• Joint Venture MIDS technology doubles detection capability in second testing round
• MIDS Technology aims to provide ambulance personnel, ERs with a fast, easy, low-cost and powerful device to diagnose potential cardiac symptoms
• Chest pain diagnosis is one of the most common challenges for outpatient medical providers to assess

When first responders provide treatment to patients complaining of chest pain, they face the critical task of determining what medical intervention is necessary with as much immediacy as possible.

Although such diagnoses can be difficult, particularly away from a clinical laboratory setting, Zenosense Inc. (OTC: ZENO), through a joint-venture ownership in MIDS Medical Ltd., is developing a cost-effective, hand-held, rapid cardiac diagnostic device, MIDS Cardiac™. The technology is aimed at first responders and clinicians for use at the point of care, to save money and lives through prompt evaluation of the patient’s condition.

More than 28 million adults in the United States alone are living with a diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD), the cholesterol-clogged affliction of the arteries that spurs heart attacks (acute myocardial infarctions, or AMIs) as the leading cause of death each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://ibn.fm/bJqno). Assessing chest pain complaints in these patients, without an existing diagnosis, is a common challenge in medical settings.

“Chest discomfort is one of the most commonly-encountered complaints in outpatient medicine, and represents a major diagnostic challenge as patients often present with a broad range of non-specific symptoms or signs,” Dr. James Januzzi Jr. of Massachusetts General Hospital wrote in the American College of Cardiology’s Cardiovascular Imaging publication earlier this year as part of his introduction to a study that he helped author on heart-related diagnoses (http://ibn.fm/iuNGk).

Examining the levels of troponin protein released by damaged heart muscle in a patient’s blood has become the go-to biomarker to establish if a patient has experienced an AMI. Januzzi’s team also found that the ability to detect relatively low levels of troponin by a high sensitivity test may also provide clinicians with the ability to identify CAD in “stable” patients perhaps at risk of AMI who might not otherwise expect emergency care (http://ibn.fm/eWORD).

Zenosense’s MIDS Cardiac technology is being developed as a revolutionary hand-held diagnostic device for cardiac emergency triage that aims to provide a true high sensitivity single troponin I or troponin T test within three minutes, and a three-panel assay of additional cardiac biomarkers within eight minutes, in order to grant first responders in the field and the emergency room a triage ability that is not only rapid but that utilizes a device costing a fraction of a central laboratory analyzer.

The aim is to ease, accelerate and improve diagnosis of chest pain, giving first responders a vital early indication if a patient may or may not need significant and costly cardiac intervention. In 2017, the first next generation troponin assay for the early diagnosis of heart attack was approved for use in the U.S. by the FDA. High sensitivity troponin assays have been in use in other parts of the world for over seven years, including Europe, Canada and Australia. There are no point-of-care devices that can compare with high-sensitivity central lab assays for cardiac biomarkers.

The MIDS technology uses magnetic sensors to detect very low numbers of assay beads, which is expected to support a rapid test using a pin prick of blood for a single assay carried out on an easy-to-use, disposable microfluidic test strip, whereas current point of care devices rely on less sensitive optical technology.

In the new testing, the joint venture aimed to magnetically detect assay beads below the 200,000 level in order to support a finding that the technology could be effective in a high-sensitivity troponin test. Previously, the technology had detected down to around 100,000 beads; the new testing brings this down to around the 50,000-bead level, indicating that it is well within the necessary level of detection required for a high-sensitivity assay (http://ibn.fm/lyDmX). The new testing used extensively improved core sensor electronics to deliver the near-doubling of the previously obtained sensitivity level.

“MIDS is a hugely challenging development,” the venture’s Managing Director and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Nasser Djennati stated in a news release. “The results of this second round of testing are quite extraordinary, as magnetic detection at this level for this application is unheard of. We can now move forward and apply the MIDS detection to established assay techniques used in conventional analyzers as we seek to deliver state-of-the-art laboratory standard, high sensitivity cardiac troponin testing at the Point of Care.”

