• Eloro Resources released updates on Iska Iska project at Metals Investor Forum held in Toronto on March 3-4, 2023
• Iska Iska is a major silver-tin polymetallic porphyry-epithermal complex located in southern Bolivia
• Drilling revealed significant breccia pipe containing extensive silver polymetallic mineralization and a high-grade gold-bismuth zone in the underground workings
• Eloro recently acquired Mina Casiterita and Mina Hoyada properties, geological mapping, sampling, and geophysical surveys in progress, drilling planned in Q1-2023

Dr. Bill Pearson, Executive Vice President of Exploration for Eloro Resources (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) (FSE: P2QM) recently revealed promising drilling results from the company’s Iska Iska project in Bolivia at the Metals Investor Forum held in Toronto on March 3-4, 2023 (https://ibn.fm/1BXUl).

Iska Iska is a major silver-tin polymetallic porphyry-epithermal complex located 48 km north of Tupiza city in southern Bolivia. According to the company, the project’s mineralization age is similar to other significant deposits in the same geological trend, including San Vicente, Chorolque, Tasna, and Tatasi.

Eloro began drilling in September 2020, and announced in November that it had discovered a significant breccia pipe (the “Santa Barbara Breccia Pipe”) containing extensive silver polymetallic mineralization and a high-grade gold-bismuth zone in the underground workings. The company has since released several significant drill results, including a report in September 2022 revealing that new downhole geophysical data has significantly extended the strike length of the high-grade feeder zone a further 250 meters from existing drilling.

“We’re looking at an intrusive volcanic system that is about five kilometers by three kilometers, so the drilling that we’ve done thus far, which is about 85,000 (meters) and 122 holes, is actually only a subset of this massive system,” said Dr. Pearson in an interview at the Forum (https://ibn.fm/aXr5c). “And it’s important to point out too, in those 122 holes, we haven’t missed one hole. We’ve had some extraordinary intercepts up to over 400 meters, so this is a true giant deposit.”

“What’s really exciting about it is we actually have one deposit in the bank – Santa Barbara – it’s silver, zinc, and lead. But as we recently announced after financing in January, we’re going after what we believe is that deeper tin porphyry, and the new property we acquired to the southwest of Mina Casiterita doesn’t have a kilometer-thick volcanic mountain on top of it.”

Eloro acquired the Mina Casiterita and Mina Hoyada properties in November 2022. Both cover 14.75 square kilometers southwest and west of Iska Iska, bringing the total area controlled by the company to 483.75 square kilometers. Geological mapping, sampling, and geophysical surveys are now in progress on the entire land package across the Iska Iska region, and drilling is planned for Mina Casiterita in Q1-2023.

Dr. Pearson has more than 40 years of direct experience in the exploration and production of minerals worldwide. He played an integral role in the acquisitions of Desert Sun Mining Corp. by Yamana Gold in 2006, and Central Sun Mining by B2 Gold in 2009. Prior to his current role at Eloro, he was the Vice President of Exploration at Desert Sun Mining and Senior Vice President at Central Sun Mining.

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

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

• McEwen Mining is an asset-rich diversified gold and silver producer in the Americas with significant exposure to copper through its 51.9%-owned McEwen Copper
• McEwen Copper holds 100% interest in the Los Azules Project in Argentina, which has been shown to have many attributes comparable to world-class copper-gold deposits in South America
• The subsidiary is advancing the Los Azules Project and has been undertaking infill and step-out exploration drilling
• McEwen Copper’s focus comes at a time when the world is staring at copper deficits driven by constrained supply amid political instability in top copper-producing countries and increased demand

Copper, a base metal with no obvious substitute, is found in countless products in homes, offices, manufacturing plants, and vehicles. For context, a typical home contains over 400 pounds (about 180 kilograms) of the metal, with most of these copper-containing products being electronics that need to be powered by electricity tapped from an electricity grid that majorly comprises components that are made using copper (https://ibn.fm/Ng9Yv). Copper is also used to manufacture military vehicles like ships, naval vessels, and aircraft because it is resistant to corrosion.

