• LQwD is leveraging the Lightning Network through its 17 international nodes, with the goal of having 24 nodes by the end of the current quarter
• Active LQwD nodes include Canada, France, Japan, England, Italy, Indonesia, Bahrain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong, Brazil, Germany, India, Ireland, and US-West
• LQwD released its PaaS offering in November 2021, providing easy node and channel management on the Lightning Network and LSPs for merchants
• The blockchain market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 68.4%, resulting in a projected value of US $67.4 billion by 2026

Despite the volatility of the cryptocurrency market, namely Bitcoin prices falling approximately 38% in June to end the month at less than US $20,000 (https://ibn.fm/npSuj), the Lightning Network sees new all-time highs, boosting scaling capabilities of Bitcoin. The Lightning Network is a layer-2 scaling solution that makes Bitcoin transactions faster and lowers subsequent fees for sending and receiving across the network. The daily average capacity reported has crossed 4,167 BTC, up from the end of June, where reports showed a capacity of 3,962 BTC (https://ibn.fm/W4PjL). LQwD FinTech (TSX.V: LQWD) (OTCQB: LQWDF), a financial technology company focused on creating enterprise-grade infrastructure to drive bitcoin adoption, is scaling solutions through the Lightning Network. The company currently has 17 international nodes active on the Lightning Network, including Canada, France, Japan, England, Italy, Indonesia, Bahrain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong, Brazil, Germany, India, Ireland, and US-West. To follow LQwD’s nodes on the Lightning Network, visit: https://lqwdfintech.com/lightning-netowrk-stats/ . The company released its first node (US-West) in November 2021, alongside its platform as a service (“PaaS”) offering, https://lqwd.tech/. The current capacity of US-West is 6.06271656 BTC (606,271,656 sat/ US $118,154.83); it has over 100 active channels and connected nodes currently operational. Over the last 30 days, US-West has experienced an increase of 0.277324 BTC (+4.79%), an increase of six channels (+5.71%), and a median fee rate of 0.000003 sat. LQwD’s nodes currently operate across 17 countries, but the company’s goal is to expand to 24 by the end of the current quarter. LQwD’s PaaS allows users to manage Lightning Network node hosting and channel management. It is also a liquidity service provider (“LSP”) for merchants, utilizing globally distributed routing nodes through an easy-to-use API. The interface makes it easier for users to send and receive BTC across the Lightning Network, faster and at lower fees than traditional blockchain transactions. The company hopes to achieve accretive growth by targeting up-and-coming Lighting Network projects and LSPs. With different payment facilitators expanding to include blockchain technology, the Lightning Network solves the scalability issues with BTC. Only allowing seven transactions per second (“TPS”), the Bitcoin blockchain (outside of the Lightning Network) requires high fees and slow transaction settlement times. Compared to PayPal (193 TPS) and Visa (24,000 TPS), the Lightning Network exceeds expectations with over one million TPS. The blockchain market size was valued at US $4.9 billion in 2021. It is projected to reach US $67.4 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 68.4% during the forecast period. The primary driving factors for this market include increased interest in venture capital funding, investment in blockchain technology, use of blockchain by banking and cybersecurity industries, and the high adoption of blockchain solutions for payment, smart contracts, and digital identities. Another major contributor to the growth of blockchain (as a whole) is the increased interest of government entities. LQwD is positioned to leverage this market through the use of its international nodes, PaaS offering, and presence in the Bitcoin industry. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.LQwDFinTech.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LQWDF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/LQWDF

• On June 14, Nowigence emerged from being a private company to being publicly listed
• OTCQB Venture Market offers lower cost, complexity than a U.S. exchange listing
• NOWG’s AI knowledge engine mimics the way humans absorb knowledge as they search massive volumes of information