The company is now planning to test microfluidic detection using the revised electronics platform and to embody a high-sensitivity assay on a test strip for the next key phase of development. It is confident that the new round of testing will deliver a material reduction in the level of bead detection when the Hall effect sensors are used in an unpackaged format in a production “lab-on-chip” test strip.

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

• Net Element is enhancing its payments-as-a-service transactional platform to address the needs of small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S., as well as in select emerging markets
• An innovative events industry extension was launched in May to tap into the rapidly growing field
• Net Element has also announced a Netevia platform extension in the form of a smart vendor payment solution for B2B companies

Over the past couple months, Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) has increased its portfolio of payment solutions aimed at both huge markets and underrepresented market segments. The global technology and value-added solutions provider focuses on electronic payment acceptance in multi-channel environments.

On May 23, Net Element announced the launch of a unified payment solution for the events industry. The new solution enhances existing payment options through intelligent point-of-sale integration, as well as self-order kiosks and multi-channel payment acceptance.

The new solution will greatly benefit the rapidly growing events market. According to the Event Industry Council, this niche has generated more than $330 billion in direct spending in 2016, an increase of 18 percent since 2012 (http://ibn.fm/NYrWD). The industry has a massive impact on the U.S. economy, as it creates 5.9 million jobs and generates over $845 billion in business sales.

On June 12, Net Element announced yet another new development – a smart vendor payment solution for business-to-business (B2B) companies. The solution comes in the form of a Netevia platform extension. It enables secure vendor payments and also reduces the cost of payment processing. Payments are delivered electronically and can be processed solely by the designated vendor. Added controls increase the security and flexibility of transactions.

By enabling these additional functionalities, Netevia is becoming an efficient market platform for small and medium-sized companies looking for modern card-payment oriented solutions, according to the president of integrated payments for Net Element, Vlad Sadovskiy.

B2B ecommerce is another area currently undergoing rapid expansion. According to a Forrester report (http://ibn.fm/I3wY8), B2B ecommerce transactions in the U.S. are set to hit a volume of $1.2 trillion by 2021, accounting for 13 percent of all B2B sales in the U.S., with a compound annual growth rate of 7.4 percent over the next three to four years.

Reports also suggest that half of the B2B buyers today are millennials (http://ibn.fm/MuHCu). This demographic is recognized for its specific purchasing preferences: millennials no longer tolerate cumbersome purchasing processes and are interested in reducing human interactions and digitalizing parts of the process as much as possible. Self-service capabilities and 24/7 ecommerce options will be seen as determining for the success of B2B vendors in the years to come.

This is where Net Element solutions can prove to be extremely beneficial. The company’s payments-as-a-service platform primarily targets small and medium-sized companies in the U.S. and a number of emerging markets. Additionally, blockchain technologies and other innovative solutions are constantly being explored for the purpose of growing transactional revenue and offering added value to customers.

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

• Zenergy combines approach to changing energy habits, adding autonomous controls to cut utility consumption
• Residential users of smart home technology expected to reach 53.1 percent by 2022
• Revenues from corporate energy-efficient HVAC systems expected to reach $61.2 billion across the globe by 2027

The global press toward finding technology-based advances that are more environmentally friendly, energy-efficient and “smart” is reflected in a variety of industries. Zenergy Brands, Inc. (OTC: ZNGY) is lending its resources and experience to those efforts in the utilities use sector.

Drawing on a history of technology and energy entrepreneurship, Zenergy Brands is attempting to shake the foundations of monopolistic “legacy” business entities with a platform that combines energy services and smart controls to sharply reduce utility users’ carbon footprint without depriving them of needed services. The innovative new tech-driven approach relies on optimization of services on a case-by-case basis.

The value of energy conservation stretches across boundaries, affecting municipal customers as well as much larger industrial and commercial entities. An analysis of current trends by Navigant Research has led to a new report forecasting that global energy-efficient HVAC systems in commercial buildings alone will produce $61.2 billion in revenues by 2027, more than doubling the market take of $29.4 billion that’s expected this year (http://ibn.fm/tiizc). The report anticipates that the majority of the increase will come from the Asia-Pacific region, followed by Western Europe — accounting for $51.4 billion between them.

