• KNR records 35 percent growth, is on track for positive cash flow
• Company aims to be an industry leader in providing energy efficiency
• KNR CEO says that the company is in the due diligence stages for multiple acquisitions

Kontrol Energy Corp. (CSE: KNR) (OTC: KNRLF) (FSE: 1K8) is positioning itself to meet its strategic goals for 2019. Those goals include two additional accretive acquisitions, growing its recurring software as a service (“SaaS”) organic volume and becoming cash-flow positive (http://ibn.fm/ilosH).

The company reported sales of $6.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 – a 35 percent jump from $4.9 million during the same period of the prior year.

In a news release, Paul Ghezzi, CEO of KNR, stated, “In 2019 we anticipate being cash-flow positive based on our current run rate of $16 million in revenue. We have delivered robust growth while maintaining a very tight share structure with approximately 28 million shares outstanding.”

KNR announced that it is in various stages of due diligence in respect to multiple accretive acquisitions. Ghezzi said that the company will be focused on completing those transactions. Last fall, KNR acquired CEM Specialties Inc. and subsequently received two orders totaling more than $2 million. The company’s investor presentation notes that KNR has already completed six acquisitions to date (http://ibn.fm/riyfO).

KNR is an Ontario, Canada-based innovator in the energy efficiency sector, offering clients market-based energy solutions to reduce energy costs and cut greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions. The company achieves this by applying disruptive and integrated technologies.

KNR has identified an organic growth target of 40 percent per annum, driven by IoT, cloud and SaaS technologies that reduce energy costs. KNR’s SaaS sales model provides strong organic growth for the company by offering customers enhanced energy management, analytics and data in real time.

Ghezzi added, “As the broader market becomes more aware of our ability to scale our recurring revenues and our overall growth rates, we believe our shareholders will be rewarded.”

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

• Acquisition of Goodfellas Group LLC includes innovative, user-friendly cannabis package “Simple Kit” to help first-time users achieve a positive experience
• Company is creating a distribution network throughout California to serve the state’s $8.6 billion cannabis industry
• Recently closed an IPO funding share sale to bring in aggregate gross proceeds of C$2.2 million
• U.S. legal cannabis industry projected to reach $23.4 billion in consumer spending in 2022, growing at a 22 percent CAGR from 2017-2022

TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8), which specializes in supporting clients involved in nearly every aspect of the cannabis-related eco-system, is adding another strategic layer to its growing portfolio. The company’s acquisition of Goodfellas Group LLC, a full-service advertising and marketing agency that specializes in the cannabis and hemp industries, brings with it an innovative cannabis “Simple Kit.” Part of Goodfellow’s in-house brand, “Simple,” the kit is designed to help first-time cannabis users have a pleasant experience in a simple, safe manner, according to a joint news release (http://ibn.fm/Uf7XK).

The Simple Kit comes with a user-friendly box as its packaging, which, when opened, can be transformed into a tray. Within the box comes a childproof container/grinder that is also waterproof and airtight, a portion of cannabis, filter tips, a cannabis scoping device and rolling papers. The Simple Kit has already been introduced to some California cannabis dispensaries and is expected to be introduced to all legal cannabis counters once the sale of Goodfellas to TransCanna is complete.

“The Goodfellas team reversed engineered the cannabis experience and brought it back to the beginning. Our driving question within the company was, how can we help and assist a consumer who hasn’t had cannabis in 30 or 40 years, begin to enjoy cannabis again,” Nam Tran, Managing Member of GoodFellas, said in the release. “Whether it’s for medicinal or recreational purposes, we believe the Simple Kit is an ideal product to help anyone start enjoying cannabis.”

A new report issued by Arcview Market Research in partnership with BDS Analytics projects that the legal cannabis space in the U.S. will experience double-digit growth from 2018 to 2022. According to the report, “The State of Legal Marijuana Markets, Sixth Edition,” consumer spending on legal cannabis products in the U.S. was expected to reach $11 billion in 2018 and climb to more than $23 billion by 2022, growing at a 22 percent compound annual growth rate over the five-year period (http://ibn.fm/GDmoV).