In what the company CEO is calling a historic milestone, Nowigence’s (OTCQB: NOWG), the SaaS technology company behind Pluaris, has begun trading on the OTCQB Venture Market, effective June 14, 2022 (https://ibn.fm/f1nZk). The move comes on the heels of the launch of Pluaris, the company’s comprehensive and turnkey artificial intelligence (“AI”) knowledge engine. “Today, we celebrate a historic milestone in our growth journey that began five years ago,” said Nowigence founder and CEO Anoop Bhatia. “We are emerging from being a private company to being publicly listed. . . . This milestone is a key enabler of our mission to become a leading player in a rapidly growing market, which has a minimum potential $20 billion of serviceable market despite the most conservative lens used for estimating the opportunity size. We thank the entire team at Nowigence for their hard work, as well as our other investors for their support.” OTCQB Venture Market, which is the mid-tier OTC equity market, offers early-stage and developing companies in the United States and international markets the benefits of being publicly traded in the U.S. with lower cost and complexity than a U.S. exchange listing. Trading on the market also provides efficient marketing standards, better information, visibility and better trading (https://ibn.fm/678Pw). Nowigence’s journey to its OTC listing has been marked by the company’s commitment to solve significant problems experienced by earnest individuals seeking to gain knowledge for both professional and personal reasons. Pluaris is NOWG’s answer to data overload, siloed intelligence, scattered information, knowledge loss and duplicate work (https://ibn.fm/qvOou). “Pluaris solves the information overload problem commonly experienced at work and at home,” the company states. “[We believe] the personal knowledge management (‘KM’) market opportunity has over 1 billion users and is currently underserved.” Bhatia noted that the company has committed to helping every user learn more in less time, “thereby solving the information overload problem we all are experiencing at work and at home.” He added, “Pluaris mimics the way we absorb knowledge as individuals while searching through massive volumes of information.” The power of Pluaris comes, in part, from its significant differentiation from other contemporary solutions available in the market. The game-changing app serves individual research scholars, students, journalists and others, saving time as these knowledge seekers pursue information critical to a wide range of uses. In addition, the app is tailored to meet the specific needs of various enterprises and markets, targeting sales teams that are creating customer-centric intelligence dossiers or delivering a transparent and intelligent process connecting corporations, citizens, domain experts, NGOs and philanthropists. In short, the app offers vast functionality, far-reaching benefits and almost-immediate results. Nowigence is an innovative software as a service (“SaaS”) company, focused on developing and bringing to market Pluaris, its comprehensive, ready-to-use artificial intelligence platform. By integrating state-of-the-art data-processing techniques in an intuitive interface at an affordable subscription price, Pluaris puts the power of data science into the hands of consumers. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Nowigence.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to NOWG are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/NOWG

• Researchers have run into the issue of solubility of molecules intended for absorption, ultimately affecting drug effectiveness and inhibiting patient recovery
• This has forced the exploration of new drug delivery technologies, with Lexaria’s patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology proving to be the most innovative, useful, and effective
• DehydraTECH(TM) technology has seen application in oral nicotine for reduced risk, antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, PDE5 inhibitors, and CBD for hypertension
• The recent expansion of the Cannadips Brand into Europe, Japan, and South Africa highlights the proliferation of DehydraTECH and a significant growth in its market share, particularly in the CBD space
• Lexaria is excited about the expansion and anticipates additional growth in its technology’s adoption as time progresses

For a long time, the medical industry has sought ways to improve patient health by enhancing the delivery of therapeutic drugs to target sites. An especially critical problem researchers in this sector have encountered is the limited solubility of the molecules intended for absorption. It is estimated that approximately 90% of preclinical drug candidates are low-solubility compounds. This presents a challenge regarding the compounds’ bioavailability and effectiveness of the drugs. The problem has led researchers to explore various drug delivery technologies, some of which have shown promise while others have failed (https://ibn.fm/Dl0rH). Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX) has come forth with what they are confident is the best solution, their patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology. It has been regarded as one of the most innovative drug delivery technologies in years, proving useful in delivering a wide range of active pharmaceutical ingredients in a more palatable and effective way. In addition, studies repeatedly demonstrated the ability to increase bio-absorption with cannabinoids and nicotine by 5-10x and, in some instances with cannabinoids by as much as 27x compared to standard industry formulations, a benefit that opens significant possibilities for important drug delivery. DehydraTECH application areas tested so far include CBD for hypertension, oral nicotine for reduced risk, antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases and PDE5 inhibitors. A new sector showing promise is the CBD industry, valued at $4.1 billion in 2022 and projected to hit $111.8 billion by 2030 (https://ibn.fm/eFGBs). DehydraTECH’s application in the cannabis sector is seeing a boom, particularly with the recent expansion of Boldt Runners Corporation, a DehydraTECH licensee, into Europe, Japan, and South Africa (https://ibn.fm/tOily). Boldt Runners Corporation owns the Cannadips Brand, whose Cannadips CBD dip pouch is the leading CBD pouch brand in the United States. As a tobacco-free, nicotine-free dip alternative, this product offers an effective way to get the benefits of CBD by leveraging Lexaria’s DehydraTECH delivery technology. The product is sold in over 6,500 stores across the United States, and its expansion beyond the country is a major step, not just for Boldt Runners but also for Lexaria. As Lexaria’s list of licensees continues to grow, more consumers will benefit from the DehydraTECH technology. The company is confident that, as the adoption of this technology grows, it will not only help its partners offer clients superior performance and experiences, but also ramp up shareholder value. “Lexaria’s technology is enabling increased market share and sales growth for our continually growing list of corporate clients,” noted Chris Bunka, Lexaria’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). “We are delighted to help these innovators of today and leaders of tomorrow offer their clients superior performance and experiences that competitors simply cannot match, and we are highly anticipatory of additional growth to come,” he added. 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

