• Brian recently joined Bell2Bell’s Stuart Smith in a podcast episode in which he discussed his and the company’s background, motivation to found SideChannel, existing market opportunities, 2022 milestones, and plans for 2023 and beyond
• SideChannel, a provider of cybersecurity services and products, helps mid-market companies simplify cybersecurity
• The company was founded in 2019 after CEO Brian Haugli observed a business opportunity in the largely underserved market
• Over the years since, the company has grown, posting $4.8 million in revenue in 2022, up from $2.8 million in 2021

During his stints at the US Department of Defense (“DoD”) and Pentagon, and later upon entry into corporate America, Brian Haugli made an observation: US Government agencies and, crucially, large American corporations, relied on mid-market companies, innovative startups, and smaller organizations for important products and services. This reliance often meant that the security posture of the large companies and government agencies ultimately depended on the security posture of the smaller partner firms that had access to critical data. Unfortunately, cybersecurity products at that time were predominantly targeted at major enterprises, meaning most small and mid-sized businesses (“SMBs”) could not afford them. This left an underserved market and a massive business opportunity that SideChannel (OTCQB: SDCH) intended to capitalize on when it launched in 2019.

At the helm of the then-new startup was Brian, who now serves as the company’s CEO.  To ensure success, he surrounded himself with an executive team comprising people who also saw the existing gap, liked the business model he put together, and wanted to join him on the mission to building a program dedicated toward mid-market and small businesses, a market that is still underserved to date. And the journey has been, as he described in a recent interview with Bell2Bell’s Stuart Smith, “amazing.”

As part of the interview, Brian provided more information about the company’s evolution from its inception, touching on his and the company’s background, motivation to found SideChannel, existing market opportunities, 2022 milestones, and plans for 2023 and beyond (https://ibn.fm/nOytd).

“Our job is to make cybersecurity simple and accessible. We are a cybersecurity firm with products and services, and we bring a wealth of experience from our collective backgrounds,” explained Brian. “Our focus is to bring real cyber security expertise, solid products and services, tech-enabled services into the types of companies that usually can’t actually afford full-time resources [and] the right types of resources. So, we’re predominantly focusing on the middle market and startups, and it’s been an underserved market.”

SideChannel, through its collective of expert virtual Chief Information Security Officers (“vCISOs”), builds and leads cybersecurity programs exclusively for SMBs. The vCISOs are attached to client companies where they own the cybersecurity budget, choose the right technological products for their needs, participate in hiring engineers and architects to deliver and execute within the cybersecurity programs, build the right processes, report to leadership about the goings on, and manage the programs over the long term. This long-term approach, according to Brian, sets SideChannel apart from the competition, which mostly only focuses on using technology to identify attacks or merely undertaking short-term assessments.

Coupled with the increased uptake of cybersecurity solutions due to the growing need by companies to protect themselves from cyberattacks and comply with cybersecurity regulations, this approach has contributed to tremendous growth for the company. In 2021, for example, SideChannel reported $2.8 million in revenue, a figure that grew to $4.8 million in 2022. And as a continued testament to the growth, the company is hiring more CISOs and people on its sales team as well as developing new services that best suit its client’s needs. “In February, we will post our [Form] 10Q, and you will see this rise and growth,” Brian continued.

The fiscal year 2022 saw the company not only post revenue growth but also announce the development of Enclave, a proprietary software product designed to provide network segmentation. According to Brian, this product creates an inventory of the assets within a networked environment, documenting everything that needs protection. It then isolates the various components that make up this environment, cordoning off attackers and helping reduce the damage an attacker can inflict on a system.

“We [created and launched Enclave] because we had a client base that told us this is what they needed. We did it because we knew that [asset inventory and segmentation of networks are] top controls to be addressed inside of all cybersecurity standards that are out there and frameworks that companies follow,” explained Brian. “And then, the products that are available in the marketplace are predominantly built for just the enterprise, which means the midmarket cannot afford the solution that everyone is saying they should be going for, and we are seeing people need.”

SideChannel expects to begin recognizing revenue from the Enclave product during the fiscal year 2023 (https://ibn.fm/vaH81). Still, the company also anticipates incorporating new features and capabilities into this product in addition to developing and launching other products to address systemic gaps that prevent mid-market clients from finding the right products.

The company also intends to evolve and develop its M&A strategy, which will see it bring under its umbrella operations that were previously outsourced to partners. “So, areas that we traditionally went to partners for, we will either be able to build those capabilities ourselves or acquire those capabilities or other resources from those partners and bring those in,” said Brian. “We are becoming Cybersecurity-as-a-Service for companies, and for us to have all those capabilities [under one umbrella], it gives our clients a one-stop-shop to [access] all these functions.”

