• POAI sees Q3 2019 revenue total $522,696 from $329,930 in Q3 2018
• Company reports records sales of proprietary systems, supplies
• Significant business highlights indicate continued momentum as Predictive Oncology looks to bright future

Predictive Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: POAI), an artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven functional precision medicine company, released its financial results for Q3 2019, and the numbers are impressive, including quarter revenues increasing 58% year over year (http://ibn.fm/TmZoV). The company also provided a business update outlining significant highlights reached during the quarter.

POAI reported that revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, totaled $522,696, compared with $329,930 for the same period of 2018. Those numbers included revenue from record sales of the company’s STREAMWAY systems and disposable supplies. Predictive Oncology reported the sales of 19 STREAMWAY systems, a significant increase when compared to 10 sales of the system during the comparable period in 2018.

Cost of sales for Q3 2019 was $208,096 compared to $83,006 in the same period of 2018. Gross profit margin declined to 60% percent versus 75% in the third quarters of 2019 and 2018 respectively. Operating expenses for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, totaled $707,414 down from $723,939 for the third quarter of 2018. General and administrative expenses were $2,616,991 for Q3 2019, compared to $762,603 during Q3 2018. Sales and marketing expenses declined significantly, totaling $434,955 in Q3 2019 compared to $621,465 for the previous year.

In addition to the impressive numbers, POAI noted several Q3 2019 business highlights, including the following:

• Initial models in progress with Interpace Diagnostics for Thyroid
• Helomics has initiated pilot sequencing of 48 samples
• ChemImage working on additional validation utilizing POAI platform and AI (D-CHIP) in prostate cancer
• Specicare ‘Pioneer’ Precision Medicine trial in progress
• Predictive Oncology continues to execute on Cancer Quest 2020
• POAI subsidiary TumorGenesis has initiated the building of media kits to allow the growth of ovarian cancer cells in its labs.
• Clinically validated, patient-derived (PDx) tumor profiling platform to generate drug response profiles and multi-omic data
• Data on drug response profiles of more than 150,000 tumors across 137 cancer types using the PDx platform in more than 10 years of clinical testing.

“I am very pleased with the growth and development of our unique assets, Helomics and Tumor Genesis, and the increase in international interest in our Skyline products,” POAI CEO Dr. Carl Schwartz stated in a news release. “The future looks very bright.”

Predictive Oncology is committed to the mission of improving the standard of care for cancer patients through innovative, data-driven products and services. The company provides predictive models of tumor drug response to improve clinical outcomes for patients. POAI is at the vanguard of the latest scientific endeavors in cancer research to better understand the complexities of individual cancers and tailor individualized therapeutic protocols.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Predictive-Oncology.com

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

• POAI subsidiary sequencing ovarian cancers as part of CancerQuest 2020 project, building largest ovarian multi-omic database in the world
• Company’s work designed to speed development of new drugs, provide therapeutic choices
• Helomics recently signed collaborative agreement with UPMC-Magee to establish data- and artificial-intelligence-driven approach to treating ovarian cancer

The power of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in the detection of ovarian cancer much earlier than previously possible is being recognized worldwide. A company in the United Kingdom is touting the ability of AI to eliminate late detection of ovarian cancer, thanks to advancements in health-care technology (http://ibn.fm/AOmHt). The contribution AI is making in the detection of ovarian cancer has been a longtime, consistent focus for Predictive Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: POAI) as well.

Predictive Oncology recently began sequencing ovarian cancers as part of its CancerQuest 2020 project and is building the largest ovarian multi-omic database in the world, designed to speed the development of new drugs and provide better therapeutic choices. Predictive Oncology’s subsidiary, Helomics, is vital to the CancerQuest2020 work POAI is doing in the ovarian cancer space.

Helomics currently has approximately 150,000 cases on its molecular information platform, 38,000 of which are specific to ovarian cancer. This invaluable scientific asset positions POAI as a leader in providing the critical molecular information needed for more effective patient treatments and new drug discovery.