Jim Pakulis, CEO of TransCanna, said that the company was intrigued and excited by the concept of branding a user-friendly, all-in-one cannabis package and sees a bright future ahead for the Simple Kit.

“An exceptional product for the times. We’re witnessing an unprecedented number of patients and consumers participating with cannabis. The Simple Kit is innovative, simple and easy to use. Conditional on the acquisition, we look forward to expanding the Simple Kit throughout California,” Pakulis said in the joint news release.

For the first time in its history, the World Health Organization has suggested that cannabis be “rescheduled” from its current position as a highly regulated drug to a less restrictive schedule, citing evidence that “preparations of cannabis have shown therapeutic potential for treatment of pain and other medical conditions,” as an article in Newsweek reads (http://ibn.fm/PwJUx). The WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence also recommended that cannabidiol (“CBD”) containing no more than 0.2 percent THC should be removed from all international drug control conventions.

TransCanna is strategically creating a distribution network throughout California that places its facilities no further than a three-hour drive from most any client. The company is in the process of leasing or purchasing properly licensed and permitted warehouses strategically located throughout California, along with new secure trucks, sprinter vans and/or armored vehicles.

Through its affiliate, TCM Distribution Inc. (“TCMD”), TransCanna has secured local licenses in Adelanto, California, and recently secured a California temporary distribution license. In addition, TransCanna also completed its initial public offering for total gross proceeds of C$2.2 million, which will be used to fund its general working capital for the next 12 months, including its entry into California’s cannabis transportation and branding market, as a recent article details (http://ibn.fm/0xXL7).

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

• Green Hygienics’ focus is on supplying medical and recreational consumers with exceptional cannabis products
• The company is initially targeting the multi-billion dollar California cannabis market
• Green Hygienics has a number of first-class brands and pioneering grow technology

Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) is setting itself up as a leader in the advancement of science-driven cannabis cultivation systems. A full-scope, premium cannabis cultivation business, it is targeting the high-end medical and adult-use recreational cannabis markets. Green Hygienics is working to expand its portfolio of brands, initially across the U.S. and then worldwide. The company’s focus is on providing medical and recreational consumers with first-rate products through its vertical farming process. Its team has wide-ranging expertise in technology development and in bringing these inventive technologies to market.

Green Hygienics is establishing operations in San Diego, California, first, as it focuses on the $5 billion California cannabis market (http://ibn.fm/AOIyj). Green Entrepreneur notes that California’s cannabis business climate is primed to improve. In the Green Entrepreneur article (http://ibn.fm/k8Chj), Sam Dorf, chief strategy officer of Verano, said, “…California’s tighter regulations and policing of non-compliant operators creates a better business climate for professional, national operators who have been waiting on the sidelines to tap into the world’s largest cannabis market and operate like they do in other states.” Furthermore, the company is building a large cultivation and extraction center in Canada as legislation in the country supports international distribution.

Green Hygienics employs a unique aeroponic growing technology. This involves the delivery of nutrients to an exposed root instead of touching soil, rock wool, peat, clay or other growth media. The company maintains control over every facet of the cultivation process, which facilitates the conservation of natural resources. The technology uses 90-95 percent less water and does not necessitate the use of fungicides or pesticides.

Via the use of an enhanced hybrid aeroponic method, the company fosters greater growing efficiency. Moreover, the quality is higher and more controlled, and the cost per unit for production is reduced to less than $1. This is in comparison to the industry as a whole cultivating a higher end indoor product with a cost range of $2 to $4.

Green Hygienics’ emphasis is on creating distinctive brands for each of its product and service offerings (http://ibn.fm/1eBNK). The company is centering on growth through the sale of premium grade cannabis products. Its brands include The Bridge Coffee House, The Bridge Lounge, Vital Health & Wellness and SolValleyCBD. Brands also include Cannagram Services, Myijuana and CoursePro Academy, with more to follow.

The company’s Cannagram Services, CoursePro Academy and Myijuana jointly advance Green Hygienics’ strategy of expanding its product sales and exposure in the premium cannabis industry (http://ibn.fm/FzwAC). In a news release (http://ibn.fm/O9Cca), Matthew Dole, Green Hygienics’ SVP of business development, said, “The Cannagram technology, in particular, will provide mission-critical solutions for transactional resources, tools and communications for cannabis industry providers and the recreational consumer audience, as well as providing solutions for patient care and treatment at the highest standards.”