And with companies increasingly recognizing the need for their vendors and B2B clients to safeguard their security posture, SideChannel is primed to articulate this need and manage that narrative to its customers’ customers.

“It is a niche. It is an area that is growing, and to date, I cannot say I have seen anybody else doing what we are doing, which is [exciting]. But we see a lot of other folks out there trying to do something similar, and we are beating them on capabilities and value,” Brain continued. “So, it tells me that there is an expanding need for this – we are not the only game in town. But it also tells me that we are doing it the way clients are looking for, not just reselling the product or some service out there. We are really bringing a lot of value to our clients, which they recognize.”

To listen to the full interview, please visit https://ibn.fm/xqvoJ

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SideChannel.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SDCH are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/SDCH

• McEwen Copper’s Los Azules Project is a large porphyry copper-gold-silver deposit with considerable growth potential, with ultimate depth and lateral extents that remain to be determined
• McEwen Copper, subsidiary of McEwen Mining, is expected to be game-changing, possibly becoming the world’s next copper unicorn
• The copper mining market was valued at $75 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $80 billion by 2029

McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX), an asset-rich diversified gold and silver producer in the Americas, with large exposure to copper through its 68-percent-owned subsidiary McEwen Copper, has reported rich copper values over attractive widths, resulting from infill drilling at its Los Azules project. Located in San Juan, Argentina, Los Azules is a large porphyry copper-gold-silver deposit expressing great potential, with ultimate depth and lateral extents yet to be fully determined.

The report cites widespread mineralized magmatic-hydrothermal breccias with intercepts such as 237.2 meters (m) of 1.05% copper (Cu), including 108 m of 1.71% Cu in hole AZ22173. Northern exploration hole AZ22174 targeting a deep geophysical anomaly intersected multiple copper-mineralized horizons, including disseminated and veinlet-hosted primary copper mineralization and potassic alteration as deep as 1,100 m downhole, with assays pending. The report also showed the continuity of an Enriched mineral zone up to 300 m, true thickness (https://ibn.fm/9Qt3G).

McEwen Copper resumed its drilling program in October 2022. It is designed to increase drill hole density and upgrade the copper resource classification to better understand the payback pit design. Also, the program will provide metallurgical, hydrological, and geotechnical data to facilitate mine design and to determine how much larger the deposit could be.

“We entered 2023 with tremendous momentum, with nine drills operating, an active community engagement program, and a technical team advancing Los Azules towards feasibility,” said Michael Meding, Vice President and General Manager of McEwen Copper. “We are delivering a first-class technical evaluation on a copper deposit that will put Argentina at the forefront of critical metals production, supporting worldwide electrification and a greener future for generations to come.”

The copper mining market was valued at $75 billion in 2021 and is forecast to grow $80 billion by 2029. The increase in development and construction initiatives in emerging and developing economies is expected to drive the global copper mining market.

Most mined copper is currently used in infrastructure and new critical demand emerging for use in the electrification of transportation and the global energy transformation. (https://ibn.fm/qB7ZP). McEwen Copper is expected to be a game changer, potentially becoming the world’s next copper unicorn, and thus turbocharging McEwen Mining’s share value.

McEwen Mining’s management team has extensive knowledge and expertise in the industry, owning and operating mines in some of the most prolific gold-producing regions in the Americas. In recent months, McEwen Mining has been successful lowering production costs and increasing production across its gold assets, driving some costs below industry averages. Gold, silver and copper prices are forecasted to enter major uptrends over the next couple of years. Beyond McEwen Copper, McEwen Mining also has important gold and silver projects: The Fox Complex, The Gold Bar Mine, San Jose Mine, and Project Fenix.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.McEwenMining.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to MUX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/MUX

• Eloro Resources announced the successful completion of its primary share issuance in late January, 2023
• The placement, which comprised of over 3.4 million primary shares issued at a price of c$3.15, raised gross proceeds of approximately C$10.9mn
• The proceeds will be destined to Eloro’s ongoing Bolivian mining operations as well as general corporate purposes
• Eloro Resources is set to disclose its initial resource estimates for its flagship Iska Iska Project in coming months

Eloro Resources (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) (FSE: P2QM), an exploration and mine development company with a portfolio of gold and base-metal properties in Bolivia, Peru and Quebec, announced that it had successfully concluded its previously announced, fully-underwritten primary share placement on January 27th, 2023. The offering, which consisted in Eloro issuing 3,466,540 primary shares at a price of C$3.15 per share, raised total gross proceeds of C$10,919,570; the figure also includes shares granted as part of the over-allotment option granted to underwriters. The offering was led by Cantor Fitzgerald Canada Corporation as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, with Cormark Securities Inc., Haywood Securities Inc., National Bank Financial Inc., Scotia Capital Inc., and Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc forming pact of the underwriting syndicate (https://ibn.fm/Z1K1u).