As part of its CancerQuest 2020 project, Predictive Oncology, through Helomics, recently signed a collaborative agreement with UPMC-Magee to establish a data- and artificial-intelligence-driven approach to treating ovarian cancer. Based on the agreement, the partnership is designed to validate the significant value of using AI-powered decision-making for identifying specific treatments on specific genotypes to predict clinical outcomes for ovarian cancer patients.

Helomics has also begun sequencing retrospective ovarian cancer cases from the UPMC-Magee collaboration (http://ibn.fm/I4Lnb). As part of the sequencing process, Helomics is analyzing the mutations in the tumor (genome) and the expression of genes (transcriptome) in order to build a comprehensive multi-omic picture of the tumor. That information can then be brought together with Helomics’ data set of drug-response profiles to build an AI-driven predictive model of ovarian cancer.

“We believe the combination of the rich multi-omic profile of the tumor and clinical outcome data will allow us to build an AI-driven model of ovarian cancer capable of predicting the tumor drug response and patient outcome,” Helomics CTO Dr. Mark Collins stated in a news release.

In addition to its ovarian-cancer data, Helomics has another 120,000 tumors with drug-response data across 137 cancer types that include lung, breast, pancreatic, colon and head and neck. Moving forward, the company intends to sequence all the tumors and build out predictive models in these additional disease categories. Once this work is complete, Helomics will have the largest pan-cancer, multi-omic database with drug responses in the market.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Predictive-Oncology.com

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

• ChineseInvestors.com is foremost financial information website for Chinese-speaking investors in U.S. and China
• CIIX subsidiary was featured in a recent Wall Street Journal report on China’s growing cannabis industry
• ChineseInvestors.com has highly diversified revenue streams that contribute to consistent, stable growth

ChineseInvestors.com Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) offers an array of investor-education products and services and has become a top financial-information website for Chinese-speaking investors in the United States and China. At the heart of the approach is the ChineseInvestors Method, an inventive integration of a disciplined investing process, web-based tools, personalized instructions and support. In addition, the company is working to capitalize on the increasing demand for CBD (cannabidiol)-based nutrition and health products.

Established in 1999 and headquartered in San Gabriel, California, ChineseInvestors.com provides real-time market commentary, analysis and educational-related services in Chinese language character sets. In addition, CIIX offers consultative services to smaller private companies considering becoming a public company, as well as advertising and public-relations-related support services. Furthermore, the company provides retail, online and direct sales of hemp-based products and other health-related products.

Recently ChineseInvestors.com subsidiary, CBD Biotech Inc., was featured in a Wall Street Journal report on the growing cannabis industry in China (http://ibn.fm/c4TUI). The November 13 article was titled ‘China Says No to Marijuana but Lets Its Cannabis Industry Bloom’.

According to the WSJ report, “The CBD market will grow by 700% in the U.S. this year and will be worth more than $23 billion by 2023.” The report highlights CBD Biotech, which is a first mover in the industrial hemp skin-care and cosmetics industry. CBD Biotech is working to educate consumers on the benefits of industrial-hemp extract. Additionally, this subsidiary is also positioning itself to be one of the leaders in China’s legal market for skin-care products and cosmetics infused with cannabis sativa leaf extract, or industrial hemp extract. Cannabis sativa leaf extract can legally be added to skin-care and cosmetic products.

“As one of the first movers in the legal industrial hemp skin-care and cosmetics market, we are honored to be featured in this recent Wall Street Journal report and believe that this mention validates our efforts in China over the past few years,” CBD Biotech CEO Summer Yun stated in a news release.

ChineseInvestors.com has launched the world’s first online CBD health-products store published in the Chinese language: www.ChineseCBDOil.com. The company has done this under a wholesale agreement with a reputable CBD health brand. Through this website, the company sells CBD-infused products by way of online and in-store (http://ibn.fm/LTvQN).

