• SideChannel is on a mission to make cybersecurity simple and accessible for mid-market and emerging companies, a market that is currently underserved
• The company matches client organizations with virtual Chief Information Security Officers (“vCISOs”) who help them with developing and managing the implementation of an information security program
• SideChannel’s efforts come amid rising cases of cyberattacks, driven by an increase in attack surfaces and agility of attackers, who now work in organized groups, according to CEO Brian Haugli
• Recently, for example, Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited Closed 14 properties in Ontario following a cyberattack

Cyberattacks are growing each year as hackers and ransomware gangs become more agile, and the attack surfaces increase. In 2022, for example, global attacks grew 38% compared to 2021 numbers (https://ibn.fm/26Jmm). Worse still, the global cost of cybercrime is expected to rise to $8 trillion in 2023, up from $3 trillion in 2015 and $6 trillion in 2021, according to a 2022 report (https://ibn.fm/YQ4YS). This cost accounts for damage and destruction of data, lost productivity, theft of intellectual property and financial data, post-attack disruption to the normal course of business, reputational harm, forensic investigation, and restoration and deletion of affected systems.

With a recent cyberattack on its computing infrastructure having forced Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited (“Gateway”) to close 14 properties across Ontario for close to a week (https://ibn.fm/2Np93), the cost implications are clear for all to see. One of the largest and most diversified gaming and entertainment companies in Canada with 29 gaming properties in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta, Gateway first reported the incident on April 16, 2023 (https://ibn.fm/xfUXT), later updating that the locations would remain closed until at least April 21, as it continues the work to restore its IT systems in conjunction with third-party cyber professionals (https://ibn.fm/7J92o).

In explaining this rise in cybercrime and cyberattacks, SideChannel (OTCQB: SDCH) CEO, Brian Haugli, told viewers of the company’s Investor Day presentation that “Cybersecurity exists inside of the logical plane.” This means that unlike other crimes, which are physical and are visible to all, cyberattacks are not. “We can’t see everything that is happening as far as those types of crime go, which allows attackers to operate anonymously and at a much larger scale,” Haugli explained (https://ibn.fm/2d7Rx).

Unfortunately, this has triggered a rise in attacks and the cost of attacks, as well as a constant evolution of the types of attacks that cybercriminals use and prefer. This, Haugli stated, is because “The bad guys have pivoted. It is a business for them. There is an ROI; they have figured out what will make them more money for the least effort. It’s a business. The days of thinking it is some kid in a black hoodie in his basement are over. These are well-orchestrated, well-funded, and well-organized organizations out there creating a business for them; they go on holiday or vacation; they have payroll.”

But SideChannel, a company focused on making cybersecurity simple and accessible, is keen on stopping such attacks by helping organizations maintain a strong cybersecurity posture and program. “Where we step in is identifying and knowing what can slow [attackers] down, what can stop them, [and] what can be built at an organization that allows you to feel much better about your cybersecurity posture in addressing those risks,” Haugli conveyed.

The company achieves this by matching each client organization with an expert virtual Chief Information Security Officer (“vCISO”). Leveraging over 400 years of combined enterprise experience in cybersecurity and risk management, the vCISOs help organizations with developing and managing the implementation of an information security program. In addition, they work with clients’ employees, boards, and stakeholders to develop the strategic vision, resources, and protocols to maintain an appropriately sized, measured, and effective security program.

SideChannel mainly targets small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”), which have traditionally faced challenges when it comes to limited budgets and hiring skilled cybersecurity professionals. This market has also been largely underserved compared with the larger enterprise segment, according to a McKinsey report (https://ibn.fm/F0szb). This is despite the fact that the global cybersecurity sales from the SME market category had been growing at an 8% annual rate until 2021, generating more than $40 billion. Furthermore, the report projected that this figure would exceed $50 billion over the subsequent five years.

That, McKinsey reckons, is a missed opportunity hiding in the open, especially given that SMEs are as susceptible to cybersecurity issues and future attacks as larger enterprises. But SideChannel is keen on seizing this opportunity by providing not only affordable services but also much-needed expertise.

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

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

• U.S. households generate over 40% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, a result of being plugged into an electric grid which still derives most of its energy from fossil fuel-powered sources
• A recent study has revealed that the world could save as much as $12 trillion by 2050 by switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy – a claim predicated on the declining cost of renewable energy generation
• GeoSolar Technologies is looking to promote this energy transition, with its revolutionary SmartGreen(TM) Home system permitting households to slash their household utility bills to as little as $100 per annum whilst simultaneously, reducing their carbon footprint

The U.S. energy transition movement is still in its relative infancy; as of the start of 2023, over 80 percent of the electricity generated in America’s collective power grid owed its origins to non-renewable sources such as coal or gas. Meanwhile, most U.S. households remain connected to the grid, with over half of American households boasting a major gas-powered appliance such as a furnace, water heater, or stove in their homes. That means that the majority of U.S. households are emitting greenhouse gases every time a light switch is flipped or perversely – an electric car is plugged in to charge. As such and despite statistics such as the one suggesting that three-quarters of Californians would prefer to possess efficient electric appliances powered by clean energy rather than fossil fuels, over 40 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. are currently emitted by households (https://ibn.fm/HziN3).

The Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate changed signed in 2016 by nearly 200 countries centred around mitigating pollution and avoiding climate disasters, had at its core focus a target of reducing global air pollution by 28 percent – followed by complete decarbonisation or ‘net zero’ status by 2050. However, the path towards meeting the globe’s ambitious targets require increasingly drastic measures.

A key impediment in the journey towards energy transition has been the perceived costs that such a move would entail. Famously in 2019, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond wrote to the prime minister to say that the cost of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in the United Kingdom would come at a cost of over £1 trillion, a figure equivalent to nearly a third of the nation’s annual GDP. This was a view which was shared by the Swiss-based Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (“IPCC”), which published a report in 2022 alleging that the cost of keeping global temperature rises capped at 2 degrees centigrade would result in a loss of GDP by 2050 (https://ibn.fm/ujqQq).

A new report has now sought to debunk both claims. A recent research study jointly published by the University of Oxford and Australia’s Monash University has found that switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy could save the world as much as $12 trillion by 2050, given the rapidly declining costs of renewable energy generation – particularly relative to historic fossil fuel costs (https://ibn.fm/wPsRC).

“Our latest research shows scaling-up key green technologies will continue to drive their costs down, and the faster we go, the more we will save,” says Dr Rupert Way, the report’s lead author from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.

This is a view which is shared by GeoSolar Technologies (“GST”), a Colorado-based climate technology company pioneering an approach into clean energy solutions for households. The Company has centered its corporate mission around reducing household carbon emissions through the introduction of its proprietary SmartGreen(TM) Home system. An environmentally friendly, renewable energy-focused technology designed to harness energy from the earth and sun to power and purify homes and automobiles without the use of fossil fuels, the SmartGreen(TM) Home system has enabled households to both, reduce their carbon footprint to near negligible levels whilst slashing household utility bills to less than $100 per annum (https://ibn.fm/GWb2V).

With the average U.S. home releasing upwards of 48 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per annum – the equivalent weight of a sperm whale, tackling household emissions has become an increasingly urgent mission for authorities across the country. It is along this vein that over 48 cities across the United States have already outlawed the laying of natural gas piping in the construction of new homes and commercial buildings. With U.S. households increasingly expressing a desire to transition towards renewable energy, GeoSolar Technologies’ revolutionary technological innovations may be the answer to America’s household emission problems.

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

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

• Lithium-ion batteries power modern technologies, but another critical element is required to build them – graphite, the battery’s single largest component, the production of which is mainly controlled by China
• Currently, no significant production of lithium-ion battery anode material exists in North America; resuming domestic graphite production emerges as critical in reducing reliance on foreign supply and increasing energy self-sufficiency amid growing international geopolitical tensions
• Reflex Advanced Materials seeks to fill the market gap by reactivating domestic mining operations of flake and vein graphite; with direct access to top-notch supply chain partners, it is uniquely positioned in the market as a provider of domestic graphite

Essential to modern technologies, critical minerals are of strategic importance to countries around the world, especially those that rush to expedite energy transition and decarbonize the economy. This is where companies like Reflex Advanced Materials (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF), a company focused on strategic metals and advanced materials space, aim to step in to deliver minerals needed to power modern devices.

As the renewable energy sector continues to grow and more electric cars are expected to enter the market as countries pivot away from fossil fuels, the need for more raw materials to build batteries will continue to surge. Still, in public discourse about the minerals that are vital to the country’s sustainable energy plans, we have come to focus on reliance on foreign lithium supply, often leaving one other critical mineral overlooked, despite it being an essential part of modern consumer electronics, power tools, and electric vehicles. It is graphite, the single largest component in the ubiquitous lithium-ion batteries.

Although the angst about China’s tight grip on the battery metals supply chain often concentrates on lithium, the lithium supply gap could be easier to solve compared to graphite. Currently, there are no substitutes for graphite in Li-ion batteries – as an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, it is the only material that can be used to make anodes. Also, it is the largest input in batteries by weight – it takes 20 to 30 times more graphite than lithium to make Li-ion batteries. And as it turns out, China’s grip on graphite is even tighter than it is on lithium. With the latter, China does not dominate mining, only processing. But when it comes to graphite, China eclipses practically all other countries as it produces almost all graphite in the global market.