In addition to the successful completion of the deal, Eloro Resources simultaneously revealed that two company directors had participated in the bookbuild process, subscribing for the equivalent of C$147,420 in new shares. The related party transaction will drive insider ownership of the company’s free float to well over 15%, further reinforcing the management’s strong ties to the firm’s underlying corporate performance (https://ibn.fm/P7IFs).

Eloro Resources have further revealed that the net proceeds derived from the offering will be destined toward exploration and development purposes at the company’s ongoing mining projects in Bolivia as well as for general working capital and corporate purposes.

Eloro Resources’ chief mining asset within Bolivia comprises of the Iska Iska project, a 484 square kilometre undeveloped mining tract within the Potosi region – located a mere 180 kilometers south of the prolific Cerro Rico deposit, long renown as richest silver deposit throughout history. Since commencing the inaugural drill program at the Iska Iska site in September 2020, Eloro Resources has drilled over 120 holes and 85,000 meters within the property, however it was their initial discoveries in late 2020 that convinced the company of the site’s relative potential. Between November 2020 and January 2021, the company found that its initial holes – most of which were between 250 and 300 meters in length, were delivering bulk tonnage of 150 silver grams equivalent per ton – a level of silver concentration which has been found to be economically viable for mining purposes in the past.

More recently, Eloro Resources has sought to expand on its holdings within the Potosi region, acquiring the Mina Casiterita and Mina Hoyada properties, both of which adjoin the existing Iska Iska deposit towards the property’s western and south-western boundaries. The company has now set its sights towards completing and publishing their initial resource estimates for the Iska Iska project by March 2023, a process which is being carried out in collaboration with mining consultancy, Micon International.

Research reports published by research brokerages Cantor Fitzgerald and Haywood Capital Markets have previously forecast Eloro Resources’ potential silver deposit estimates at ‘630 MMox AgEq’, a figure which may be further supplemented by tin production akin to a ‘40 ktpd operation, for annual product 106 Mlbs of SnEq’.  Following the company’s successful capital raising exercise and benefitting from exponential demand growth for both, silver and tin as a result of the ongoing global transition towards renewable energy sources, Eloro Resources look well placed to capitalize on any forthcoming resources discoveries in the coming months.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.EloroResources.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ELRRF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ELRRF

• MetAlert, a developer of personal protective medical equipment and supplies, owes much of its growth to acting on feedback from real-world caregivers who use its products for the monitoring and tracking of vulnerable patients
• This connection with caregivers has yielded advanced products such as the award-winning, multi-patented GPS SmartSole, Invisabelt, Take-Along Tracker, and Rover Tracker, among others
• Attention to consumers has also led to its line of hearing aids, such as its flagship Hear IQ 4 rechargeable, app-controlled hearing aid, and its RoomMate wall-mounted 3D sensors for looking after patients without intruding on their personal space

MetAlert (OTC: MLRT), a developer of personal protective medical equipment and supplies and a pioneer of wearable GPS, human, and asset tracking systems, pays constant and close consideration to feedback from real-world caregivers, and the needs of those who use its products. With over 20 years of experience and an extensive patent portfolio, the company is continually developing viable solutions to individuals afflicted with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and autism (“ADA”), making it one of the few companies that offer practical solutions specific to this group of individuals.

MetAlert is driven by the need to engineer solutions to everyday challenges while maintaining a non-invasive approach to the carrier. This approach has yielded products such as the award-winning, multi-patented GPS SmartSole, the world’s first hidden wearable GPS tracking solution, as well as Invisabelt, Take-Along Tracker, and Rover Tracker, among others. In addition, MetAlert’s Monitoring Portal, accessible via web login, allows caregivers to track those possessing these devices, affording them better care (https://ibn.fm/KY87Z).

General quality-of-life improvements are integral to MetAlert’s overall approach to business. This is evidenced by its line of hearing aids, ranging from its flagship Hear IQ 4 rechargeable, app-controlled hearing aid to its RoomMate wall-mounted 3D sensors for looking after patients without intruding on their personal space. Focusing on such a unique market has allowed the company to grow its market share and reach. It is expected to grow even further in the new year, especially given its recent strategic acquisition of TrakTec LLC.