As the world targets a green transition, more sectors are looking to decarbonize, opting to electrify to reduce use of fossil fuels. As a result, millions of feet of copper wiring will be needed to build complex grids that can handle the growing electricity needs. Sights are also set on electric vehicles, which use about two to four times more copper than the average internal combustion engine (“ICE”)-powered vehicle. Against this backdrop of increased demand, an article in Investing News notes the prospects for the base metal are bright both in the short and long term (https://ibn.fm/uK2v5).

How well the supply will keep up with the demand is an open question, with a recent CNBC article warning about the possibility of a copper deficit continuing throughout 2023 and even beyond (https://ibn.fm/H5SjU). Most mines are located in the political hot zones of South America – Chile, the top copper producer, for example, has been experiencing political instability since 2019, while Peru, the second top copper-producing country, is drowning in ongoing unrest. Additionally, besides being primarily located in these volatile regions, the top 10 mines in the world are getting deeper every year, translating to increased mining expenses, yet the copper being extracted is of a lower grade. Combined, these factors represent a supply bottleneck that McEwen Copper, a base metal developer 51.9% owned by McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX), is looking to solve by advancing its 100%-owned Los Azules Project in the San Juan Province of Argentina.

The Los Azules Project is situated near the Argentina-Chile border between two prolific mineral belts, a gold belt to the north that is host to multi-million ounces of gold and a porphyry copper belt, according to a 2008 technical report (https://ibn.fm/iQJfG). The Los Azules project thus has the characteristics of both belts, making it host to a copper-gold-silver deposit whose ultimate depth and lateral extent are yet to be fully determined. A more recent Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) completed in 2017 nonetheless highlights the project’s robust economics. The project’s average annual production throughout the first 13 years of operation is expected to be about 415 million pounds of copper at a cash cost of $1.14 per pound, placing it within the lowest cost quartile (https://ibn.fm/J98cj).

Tellingly, the cost is much lower than the prevailing market price of copper – about $4.04 per pound as of March 31, 2023, according to Commodity.com (https://ibn.fm/s3FoU) – further boosting the project’s economic prospects. And with the supply bottlenecks and increased demand expected to influence a continuous uptrend, the outlook appears positive. In fact, according to the article in Investing News, as the need for copper continues to grow, observers believe the red metal will become “the new precious/industrial metal – and it’s going to have an importance that’s equivalent to some of the more attractive metals, such as gold and silver.”

In its current undeveloped state, the Los Azules project is the world’s 9th largest undeveloped copper project, according to a 2022 ranking by Mining Intelligence (https://ibn.fm/qw3hq). The list also included the El Pachón property in San Juan, further pointing to the prolific nature of the porphyry copper belt that underlies both projects. In the meantime, McEwen Copper is undertaking infill and step-out exploration drilling, with the data generated so far showing that the project has many attributes comparable to world-class copper-gold deposits in South America (https://ibn.fm/ug1SE). The company regularly releases comprehensive updates of the results from the ongoing drilling campaign as they become available, with those released thus far showing the project’s great promise.

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

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

Chief Medical Officers, Clinical Research Executives, and Patient Advocacy Experts: attend DGE’s 2nd Diversity in Clinical Trials Summit, taking place May 10-11 in Philadelphia, PA. Join this unique in-person learning and networking experience aimed to remove obstacles in health equity and provide actionable strategies to increase diverse representation in clinical trials.

DGE is bringing together industry-leading experts from global clinical development to discuss the most critical challenges barriers, and methods on how to overcome barriers in order to reduce disparities and achieve health equity. The agenda focuses on increasing representation of underrepresented communities in clinical trials, improving collaborations with patient advocacy groups, rasping health literacy as a key component for clinical trial enrollment, improving clinical trial diversity through decentralized studies, increasing DE&I in clinical trial enrollment, and much more. Attendees will walk away with all new insights and practical strategies on how to effectively address and overcome the lack of diversity in clinical trials.

Why Diversity In Clinical Trials Is Essential

Improving the diversity of clinical trial participants is a crucial step towards enabling health equity and fighting healthcare discrepancies. The effectiveness of medicines and vaccines can vary based on gender, age, sex, ethnicity, and race. Therefore, clinical trials must have a proper representation of diverse patients to interpret the results and conclusions across all patient demographics.