From the government to academia, there seems to be a consensus that gaining better control over the battery supply chain is intertwined with graphite production. “If we want to produce more batteries domestically, we’re going to need to increase our production of graphite,” said Northwestern University chemical engineer Jennifer Dunn, summarizing findings of a recent paper she co-authored that was recently published in the Environmental Science and Technology journal (https://ibn.fm/uqQks).

Aligned with these findings, measures like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Defense Production Act seek to boost domestic sources of battery minerals and ramp up the U.S. battery supply chain by incentivizing the use of domestically sourced materials — including graphite – in a bid to take control of clean technology supply chains away from China. Although American content is becoming a priority for a growing number of manufacturers, the U.S. supply of battery minerals is nowhere near meeting the demand since there is currently no significant production of lithium-ion battery anode material in North America. But boosting these domestic sources could become a challenge as this market has traditionally been dominated by private, family-owned businesses that have been slow to respond to an environment that maintains a pace of change.

As the role of critical minerals in the clean energy transition grows and countries scramble to secure access to these essential materials, the imbalances between their supply and demand will continue to swell. For example, it is estimated that the growth in anode demand will continue to drive a yawning gap of 8 million tonnes of graphite by 2040.

This is where Reflex Advanced Materials seeks to step in to fill the market gap by reactivating domestic mining operations of flake and vein graphite. Aiming to be more than just a mining company, Reflex Advanced Materials appears poised to transform production into manufacturing of market-ready graphite products made to customer specifications. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Company boasts direct relationships with top-notch supply chain partners – from producers and processors to end-use manufacturers – that operate world-class, industrial-scale processing facilities to deliver high-quality, USA-manufactured battery materials at scale. In contrast to other global graphite suppliers that often face quality control issues, Reflex Advanced Materials aims to be a domestic graphite producer that matches the rigorous requirements of battery producers both in terms of quality and scale (https://ibn.fm/XcjWJ).

As a critical mineral fueling a greener economy, the flake graphite market is expected to flourish, growing more than threefold by 2030, driven by the swelling demand from the rapidly growing green sectors. Reflex Advanced Materials views its capacity to process graphite in the U.S. as a source of its competitive advantage as it enables customers to increase the domestic content in their products amid growing international geopolitical tensions.

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

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

• Chase Edgelow, Co-Founder and CEO of EverGen Infrastructure was featured in a recent Bell2Bell Podcast episode where he discussed the company’s milestones achieved in 2022, such as public debut on the OTCQX, $31m debt facility and expansion of core assets portfolio, as well as operational plans for 2023
• Company boasts liquidity that allows it to continue to build infrastructure assets out, grow and expand its team, and accelerate development projects in the space
• EverGen’s business model based on low-risk, long-term contracted recurring revenue positions the company in a unique place within RNG – the space increasingly eyed by large-scale enterprises

“We’ve come a tremendous way in building out our platform over the last 12 months. If you look at where we started from about 12 months ago, we had three core assets. We now have five core assets”, said in a recent Bell2Bell Podcast episode Chase Edgelow, Co-Founder and CEO of EverGen Infrastructure (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQX: EVGIF), Canada’s renewable natural gas infrastructure platform. “And we raised a $31 million debt facility from a subsidiary of Scotiabank and Export Development Canada, which gives us liquidity to continue to build these infrastructure assets out and continue to grow and expand our team and put our foot on some significant development projects in the space”, he continued.

As a renewable natural gas infrastructure platform, EverGen develops, owns and operates facilities that take organic waste, and output digestate and biogas, a carbon-negative fuel that can be injected back into the grid and used by local gas utilities. “If we look at the renewable natural gas space, there are a lot of large-scale enterprises looking to get into this as a transition fuel. Think BPs and Shells of the world. And when you look around, there are very few dedicated platforms like ours”, Edgelow said.

EverGen appears poised for growth as demand for RNG continues to grow and Canadian utilities remain hungry for renewable energy sources. Throughout the interview, Edgelow discussed the company’s achievements in 2022, including the public debut on the OTCQX in February 2022, as well as the progress in the first quarter of 2023, such as the expansion of core portfolio assets and the company’s strategies around them.

The company has two projects under construction today, both of which are expansions of existing brownfield facilities. The first is the Fraser Valley biogas project, where the company is doubling the facility’s capacity that has been producing RNG on a long-term contract to a utility for the last decade. The second project is the GrowTEC facility located in southern Alberta, which the company is looking to upgrade with a system that will allow it to feed RNG into the local network where it can secure a more lucrative contract and pricing for the gas.

Now a burgeoning industry, the RNG space has come a long way to become a mainstream commodity in the energy transition race. Due to its economic and environmental benefits, the industry is rising from humble beginnings to taking great strides. In the words of Edgelow, the economics are very strong now, without any requirements for government subsidies.