• Renewable energy production expanded at an annual rate of 15% between 2011 and 2020, and if this growth rate continues through 2035, renewable electricity will meet 100% of the United States’ electricity demand
• In May, California’s renewable energy sources briefly generated 101% of the state’s energy demand
• Correlate Infrastructure Partners provides access to intelligent efficiency measures, electric vehicle (“EV”) infrastructure, and locally sited solar and energy storage
• Through its all-in-one platform, the company designs, engineers, finances, builds, and monitors renewable energy (solar) projects for its clients, enabling them to meet ESG mandates as well as save on electricity costs and capital expenditure (“CapEx”)

A report by a joint team from Frontier Group and Environment America Research and Policy Center, released last year, reported that the proportion of electricity the U.S. generated from wind and solar increased by about four times between 2011 and 2020. Within that decade, wind, solar, and geothermal power production grew at a yearly average of 15%. And should this growth rate continue, renewable energy is projected to meet the country’s electricity demand by 2035 (https://ibn.fm/dD8Xr). The state of California, however, does not have to wait until 2035 as it broke that record earlier in May, albeit briefly. For 15 minutes, the state’s renewable energy generation peaked at 101% of the current energy demand, most of it solar energy, breaking a previous record of 96.4%. And though this does not imply that California was 100% powered by only renewable energy sources – as nuclear, natural gas, and other non-renewable sources also contributed electricity to the grid – the new record marked an important milestone. Against this backdrop, observers now note that stakeholders need to work on ensuring the state runs on 100% clean energy for even longer – a whole day, week, or year (https://ibn.fm/7xa4I). The need for states and countries to run on 100% clean energy has never been more urgent, particularly in the wake of the Paris Agreement and, more recently, the COP26 summit, which amplified calls to mitigate climate change. At the same time, companies are increasingly supporting environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) initiatives to meet investors’ expectations. Combined, these factors have increased the demand for clean energy sources, with Deloitte’s 2022 Renewable Energy Industry Outlook report noting that renewable energy growth will accelerate this calendar year (https://ibn.fm/XKH5o). Correlate Infrastructure Partners (OTCQB: CIPI), a portfolio-scale development and financing platform providing commercial and industrial facilities access to clean electrification solutions focused on intelligent efficiency measures, electric vehicle (“EV”) infrastructure, and locally sited solar and energy storage, is ideally poised to help countries, states, and companies meet their desired renewable energy targets, starting with its domicile, the United States. By designing, financing, engineering, constructing, and maintaining renewable energy projects, CIPI effectively breaks down barriers to corporate America’s ESG and net operating income (“NOI”) goals. The company’s all-in-one platform incorporates energy experts who develop customized operating strategies that fit clients’ needs; a software application that monitors, measures, and optimizes numerous building performance metrics; vendor management; and financing, to mention a few. “Correlate identifies cash flow positive energy solutions, designs and manages upgrades, and monitors performance over the long haul,” the company’s website reads. Even more impressively, CIPI achieves this without requiring its clients to part with upfront fees. So far, Correlate has deployed this approach in the development of various solar energy projects around the United States. In April, for example, CIPI entered a contract worth more than $2 million for a major rooftop solar energy project in New Jersey (https://ibn.fm/8xu90). “Corporate America is stepping up their measurable actions to meet investor-driven ESG mandates. And why wouldn’t they? It’s tremendously profitable for them. In New Jersey, our clients will typically save at least 20% on day one while converting 70% of the facility’s electricity use to carbon-free solar energy,” said Correlate President and CEO Todd Michaels of the New Jersey project. “With Correlate, customers put up zero capital and simply get cheaper, clean power at a fixed price. That’s an infinite return.” Additionally, in May, CIPI announced it had been contracted to install a large-scale rooftop solar project at the headquarters of Continental Envelope (https://ibn.fm/hNKsS). Through projects such as these, Correlate Infrastructure Partners is not only contributing to the growth of renewable energy but also installing infrastructure that will enable states and the country to generate renewable electricity that meets 100% of their demand. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.CorrelateInfra.com.