“These technologies support Energy Cloud platforms such as Building-to-Grid, Transportation-to-Grid, and Smart Cities,” Navigant Research Analyst Courtney Marshall stated in the report. “Efficient HVAC technologies enable connections to the grid to commercial buildings by optimizing equipment operations, all while maintaining comfort for their building occupants.”

Analysts at PwC reported last year that, “Owners of commercial buildings are installing energy monitors to help gauge variations in consumption and predict future fuel requirements,” and that many high-profile companies are establishing energy-efficiency goals for 2020 (http://ibn.fm/EOiIw).

Analysts at Statista found that 32 percent of residential consumers have adopted autonomous smart home technology to manage their usage (http://ibn.fm/yNEY1) and predicted that this figure would reach 53.1 percent by 2022. Accompanying revenue estimates predicted growth from $18.87 billion this year to $32.80 billion in 2022, with a CAGR of 14.8 percent. Most of that revenue is generated in the United States, where electronics supplying information and entertainment-hungry consumers are always on.

Zenergy’s Zero Cost Program provides a means for its customers to upgrade their older, inefficient equipment without upfront costs and to examine long-standing habits that may not be conducive to a greener environmental approach. The company states that it can reduce customers’ utility expenses from 20 to 60 percent through advanced tech-friendly controls, conservation solutions and building automation systems and retail energy plans.

More efficient use of water utilities would also create a beneficial effect for the nation’s electrical grid. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that three to four percent of electricity consumption, equivalent to about $4 billion, is used to provide drinking water and wastewater services each year. Water and wastewater utilities are typically the largest consumers of energy in municipalities, the agency states, often accounting for 30 to 40 percent of total energy consumed (http://ibn.fm/wk8n4). In 2016, U.S. electrical utilities spent $3.6 billion on customer incentives geared toward energy efficiency, according to a recent U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) survey (http://ibn.fm/B34gX).

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

• A leading importer of vehicles to Israel has signed with Foresight a non-binding MOU for the sale of the Eyes-On™ automotive vision system
• $12.4 million in private placement agreements signed with leading Israeli institutional investors
• Global advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) market expected to reach $67.43 billion by 2025, growing at 19 percent CAGR

A rising demand for advanced driver safety and assistance systems that help drivers control vehicles and avoid accidents is fueling a global market for technological innovations in an increasingly high growth market, according to multiple industry research reports. Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX), a technological innovator in automotive vision systems and driver assistance technology headquartered in Israel, has been developing, through wholly owned subsidiary Foresight Automotive Ltd., a powerful and mature proprietary stereoscopic technology that provides real-time information to prevent accidents. Foresight’s technology is derived from major shareholder Magna B.S.P.’s field-proven security technology, which has been deployed worldwide for almost two decades. The company’s patents provide IP protection for technology that’s designed to improve driving safety with highly accurate and reliable obstacle detection vision systems.

Foresight recently announced the signing of a non-binding MOU for the company’s unique stereoscopic Eyes-On™ system with a leading importer of vehicles to Israel. The non-binding memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) with a direct importer of several leading vehicle manufacturers will see the installation of Eyes-On™ for aftermarket configuration – Foresight’s advanced driver assistance system (“ADAS”) – in several vehicle models (http://ibn.fm/wW18g) under a pilot program. The importer could potentially order 21,000 Eyes-On™ systems over three years, according to the agreement (http://ibn.fm/QQFWE).

Foresight’s unique Eyes-On™ stereo vision ADAS employs advanced algorithms for accurate depth analysis and obstacle detection. The Eyes-On system will detect all potential obstacles, including vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians, animals and inanimate objects, at a high degree of accuracy. Stereo technology is an image processing concept which uses two synchronized cameras to mimic 3D human depth perception.

Foresight has developed three main products to date: QuadSight™, a breakthrough quad-camera vision system that sets the bar for autonomous vehicle vision; Eyes-On™, a unique stereo vision Advanced Driver Assistance System; and Eye-Net™, a cellular-based accident prevention solution designed to provide real-time pre-collision alerts to vehicles and pedestrians.