By creating trusted global consumer brands, Green Hygienics offers investors the opportunity to partake in the burgeoning cannabis marketplace. With a focus on developing and licensing valuable IP and making strategic acquisitions, the company is on course for further growth. Green Hygienics is leveraging a varied portfolio of offerings, brands and technology as it executes on its vision of providing first-class products to consumers.

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

• Aziza Project is a part stakeholder in Africa New Energies’ well-drilling program in Namibia
• The well-drilling program is envisioned as a means of providing electrical energy to millions of underserved people
• Aziza Project’s ICO will allow security token holders to share in company profits from the resource development
• Drilling is anticipated by the end of the year; 32 potential oil fields have thus far been identified

Aziza Project LLC’s drive to build investor confidence in Southern Africa’s oil and gas resources through modern-tech asset tokenization is gaining increased attention as media outlets such as the Financial Times welcome the input of corporate officers on business topics and provide a forum for the company’s promotions.

As Aziza Project noted recently via its blog (http://ibn.fm/DY9ok), Africa New Energies and Aziza Coin co-founder Shakes Motsilili (http://ibn.fm/Oc6mC) provided the business news publication with a featured opinion article on the value of backing job-creating entrepreneurs, and a separate article promoted Aziza Project’s cryptocurrency-based argument in favor of the company’s security tokens as a more profitable alternative to fund management intermediaries’ fees.

Aziza Project owns 20 percent of Africa New Energies (“ANE”), a corporation focused on bringing electrical energy resources to the underserved millions of residents in sub-Saharan Africa – specifically, Namibia. ANE is preparing to drill 10 wells toward the end of this year, which it believes will provide natural gas that can be converted to electricity onsite and pushed out to the majority of the country’s peoples through a utility grid.

The Aziza Coin ICO tokenizes ANE’s asset — a 22,000-square-kilometer (8,494.2-square-mile) governmental land concession roughly the size of Montana for the drilling project — to help fund the $60 million budget for the drilling program and additional investments in other energy-related businesses, including a plan to potentially provide free solar energy to communities not connected to the national grid through anticipated drilling profits. ANE states that its initial investment has enabled it to identify 32 potential oil fields thus far, with a net un-risked prospective resource of 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent (http://ibn.fm/pfsAw).

The article in the Financial Times favoring security tokens over fund managers notes how a South Africa businessman based in London began analyzing his return on investment by comparing the “hidden fees” he would pay to private equity funds with the Aziza Project’s “low transparent fees” that use blockchain’s distributed ledger technology to “automate and disintermediate the layers of fund management costs.”

The article notes that the equity fund fees are a disincentive to investment in startup enterprises.

“If the fund management industry is taking three-quarters of returns, with 40% of funds disappearing upfront, it becomes distinctly more risk averse, as any loss of retail investor capital will invite scrutiny and therefore shed light on the level of their fees,” the article states. “This risk aversion is manifested in the fact that 0.02% of assets under management or only 8 billion Euros were allocated to startups in 2016. This matters since start-ups create more jobs than the rest of the economy combined.”

Aziza Coin’s offering, on the other hand, has demonstrated its transparency by registering in the United States as a security token, and its investor fees are limited to a flat 10 percent up front, the article states.

“It became the first cryptocurrency in the world to integrate its reporting systems with a tax authority when it became a third party data provider to South African Revenue Services (SARS), ensuring that investor gains were reported and taxed as capital gains,” the article continues.

Aziza Coin’s smart contract is based on the Ethereum cryptocurrency, and, if the underlying energy exploration project pays off as expected, the security token could be the means for holders to earn dividends every time the company issuing the tokens earns a profit in the market (http://ibn.fm/YK4j5). The company estimates that proving the concession’s value will result in the Aziza Project’s holding being potentially worth up to $621 million.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Aziza.io

• Early December 2018, Sproutly announced that Bryan Semkuley would be joining the company as new president
• Previously, former Pernod executive Constantine Constandis joined the advisory board, and seasoned beverage executive Michael Bellas joined the board of directors
• Sproutly plans to solidify its leading position through commercial cultivation, the establishment of new channel relationships and innovative product development

An expansion of its leadership team is one of the steps that Sproutly Canada Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) has undertaken to solidify its top position as a cannabis beverage formulation company.