One of the main advantages of RNG as a green energy source is that it can blend seamlessly into existing natural gas distribution and transportation networks, which is already being implemented in British Columbia, Québec and Ontario (https://ibn.fm/RskxL). For example, FortisBC, a utility delivering renewable energy, natural gas and electricity, is promoting the adoption of RNG as a cost-effective and convenient way for British Columbia residents to reduce their carbon footprint. EverGen’s Fraser Valley Biogas was the first project to produce RNG into FortisBC’s network (https://ibn.fm/IaQn6).

With a business model based on the low-risk, long-term contracted recurring revenue stream, EverGen boasts a unique position, operating at the crux of two sustainable markets in North America – waste reduction and green energy. “We are cash-positive today; we’ve got two projects under construction today that will significantly step up that cash flow into $8-10 million EBITDA and build out capacity through 2023. Then we’re sitting with a ton of growth from our pipeline what we are seeing right now in terms of interest from strategics and infrastructure clients in the RNG space,” Edgelow concluded.

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

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

• BiondVax intends to expand its contract development and manufacturing organization (“CDMO”) offering as it continues the primary focus on its NanoAb pipeline development
• The CDMO services include aseptic fill and finish, upstream and downstream process development, as well as analytical model development and analytical testing
• This is made possible by BiondVax’s state-of-the-art assets in Jerusalem, Israel, including GMP-ready production clean rooms, fermentors, WFI, analytic tools, media, and buffer preparations
• With a combined 17 years of experience in recombinant protein process development from bench to Phase 3, BiondVax’s boutique CDMO service is well positioned to meet client needs

BiondVax Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: BVXV), a biotechnology company focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative immunotherapeutic products, primarily for treatment of infectious and autoimmune diseases, aims to complement its core focus, nanosized sized antibody (NanoAb) pipeline development, with a comprehensive CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization) offering. With significant experience including developing its previous flu vaccine candidate, BiondVax intends to share its expertise, human resources, and facilities, with pharma companies, to develop and manufacture their drug candidates for preclinical use as well as clinical testing (https://ibn.fm/3CTb8).

BiondVax’s CDMO services cover aseptic fill and finish, upstream and downstream process development, as well as analytical model development, among others. In addition, the company also offers comprehensive CDMO services geared towards supporting pilot, clinical, and process development stages, alternative protein food tech, pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

This offering is intended to generate additional revenues for BiondVax and is made possible by the company’s growing assets ranging from GMP-ready production clean rooms to a 250mL Ambr^® Fermentor, and 2L and 5L fermentors for upstream process optimization. The company also offers Water For Injection (“WFI”), 30L, and 300L fermentors for upstream GMP production in addition to analytic tools, media, and buffer preparations.

Under the leadership of Amir Reichman, CEO, Dr. Tamar Ben-Yedidia, CSO and Elad Mark, COO, pharma companies can engage with confidence the Israel-based CDMO, knowing that everything is handled expertly by industry-leading professionals. With 17 years of experience in recombinant protein process development from bench to Phase 3, companies interested in BiondVax’s CDMO services are assured that their processes will be professionally executed, and their outcomes produce with scientific rigor.

BiondVax’s management is optimistic generating revenues and new scientific affiliations through its CDMO offering while it continues to deliver on its core focus, an innovative NanoAb pipeline development for treatment of large market disorders in both infectious and autoimmune diseases.

For more information about BiondVax’s CDMO services, please visit www.BiondVax.com/CDMO.

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

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

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated pedestrian crashes accounting for $112.5 billion in total societal impact in 2019
• According to Cepton, “Systems with lidar, camera & radar have been found to have the potential to prevent 98% of pedestrian fatalities”
• Cepton recently unveiled its new Vista(R)-X90 Plus lidar, the world’s smallest high-performance automotive lidar with software definable perception capabilities

Interest in autonomous driving is high, but most drivers still aren’t comfortable with the idea of operating without human involvement. The reason, as with many new technologies, boils down to understanding. The J.D. Power 2022 Mobility Confidence Index report made this clear, showing consumer’s lapse of understanding the difference between the terms assisted driving, drivers assistance, and semi-autonomous. The education process needs to be accelerated, as technology like Cepton (NASDAQ: CPTN) lidar (light detection and ranging) that is instrumental in assisted driving could play a role in reducing the number of accidents on roadways.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) estimates, 42,915 people died on American roads in 2021, the highest number in 16 years, while fatalities surged 10.5 percent over 2020, the largest year-over-year percentage increase in the history of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. That works out for about 118 people per day, or one person every 12 minutes.

On a pedestrian level, fatalities rose 13% over 2020. In May 2022, the Governors Highway Safety Association published a report finding that pedestrian fatalities increased significantly in 2021, reaching their highest level in 40 years. Lighting was clearly a culprit, with 76 percent of facilities happening at night. The cost can be staggering, considering that the NHTSA estimated pedestrian/vehicle accidents accounted for $112.5 billion in total societal impact in 2019, two years before the record-setting number.