The company’s innovative automotive vision systems recently attracted private placement agreements from several leading Israeli institutional investors, including $5.5 million from Harel Insurance (http://ibn.fm/kLUKF), $4.1 million from Meitav Dash Group and $1.4 million from Psagot Investment House (http://ibn.fm/KEe7w).

Grand View Research reports that the global ADAS market is expected to reach $67.43 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 19 percent. Several factors, including increasing levels of government initiatives for mandating driver assistance systems in order to lower road accidents, are contributing to this robust growth pattern, the report states (http://ibn.fm/ODDPS).

In 2016, passenger cars accounted for more than a 72 percent share in the global ADAS market, Grand View Research reports. With the United States and the European Union mandating that automotive manufacturers fit ADAS systems such as lane departure warning systems (LDWS) and autonomous emergency braking systems (AEBS) in vehicles by 2020, Foresight is gearing up to be a leader in this developing space.

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

• Paid ‘VIP Service’ teaches cryptocurrency investing and trading, market trend analysis and trading tips for options as part of CIIX’s effort to instruct its Chinese-speaking audience
• NewCoins168.com site notes that CIIX expects to issue its own ICO in the second half of 2018 or 2019, creating an investment ‘ecosystem’ for audience
• CIIX offers a comprehensive suite of TV, website and podcast education shows that cover the latest trends in cryptocurrencies; it is also active in cryptocurrency mining and ATM marketing

ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) is featuring a series of lecturer-style courses in the ‘Live VIP’  segment of its NewCoins168.com website focused on teaching its Chinese-speaking audience about investing in cryptocurrencies. CIIX is committed to cryptocurrency and blockchain education, as well as actual coin production. The site says that CIIX expects to issue its own ICO in the second half of 2018 or in 2019, effectively creating a virtual investment ‘ecosystem’ for Chinese (http://ibn.fm/dKCp1).

CIIX operates a blockchain facility with AntMiners and ASIC machines in a secure data center near Seattle, Washington, to mine for virtual currency. The NewCoins168.com website offers real-time worldwide news of cryptocurrency trading, ICOs and quotes, as well as analysis of market trends. It also has online registration for paid subscribers to its VIP Service. The Bitcoin Trading Academy LLC will offer paid courses on the website.

The company broadcasts a daily video from the NYSE titled “Bitcoin MultiMillionaire” and is planning a “Bitcoin Talk Show” for cable TV, which will reach some 500,000 Chinese-speaking individuals in the U.S (http://ibn.fm/hwfY9). In addition, CIIX has entered into a licensing partnership with “The Bad Crypto Podcast” to rebroadcast some of its most popular shows in Chinese (http://ibn.fm/OmDUe). The company also hosts a Bitcoin ATM in the lobby of its San Gabriel, California, headquarters.

“The Chinese website is intended to provide entry-level cryptocurrency and blockchain technology information,” Warren Wang, CEO of CIIX, stated in a news release. Specialized courses on NewCoins168.com include trend analysis, short- and long-term prospects, blockchain, ICOs and even options buying.

CIIX has online editorial reporters in New York and Los Angeles and plans to add a total of 10-15 more editors in China at its Shanghai-based subsidiary to provide 24/7 coverage of the industry (http://ibn.fm/hSRBq).

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

• MCOA focusing on non-psychoactive hemp cultivation and product markets
• Hemp industry’s predicted five-year CAGR of 25 percent expected to take it to $2.6 billion by 2022
• hempSMART Face marks subsidiary’s extension into cosmetic products arena

Progressive trends in the adoption of hemp-derived products continue to boost the prospects of Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC: MCOA) and its hempSMART™ brand, which announced on June 19 the rollout of its latest cannabidiol-derived cosmetic product for people seeking an all-natural botanical moisturizer.