In December 2018, Sproutly announced that Bryan Semkuley would be joining the company as president (http://ibn.fm/aNhsd). Semkuley has over 30 years of experience in leading global innovation teams. He has been a senior executive at Fortune 200 companies like Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB), Labatt and Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD).

At Sproutly, Semkuley will focus on the execution of key strategic objectives such as becoming a foremost cannabis formulation company in the field of beverages. Some of the key steps toward the accomplishment of this goal include the development of an operational plan and tying in the different vertical divisions of sales.

Commercial innovation, the establishment of new channel relationships and product development are three primary areas in which Semkuley has extensive experience. Before joining Sproutly, he served as vice president, global innovation/industrial sector at Kimberly-Clark.

“Bryan brings significant experience in branding, marketing, sales, and most importantly global product innovation and expertise from recognized multinational consumer packaged goods and beverage companies. Our ability to continue executing on our business objectives, defining our competitive advantages, and attracting top talent to our management team and board of directors further validates our commitment to becoming a leading cannabis company with a clear focus on the beverage category,” Sproutly CEO and chairman Keith Dolo said in a news release.

Semkuley’s appointment came about a week after two late November 2018 announcements indicating that Constantine Constandis would be joining the Sproutly advisory board (http://ibn.fm/WUpIP) and Michael Bellas would join the board of directors (http://ibn.fm/pDX2y).

Constandis is a global C-level executive who has more than 34 years of experience in the wine and spirits industry. He is a former senior executive with Pernod Ricard SA. His niche industry experience in brand building, sales and marketing will prove to be invaluable as Sproutly continues working toward becoming a leader in cannabis beverage formulation, Dolo said.

CEO and founder of Beverage Marketing Company, Bellas is a seasoned beverage executive who brings more than 45 years of experience in the industry, working with some of the largest global companies and brands, according to Dolo. As one of the most respected names in the industry, Bellas is expected to add tremendous value to Sproutly’s mission and future growth.

According to Sproutly estimates, the cannabis beverage industry will bring in revenues ranging between $900 million and $4.4 billion by 2024. The exact number depends on the exact market percentage that it captures. The figures don’t account for the premium market potential that is based on Sproutly’s technology for the delivery of naturally water-soluble solutions to supply cannabis-based beverages and edible products.

Sproutly is a developer of cannabis consumer products that combines advanced cultivation practices and transformational technologies to redefine the industry. The company’s Toronto-based ACMPR-licensed facility was built to cultivate pharmaceutical-grade cannabis and to supply a technological breakthrough in producing and formulating the first-ever natural, water-soluble cannabis solution.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Sproutly.ca

• First provincial supply agreement signed with Ontario
• Planned production of 17,500 kg annually at 166,000 sq. ft. Ontario facility
• Planned production of 185,000 kg annually on 1.31 million square feet in Quebec

The agreement signed by The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) to supply cannabis to the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation marks another milestone on the company’s journey toward becoming the world’s leading organic cannabis brand (http://ibn.fm/kvhFr). Now, TGOD’s high quality certified organic cannabis, which is grown in living soil, will be made available to the eight million adults over 19 who live in Ontario, Canada’s largest province by population. This is the first of many provincial supply agreements in the cards as the company expands its domestic and international footprints. Distribution to the Ontario market “is a critical component to TGOD’s national recreational rollout,” according to Brian Athaide, director and CEO. It complements other initiatives that the company is undertaking in Denmark, Jamaica, Mexico and Poland.

The Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation (“OCRC”), operating as the Ontario Cannabis Store (“OCS”), is a Canadian Crown corporation, established to be a monopoly, which operates the only legal online store for recreational cannabis in Ontario. As soon as a legislative framework is in place, expected by April 2019, it will also become the provincial wholesaler of cannabis for private retail stores. OCS commenced retail sales with the opening of the Canadian recreational cannabis market on October 17. Its wholesale division will soon follow, as a list of the first 25 retailers eligible to apply for cannabis licenses was published in January 2019. The recreational market has already shown exceptional vibrancy. The Ontario Cannabis Store received more than 100,000 orders and over 1.3 million unique visitors to its website in the first 24 hours of operations.

The OCS supply contract involved Velvet Management Inc. (“Velvet”), which provides fully integrated sales and distribution services for TGOD’s cannabis products to provincial liquor and cannabis boards across Canada. Velvet was set up by Philippe Dandurand Wines, the largest importer and distributor of wine in Canada, to “focus on the sales and marketing of cannabis brands. TGOD is the first cannabis partner and will be exclusive in the certified organic segment.”

TGOD is the largest licensed producer of 100 percent certified organic cannabis in Canada. The company’s cannabis is certified by ECOCERT, one of the pre-eminent organic certification bodies in the world. Organic cannabis is grown in living soil without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. The result is a cleaner, premium product for Canadian consumers across both medical and recreational uses.

TGOD continues to pursue its mission of becoming the leading global organic cannabis brand. Since its inception, the company has raised more than $450 million to fund domestic and international expansion and acquisitions, including a 49.18 percent interest in Epican, a vertically integrated cannabis company with licenses for cultivation, extraction, manufacturing and retail sales in Jamaica. Ultimately, it plans to raise annual output capacity to 219,000 kilograms (roughly 483,000 lbs.). The company has a presence in Canada’s two largest provinces, by population – Ontario and Quebec – which together offer a cannabis market estimated at $1.12 billion to $2.68 billion.

TGOD’s facilities in Hamilton, Ontario, are planned to have a total build-out capacity of 166,000 square feet, allowing TGOD to produce 17,500 kg of organic cannabis annually. Construction activity, already underway, started with an indoor facility of 7,000 sq. ft. with an output capacity of 1,000 kg, which is being used as a beta test for a phase I expansion. Phase I will be an enclosed facility that adds 2,000 kg of capacity by the end of Q2 2019. It will be followed by construction of a hybrid facility of 139,000 sq. ft. with a capacity of 14,500 kg.

Construction at TGOD’s 75-acre Salaberry-de-Valleyfield property in Quebec, which commenced January 2018, continues. Valleyfield is a 1.31 million sq. ft. high technology hybrid facility capable of producing 185,000 kg of high-quality organic cannabis annually. First cultivation is expected by Q4 2019.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.TGOD.ca

• Developing Bria-OTS, the first off-the-shelf personalized immunotherapy for advanced breast cancer
• Initiated FDA-approved phase IIa combination study of BRIA-IMT with Merck & Co. Inc.’s KEYTRUDA
• Impressive results in two proof-of-concept clinical trials reveal rapid response rate, repeated response following retreatment and excellent safety profile
• Cancer immunotherapy market is anticipated to grow to $145 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 14 percent

BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (OTCQB: BCTXF) (TSX.V: BCT), a clinical-stage biotechnology company that’s currently focused on the development of targeted immunotherapy solutions for advanced breast cancer patients, has, to date, demonstrated excellent results with Bria-IMT in several clinical trials. BriaCell continues to concentrate on these cancer patients, who often enter the company’s clinical studies after thoroughly exhausting all other treatment options. This unmet medical need facing advanced breast cancer patients is real and growing ever more acute, as new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed daily. More than 2.1 million new cases were documented globally in 2018, according to the Cancer Research Institute (http://ibn.fm/f08Ko).

BriaCell’s leading candidate, Bria-IMT, works by providing breast cancer antigens that directly stimulate T-cells to activate and boost their anti-cancer capabilities. Bria-IMT has already achieved proof of concept in clinical trials and is showing an outstanding safety profile, as well as excellent efficacy (http://ibn.fm/3rcg2). Currently, Bria-IMT’s effectiveness is being assessed in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) by Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK). During the clinical trials, BriaCell’s cancer-fighting immunotherapy managed to elicit tumor regression even in the case of heavily pre-treated advanced breast cancer patients, as a recent article explains (http://ibn.fm/4Xebp).