• Breaking Down Barriers To Your ESG Goals While Generating Additional Net Operating Income: www.CorrelateInfra.com/our-process
• The company’s platform Generates New Rent and Operating Income, Allowing You to Meet Your ESG Goals: www.CorrelateInfra.com/program

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

• Eat Well closed the acquisition of Sapientia on July 31, 2021
• The acquisition was for a consideration of 3,741,969 common shares, and a cash payment of US$6.51 million in installments payable up to July 8, 2022
• Eat Well just paid its last installment of $840,000, marking a significant milestone for the company
• It now looks to continue building on Sapientia’s momentum by accelerating production and collaborating with other portfolio companies to meet existing and new demand, increase distribution and product offerings

In a study conducted by Gartner in 2019 on 473 Chief Executive Officers (“CEOs”) and senior business executives, 53% of the participants cited the growth of their businesses as their key priority going forward. They further noted that one of the fastest ways to grow their businesses was to enter new markets and reach previously inaccessible customers. Mergers and acquisitions (“M&A”), they said, would help achieve this objective while also exposing their businesses to more benefits associated with the move (https://ibn.fm/oh8k1). Consequently, M&A would define 2020 and 2021. In a 2022 mid-year update, PWC noted that at the start of 2022, dealmakers were “riding high from the best year on record for global M&A.” According to the report, 2021 saw over 60,000 publicly disclosed deals, valued at over US$5tn, a first in the history of M&As. Among the disclosed deals was Eat Well Investment Group’s (CSE: EWG) (OTC: EWGFF) acquisition of Sapientia Technology, LLC. (https://ibn.fm/aCXws). Closed on July 31, 2021, this acquisition was Eat Well’s move to disrupt the multibillion snack food market, gain access to new markets and reach new customers. At the time of the acquisition, Eat Well projected that Sapientia would generate approximately $1,133,000 in revenue for the 2021 financial year. Sapientia, Belle Pulses, and Amara organic foods would go on to post combined revenues of C$57,936,019 in 2021 (https://ibn.fm/rgzky). The consideration of the acquisition of Sapientia involved the issuance of 3,741,969 common shares and a cash payment of US$6.52 million to former Sapientia shareholders. On July 31, 2021, Eat Well paid US$1 million, with the remaining sum payable in installments up to July 8, 2022. Eat Well just finalized the payment of $840,000, the last installment fulfilling all outstanding payment obligations. According to the company’s management, completing this milestone allows Sapientia to further collaborate with other Eat Well portfolio companies to increase its margins and expand its product lines and flavors (https://ibn.fm/rXL0M). Since its acquisition, Sapientia has remained committed to becoming an industry leader in the snack market. It has created and filed four foundational patents revolving around the “Protein Twist” and crispy puff style snack, capitalizing on the initial success of the protein curls. In addition, the company has also launched a pilot program in Federated Co-op western Canada, evaluated multiple-tiered manufacturing solutions to scale the core product, and refined the business development pipeline for private labeling. Sapientia continues to develop an e-commerce pilot program via Amazon US for the second half of 2022 and plans to increase its store count in the third quarter of this fiscal year. Its management believes that maintaining the current momentum will allow the company to meet new demand while ultimately creating value for its shareholders. “Our objective is to continue building off our momentum by accelerating production to meet existing and new demand, and increase our distribution and product offerings,” noted Dr. Gino Bortone, the Founder and CEO of Sapientia. “We look forward to more innovation between Sapientia and Eat Well’s other portfolio investments at Belle Pulses and Amara,” noted Marc Aneed, Eat Well’s President and CEO. So far, Sapientia’s acquisition is paying off for Eat Well. The parent company has not only achieved growth through this acquisition but also stands to benefit from improved brand equity, a growing product list, and a broader market reach than ever before. This is proving beneficial to the company and its shareholders, even as Eat Well looks to push for its market expansion plans even more aggressively going forward. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.EatWellGroup.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to EWGFF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/EWGFF