One of the issues with current ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) is that the technology depends upon camera and radar sensing. However, cameras have diminished capabilities in low-light and degraded visual environments and radar, while good in the dark, has limited resolution making it difficult to identify objects. Lidar, on the other hand, uses beams of light to create a 3D map of obstacles around the vehicle, including people, regardless of low light situations. Lidar can also be integrated into emergency braking technologies, further removing human error from the equation.

Change may be in the works. The Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”), an office of the White House responsible for reviewing proposed regulations of executive agencies, is currently evaluating a new rule proposed by the NHTSA that sets standards for automatic emergency braking (“AEB”) and pedestrian AEB (“PAEB”). The NHTSA sees implementing new AEB and PAEB standards as a possible solution for reversing the trend of rising fatalities and economic strain.

Cepton is part of the Lidar Coalition that met with the OMB earlier this month to discuss how this technology can address the underperformance of current AEB and PAEB systems. Cepton added “Systems with lidar, camera & radar have been found to have the potential to prevent 98% of pedestrian fatalities.” That’s a compelling number that should command Washington’s attention.

Silicon Valley-based Cepton was formed in 2016 by industry veterans with decades of collective experience across the full spectrum of lidar and imaging technologies. In only a few years, the company is known for its lidar-based solutions for automotive applications, as well as those for smart cities, smart spaces and smart industrial uses, as it aims to bring lidar mainstream. Cepton is doing just that, with its technology being integrated into the cars and trucks of the future in part through an ADAS lidar series production award with Koito on the General Motors business. Along with its roots growing in the Motor City, Cepton also has a presence in Germany, Canada, Japan, India and China to serve a fast-growing global customer base.

Cepton is in the final stages before its products are fully integrated into GM automobiles. The company is committed to safety and believes that with GM’s Ultra Cruise program, it can help contribute to the safe deployment of ADAS. As part of GM’s sensor fusion approach, Cepton’s lidar is integrated (behind the windshield) to enable high-precision perception without disrupting vehicle design. The company is proud to support GM’s vision of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion, with its intelligent lidar solutions being an integral part of the Ultra Cruise program.

This month, Cepton unveiled its latest innovation, its record-breaking new lidar branded Vista(R)-X90 Plus, the world’s smallest high-performance automotive lidar with software definable perception capabilities. The Vista-X90 Plus builds on Cepton’s deep experience in industrializing automotive lidar for volume production. Its precursor, Vista(R)-X90, is launching in vehicles this year, setting a new standard as the world’s first lidar ever deployed behind the windshield. Compared to Vista-X90, Vista-X90 Plus is 62% slimmer and enables over 58% reduction in sensor footprint. Vista-X90 Plus also features enhanced sensor performance while maintaining minimal power consumption. Doubling the data rate of Vista-X90, Vista-X90 Plus can achieve ultra-high resolution for improved perception capabilities. Its added real-time software tunable region of interest (“ROI”) enables the sensor to maintain an optimized balance between performance and power efficiency across different driving scenarios.

If performance is as expected, this is exactly the type of innovation that offers the potential to meaningfully curb death and accidents and make roads across the world a whole lot safer.

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

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

• Cybersecurity services and technology provider SideChannel Inc. outsources the expertise of its “virtual chief information security officers” (“vCISOs”) to companies that can’t afford to maintain a full-time, permanent CISO on staff
• SideChannel also offers a product called Enclave that helps companies to manage the microsegmentation of their networks to enhance their cybersecurity, either as a SaaS tool clients can manage or ask SideChannel to manage
• SideChannel has also strengthened its cybersecurity services by partnering with London-based automated supply chain risk management platform developer Darkbeam
• The importance of cybersecurity management was recently underscored by the massive attack on data storage company Western Digital, which disrupted key services and is still being dealt with more than two weeks after the malicious incident was first reported

The massive cyberattack on data storage giant Western Digital that was reported earlier this month demonstrates the persistence of concerns about effectively securing corporate networks against unwanted intrusions. 

Massachusetts-based cybersecurity services and technology provider SideChannel (OTCQB: SDCH) has centered its mission on informing small-to-mid-sized SMB companies about the importance of securing their networks against malicious attacks. SideChannel’s flagship service is the provision of virtual chief information security officers (“vCISOs”) on a contract basis to companies that need help with cybersecurity but are unable to hire a full-time CISO. 

“We’re seeing attacks increase. We’re seeing the costs of these attacks increase over time. And we’re seeing (the nature of the attacks) change,” SideChannel CEO Brian Haugli stated in a live company webcast recently (https://ibn.fm/j3iHu).

Western Digital has a substantial share of the localized-access hard disk drive and solid state drive markets and owns flash drive maker SanDisk, but also operates online-access storage services under the My Cloud and SanDisk brands. 