“We believe that combination of Bria-IMT with immune checkpoint inhibitors should create even more potent anti-cancer immune responses,” BriaCell President and CEO Dr. Bill Williams stated in a recent news release (http://ibn.fm/gUe7p). “BriaCell is committed to exploring additional ways to address the unmet needs of the advanced breast cancer community. We are very excited to test this novel combination treatment approach which we believe will offer significant clinical benefit to patients with advanced breast cancer.”

The imminent clinical use of a novel, frozen formulation of Bria-IMT is another exciting development for BriaCell. The company’s frozen formulation allows for the storage of cryopreserved, ready-to-inject Bria-IMT for cold-chain overnight transport to clinical sites, where it will be thawed prior to injection in patients. This unique formulation of Bria-IMT has also shown improved potency compared to the old formulation in vitro. Long term, this novel, frozen formulation is expected to carry reduced per-dose costs compared to the old formulation, as the company stated in a news release (http://ibn.fm/aSecW). The frozen formulation will also be applicable to Bria-OTS, BriaCell’s personalized off-the-shelf immunotherapy, which is under development.

BriaCell recently announced the appointment of Jamieson Bondarenko to its board of directors. As an active investor, Bondarenko provides strategic capital markets and corporate development advice to early-stage life sciences companies through his merchant capital firm, JGRNT Capital Corp., according to a news release (http://ibn.fm/jfKPk).

“Jamieson brings extensive capital markets experience to BriaCell,” Dr. Saeid Babaei, BriaCell’s chairman of the board, stated in the release. “His expertise will be a valuable resource for BriaCell in the current investment environment as we execute our mission to bring innovative therapeutics to patients who tirelessly fight the deadliest forms of advanced breast cancer with no effective treatment options.”

Bondarenko was most recently principal, managing director, equity capital markets at Eight Capital. His previous roles include equity capital markets and investment banking positions at Dundee Capital Markets, Wellington West Capital Markets and HSBC Securities. He is a CFA charter holder and a chartered market technician.

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

• GrowGeneration continues to target cannabis growers with asset acquisition
• U.S. cannabis market projected to reach $23 billion by 2020
• GrowGeneration now operates from 21 locations in eight states
• Plans in place to open additional locations in California, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon and Pennsylvania

With its acquisition of certain assets of BWGS, LLC (“BWGS”), a large domestic wholesaler of indoor, hydroponic, and organic horticultural supplies, GrowGeneration Corp. (OTCQX: GRWG) advances its “roll-up” consolidation strategy in the national hydroponic grow supply industry. GrowGeneration, one of the largest chains of specialty hydroponic and organic garden centers, with 21 locations serving both commercial and home growers, recently announced that it had purchased certain assets of BWGS, including inventory and branded products (http://ibn.fm/wuBiy). GrowGeneration maintains its robust track record of acquisition and its position as the largest B2B seller of specialty hydroponic supplies in the nation.

In a news release, GrowGeneration CEO Darren Lampert stated, “This transaction bolsters our ability to supply branded ‘house’ products to our customers. From trellis netting, to plastic pots, to organic nutrients, GrowGeneration will now have a complete line of private label products to offer our customers at great prices. Further, the transaction is expected to have a positive impact on margins and profitability in the near term.”

BWGS has been operating in the B2B horticultural supply business for over 20 years. The company has a reputation for helping retailers meet the demands of an evolving marketplace through its focus on innovative, reliable, effective products for residential, greenhouse and commercial cultivation. Since 1995 – when its first warehouse began operation – the company has been adding hubs, and it now has depots in Charlotte, North Carolina; Denver, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; and Visalia and Sacramento in California that shorten delivery times and support a growing client list. At time of asset acquisition, the BWGS product portfolio ranged across 18 family brands, including DuraBreeze, Elemental Solutions, Sunleaves, ION, OptiLUME and Blueprint Controllers, providing a comprehensive selection of unique and innovative indoor gardening products.