“It is really about increasing the quality of life, the longevity or people that are challenged,” noted Patrick Bertagna, MetAlert’s CEO (https://ibn.fm/dtMj4).

According to PatSnap, in 2019, over 722 million wearable devices were in use globally, with the number expected to hit one billion by the end of 2023. This, coupled with the fact that non-communicable diseases claim over 41 million lives each year and about 17 million annually before they reach the age of 70, presents a growing need for robust, practical, and effective patient monitoring systems, a need which MetAlert is looking to satisfy (https://ibn.fm/e12Ad). In addition, the growing attention to lifestyle wellness factors creates a market for the company’s products. Its unique approach to their development and marketing sets it apart from its peers, allowing it to impact even more lives as time progresses.

Having had an incredible start to the new year, MetAlert remains committed to growing its platform and range of products and services. It also remains committed to offering solutions with real-world caregivers and businesses in mind, providing resolutions to everyday challenges, and bringing quality-of-life improvements to persons living with ADA.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.MetAlert.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to MLRT are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/MLRT

• BiondVax is a biotechnology company focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative immunotherapeutic products
• The company is developing nanosized antibodies (“NanoAbs”) addressing large market diseases underserved by current treatments, with its lead candidate targeting COVID-19
• The FDA recently revoked the sole authorization of a COVID prophylactic, Evusheld, citing the inability of the monoclonal antibody cocktail to neutralize emerging subvariants of the Omicron variant
• BiondVax’s lead NanoAb candidate shows superior advantages to monoclonal antibodies, with the data gathered strengthening the value proposition of the COVID-19 NanoAb as a safe, efficacious, and convenient therapeutic and prophylactic drug

The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) recently withdrew the authorization of AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ: AZN)’s Evusheld, a combination of two monoclonal antibodies (“mAbs”), which was being marketed as a pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent COVID-19 infection among people with moderate to severe immune compromise (https://ibn.fm/zmmHn). The agency revoked the authorization citing the expectation that Evusheld may not neutralize the XBB.1.5 sub-variant of the Omicron variant. In fact, according to the FDA, sublineages not neutralized by the antibody therapy are presently causing at least 90% of infections.

Evusheld’s cancellation is the latest in a series of withdrawals, with the FDA having previously revoked the authorization for emergency use of bebtelovimab, another monoclonal antibody therapy, because it was not expected to neutralize Omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 (https://ibn.fm/IhUqw).

“Beyond Evusheld, the virus’s evolution has also left the country without any antibody therapies for patients once they are infected,” reads an article in Stat News (https://ibn.fm/Vm5sL). However, BiondVax Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: BVXV), a Jerusalem-based biotechnology company focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative immunotherapeutic products, is working on changing this grim reality. In fact, the company’s leading inhaled nanosized antibody (“NanoAb”) candidate, which is currently being prepared for clinical trials, has shown neutralization of all relevant Omicron subvariants.

“Indeed, the emergence of new variants remains a concern, and NanoAb therapeutics have the potential to quickly and effectively address new variants,” wrote CEO Amir Reichman in his 2022 letter to shareholders (https://ibn.fm/uOpcQ). “Our collaborators at the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences (“MPI”) and the University Medical Center Göttingen (“UMG”) have generated libraries each with ~300 million COVID-19 NanoAb candidates, as compared to mAb libraries that contain only thousands of options. Thus, as new variants emerge, we would expect to be in a position to rapidly develop a new neutralizing NanoAb.”

With the cancellation of these monoclonal antibody therapies, originally authorized to help protect high-risk populations from the ever-evolving SARS-COV-2 virus, the value of BiondVax’s NanoAb-based COVID-19 therapeutic currently under development has never been clearer.

Developed in collaboration with Germany-based MPI and UMG, the alpaca-derived NanoAbs have demonstrated unique characteristics such as greater formulation advantages, stability at high temperatures, and binding affinity than mAbs. Moreover, NanoAbs have shown strong potential for superior clinical outcomes, safety, and patient convenience at lower costs than mAbs, which have generated billions in annual commercial sales.