GSMI’s Talent Acquisition Week offers the most comprehensive learning experience, combining sourcing, recruiting, and employer branding strategies together in a fully immersive digital conference experience, and will be held on July 25 – 29th, 2022. The Global Strategic Management Institute (“GSMI”) is a fully digital, cutting-edge conference production company with a footprint in over 100 countries and strives to disrupt policy, champion innovation, and combine the entrepreneurial spirit with the most powerful technological movements. Esteemed Sponsors of GSMI’s Talent Acquisition Week include Recruit Roster, Recruitics, Gem, Circa, Findem, Globalization Partners, Entelo, RippleMatch, Builtin, Jobvite, Verified Credentials, BrightHire, Beamery, SmartRecruiters, Eightfold.ai, Sense, and Clinch. The full list of sponsors and partners is available here. The event will host eminent speakers from across the industry to share their invaluable insights with a focus on advancing the best digital practices and discussing the latest trends in talent acquisition and human capital management through engaging keynote sessions, informative presentations, lively panel discussions, spotlight sessions, and dedicated networking opportunities. Key pillars of the 5-day conference include:

• Day 1: Talent Sourcing Strategies Summit
• Day 2: Social Recruiting Strategies Conference #SRSC
• Day 3: Talent Data Analytics
• Day 4: Employer Branding Strategies Conference #EBrandCon
• Day 5: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (“DEIB”)

Why Should You Attend? The 5-day event will feature 50+ sessions from leading TA practitioners sharing invaluable insights on utilizing innovative strategies, the latest must-know TA tools, and state-of-the-art technology to reimagine talent attraction.  Speakers will also outline day-to-day business challenges and tailored solutions to help power company-specific TA strategies. The event will host industry stalwarts including Camille Tate, Head of Talen, Strava; Steven Kosakow, Vice President of Global Talent Acquisition, Sophia Genetics; Jimmy Zhang, Vice President, Head of Global Talent Acquisition, Takeda; Aditya Pal Singh, Director, Head Talent Acquisition, Informatica; and a roster of other distinguished speakers from several leading organizations including Google, Amazon, Twitter, and MetLife to name a few. Day 1 opening remarks will be made by Mike “Batman” Cohen, the Founder of Wayne Technologies, a contract sourcing and recruitment training organization, to set the stage for the myriad talent sourcing strategies to be presented during the week. The Talent Acquisition Week enables attendees to interact by asking questions in virtual rooms, streaming live lectures, and even networking one-on-one to form long-term partnerships. In addition, the 600+ attendees will engage directly with invited speakers and network with human resources peers through scheduled Networking in the Lounge and Coffee Talk sessions. Attendees will also have access to all sessions and recordings. To register for the event, to make inquiries about group discounts, or discuss speaking opportunities,  contact Jessica Vargas, or visit Attendee Registration. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Kelly Hara.