Overall, ChineseInvestors.com’s plan is to focus on its original mission of providing financial information and services to the larger Chinese community in the United States and elsewhere. Of note to investors regarding the company’s CBD initiatives is that ChineseInvestors.com CEO Warren Wang indicated that the company hopes for a Nasdaq IPO of CBD Biotech late in 2019 or early 2020 (http://ibn.fm/kwEnA). Following that, the company would concentrate on identifying an acquisition target for further growth. FinTech products and services and CBD initiatives contribute to the varied revenue streams of ChineseInvestors.com.

ChineseInvestors.com continues to help investors make informed investment decisions and meet their individual financial goals. The company is also at the vanguard of capitalizing on the convergence of CBD and the nutrition- and health-products market in mainland China. ChineseInvestors.com offers investors diverse revenue streams for potential portfolio growth.

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

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

• HTC has completed a 19,000-square-foot tolling facility near Regina, Saskatchewan that will house extraction and are awaiting GMP Euro compliance
• Company closed a $10 million private placement of 25 million units to fund expansion operations
• U.S. sales of hemp-based CBD products to peak at t $22 billion in two years, projected CAGR of 147 percent

HTC Extraction Systems (TSX.V: HTC) (OTCQB: HTPRF), a hemp biomass cultivation, extraction, formulation and refining entity, is positioned for a truly soaring bottom line driven by major investments and acquisitions in the fast-growing cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinoid market. The company recently closed a private placement with gross proceeds of $10 million to finance 25 million units of the company (http://ibn.fm/EQ1Ho) – proceeds used to fund growth plans.

To this end, HTC recently acquired California-based Kase Farma Inc., (www.KaseFarma.com) which aims to provide users the health and wellness benefits of CBD, cannabigerol (CBG), cannabinol (CBN) and other cannabinoids by producing high-quality, premium hemp goods using best of class methods and maintaining a firm engagement to customers, community, and the environment. Kase Farma will also provide white-label manufacturing for other cannabinoid suppliers.

The company recently completed a 19,000-square-foot facility that will house extraction and formulation processing, quality assurance testing, and product development laboratories at its Port Lajord location 17 miles southeast of Regina, Saskatchewan. The facility is going to be on par with the highest performance and quality standards for extraction and refining worldwide. The extraction equipment is arriving in December 2019 with installation to follow. HTC has also finalized the construction of its 27,000-square-foot hemp biomass processing and storage facility, which will be used to store extraction-ready biomass.

The company’s other strategic initiatives include tolling contracts, marketing and distribution agreement, extraction equipment purchasing, and project construction update.

A tolling contract between HTC and a 60,000-acre Canadian IPGrow™ hemp biomass producer for the 2019, 2020, 2021 and beyond production crop years will soon take effect. The contract is anticipated to represent production from a single producer/biomass processor of approx. 4,300 acres from the 2019 crops, up to 25,000 acres for the 2020 and 2021 and beyond production crop years.

As a developer of proprietary gas, liquid, and biomass extraction systems that are designed for the extraction of gas, liquids, and biomass, and the distillation and purification of ethanol and ethanol-based solvents used for this extraction, HTC Extraction Systems has a highly positive outlook when it comes to CBD market expansion, with major investments in the acquisition of extracting, purifying and refining equipment.

Demand for cannabinoids is growing constantly, and, given that cannabis is still a Schedule 1 drug, according to the Federal government, extraction from cannabis comes with certain legal risks. To avoid legal issues, many companies, including HTC Extraction Systems, focus their efforts on extracting cannabinoids from hemp. This has led to the fast expansion of the hemp industry and especially of the hemp-derived CBD market. According to industry analyst Brightfield Group research, U.S. sales of hemp-based CBD products are projected to reach $22 billion by 2022, up from $591 million in 2018. This is equivalent to a CAGR of 147 percent (http://ibn.fm/VeD3I).