Hackers responsible for the cyberattack have demanded ransom of a “minimum 8 figures” to inform Western Digital about its cybersecurity vulnerabilities and to forestall their threat to release around 10 terabytes of the company’s data online, according to industry magazine TechCrunch, which claims it has spoken with one of the hackers since the April 3 disclosure of the incident (https://ibn.fm/zEv9v).

The report states the cyberattack was apparently extensive, including internal corporate emails, unpublished administrative personnel information, a back-end platform that helps companies manage e-commerce data, and, perhaps most critically, the company’s code-signing certificate, showing they could now digitally sign files to impersonate Western Digital. 

“Depending on what code and data the hackers got access to, the worst-case scenario is that cyber criminals could create malicious firmware — and signed certificates to vouch for its authenticity. That could make malicious activity on any affected hardware difficult to detect and render it essentially worthless,” IT magazine eSecurity Planet stated in its report on the incident (https://ibn.fm/mDoov).

SideChannel’s vCISOs can work directly with companies’ executive boards, inserted into the administrative operation as a virtual member of the team. In addition to the vCISO service, SideChannel offers a microsegmentation security product named Enclave that clients can either use on their own as a software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) tool on a subscription basis or ask SideChannel to manage. 

“We’re going to continue to develop around Enclave, adding new features and capabilities that make sense for how Enclave is structured — based … on what we’re seeing in our clients, what we’re hearing from our CISOs and what types of attacks or attack surface is out there,” Haugli said. 

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

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

• The State of Colorado has recently begun work on a bill to promote the development of geothermal energy production within the state
• Currently, geothermal plants provide less than 0.5% of the United States’ electricity output despite lacking the weather-related or sunshine-linked challenges faced by other renewable energy sources
• Companies such as GeoSolar Technologies have sought to capitalize upon geothermal energy’s constant, clean energy output within their home energy systems
• Industry leaders have now called for geothermal energy production to benefit from a similar subsidy programme as was granted to wind and solar power in prior years

In early March, the United States’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report summarizing the key findings of their Sixth Assessment Cycle. Within the report lays a dire warning; world leaders would have to slash greenhouse gas emissions by up to 60 percent by 2035 to have a 50 percent chance of limiting global warming to 15 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, thus staving off sever climate impacts (https://ibn.fm/9gXY0). The State of Colorado is seeking to address that challenge head-on. During a recent workshop held in conjunction with the 22-member Western Governors Association, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis revealed that the state government was exploring how to further promote the use of geothermal energy as source of electricity.

 “Anything we can do to reduce time and cost associated with being able to drill for the purposes of geothermal energy is something that we’re very excited about,” said Polis in an interview with Stateline. “There’s been great interest from other governors in the West” (https://ibn.fm/E6l9s).

Geothermal plants currently provide less than half a percent of the nation’s power, mostly concentrated in California and Nevada. At present, building new geothermal projects is much more expensive than building other renewables such as wind or solar farms; nonetheless, backers of the energy note that wind and solar became commercially competitive after decades of government support.

Geothermal plants provide a source of constant, on-demand electricity, also known as dispatchable generation. Plants pump steam or hot water drawn from wells hundreds or thousands of feet underground to power turbines. Unlike renewable energy technologies such as wind or solar farms however, the energy output from geothermal plants does not vary based on weather conditions or time of day, doing away with the expense of acquiring and maintaining the gargantuan batteries needed to store this power.

“To go all the way to 100% clean at the same time that we’re electrifying transportation, buildings, and industry — if you wanted to do it purely through wind and solar, you’d have to overbuild the system pretty significantly,” said Will Toor, executive director of the Colorado Energy Office. “You need something to complement that, to close that last gap, and geothermal is one of the very promising technologies there.”

GeoSolar Technologies (“GST”), a Colorado-based climate technology company pioneering an approach into clean energy solutions for households has based its technological innovations along a similar logic. Whilst the company’s proprietary SmartGreen™ Home system – an environmentally friendly, renewable energy focused technological innovation which seeks to power homes through carbon free energy sources, makes use of solar technology and panels as part of their home system, the heart of the SmartGreen™ Home system lays within geothermal ground-based energy beneath the average home.

Through a truck-mounted or modular sonic rig, GeoSolar seeks to drill 4–6-inch wells down 300-400 feet below the surface, subsequently inserting high-density polyethylene pipe ground loops that can tap into the unlimited source of geothermal energy available. The ground loops operate the geothermal system function by constantly circulating non-toxic fluid to a high-volume heat/air pump. The heat pump and circulating fluid continuously transfer heat from the home into or out of the ground depending on the season. Moreover, the system can be easily connected to existing air ducts or radiant flooring loops, thereby accounting for all the home’s heating, cooling and hot water requirements.