In fact, BiondVax’s ongoing preclinical in vivo study is convincingly demonstrating the unique capabilities of its inhaled COVID-19 therapy. As reported by the company in November 2022, animal models treated with BiondVax’s inhaled NanoAbs experienced a milder and shorter illness (https://ibn.fm/FTm6x). The company also announced early January 2023 that the inhaled therapy virtually eliminated the SARS-CoV-2 virus from the animal models’ lungs (https://ibn.fm/2GKAy). In the most recent announcement, BiondVax reported its inhaled therapeutic virtually prevented illness when administered prophylactically. Obviously, this data strengthens the value proposition of the COVID-19 NanoAb as both a therapeutic and prophylactic drug.

“COVID vaccine uptake is declining, effectiveness wanes over a short period of time, and vaccination campaigns demand vast health care system resources. We believe the additional ‘biobetter’ value provided by our NanoAb potentially positions it to capture significant market share both for treatment and prevention of COVID-19 illness,” commented Reichman in a January 23 news release reporting the prophylactic properties of the NanoAbs (https://ibn.fm/YpEYG).

BiondVax aims to fill the existing void in COVID prophylactics and treatments, which, as sales figures indicate, is strong. AstraZeneca, for instance, reported that Evusheld had generated $1.451 billion in revenue from Q1 through Q3 2022 (https://ibn.fm/UPZ8M); and even with its limitations, Paxlovid, an antiviral medication developed by Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE), generated $18.9 billion in sales in 2022 (https://ibn.fm/6sOdX).

BiondVax’s NanoAbs may be the key to an effective, economical, and easy to use solution for COVID therapeutics and prophylactics. With human clinical trials scheduled for later this year it certainly makes sense to keep BVXV on the radar.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.BiondVax.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to BVXV are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/BVXV

• 2022 saw Lexaria introduce its patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology to world-leading collaborators while also exploring DehydraTECH-CBD for the potential treatment of hypertension
• It also saw success in its research for the potential treatment of conditions such as epilepsy, making the year Lexaria’s most active one yet
• Significant progress was made on key objectives in 2022, a feat which the company plans to capitalize on and leverage to scale up the commercial execution of its technology in 2023
• To facilitate this, Lexaria has brought on board Julian Gangolli, former President of GW Pharmaceuticals USA, as a strategic advisor. Chris Bunka, Lexaria’s CEO, anticipates 2023 to be the “best year ever”

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, has set its focus on the commercial execution of its robust patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology portfolio for the 2023 calendar year. The company plans to capitalize on the success of 2022, which saw the fulfillment of primary objectives.

In 2022, Lexaria introduced DehydraTECH to world-leading collaborators and explored DehydraTECH-processed CBD for the potential treatment of hypertension. The company also saw success in its research for the potential treatment of conditions such as epilepsy making the year Lexaria’s most successful yet (https://ibn.fm/RjEtt). The progress made sets the stage for the company to explore even bigger goals in 2023.

So far, animal studies have demonstrated a propensity for DehydraTECH technology to elevate the quantity of drug delivered across the blood-brain barrier by as much as 1,900% (https://ibn.fm/ktR7j). In addition, in the recent EPIL-A21-1 clinical study on the use of DehydraTECH-CBD for the potential treatment of epilepsy, the technology demonstrated performance enhancements, particularly compared to one of the world’s leading anti-seizure medications, Epidiolex(R).

This, and other findings over the course of 2022, validated Lexaria’s efforts and clinical trials, reflecting the company’s commitment to addressing current underserved medical needs. It is this commitment that the company intends to pursue in the new year in what Chris Bunka, the CEO, anticipates to be the “best year ever.”

Lexaria now has its eyes set on scaling up the commercial execution of its technology. To facilitate this, it has brought on board Julian Gangolli as a Strategic Advisor. Gangolli, the former President of GW Pharmaceuticals USA, will lend his knowledge and expertise, having overseen the approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) of Epidiolex, the first and only pure cannabidiol (“CBD”) drug ever approved by the regulating body.

“I am excited to be advising Lexaria Bioscience as it has become an established force in the field of improved drug delivery,” Julian noted.

“As with GW Pharmaceutical’s innovations in the cannabinoid field, the potential of Lexaria’s disruptive drug delivery technology is significant and I hope to assist Lexaria in its commercial development of DehydraTECH for multiple applications,” he added (https://ibn.fm/BlYaX).

Gangolli has also previously served as the North American President of Allergan and a member of their executive management team that oversaw the sale of Allergan to Actavis back in 2015, and has served as a senior member of the Allergan management team since 1998, helping to transform the company into one of the leading specialty pharmaceutical companies in the United States.

“I am very pleased to welcome Julian, with his extensive pharmaceutical experience, to the broadening Lexaria team,” noted Mr. Bunka.