The hempSMART™ Face product marks Marijuana Company of America’s expansion of its hempSMART™ brand into the cosmetic products space, building on a portfolio of legal CBD-based wellness innovations.  The company states that each bottle of its hempSMART™ Face (http://ibn.fm/si386) contains 150 mg of full-spectrum, non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) oil derived from the industrial hemp plant. The new topical nourishes facial skin with ayurvedic herbs and botanicals that contain omega 3, 6, 7 and 9, as well as “synergistic ingredients” such as organic aloe, sabi inchi oil, argan kernel oil, macadamia seed oil, rose hip seed oil, pomegranate seed oil, tulsi, turmeric oil, frankincense, ashwagandha, sweet potato root extract, coconut oil and sea buckthorn oil.

As hemp and its derivatives gain renewed attention and popularity throughout the world, market forecasters are anticipating a boom in the CBD product market. The U.S. hemp industry is expected to reach $2.6 billion in consumer interest by 2022, with a remarkable five-year CAGR of 25 percent as regulatory barriers are removed, according to the Hemp Business Journal (http://ibn.fm/QCEWH). The worldwide health and wellness industry, including CBD products, already measures in the trillions of dollars and has an anticipated five-year CAGR of 17 percent (http://ibn.fm/Vg6au).

Canada recently became the second country in the world to legalize marijuana for its full spectrum of recreational and medicinal uses following a Senate vote on June 19, with a waiting period for the nation’s provinces and territories to implement local ordinances before the act becomes official on October 17 (http://ibn.fm/czA6t).

Hemp has seen its star rising without the same degree of controversy. U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell spearheaded hemp cultivation policy experiments under the Agricultural Act of 2014 (http://ibn.fm/ISBYy) and built on their successes to introduce new legislation to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp under the Hemp Farming Act in the 2018 Farm Bill, which was recently passed in Congress (http://ibn.fm/0823g).

Marijuana Company of America is focusing its efforts on non-psychoactive hemp cultivation and product marketing, and it has joined with Global Hemp Group, Inc. (CSE: GHG) (FRANKFURT: GHG) (OTC: GBHPF) to develop 125 acres in New Brunswick, as well as 35 acres in Oregon for hemp cultivation. The New Brunswick project is expected to grow to more than 1,000 acres of hemp in the next three years, and the Oregon project will grow to about 109 acres of hemp, plus the addition of five greenhouses currently under construction to give the site a year-round operation (http://ibn.fm/P6ZGK).

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

• Despite growing need for cobalt in EV production, U.S. produces less than one percent of global supply
• Cobalt supply from DRC stigmatized for human rights concerns
• Promising drill results in Idaho and Canada offer promise of domestic supply sources

The recent publication by First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (ASX: FCC) of drill results from its Iron Creek Project in Idaho is good news for the North American cobalt community. It raises hope of lessened dependence on foreign supplies of the metal, now categorized as a critical mineral commodity by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). First Cobalt’s drill results extend cobalt mineralization in the Waite Zone by an additional 50 meters to the west, as well as to surface. They hold the promise of boosting U.S. production, which, in 2017, was a mere 650 tons – a paltry amount compared to global production of 110,000 tons. The news could not have come at a better time. As global market penetration of EVs increases, cobalt supplies remain tight, with a recent report from Swiss bank, UBS, warning of a shortage by 2022. The announcement also parallels similar good tidings from First Cobalt’s Canadian properties; drilling there has extended the strike length of the mineralized zone in the Kerr area at Cobalt Camp to over 350 meters.

Despite its critical importance to a variety of American industries, the U.S. produces very little cobalt. Production in 2017 was just 650 tons, about one percent of what is mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the world’s largest producer. Consequently, domestic users must rely mostly on imported cobalt. The top two U.S. sources of refined cobalt are Norway, which provides 16 percent, and China, with 15 percent. Much of this cobalt originates in the DRC, which supplies about 58 percent of global mined cobalt.

The pressure on buyers to source non-DRC supplies of the metal is growing. Major companies, including Apple, battery maker Samsung SDI and Chinese cobalt producer Huayou Cobalt, are now attempting to map their cobalt supply chains, an exercise that will allow the source of their cobalt purchases to be identified. They are eyeing, with increased interest, juniors like First Cobalt that are reporting promising drill results.