GrowGeneration continues to expand its footprint by consolidating horizontally in the highly fragmented $4.5 billion indoor, hydroponic and organic horticultural supply market. Its aim is nothing less than to be a one-stop shop for all hydroponic equipment, lighting, nutrients and other critical products for specialty growers, including growers of cannabis.

At the end of Q3 2018, GrowGeneration had closed approximately $25 million in acquisitions. Its in-house M&A team already has another $25 million in the works for 2019. So far, acquisitions have proven to be accretive, presenting significant profit growth. Accretive acquisitions are those that increase earnings per share (“EPS”). The accretion in earnings has been partly driven by economies of scale resulting from the integration in corporate infrastructure across sales, operations, purchasing, technology and accounting. GrowGeneration’s operational business model is highly scalable and provides opportunities for margin expansion.

Naturally, GrowGeneration’s roll-up strategy is also pushing up the top line, with year-over-year revenue growth exceeding 100 percent. FY2018 revenue is projected at $30 million, compared to $14.3 million in FY2017.

GrowGeneration currently operates 23 specialty retail hydroponic and organic gardening stores in eight states across America, including seven in California; six in Colorado; three in Michigan; two in Oklahoma; two in Nevada; and one each in Maine, Rhode Island and Washington. In 2019, GrowGeneration intends to add outlets in California, Oregon, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Nebraska by advancing an extensive acquisition pipeline.

GrowGeneration also operates an online superstore for cultivators, which is located at HeavyGardens.com. The company’s inventory includes thousands of products, such as organic nutrients and soils, advanced lighting technology and state-of-the-art hydroponic equipment to be used indoors and outdoors by commercial and home growers. The company’s mission is to own and operate GrowGeneration-branded stores in all the major legalized cannabis states in the U.S., targeting a market that is projected to reach $23 billion by 2020.

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

• On February 7, Spectrum Global Solutions announced its entry into a definitive agreement of merger with WaveTech Global Inc.
• Upon completion of the merger, WaveTech will become the majority-controlling shareholder of Spectrum Global Solutions
• Representatives of the two companies announced that the merger will provide unique growth opportunities and tremendous value for shareholders

Spectrum Global Solutions Inc. (OTCQB: SGSI), a multi-national single-source provider of next-generation communications network professional services and software solutions to telecommunications and enterprise markets, recently announced its entry into a definitive agreement of merger with WaveTech Global Inc. Upon completion of the merger and acquisition, the consolidated merged entity will have an enterprise value of $130 million, according to a company press release issued on February 7 (http://ibn.fm/RbYGj).

WaveTech Global is a next-generation technology platform that specializes in the provision of mobile network microservices, critical power management, asset lifecycle extension, data analytics and intellectual property development, among other offerings.

The merger will be completed through a sale and exchange of shares and cash. Upon finalization of the transaction, WaveTech will become the majority-controlling shareholder of Spectrum Global Solutions.

According to the official announcement, Spectrum will rebrand itself under the WaveTech Global name. The company’s current leadership team will remain operational in the interim. Spectrum’s board is anticipated to expand and include three new members from WaveTech. Spectrum intends to file for a name change to WaveTech Global. It will also submit an application for uplisting to a Nasdaq exchange under the ticker ‘WAVE’.

“We believe the combination with WaveTech presents a unique growth opportunity for the Company and provides tremendous value for our shareholders,” Spectrum Global Solutions CEO Roger Ponder said in a news release.

“We are excited to join forces with Roger and his team to enable WaveTech and Spectrum to leap forward together. WaveTech is excited to harness the scale and expertise that Spectrum has developed, offering true synergy for Spectrum stakeholders and new WaveTech stakeholders alike. The opportunity ahead of us is massive, and together the new WaveTech team has dramatically improved its sustainable competitive advantage,” WaveTech’s Michael Kotlarz added.

WaveTech’s platform of products features a number of highlights. The company’s Power-Control network architecture is patent pending. It has AI capabilities for the creation of an automated intelligent network from a customer’s power storage and generation assets. The aim of the network is to complete a wide range of customer-specific goals. WaveTech is also known for its patented approach to crystal control, which can dramatically reduce the need for backup energy capital expenditure and the linked costs for environmental control and maintenance to protect critical energy assets.