With Julian’s help, Lexaria looks to achieve FDA Registration for an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) program that will kickstart a Phase 1(b) FDA-registered clinical trial exploring the safety and tolerability of DehydraTECH-CBD as a treatment for hypertension. This, the company projects will dominate the second half of the 2023 calendar year, even as the company works toward the filing of a new drug application (“NDA”) via the abbreviated 505(b)(2) pathway.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.LexariaBioscience.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LEXX are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/LEXX

• SideChannel Inc. is a cybersecurity services and technology provider that assists small- to medium-sized businesses unable to budget for full time on-site cybersecurity staffing
• SideChannel supplies virtual chief information security officer (“vCISO”) expert services on a contract basis at an expense that is lower than the cost of regular full-time CISO staffing
• SideChannel CEO noted the importance of SMB network security protocols in a recent CISOlife podcast, specifically in regard to cannabis operations that are often small and cash-rich without significant cyber protections in place
• Growing economic uncertainty is expected to increase the number of SMBs that may fall under the cybersecurity poverty line at a time when hybrid work models utilizing greater numbers of remote work access employees is increasing

Following the turbulent years of dodging and then dealing with COVID in business environments, a large number of companies are regularizing hybrid workplace models that incorporate remote access as a job feature worthy of ad promotion. Unfortunately, this approach is also capable of letting bad actors wreak havoc on a company’s operations.

Businesses below the cybersecurity poverty line, in particular, run the risk of seeing operations upended if hackers gain access to vital company data or operational technology (“OT”), since many entities such as smaller businesses, non-profits, and local government agencies, may let security slide, as they feel they lack the capital and employee acumen necessary to maintain a secure computer network.

Cybersecurity services and technology provider SideChannel (OTCQB: SDCH) helps such companies overcome budget limitations through outsourcing network security responsiveness. SideChannel’s virtual chief information security officer (“vCISO”) services allow companies to hire cybersecurity experts on a short-term contract basis that is less expensive than retaining a full-time in-house CISO.

SideChannel CEO Brian Haugli highlighted the importance of CISO services in the cannabis industry, as one example, in a recent episode of Haugli’s periodic CISOlife podcast.

“I’m seeing that the cannabis sector, in what it’s doing, where it’s going, is going to need to start really taking a hard look at the security posture of its own operations to secure its product, its supply chain, as well as its future,” Haugli said after outlining cannabis operations’ reliance on automation to manage many vital functions and communicate data to management (https://ibn.fm/AtEKw).

“You need to be able to control access to these (network processes), otherwise any type of bidirectional access into your OT environment is going to cause you problems,” Haugli added. “What happens if you’re dependent on light, and now light is turned off. Or watering is impacted, or the wrong strain is being followed and you distribute the wrong inventory to the wrong area. These can all cause very real problems.”

As a retailer, a cannabis outlet is vulnerable to all the same cyber risks as other product sellers. When the third-party delivery contractor for the monopoly wholesaler of adult-use marijuana in Canada’s most valuable market was hit by a cyber attack in August, delivery orders were temporarily suspended, stores fretted about inventory and whether important data was exposed (https://ibn.fm/MkkQg).

Radiant Logic CISO Chad McDonald told cybersecurity journal CSO that the cybersecurity poverty line will be defined in 2023 as company teams’ ability to cope with challenges along three major axes – ongoing digital transformation, continued migration to the cloud, and the movement towards zero trust.

“As we verge on the edge of recession, the cybersecurity poverty line will only grow in 2023,” he stated (https://ibn.fm/Vypx4). “It is a rather unique time for the IT landscape and one that past generations have never experienced.”

Haugli noted that most OT professionals will state that companies should, at a minimum, have segmentation between the front office and back office operations within the OT environment, which he applied specifically to the cannabis industry.

“If I’m a CISO, I’m looking for this type of microsegmentation,” he said. “I’m looking at specifically the security of these (cannabis operation) sensors, the access to these sensors, where the data is going and who’s using and how the data is being used.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SideChannel.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SDCH are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/SDCH

• Both gold and copper have seen significant increases in market value in recent months, and copper is forecast to be one of the best-performing of all commodities in 2023, based upon increased demand and projected shortages
• McEwen Mining is a majority shareholder of McEwen Copper, which owns the Los Azules copper deposit in Argentina, one of the largest undeveloped copper projects in the world
• McEwen Copper plans to update its PEA (preliminary economic assessment) during Q1 2023, follow with IPO during Q2, and complete the Feasibility Study in 2024

Historically, gold has been a staple in investment portfolios due to benefits like diversification and a lack of correlation with investments, retaining value during volatile periods. Despite the volatility in the gold market early in 2022, by the end of the year it was on the rise again, increasing 17% to reach its highest level since April 2022 (https://ibn.fm/05zpL). Denmark’s Saxo Bank suggests that gold could hit record highs in 2023, with three key factors to consider: the increasing “war economy mentality,” governments increasing deficit spending on ambitious projects, and the possibility of a global recession in 2023.

McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX), an asset-rich diversified gold and silver producer with large exposure to copper through its subsidiary, McEwen Copper, is led by a management team with extensive knowledge and experience in the mining space and owns and operates in some of the most prolific gold producing regions in the Americas. Many current gold and copper forecasts point to higher prices over the next few years. Should that occur McEwen Mining’s assets positions it well to benefit.

A key factor for investors is that McEwen Mining’s management team is uniquely aligned with investor interests. Rob McEwen, the company’s CEO, has a 17% ownership stake in McEwen Mining and a 15% ownership in McEwen Copper, with a combined cost base in the companies of roughly $220 million. McEwen Mining has a 68% stake in McEwen Copper, which is expected to be a game changer, as it owns one of the world’s 10 largest undeveloped copper deposits, the Los Azules Project. Given its large size and future production profile it could become the next copper unicorn.

Like gold, copper has been one of the best-performing commodities.

McEwen Copper’s other copper project is the Elder Creek Project in Nevada, prospective for porphyry copper and gold mineralization, well situated in a district hosting several large copper and gold mines, including Marigold, Lone Tree, and Phoenix. Kennecott Exploration, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, will be the operator of the exploration program, with McEwen Mining holding a 1.25% net smelter return royalty on the property.

In August 2022, McEwen Copper closed its private placement offering of $82 million after securing a $25 million investment from mining giant Rio Tinto’ technology division, Nuton LLC. At the time, this $10/share offering gave the company an imputed value of $258 million. It provided the funds to update the PEA (preliminary economic assessment) for the Los Azules Project which is considered one of the world’s top 10 undeveloped copper projects. McEwen Copper plans to release the PEA and then do an IPO during H1, 2023. The IPO will fund a Feasibility Study that is expected to be completed in Q1, 2025. McEwen Mining owns a 68% interest in McEwen Copper.

McEwen Mining is designing the Los Azules Project to be a profitable long life copper mine, that is environmentally sensitive, technologically advanced, able to achieve a net zero carbon footprint and use significantly less water than existing copper mines.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.McEwenMining.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to MUX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/MUX

• For over 30 years, Coyuchi has provided sustainable luxury home goods made from 100% organic cotton materials
• Coyuchi is a founding member of the California Cotton & Climate Coalition, using cotton grown on farms that have transitioned to Climate Beneficial practices which are believed to help increase resilience to drought, counter erosion, and benefit the climate
• The company’s future plans include expanding its catalog to include more sustainable products that cater to environmentally-conscious consumers

For three decades, Coyuchi, the gold standard in sustainable luxury home goods, has been driven by four foundational pillars – protecting the planet, innovating circular design, sustainable living, and community enrichment. Coyuchi’s line of products includes luxury organic bedding, sheets, towels, apparel, and other home goods, which are produced using 100% organic cotton materials. With a seasoned leadership team, a robust e-commerce shopping experience, and a healthy customer base, Coyuchi is preparing to enter a new phase of growth as the world awakens to sustainability at scale.

The global organic cotton market was valued at $518.7 million in 2020. By 2028, this market is expected to reach $6.7 billion, growing at a CAGR of 40%. The market for organic cotton is driven by growing concerns over sustainability and pollution worldwide. Customers motivated by sustainability are willing to pay more for products that meet their objectives (https://ibn.fm/U0w3U).

In an interview, Marcus Chung, Chief Operating Officer of Coyuchi, discussed transparency being a key component of Coyuchi’s business structure. After working with supply chains at many companies, Chung discussed how Coyuchi’s transparency is unique – built into its supply chain – including tracing fibers all the way back to organic farm groups, which is important when developing new products (https://ibn.fm/hWlS1).

Coyuchi also focuses on circularity, which is an important component of the company’s commitment to sustainability. The company was the first home textiles brand to launch a resale business in 2017 through its second Home Renewed line, initially offered exclusively through a pilot at its Point Reyes Station location. Coyuchi’s Full Circle Blanket uses post-consumer waste, which is recycled into new cotton yarns for the product. Since late 2020, the Home Renewed line has been available online through its online store, www.Renewed.Coyuchi.com.