First Cobalt recently announced that cobalt mineralization in the Waite zone of its Iron Creek Project in Idaho has been extended to the surface and by an additional 50 meters to the west for a total strike length of 520 meters (http://ibn.fm/Z9rBF). The Waite Zone lies south and parallel to the historic No Name Zone, but it was not included in any previous historic reports on the area. High grade intercepts have been detected within longer intervals of mineralization, including 0.52 percent cobalt and 1.10 percent copper over 4.6 meters within 37.8 meters grading 0.12 percent cobalt and 0.41 percent copper in the Waite Zone. In addition, several mineralized intercepts were found in the footwall of the Waite Zone, including 0.33percent cobalt over 10.2 meters, reflecting new mineralization that will be tested in follow up drilling.

Drilling at Iron Creek in 2017 was completed to confirm a historic estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 1.3 million tons grading 0.59 percent cobalt and 0.3 percent copper, which was completed in 1980 by Noranda Inc. That program covered a 460-meter strike length, primarily in the No Name Zone, and the results are the basis for a mineral resource estimate that’s expected to be completed by October 2018. First Cobalt is now undertaking a 70-hole, 30,000-meter drill program designed to double the strike length of the cobalt-copper mineralized zone to 900 meters.

Likewise, First Cobalt has also announced the results of drilling that has extended the strike length of the mineralized zone in the Kerr area to over 350 meters. Results to date from this recently-identified mineralized zone located south of Kerr Lake in the Cobalt North area of the Canadian Cobalt Camp confirm that the area hosts a near-surface network of cobalt veins and disseminated mineralization associated with silver and nickel, as well as copper, zinc and lead (http://ibn.fm/TBHjK). The company is now the largest landowner in Ontario, Canada’s Cobalt Camp, a region that includes the historically significant Keeley-Frontier, Haileybury and Bellellen mines. It controls over 10,000 hectares of prospective land and 50 historic mines, as well as a mill and the only permitted cobalt refinery in North America capable of producing battery materials.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ibn.fm/FTSSF

• Operates 140 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia
• Customers are provided with high-quality products and educational resources
• Aggressive growth strategy in Houston following Hurricane Harvey

Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTS), a leading specialty retailer of stone tiles, related materials and accessories, was founded in 1984 and operates 140 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia. The stores run an average size of 20,500 square feet, and the company’s products can also be purchased online. Representatives are available in store, online and by phone to help customers achieve their dream designs.

The company’s mission is to serve customers with the highest quality of tile products and installation information available. Pictures of customer’s DIY spaces can be found on the company’s Pinterest and Instagram accounts by searching #TheTileShop. The company’s Facebook page (http://ibn.fm/CABoH) is currently dedicated to job opportunities throughout its network of 140 locations.

TTC offers ProEvents to honor an ongoing commitment to build and foster strong relationships with the professional community it serves. A recent event on May 16, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio, for Wedi Contractor Certification had 89 pros in attendance. Upcoming educational events include NTCA Workshops, CTI Tests and more (http://ibn.fm/E8EQJ).

Since becoming a publicly traded company, TTC has been strategic and aggressive with its business model. Part of its aggressive new strategy was the opening of five stores located in high-retail areas throughout Houston in 2017. The first of these stores opened a mere three weeks before Hurricane Harvey devastated the area. Following the destruction of Harvey, TTS was positioned to provide resources to the community differently than it has for previous stores. The company began helping customers rebuild their lives and homes, first by providing education regarding flood-resistant materials and sustainable surfaces. In addition, the company guides customer through proper installation and has access to representatives who are eager to serve (http://ibn.fm/zokue).

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

• Searching for property in Vermont to grow industrial hemp
• Acquired 40 acres of land in Utah, as well as SpeedyGrow and SpeedyVeg
• Continues to concentrate on core ‘Green’ platform

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG), a state-of-the-art financial services company targeting the cannabis industry, is expanding its footprint through acquisitions in Vermont, Utah and Colorado. The company has announced plans to grow hemp and seek appropriate licensing in each state.