Spectrum Global Solutions is a leading single-source provider of end-to-end, next generation wireless and wireline network infrastructure. The company offers professional solutions to the service provider and corporate enterprise markets across the U.S., Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean region.

The company provides services directly to carriers, aggregators, project management organizations, utilities, original equipment manufacturers (“OEMS”) and others. It operates through various subsidiaries, including AW Solutions, TNS Inc., ADEX Corp and Tropical Communications Inc.

Currently, the company lists approximately 200 clients that range from multinational telecommunications giants AT&T and Verizon to infrastructure aggregators like ExteNet and Crown Castle.

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

• TransCanna Holdings has acquired an option to buy a Northern California site with a 196,000-square-foot facility and room for a potential 400,000-square-foot addition
• The existing facility has undergone $8 million in cannabis production-potential upgrades
• The company is contemplating the possibility of using the site for cannabis transportation, extraction, manufacturing, bottling, cultivation and nursery operations

Emerging cannabis branding, transportation and distribution company TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8) continues to actively develop its market profile for 2019 after recently accepting a Northern California real estate option agreement from the company’s CEO.

The 6.5-acre site has a 196,000-square-foot facility, as well as cannabis packaging and processing equipment and space for a potential 400,000-square-foot grow facility, according to a news release (http://ibn.fm/CKoCK). The seller is experienced in building commercial HVAC facilities to meet U.S. Department of Agriculture standards for safety and sanitation and has previously made a number of improvements to the site, many of which are to USDA standards, and TransCanna Holdings has reached an additional agreement with the seller to retain consultant services and management of the grow facility’s construction, if the company decides to proceed with that second building.

The existing facility is not currently licensed for cannabis, nor is the acquisition dependent on receiving those licenses, according to the company, but, if TransCanna exercises its option to buy the land, it intends to use the facility for transportation and distribution, extraction, manufacturing, bottling, nursery and growing operations. The company expects to lease space to a third-party laboratory testing company, as well.

“With the recent $8 million of tenant improvements performed, this is one of the largest cannabis focused, vertically integrated facilities in California,” TransCanna CEO Jim Pakulis stated in a news release. “The intended use of the facility will be to transfer branded companies that we acquire, or that we create, and bring them inhouse. This means we have complete control over our nursery, grow, manufacturing, extraction and distribution. We believe the consistency in our ecosystem that we can offer, and the scale that we can create, will result in TransCanna owning a portfolio of premium brands that will materially benefit the retailer and their customers.”

California remains the world’s largest marketplace for cannabis sales, despite Canada’s nationwide legalization of the plant last year (http://ibn.fm/NeKs6).

The land is in an area zoned for cannabis production, and the company intends to submit applications for all appropriate licenses this month. TransCanna Holdings has until March 15 to finalize the purchase if it chooses to continue forward. The company has already reimbursed Pakulis the non-refundable $250,000 he initially paid to acquire the sale option and expects to pay an additional fee to financial advisory company Haywood Securities Inc. if the deal closes, according to the news release.

The agreement marks the latest in a series of developments for TransCanna since the British Columbia, Canada-based company was incorporated about a year and a half ago. In January, the company announced its pending acquisition of Goodfellas Group, LLC, a full-service advertising and marketing agency for the cannabis industries (http://ibn.fm/zWO8u). The company also hired Purple Crown Communications Corp. of Vancouver as its investor relations consultant as part of its filing to list with the Canadian Securities Exchange (http://ibn.fm/FWapo). TransCanna also successfully completed an IPO on the Canadian Stock Exchange in January for total gross proceeds of C$2.2 million, and it gained approval to trade on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, as well.

TransCanna subsidiary TransCanna Management Inc., which manages affiliate TCMD, has focused on establishing its own place in the niche market for cannabis distribution and transportation companies operating in California. California is among nine states and the District of Columbia that have legalized recreational marijuana use in the United States, but transporting cannabis products in the state remains problematic because of decentralized local and state regulations, which create a disincentive for many potential players. The federal government’s continued prohibition of cannabis beyond approved pharmaceutical and agricultural hemp uses means that companies regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation are barred from transporting the material, further limiting the pool of potential competitors.

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