Historically, the key barrier impeding the broader adoption of geothermal energy has centred around obstacles of a financial nature, given the higher capital costs needed to construct geothermal power plants (thereby leading to longer payback periods) relative to other forms of renewable energy. To address this issue, attendees at the recent Governor-sponsored workshop called for state and federal leaders to broaden the incentive programs and investments that have helped other renewables succeed.

“There are tax benefits for wind and solar that geothermal does not have the ability to enjoy,” said Johanna Ostrum, COO of Transitional Energy, a Denver-based company that produces geothermal power using existing oil and gas wells. “We’d like to see across-the-board support for renewable energy, especially sources that are dispatchable like geothermal.”

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

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

• Europe has recently increased their renewable energy production target to account for 45% of overall energy consumption by 2030, up from 32% previously
• The continent’s renewable energy ambitions will be underpinned by increasing the production capacity of several clean energy sources – including biomethane or renewable natural gas
• EverGen Infrastructure have been at the forefront of growing Canada’s RNG output in recent years, with a goal to expand capacity to 480,000 GJ per annum in the near term
• With RNG potentially classed as a ‘carbon negative’ energy source, expanding output of the gas ranks amongst the Canadian Government’s key energy priorities in coming years

Late in the evening on Thursday 31st March, European lawmakers reached a new consensus; by 2030, 45% of Europe’s overall energy consumption will be powered by renewable energy, a necessary goal for the continent to achieve its climate neutrality target by 2050 (https://ibn.fm/yvlDO). The target, which builds upon the prior goal of 32% set in 2018, will reinforce the need to increase the production output across a wide array of clean energy sources – biogas and biomethane ranking chief amongst them.

Biomethane, which is also known as renewable natural gas, is methane which can be sourced from a number of biological sources, including landfills, sewage, food waste and agricultural waste, among several others. Given that natural gas and renewable natural gas are nearly chemically identical, they can be mixed, processed, stores, transported and utilized in a similar manner. Moreover, and because renewable natural gas ultimately emanates from plants which captured carbon during their lifetime, RNG may theoretically be considered to be carbon neutral when it is burned. Interestingly and relative to other renewable energy sources, a case can even be made that utilizing RNG is carbon negative in nature.

When RNG is burned rather than being released directly into the atmosphere by way of methane emissions, methane is effectively converted into water and carbon dioxide; in effect, generating a greenhouse gas with a much lower carbon footprint than methane itself. Vincent Morales, manager of legislative and regulatory affairs for the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, noted that methane from waste can represent more than five per cent of a country’s greenhouse gas emissions (https://ibn.fm/CrNQE): “RNG is the most viable solution to decarbonize waste,” he said.

British-Columbia based natural gas operator, EverGen Infrastructure (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQX: EVGIF), has long operated at the forefront of Canada’s RNG industry, spearheading the effort to expand the nation’s RNG production. The company has publicly announced a goal to own over 20 RNG-generating facilities across the country within five years; with four revenue generating assets already in operation, the company recently reiterated their ambition to grow their cumulative gross RNG generating capacity to 480,000 gigajoules of energy per annum in the near future, a process which can grow the company’s EBITDA by upwards of 300 percent.

“We are a renewable natural gas energy company. We’re a developer, owner and operator of projects that take organic waste and convert that organic waste into renewable energy in the form of renewable natural gas (‘RNG’),” stated Chase Edgelow, Co-Founder and CEO of EverGen Infrastructure Cop. “If you look back at the benefits of bringing in other sources of energy 20 years ago, there wasn’t one silver bullet for the electrical grid to be as renewable as it is today, with wind, solar and hydro,” he continued. I think renewable natural gas can hold its own, and at the same time solve a massive waste problem and emissions problem from waste.”

The Canadian Government has long been a global leader in the move towards developing renewable natural gas assets; whether it involved funding gasification pilot projects across the country, providing carbon credits for the use of RNG by gasoline or diesel producers, or event mandating a minimum usage of RNG in a province’s gas feedstock (i.e. British Columbia will require a minimum 15% of RNG in its gas feedstock by 2030), Canada has put RNG production at the forefront of its mission to lower the nation’s carbon footprint over time. With its ongoing drive towards expanding its production capacity and broadening its geographical footprint, EverGen Infrastructure finds itself remarkably well placed to cater to Canada’s clean energy ambitions.

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

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

• Starco Brands announced in March 2023 that Whipshots has sold over two million cans since its December 2021 launch
• The company announced in February 2023 its acquisition of Soylent Nutrition Inc., which pioneered the plant-based “complete nutrition” and “functional food” categories
• Soylent in March 2023 announced an expanded partnership with Meijer Grocery Stores, making its nutrition shakes available at hundreds of Meijer locations
• Starco Brands in January 2023 entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Skylar, a maker of hypoallergenic fragrances that are safe for sensitive skin

Starco Brands (OTCQB: STCB) is a modern-day invention factory. The company’s unwavering mission is to invent and acquire consumer products and brands with behavior-changing technologies that spark excitement in the everyday.