HTC Purenergy Inc. trades on the OTCQB Venture Market for early stage and developing U.S. and international companies. Companies are current in their reporting and undergo an annual verification and management certification process. Investors can find Real-Time quotes and market information for the company on www.OTCMarkets.com.

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

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

• Less than two years old, The Wonderfilm Media Corp. is beginning to build a name for itself as a motion picture studio operating on a lean production budget model but a growing raft of celebrity names
• Wonderfilm’s production strategy includes generating a script with profit potential, then attracting a recognized actor and pre-selling the film project to distributors
• The company’s production budgets thus far have ranged from $1.5 million to $12 million, aiming to repeat the profit-generating success of sleeper films such as “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” with outsized returns
• Celebrities signed to the company’s 2019-2020 project slate include names such as Nicolas Cage, John Travolta, Guy Pearce, Felicity Huffman and Tara Reid

When My Big Fat Greek Wedding landed in theaters nearly 20 years ago, the inauspicious film centered on ethnic minority tropes was met by underwhelming praise from reviewers, one of whom noted the “slight but agreeable comedy” … “lacks cinematic flair. It looks (http://ibn.fm/Ko8zM) more like a film designed for the small screen. But … it has a good-natured personality.” Thanks to the mutable nature of the Internet, a modern updating of the review adds that the film “became an unexpected theatrical hit,” gaining a reputation as the second highest-grossing American romantic comedy in film history (http://ibn.fm/L3x2y).

The movie parlayed the production company’s $5 million budget into about $250 million (inflation-adjusted to $368.7 million) in revenues, and in the process helped establish a business model that British Columbia-based film production house Wonderfilm Media Corporation (TSX.V: WNDR) (OTCQB: WDRFF) is taking all the way to the bank.

The fledgling content developer is building on the industry connections of its experienced management team and a corporate strategy that involves generating a viable script, contracting with a recognized actor based on the script, and then pre-selling the movie under revenue-sharing deals that allow Wonderfilm to retain ownership of the project and begin reaping extra profits once the release reaches a certain revenue threshold.

Wonderfilm begins receiving returns on its comparatively lean projects on the first day of principle photography, drawing line item fees from the production budget that range from $50,000 to $500,000 depending on the total budget, according to the company (http://ibn.fm/jftf6).

The average production cost of a feature film ranges from $70 to $90 million, with blockbusters reaching upward to the $350 million to $425 million heights demanded of box office successes Avengers: Endgame and Avatar (http://ibn.fm/u9IX8). Wonderfilm’s movie budgets since the recently released Nicolas Cage thriller Primal began shooting in January 2018 has ranged from $1.5 million to $12 million.

In addition to Cage, signed celebrities for the company’s 2019-2020 eight-film project slate (at least nine more have been greenlit) include John Travolta, Guy Pearce, Felicity Huffman and Tara Reid.

As the company grows, its risk-averse financing model is expected to be the basis of a predictable and consistent revenue stream. Box office revenues lag behind the initial outlay of production costs by a couple of years, generally, but Wonderfilm’s first higher profile films, such as Primal and The Fanatic (Travolta), have made their appearance in theaters during the past few months to get the ball rolling.

“Wonderfilm has discussed plans to launch its own streaming channel, but for now the company is focused on creating films for other distributors, both cinematic and online. The boom in streaming services isn’t just good for the companies running those services, it’s also a potential windfall for content creators such as Wonderfilm, as streamers launch a content gold rush,” a recent NetworkNewsWire Editorial reads (http://ibn.fm/uGuIS).