• Lexaria’s patented DehydraTECH(TM) enhancement technology targets key market segments including nicotine replacement, CBD, cardiovascular and antiviral drugs, human hormones, and PDE5 inhibitors
• DehydraTECH-enabled drug and consumer products provide faster delivery times, increased bioavailability, increased brain absorption, improved drug potency, lower administration costs, and mask unwanted tastes
• The global CBD market was valued at $5.18 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.8% from 2022 to 2030, resulting in a revenue forecast of $22.05 billion by 2030

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, has announced that Boldt Runners Corporation, licensee of its patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology and owner of the Cannadips Brand, has expanded its manufacturing agreements to include Europe, Japan, and South Africa. Cannadips CBD dip pouches are the leading cannabidiol (“CBD”) pouch in the United States. They are a tobacco-free and nicotine-free dip alternative that provides an effective way for consumers to enjoy CBD. Cannadips is sold in over 6,500 retail locations across the United States, including direct-to-consumer online purchases (https://ibn.fm/wdJ3s). Every tin of Cannadips product features DehydraTECH enhancement technology and results from longstanding collaboration and product design. “We are delighted with the expansion of the Cannadips brand outside of the USA. We continue to work with the Cannadips team on the infusion of exciting new formulations to meet the needs of adult consumers’ changing preferences and will endeavor to always remain one step ahead of the competition,” Lexaria Bioscience CEO Chris Bunka stated. Lexaria’s DehydraTECH enhancement technology is covered by 25 issued and more than 50 pending patents spanning 40 countries worldwide. The United States Patent and Trademark Office issued the first patent for the technology in October 2016. The technology was designed to formulate and deliver lipophilic (fat-soluble) drugs and active ingredients to increase effectiveness and improve the way active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”) enter the bloodstream. DehydraTECH-enabled drug and consumer products provide a myriad of benefits to the consumer, including:

• Faster delivery times – the effects of the DehydraTECH-enabled drug or product are felt by most consumers in a matter of minutes
• Increased bioavailability – the technology provides greater absorption into the bloodstream
• Increased brain absorption – through animal testing, significant improvement has been seen in the quantity of the drug delivered across the blood-brain barrier
• Improved drug potency – more of the ingested product is made available to the body, with lower doses required to achieve the desired effect
• Reduced drug administration costs – lower dosages can lower the drug cost
• Masking of unwanted taste – the DehydraTECH technology eliminates or reduces the need to add sweeteners for tolerability

As the relationship between Lexaria and the Cannadips brand continues to flourish through international product sales, it opens new channels of growth for Lexaria’s revenues. Pete Diatelevi, CEO of Boldt Runners Corporation, said, “We are extremely grateful for our longstanding relationship with Lexaria and look forward to our continued expansion into new channels, geographies, and product formats.” The expansion comes as the global CBD market is continues growing, being estimated to reach $22.05 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.8% from the $5.18 billion value reported in 2021 (https://ibn.fm/az46i). Lexaria is leveraging several key market segments through its ongoing research and development efforts, including nicotine replacement, CBD, cardiovascular and antiviral drugs, human hormones, and PDE5 inhibitors. Since 2016, Lexaria’s DehydraTECH enhancement technology has repeatedly demonstrated, with nicotine and cannabinoids, the ability to increase the bio-absorption through ranges of five to ten times, reducing the time of onset from one to two hours to a matter of minutes while masking intolerable tastes. The company is also further evaluating the administration of DehydraTECH-enabled active pharmaceutical ingredients including antivirals, cannabinoids, and nicotine. 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

• 68% of the music industry market is dominated by major record labels, with independent labels and self-releasing artists rising to 27% of the market share
• The three primary record labels dominate the global music industry, valued at $53.77 billion in 2018 and expected to reach $65.17 billion by 2023
• 90% of artist revenue is lost to the record labels, management, and streaming service fees
• Fan Pass Live’s 360-degree artist offering allows independent musicians the ability to produce, distribute, and market their music, keep control of their art, and receive revenue through various avenues