“While we are fully committed to our solution to the banking and financial transaction problems in the state-sanctioned marijuana industry, we are pleased thus far with our diversification into CBD extraction,” Jeremy Roberts, CEO of Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions, stated in a news release. “With the recent approval of a CBD based medicine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Agency’s recent clarification, we believe this emerging market is an important focus for our company.”

REFG recently announced plans to grow industrial hemp in Vermont, with the first anticipated harvest set for 2019. The company is currently looking at various properties. The Vermont industrial hemp program requires applicants to register annually with the state’s Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; pay an annual fee; and comply with various farming statutes. According to Roberts, the decision to expand REFG’s footprint into growing hemp is in direct response to shareholder petitions (http://ibn.fm/J4N87).

Vermont is not the only real estate that holds the company’s interest. REFG has also expanded into Utah and Colorado.

A sizable 40-acre plot in Utah was recently acquired to grow hemp, and the company has plans to seek a state license under the recently passed H.B. 302. The 2018 Utah Legislature has already passed several bills involving cannabis that include the cultivation of industrial hemp, cannabidiol products, cannabis cultivation amendments and a medical cannabis policy (http://ibn.fm/dA7ij).

Colorado-licensed SpeedyGrow and organic soil accelerator SpeedyVeg, with its organic nutrient designed to accelerate the growth of plants, was acquired earlier this year by REFG. SpeedyVeg’s formula claims to result in a 20 percent faster growth rate and includes 70 natural trace nutrients (http://ibn.fm/BOa4Z). Through SpeedyGrow, two marijuana strains – GrapeApe and Birthday Cake – were acquired, and the company is seeking additional marijuana cultivation licenses (http://ibn.fm/GIHmV).

These acquisitions present a new revenue stream for REFG’s investors. However, the company continues to concentrate on its core ‘Green’ platform, providing best-in-class payment processing and a comprehensive banking system. Clients can now signup via the Take.Green website and are provided banking accounts online. This unique approach allows cannabis providers access to banking solutions that they have otherwise been denied due to federal regulations that are still in place. Green is the first and only comprehensive card processing operation of its kind, tracking sales and tax collection and empowering business with an advanced client management system.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Take.Green

• FRSX’s QuadSight™ multi-camera vision solution is a stereoscopic system that detects obstacles in all weather and lighting conditions designed for semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles
• In its corporate presentation, FRSX cites projection of the autonomous self-driving vehicle market reaching $60 billion by 2030, from Mordor Intelligence LLP
• FRSX has in development its Eyes-On™ and Eye-Net™ patent-pending accident prevention solutions

Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX), in an audio press release, detailed the advantages of its passive sensor vision system versus active ones. As sensors will play a key role in the development of self-driving vehicles, FRSX’s QuadSight™ passive sensor system uses available light for its visible light cameras and thermal radiation of objects for its infrared cameras (http://ibn.fm/8IIJU).

FRSX’s stereoscopic technology leverages the advantages of passive sensors rather than active systems. It employs two synchronized cameras to mimic 3D human depth perception. In contrast, active sensors emit energy that may interfere with others, resulting in the possibility of some objects going undetected. QuadSight does not rely on pattern recognition. Rather, it is a passive stereo vision system that uses advanced image processing algorithms for accurate depth analysis and detects objects from available light and thermal radiation caught by its infrared cameras.

Israel-based FRSX, through wholly owned subsidiary Foresight Automotive, is designing, developing and commercializing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for use in semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles. It is developing several branded and patent-pending systems. Proprietary systems include Eyes-On™, an advanced ADAS system, and Eye-Net™, a cellular-based V2X accident prevention alert solution.

In its corporate presentation, the company documented that the stakes are high (http://ibn.fm/o0efI). FRSX sees a long-term market potential for autonomous vehicles that’s projected at $60 billion by 2030, according to Mordor Intelligence LLP (http://ibn.fm/Imu0J).

In a news release, Haim Siboni, CEO of FRSX, said, “At Foresight, we believe that a car’s vision system should be nothing less than perfect. Vision is the foundation of passenger safety, and vision perfection under all weather and lighting conditions is clearly the breakthrough that vehicle makers need to build consumer confidence in order to accelerate autonomous vehicle adoption.”

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