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

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

• SGLB’s PrintRite3D Real-Time Melt Pool Analytics software platform drew attention of industry elite at top international event
• PrintRite3D version 5.2 contains new features, enhancements that further strengthen already impressive offering
• Rising attendance, interest in event demonstrates elevated importance of, new opportunities in additive manufacturing

Sigma Labs Inc.’s (NASDAQ: SGLB) exclusive, in-process quality-control platform for metal-additive manufacturing was featured at the SGLB booth at Formnext 2019, the industry’s premier global conference held November 19-22, 2019, in Frankfurt, Germany. SGLB, the leading developer of quality assurance software for the commercial 3D metal-printing industry, participated at the event, where more than 850 exhibitors and almost 35,000 attendees gathered to view an impressive display of digital manufacturing capabilities.

SGLB chief technology officer Darren Beckett demonstrated the company’s proprietary PrintRite3D(R) Real-Time Melt Pool Analytics software platform at the premier global exhibition and conference (http://ibn.fm/yYaQQ). Renowned for showcasing the next generation of intelligent industrial products, Formnext was the perfect forum to shine a worldwide spotlight on Sigma Labs’ latest PrintRite3D offering.

PrintRite3D version 5.2 contains new features and enhancements that further strengthen the usability and capabilities of the software to support the industrialization of additive manufacturing for serialized production. PrintRite3D’s new features include the following:

• Automated anomaly detection with Z connectivity, which identifies thermal anomalies that propagate across multiple layers
• Enhanced detail data trend analysis
• Customizable thresholding to enable automatic user alerts
• Real time user alert notifications for identified thermal anomalies exceeding specification limits

At Formnext 2019, Beckett presented several live demonstrations of PrintRite3D to industry executives attending the prestigious event. Beckett was also available for technical reviews.

“This leading industry event for additive manufacturing and modern industrial production grows every year, clearly demonstrating the elevated interest and new opportunities ahead in additive manufacturing,” Beckett said. “It’s an exciting time for Sigma Labs as a leader in the field.”

Formnext 2019 is a leading global trade fair dedicated to additive manufacturing and industrial 3D printing. The Frankfurt event brought together the industry’s elite from 34 nations. SGLB was able to reach market leaders such as, Materialise, Additive Industries, Addup, DMG Mori, EOS, GE, Materialise, Matsuura, , Renishaw, Siemens, SLM Solutions, Trumpf, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, United Technologies, Rosswag, Volkswagen, Fraunhofer, BASF, Safran, Baker Hughes, GKN, Stryker, Coherent Laser, Oerlikon, Airbus, Nikon, Zeiss and many more.

Formnext functions as a significant business platform for industry players at which many companies conduct concrete business transactions directly on the exhibition floor (http://ibn.fm/EX7fC). As the growing additive manufacturing industry continues to evolve, it is likewise attracting a growing number of investors. At Formnext 2019, “there was a significant increase in interest from venture capital companies and industrial companies who, for example, would like to become strategic partners for young companies.”

Sigma Labs Inc. is a leading provider of quality assurance software to the commercial 3D-printing industry under the PrintRite3D brand. Founded in 2010, Sigma is a software company that specializes in the development and commercialization of real-time, computer-aided inspection solutions for 3D advanced manufacturing technologies. Sigma Labs’ advanced computer-aided software product revolutionizes commercial additive manufacturing, enabling nondestructive quality assurance mid-production, thereby allowing errors to be corrected in real time.

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

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

• Apple’s Motion to Transfer Venue to Northern District of California denied
• Case to move forward in the Eastern District of Texas with claim construction scheduled for March 16, 2020 and jury selection set for September 14, 2020

Quest Patent Research Corp. (OTCQB: QPRC) subsidiary Quest NetTech filed its complaint against Apple on April 12, 2019, asserting that Apple’s “Apple Pay functionality” implemented through Apple Wallet on such devices as the iPhone 6 with Apple iOS 8 or 9 infringes the US Patent RE38,137 entitled ‘Programmable Multiple Company Credit Card System’. A copy of the complaint is available at http://ibn.fm/Kliys.