Coyuchi is a founding member of the California Cotton & Climate Coalition and is excited about their Climate Beneficial cotton collection, which is made from cotton grown on farms that have transitioned to Climate Beneficial practices. The company believes that this method of farming is important to combatting climate change and has the potential to sequester carbon from the atmosphere and regenerate the health of the soil – which can help increase resilience to drought, counter erosion, and benefit the climate. Through the initiative, Coyuchi is bringing to market a collection using fibers from the first harvest.

In the future, Coyuchi plans to add new markets and products to its consumer offering. “Our customer is asking Coyuchi to help curate an assortment of natural and sustainable items for their whole home,” Chung explained. “We’re looking at solutions like natural laundry detergents that will complement products like our wool dryer balls – useful products that help extend the life of their home textiles that customers have come to count on us.”

Coyuchi continues pushing the organic textile market forward through its circular initiatives and supporting cross-industry sustainability. The company is differentiating itself through an omnichannel and circular business model, which has proven to be a clear draw for customers. Coyuchi’s early adoption of e-commerce sales and marketing approach has resulted in a significant portion (80%) of sales coming directly from the Coyuchi website. Coyuchi’s strengths are changing the landscape of how consumers obtain the sustainable products they are seeking.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Coyuchi.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Coyuchi are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/COYU

• GPS-enabled location device developer MetAlert provides geographical tracking technology that is discrete and functional through shoe inserts that provide data connectivity to cognitive patient caregivers
• MetAlert announced in January that it is expanding the reach of its SmartSole flagship product through an agreement with Sweden’s government that was established by distribution partner Posifon AB
• Government agencies across Europe and in the United States have recognized the importance of being able to monitor the whereabouts of patients with cognitive concerns
• MetAlert’s development team has improved the SmartSole with a battery capable of lasting up to five days, and the company plans to roll out its -Plus model later this quarter with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability for enhanced data monitoring of falls and other medical concerns

Wearable tracking and health monitoring device developer MetAlert (OTC: MLRT) provides relief to the world’s elderly and medical patients prone to confusion through the company’s flagship product — an insertable shoe insole equipped with tech that transmits vital information about the wearer to caregivers.

Initially designed to track the location of individuals prone to wander, MetAlert’s innovative GPS-enabled SmartSole units have, through continued development, gained the capacity to provide location-specific information in indoor, home environments through a Wi-Fi connection in its soon-to-debut -Plus model. And a Bluetooth link to other wearable medical devices will allow the -Plus model to transmit a wider variety of health-related data to caregivers when it rolls out later in the quarter.

The SmartSole has recently been upgraded with five days of battery life, and its geographical reach has expanded as well with the recent announcement that it will provide a key part of affiliate Posifon AB’s authorized service in Sweden through a national service agreement with the country’s major municipalities.

“We are excited to launch this next generation 4G Cat M1 GPS SmartSole in one of Europe’s most advanced healthcare countries when it comes to addressing the needs of Alzheimer and Dementia patients,” MetAlert Director Andrew Duncan stated in the company’s Jan. 25 announcement (https://ibn.fm/XPE63). “Our partner Posifon has done an incredible job in securing national distribution channels after many years of trials and evaluation by the Swedish authorities.”

MetAlert’s technology promotes lifestyle wellness and independence for patients who have become more vulnerable to critical conditions and would therefore be more likely to be reliant on assistance from others at any given hour. Posifon’s service agreement will allow it to provide home care, personal tracking, and security for seniors at healthcare organizations that include memory care clinics, hospitals and social care organizations across Sweden. Posifon Managing Director, Henrik Essunger, said he anticipates further expansion from Sweden across Scandinavia and Europe.

While countries such as Germany have historic concerns about individuals’ privacy as a result of government monitoring policies under the Nazi and Communist regimes, others such as Norway have codified laws requiring local governments to provide GPS-based tracking in device purchases for people who are in need, according to a report on MetAlert by multinational IT industry standards agency BCS (https://ibn.fm/2pfTF).

Tracking technology for individuals with cognitive issues is now supported by local Alzheimer Associations and multiple police, search and rescue organizations in over 40 countries, according to the report.

The SmartSole-Plus’ Wi-Fi connectivity will narrow the focus by helping to monitor for patient falls within their quarters, and the Bluetooth hub function will allow medical caregivers to use it for monitoring diabetes, heart, and other conditions as necessary.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.MetAlert.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to MLRT are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/MLRT