This consumer product company has grown from a couple million dollars in revenue to approximately $80M in revenue in one year.

The company has succeeded by identifying whitespaces in eight core consumer categories and then either: 1) leveraging its internal R&D capabilities and dedicated manufacturing network to invent new technologies and brands or 2) utilizing the management team’s extensive M&A experience to acquire brands that fill the industry void, delighting consumers and retailers alike.

Whether the brand is developed internally or acquired, the company employs a modern marketing playbook to ensure its brands are at the forefront of culture; garnering unprecedented media attention and engagement that supports a robust sales network.

Starco Brands’ core competencies are inventing technologies, acquiring companies, marketing, building trends, pushing awareness, penetrating media (social and otherwise) and executing cutting edge pull-through strategies with a roster of globally recognized celebrities, influencers and media and distribution partners.

A commitment to changing the way people approach everyday activities is innate in the company’s corporate DNA.

The company is based in Santa Monica, California.

Brands

Whereas other consumer products companies are content with evolution, Starco Brands has its mind set on creating a revolution across the industry. From disrupting the spirits industry with Whipshots, the world’s only vodka-infused whipped cream, to Soylent, the original food tech company, Starco Brands is putting the CPG world on notice. Its portfolio of brands includes:

• Whipshots is a first-of-its-kind alcoholic whipped cream launched in 2021 with celebrity partner Cardi B. Consumers have embraced this boozy concoction, putting it on top of cocktails, coffees and desserts, or enjoying it straight from the can. In just over a year, the brand has sold over 2 MILLION cans, making it one of the fastest growing spirits in history.
• Winona Pure gives consumers movie theatre popcorn in the comfort of their own homes. All the flavor and none of the additives is the story behind these all-natural, non-GMO popcorn seasoning sprays. A simple spray is all it takes to add the perfect pop of flavor to the classic theatre treat.
• Art of Sport, co-founded by the great Kobe Bryant, is the number one body care brand for athletes. With a growing line of personal care products tested by the world’s greatest athletes, these daily skin essentials give consumers everything they need to feel fresh, stay protected and confident and perform at their peak every day.
• Skylar is the first and only line of perfumes on the market that are hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. With the strong support of industry titan Sephora, the brand has quickly attracted a loyal following.
• Soylent is a technological feat. Originally funded by Google Ventures and Andreessen Horwitz, Soylent is dubbed as the world’s most perfect food. Made from sustainably grown plant-based ingredients, Soylent’s line of products is scientifically developed to provide all the functional ingredients, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and protein that the body needs – all in convenient, delicious and affordable packages. Soylent’s innovative product line-up includes complete nutrition powders, ready-to-drink shakes, 100-calorie snack bars, high protein nutrition shakes and energy boosting nutrition shakes. Soylent was also the recipient of the 2023 Product of the Year Award by Kantar, a global leader in consumer research.

With award-winning marketing talent, Starco Brands develops robust, integrated marketing plans for every brand in its portfolio, ensuring an impactful presence across all verticals.

Market Outlook

Starco Brands’ varied brand portfolio gives it access to the growth of numerous product categories that are ripe for innovation.

Through its February 2023 acquisition of complete nutrition pioneer Soylent, Starco Brands is positioned to capitalize on the projected growth of the plant-based nutrition space. Research firm Statista valued the plant-based nutrition market at $29.4 billion in 2020 and forecasts its value at nearly $162 billion by 2030, representing a CAGR of 18.7% for the period.

Likewise, Starco Brands gained improved access to the global fragrance market through its January 2023 acquisition of Skylar. According to a report by Grand View Research, the global perfume market was valued at $50.85 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to a value of nearly $80 billion by 2030, achieving a CAGR of 5.9% over the forecast period.

The company is primed to expand its access to other growth verticals as it advances on its path to invent and acquire behavior-changing technologies and brands.

Management Team

Ross Sklar is the CEO of Starco Brands. A chemical formulator by trade, he started his first company while still in college. Since 2004, he has made over a dozen acquisitions with multiple exits and controls an eclectic collection of industrial, household, personal care and food and beverage manufacturers covering many consumer-packaged goods categories.

Darin Brown is the Chief Operating Officer of Starco Brands. With over 20 years of experience in chemical manufacturing, business development, finance and mergers and acquisitions, he has scaled the company from the ground up. He oversees all internal operations for Starco Brands and is an integral liaison between the company and Mr. Sklar’s manufacturing facilities.

David Dreyer is Chief Marketing Officer of Starco Brands. With over 25 years of experience working with blue chip and startup brands, he oversees all marketing initiatives for the company. Mr. Dreyer comes to Starco having worked with such standout brands as Apple, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Dr Pepper, Snapple, Infiniti, The GRAMMY’s, Honda and Stamps.com. He is also a Professor of Advertising at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication.

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

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