On June 20, 2019, Apple filed a Motion to Transfer Venue Under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a). In the Motion, Apple requested that the Court transfer the case from the Eastern District of Texas to the Northern District of California. A copy of the motion is available at http://ibn.fm/1uZZg.

On November 27, 2019, the Court denied the Motion. A copy of the Memorandum and Order denying the Motion is available at http://ibn.fm/rveki.

The case is scheduled to proceed according to the Docket Control Order issued by the Court on August 8, 2019 with a claim construction hearing on March 16, 2020 and jury selection to begin on September 14, 2020 (all dates subject to change by the Court). A copy of the Docket Control Order is available at http://ibn.fm/u71t6.

Quest, based in New York City, operates through majority-owned and controlled operating subsidiaries to deliver financial, strategic and legal resources for IP monetization. Shareholders have the opportunity to participate across a broad portfolio of dynamic assets in the burgeoning intellectual property space. Quest provides IP asset owners and stakeholders, including inventors, law firms, estates, small businesses, and corporations with a valued resource for protection, management, and monetization of IP assets.

Quest has been highly active in growing its existing IP asset portfolio. Through the end of the third quarter of 2019, the company has resolved eight cases partially or fully. An additional seven cases are pending settlement. The company currently owns more than 115 patents across 11 portfolios and has reported approximately $2 million in patent licensing revenues for the first three quarters of 2019 (http://ibn.fm/hBqwW).

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

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

• SinglePoint posts largest 3Q revenue numbers in company’s history
• Strategic plan in place to make SING one of largest publicly traded companies in the smokable hemp space
• Hemp, solar industries major focus for company in 2020

SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) recently posted third-quarter numbers – the largest third quarter in company history (http://ibn.fm/LyT8u). Revenue for the company reached more than $1 million as the SING continues to see impressive growth in both hemp and solar. In addition to reporting record-breaking revenue, the company outlined plans for continued growth moving into 2020.

“We have an exceptional strategic plan in making SinglePoint one of the biggest publicly traded companies in the smokable hemp space,” SING CEO Greg Lambrecht stated in a news release. “We believe we offer investors and our current shareholders tremendous value given our leadership position in several explosive markets including ecommerce, hemp and solar. As SinglePoint continues to grow revenue and profit, we continue to strive for meeting the qualifications to apply for a listed exchange.”

Moving forward, SinglePoint plans to continue its focus on hemp and solar, two sectors in which significant growth has been forecast. One market research report projected the industrial hemp market to grow from $4.6 billion in 2019 to $26.6 billion by 2025, recording a compound annual growth rate of 34.0% during the forecast period. The Brightfield Group estimated the smokable hemp market to be valued at $11.5 million in 2018, an impressive increase of 250% from 2017.

With that growth in mind, SING recently unveiled its own wholly owned brand, 1606 Original Hemp, which will offer a variety of smokable hemp products (http://ibn.fm/riMJ0). SinglePoint expects the sale of 1606 to be a significant piece of the company’s overall growth next year.

The product line received a resounding response when SING initially launched it at NACS 2019; the company has shipped orders to convenience store owners with a collective 250 doors and has interest from over 100 parties that collectively have over 15,000 doors. SinglePoint is planning a major product debut December 11-13 at MJBIZCON in Las Vegas, where thousands will be in attendance.

“We are excited for the launch of our 1606 Original Pre-rolled Hemp,” added SING president Wil Ralston. “We believe we can quickly scale the sales of this product via ecommerce and retail buyers. The hemp pre-rolls have a major profit margin which will support continued organic growth.”

SinglePoint is also anticipating continued success in the solar industry, where its subsidiary Direct Solar of America continues to surpass expectations. A leading residential and commercial solar brokerage, Direct Solar opened in three new states during 3Q 2019 and also inked contracts originating almost $5 million, launching a high-school partnership program with 47 Texas-based high schools, signing an MOU with SchollyMe to develop online and mobile solar purchasing ability, and creating two additional subsidiaries: Direct Solar Capital and Direct Solar Commercial.

