub-Saharan Africa's population is growing at a rate of 2.7 percent per year. At the current growth rate, the continent's population will double by 2050. Africa's youthfulness represents a significant opportunity for material growth in demand for agricultural commodities. This younger generation is also being born into a digital world and is comfortable using technology.
Africa's governments are improving business conditions for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Sub-Saharan Africa's World Bank Doing Business rank has improved from 45 in 2004 to 65 in 2020. Tingo believes this trend will continue and encourage establishment of more new ventures across all economic sectors, including agriculture.
Africa attracted $407 billion of Foreign Direct Investments ("FDI") between 2014 and 2018. Investments are increasingly focused on services and industrial sectors. Only 20 percent of investments are in extractive industries – a clear reversal from 2008, when 55 percent of FDI was aimed at resource extraction. Tingo believes FDI into Africa will help resolve significant infrastructure constraints and create value for agribusiness.
Management Team
Dozy Mmobuosi is the CEO of Tingo. He cofounded Tingo Mobile PLC (Nigeria) in 2001 and led the design and launch of Nigeria's first SMS banking solution, which is still in use in the country today. He also headed a team of more than 120 Chinese and Nigerian engineers in the construction of two mobile phone assembly plants in Nigeria, which have produced and distributed 20 million phones across the country. He has led Tingo's growth to more than $600 million in revenue annually. He holds a Ph.D. in Rural Advancement from UPM Malaysia.
Dakshesh Patel is the CFO of Tingo. He was formerly CFO of NatWest's Global Debt and Investment Banking division. He has served as a Director at Gerken Capital Associates, a San Francisco-based alternative asset fund manager. He also led the restructure of Lloyds Banking Group (last financial crisis); managed integration of two leading shipping groups' global treasury function to create world-leading shipping group Maersk Shipping; built three fintech companies; and exited one to Worldpay. Mr. Patel has strong banking experience, with a focus on Africa. He is a chartered accountant.
Chris Cleverly is president of Tingo. He has served as CEO of the Made in Africa Foundation, and as CEO of blockchain payments gateway startup Kamari. He has been a board member of several companies, both public and private, in the UK, India, China and Africa. He has advised multiple UK companies on their entrance into African markets, and regularly advises the UK Government on development issues and African governments on investment issues.
Clarence Simms is the Chief Technology Officer at Tingo. He has 25 years of IT and IT management experience. He has worked in IT Shared Services Technical Operations and IT Program Management for Huawei Technologies and MTN. As an entrepreneur, he created Africaprepay.com, a service that allows African Diaspora travelers to send airtime, pay bills, send mobile money and transfer money to a bank account from anyplace in the world.
Rory Bowen is the Chief of Staff at Tingo. Mr. Bowen started his career in traditional capital and derivatives markets working for Moneycorp and Tradition UK in European and emerging markets across FX, interest rate derivative and government bond markets. He has also spent time with one of Europe's fastest growing fintech's banking circles. Before joining Tingo, he was Chief of Staff at FinTech Alliance, an organization established in partnership with the UK Government Department for International Trade to foster innovation, growth and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the financial services sector and facilitate greater public/private cooperation.