For decades, the only way to make it big in the music industry was to sign with a major record label. Although 68% of the market is still dominated by three key labels – Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group – independent music labels and self-releasing artists have entered the arena, claiming close to 27% of the market (https://ibn.fm/TL8wd). While numerous factors are at play, the increase in the streaming market plays a vital role in how musical artists distribute their music. Over the past decade and a half, the streaming market has seen a dramatic increase in the music industry revenue it is responsible for, growing from 1% in 2005 to 83% in 2020 (https://ibn.fm/fOTqo). The digital service provider (“DSP”) with the most influence in the streaming market in 2021 was Spotify, holding 31% of the streaming market share (https://ibn.fm/BvELF). The global music industry market was valued at $53.77 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach $65.17 billion by 2023 (https://ibn.fm/FErBm). However, the primary beneficiary of this revenue is still the major record labels and streaming industry dominators, not the artists themselves. The revenue independent artists lose to these factors is close to 90% after paying managers, labels, distribution, and marketing fees. Seeing an unmet need in the independent music artist industry, Friendable (OTC: FDBL), a mobile technology and marketing company, released its flagship product, Fan Pass Live artist platform, in July 2020. Fan Pass Live allows independent artists to perform for and interact with fans without label control or costs. In January 2022, Friendable completed the acquisition of Artist Republik and FeaturedX to create the ultimate “anti-label,” 360-degree solution for independent artists. Traditionally, when signing with a record label, artists would sign over the rights and majority of their royalties to the record label. With Artist Republik, artists can distribute their music, keep 100% of the royalties, and keep the rights to the music they produce. Artists receive royalty payouts quarterly, accessible through their Distribution Dashboard on the app. Artists are also afforded the opportunity to distribute and grow via Spotify and Soundcloud. According to Fan Pass Live’s Instagram, 23% of independent music artists lose money on their music projects, with less than 5% making a living from the music industry. Only 72% of those artists report making a profit, but it is still not enough for them to live on (https://ibn.fm/Yk3oc). That is what makes Fan Pass Live different; it offers independent artists:

• Scheduled events promoted on the company’s social media platforms
• Five different avenues for collecting revenue
• Access to advanced analytics
• Custom merchandise and design
• 100% revenue from Livestream performances

With promotion and marketing playing a primary role in getting an independent artist’s name out there, Fan Pass Live’s offering of Livestream performances gets artists the exposure necessary for fans and potential fans to get to know the artist and their music. The 360-degree artist offering provides the tools for independent artists to reclaim their music, make money, and connect with fans worldwide. For more information, visit the company’s websites at www.Friendable.com or www.FanPassLive.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to FDBL are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/FDBL

• FingerMotion posted a 37% YOY revenue growth for the 2021 financial year
• The company’s Telecommunications Products and Services category posted the highest growth at 170%
• The company looks to build on this performance by capitalizing on the opportunities within China and, more specifically, the mobile payment and mobile recharge platform solutions market
• Its successful strategy is based upon pushing gross margins by offering new products and services and improving existing ones

In June 2022, FingerMotion (NASDAQ: FNGR) released its financial results for the year ended February 28, 2022. Of note in the report was the 37% year-over-year (“YOY”) growth in overall revenue, mainly fueled by the growth of Telecommunications Products and Services, which posted a 170% growth from the previous year (https://ibn.fm/nCpFs). When making the announcement, Martin Shen, FingerMotion’s Chief Executive officer (“CEO”), noted: “We have been able to steadily increase our margins by optimizing our product mix between Top-up and SMS.” “While our biggest challenge continues to be access to non-dilutive capital, we remain steadfast in our belief that we will reach profitability in the near future,” he added (https://ibn.fm/KsNW5). Founded in 2016, FingerMotion has grown to be one of China’s leading mobile payment and recharge platform solutions. So far, it serves over a billion users in the Chinese market, spreading its operations across the region. Being in such a lucrative market, FingerMotion’s management recognizes the opportunities available, especially given the wide adoption of mobile phones to the proliferation of mobile payments. The management believes this will be integral in growing the company and creating even more value for its shareholders. China is seeing an ongoing boom in mobile phone adoption. By December 2020, over 1.22 billion people had subscribed to mobile services within the country, representing 83% of the region’s population. By comparison, the global average mobile phone penetration at the time stood at 66%, making China one of the most developed mobile markets in the world (https://ibn.fm/DvxYA). Experts project that this number will rise significantly over the coming years, mainly given the rapid deployment of 5G in China, along with the massive uptake of smartphones in the country. This presents a tremendous opportunity for FingerMotion, particularly since one of its key initiatives is to keep pushing gross margins higher. The company is constantly working on new product offerings while exploring ways to improve existing ones. This has seen the introduction of the mobile protection program, along with the overall improvement of the Telecommunications Products and Services business. FingerMotion also looks to capitalize on the growing adoption of mobile payments, following President Xi Jinping’s encouragement of mobile payments and financial technology platforms to “play a bigger role” in strengthening China’s economy (https://ibn.fm/2ElU2). With its central competencies in mobile payment and mobile recharge platform solutions, FingerMotion is poised to benefit significantly from this emerging market and its opportunities. Going forward, FingerMotion looks to capitalize on its strengths while exploring new avenues for creating shareholder value and creating new revenue streams. It looks to build on the performance from the previous financial year, with the goal of achieving profitability soon. The company plans to follow through with its mobile protection program, whose rollout is on schedule, while also maintaining critical collaborations with its telecom partners and Chinese subsidiaries to maintain profitability throughout the year. “One of our key initiatives is to keep pushing gross margins higher, and we have been quite successful by optimizing our product offerings,” Mr. Shen noted. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.FingerMotion.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to FNGR are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/FNGR