Founded in 2011, SinglePoint invests in and acquires brands and companies that will benefit from injection of growth capital and its sales and marketing expertise. The company portfolio currently includes solar renewables, hemp, and distribution tobacco products. SinglePoint continues working to grow to a multinational brand.

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

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

• Vacation rental market is booming, providing ample opportunities for insurance providers such as InsuraGuest
• Vacation rental owners need to clearly determine what kind of coverage they need, including things that conventional insurance doesn’t typically cover
• InsuraGuest’s InsurTech platform covers different kinds of events, ranging from damage to rooms to lost items to accidental medical and death or dismemberment

Vacation rental is a lucrative business – there’s no disputing that. Vacation rental startups attracted nearly $100 million in venture capital funding in the first quarter of 2016, and the number of vacation rental users globally is expected to soar to 361 million over the next five years. Yet, vacation rental comes with certain risks, as does any investment. Here are three things every rental manager should know to stay safe.

1. Not All Rental Policies Are Created Equal

The policy you should choose as a vacation rental manager normally depends on what kind of coverage you need, what type of property you own, and how you intend to use it. Unneeded or excessive coverage will ultimately cost you more, which will damage your bottom line.

1. Conventional Insurance Doesn’t Cover All Damage

Even the most careful guest can incur damage to your property, and vacation rental insurance will reduce the cost of repair and replacement. Some insurance policies will reimburse part of your lost income if the property becomes unusable due to damage. Major platforms like VRBO and Airbnb provide only primary coverage, which unfortunately doesn’t extend to all types of damage.

1. Homeowners Insurance vs. Vacation Rental Insurance

These are not the same thing. Homeowners insurance covers expenses incurred by damage to your main residence. It won’t cover damages to the property or accidental medical expenses for your guests when it is being rented out. Vacation rental insurance covers damage when your guests occupy the premises.

An example is InsuraGuest Inc.’s proprietary InsurTech software platform, which protects guests during their stay at vacation rental properties and hotels. The Guest Protection Policy is extended to each individual guest at the time of check-in until check-out.

InsuraGuest markets this insurance product to hotels and other vacation properties in an attempt to fill an existing gap in travelers’ insurance. Conventional insurance fails to cover the full scope of risks that travelers and hotel or property owners face. The guest may have no claim to coverage at all in cases where damage or an accident cannot be attributed to the property directly.

The Guest Protection Policy provides specific coverage for such things as accidental damage to rooms, lost or stolen items, medical expenses, death or dismemberment (http://ibn.fm/3ExVA). InsuraGuest is working on expanding the scope of its platform and insurance products to cover European Union member states and the United Kingdom, with plans in motion to launch on the Asian market by mid-2020 (http://ibn.fm/GVHrM).

The European and Asian hotel markets are significantly larger than the U.S. market, holding a combined 5.4 billion hotel nights stayed in 2018, compared to 1.1 billion stayed nights in the United States. With distribution in Europe and the United States, InsuraGuest’s combined demographics will total 3.9 billion nights stayed, and will more than double its vacation rental opportunities.

Do Your Research

It can get exhausting to research policies and companies, but it pays off. Try to narrow your options down to two or three. Each will have advantages and disadvantages, so it may be even harder to make a decision. Still, remember that failing to invest in insurance carries a high risk. Buying insurance isn’t something a vacation rental manager needs to do frequently. Once you become a member property with InsuraGuest, you don’t need to think about it for the next several years. If you want to rent out your property securely and safely, insurance is a must, and opting for a policy such as InsuraGuest will offer both you and your guests peace of mind.

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

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

• Software pioneer Sigma Labs’ offers first known, real-time, computer-aided inspection (CAI) technology that enables in-process intervention
• PrintRite3D overcomes quality assurance obstacles that hinder 3D metal printing from becoming fully integrated into modern manufacturing lines
• Sigma Labs’ PrintRite3D enables real-time monitoring, analysis, feedback and control during the 3D-printing process of precision metal parts

Sigma Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB) is a leading producer of quality assurance software for the commercial 3D-printing industry. The company is about to revolutionize commercial 3D printing metal by enabling nondestructive quality assurance during the production process. Sigma Labs’ proprietary PrintRite3D software is a real-time, computer-aided inspection (CAI) technology long sought by 3D printing companies to lower costs and increase yields. PrintRite3D represents a breakthrough in the 3D-quality inspection sphere because it is the only known real-time, in-process, quality-assurance software for the commercial 3D metal printing industry.

3D printing, also called additive manufacturing, is a technology that allows producers to transform a 3D digital model of an object into a physical one by adding material rather than subtracting it, hence the additive in the name. The resulting 3D objects are made in a digitally controlled and operated process by depositing minuscule layers of material onto a substrate layer.

The technology has been embraced by commercial users, especially aerospace. The technology allows companies to build digital designs, push ‘Send’ and render fully formed prototype, customized products or commercial parts in volume – all while saving money, manpower, weight and time. However, the technology is facing hurdles in finding its way beyond prototyping and into conventional manufacturing and serial production. The reason? Before 3D printing metal can be fully integrated into modern manufacturing lines, technology is needed to resolve significant issues such as optimized data handling as well as real-time quality assurance process, monitoring and control.

Due to variances in the 3D-printing process, consistent quality of produced parts can’t be reliably achieved without considerable postproduction inspection that results in high rejection costs. Because parts are inspected after production using expensive CT scans, the manufacturer doesn’t know until the end of the process which of the finished parts meet design specifications. This results in lost time, lost profits and inability to economically scale up production.

This is where Sigma Labs steps in. The company’s people, processes and technologies are pioneers, about to transform the nascent 3D-printing sector by enabling SGLB’s rapid, efficient commercial applications and allowing growth at scale. Unlike any other quality-inspection software in the market, PrintRite3D is a third-party, validated software that enables real-time monitoring, analysis, feedback and control during the 3D-printing process of precision metal parts. The software conducts thermal-signature anomaly detection and automatic risk-level classification through statistical process sampling and advanced analytics.

This innovative solution is based on a proactive, comprehensive, process-focused methodology that enables prediction of product conformance to predefined acceptance requirements. More simply, PrintRite3D discovers defects during the production while adjusting the process in real-time to correct them. This unique solution leads to faster production of metal parts with fewer errors and a more uniform product resulting in decreasing downtime and waste while increasing yield and profits for 3D-printing companies.

3D printing is an innovative technology that has seen growing interest from manufacturers and investors alike stemming from decreasing product lifecycles trend, which is influenced by factors such as increased global competition and the need for innovation due to saturated markets and changing customer demands. Additive-manufacturing technology is viewed as a response to these challenges as it considerably reduces time to market.

According to Verified Market Research, the global 3D-printing market was valued at $8.08 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.5% from 2018 to 2025, reaching the value of $49.74 billion (http://ibn.fm/X87jS). Given these impressive growth rates, investors have been investing heavily in 3D-printing companies now that their commercial applications are soaring. The sector has already produced three unicorns, with the highest valued being Carbon, a 3D-printing, venture-backed startup that has raised $680 million, at a valuation of $2.4 billion, from investors such as Sequoia Capital, Madrone, Baillie Gifford Capital Partners and GV.

Sigma Labs was founded in 2010 and has since become the go-to, 3D-printing expert for real-time, computer-aided inspection (CAI) solutions. Managed by experts from many different science disciplines such as metallurgy, physics, signal processing, mechanical engineering, optics, software AI and ML, data analytics and visualization, the company established credibility within highly demanding industries such as aerospace, defense, biomedical and transportation.

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

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