• Cepton has opened a new dedicated automotive office in Metro Detroit – a clear sign of its growing relationship with General Motors and the American auto industry
• Company solidifies itself as a key player in lidar; Metro Detroit office serves as automotive hub providing local support to OEM and Tier 1 partners
• Cepton boasts collaboration with Ford, expands its ongoing partnership with Koito Manufacturing, a leading tier-1 automotive lighting supplier, and remains engaged with the top 10 global automakers

“I’m incredibly proud that our Silicon Valley company, Cepton, has earned Detroit’s trust,” said Dr. Jun Pei, Cepton (NASDAQ: CPTN) Co-Founder and CEO, following an announcement that this leader in high-performance MMT(R) lidar solutions opened a newly renovated office in Metro Detroit (Troy, MI) (https://ibn.fm/mm3WC). The 4,800-square-foot office will house the company’s key business functions such as product and program management, business development, application engineering, sales, and corporate marketing. Although Cepton has had a presence in Detroit since its inception in 2016, it wasn’t until the company secured the industry’s largest ADAS lidar series production award with General Motors in 2019 that it began renovating and expanding the office. To accommodate the team’s rapid growth following this key achievement, Cepton relocated its previous office in the Detroit area to Troy so it can continue to forge close relationships with automakers centered around this heart of the US auto industry (https://ibn.fm/UxCFZ). A strong team close to automotive OEMs and tier 1s is essential for the company. In the words of Brunno Moretti, Cepton’s Vice President of Product and head of the Detroit office, making lidar an integral ‘auto part’ in every passenger car cannot be achieved without close collaboration with the company’s automotive customers. “Having a strong presence in Detroit not only enables us to keep up with the latest trend in the industry but also makes us part of that trend – we are here to demonstrate how lidar is essential to the future of mobility, with our product experts driving informative communications and our application engineers working in the field,” he said. In a bid to deepen its relationships and engagements with leading automotive OEMs, Cepton developed a seasoned team in its Troy office and continues to recruit talent in both Detroit and Silicon Valley. Cepton currently has around twenty openings across key business segments, including hardware and software engineering, program management, application, safety, quality, and reliability. “The Detroit office will serve as the automotive hub for Cepton, and we expect the team to grow to ensure we provide local support to our OEM and Tier 1 partners,” Brunno Moretti added. As a provider of state-of-the-art lidar-based solutions with the mission to become one of the most prominent international players in the lidar space, Cepton has built what seems to be a truly global footprint. In addition to the San Jose, Calif., headquarters and the newly opened Troy operations, the company runs offices across the globe – from Germany and Canada to Japan, India, and China. Cepton appears to be successful in forging strong business ties with the auto industry’s key players. In addition to General Motors, the company also boasts an ongoing collaboration with Ford and engagements with the other top 10 automakers across the globe, as well as a five-year partnership with Koito, a leading automotive lighting tier-1 supplier. The company recently announced its intent to expand its existing collaboration with Koito to include certain future Cepton long-range and near-range lidar products. The expanded partnership is intended to also include joint go-to-market activities with select automotive customers, initially targeting Japanese automotive OEMs (https://ibn.fm/OQrMO). “Our expanded footprint will help us reach our goal of making lidar a standard safety feature in the cars of today and the key component in the autonomous vehicles of the future,” concluded Dr. Jun Pei, revealing the company’s aggressive business aspirations. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Cepton.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CPTN are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CPTN