The 2nd Diversity in Clinical Trials Summit concludes with networking sessions designed to provide participants with the optimized opportunity to create valuable new connections and foster existing relationships.

The summit’s agenda includes the following topics:

• Increasing representation of underrepresented communities in clinical trials
• Ensuring diverse participation in early drug development
• Setting goals for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in trial enrollment
• Standardizing diversity metrics in clinical trials
• Incorporating health literacy as a main component of clinical trial enrollment
• Improving alliances with patient advocacy groups
• Developing a diverse clinical research workforce

Improving diversity in clinical trials is both an ethical obligation and a scientific necessity. The lack of diversity offers a challenge in understanding how new therapies perform across different population subgroups, hampering progress in reducing differences and achieving equity. The 2nd Diversity in Clinical Trials Summit highlights the role of healthcare leaders in improving healthcare results for different populations.

To learn more, please visit https://ibn.fm/r0C5y.

Housing industry and government leaders, specialist delegates, and property experts, are all invited to attend the Future of Housing event taking place on April 25, 2023. Hosted by Sustain SoCal at UCI-Beal Applied Innovation, Irvine, this insightful event will bring the housing community together to nurture best practices and explore ideas.

The Future of Housing event is an assorted continuum of housing stakeholders that collaborate and convene through advocacy, dialogue, education, and research, to develop equitable solutions that serve our common interest.

The Future of Housing event strives to deliver solutions that address California’s pressing housing priorities. Attendees can take advantage of member-only webinars and exclusive access to key decision-makers. It’s a great opportunity to join a network of leaders in sustainable housing advocacy, home building, and lending, as well as nonprofit housing development corporations, realtors, and housing finance agencies.

Addressing The Housing Crisis In California

The existing policies, insurance limitations, legislation, environmental pushback, and dependency on outdated building technology, have all contributed to the acute housing crisis in California. Building sustainable communities can address these issues and together we can introduce potential solutions for advancing the industry.

The Future of Housing event will distill the latest information on housing issues. It will also provide the housing community with the tools needed to communicate effectively and better deal with California’s housing challenges. The delegates will leverage their expertise in housing and community development policy to share views on key issues.

Viable solutions are within reach, but the California housing crisis has its foundation in policy decisions that go back years. An array of measures will be required to create a brighter future.  A better collaboration across the industry can successfully address the housing challenges currently faced.

Join others at the Future of Housing event to help move this vital effort forward.

To learn more, please visit https://ibn.fm/qDWDn.

• Lexaria Bioscience, a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, has developed and patented the DehydraTECH(TM) drug delivery platform technology
• The company has undertaken multiple studies as part of its extensive R&D program involving DehydraTECH, which continues to yield positive results
• This R&D program is focused on the development of product candidates across four main segments, which represent the platform’s potential commercial applications
• These segments include the development of DehydraTECH-processed cannabidiol (“CBD”) for hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes and dementia; DehydraTECH-processed oral nicotine; other pharmaceutical areas exploring a wide range of DehydraTECH-processed active molecules; and hemp-derived CBD applications for consumer packaged goods (“CPG”)
• Currently, Lexaria is prioritizing research on DehydraTECH-CBD as a potential treatment for hypertension

Recent advancements in drug delivery techniques have improved, among others, the efficiency and safety of therapeutic treatments and active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”). In fact, analyzing these improvements through the findings obtained by Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, demonstrates the progress is remarkable. Headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia, the company developed and patented the DehydraTECH(TM) drug delivery platform technology, which is essentially an additional step easily incorporated into the formulation and manufacturing process of existing or new orally ingestible and topical lipophilic (fat-soluble) products.

“This step involves mixing the active ingredient as a delivery ‘payload’ together with certain fatty acids, infusing the mixture into a substrate material, and then using controlled dehydration synthesis processing to associate the payload and fatty acids together at a molecular level, before integrating the newly combined molecules into end-product production across a range of dosage form factors,” explains Lexaria’s website (https://ibn.fm/LbRsP).

According to the company’s extensive studies, its patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology has been shown to enhance the bioavailability (the proportion of the ingested drug that enters the bloodstream) of APIs and increase brain absorption by up to 17x, with the effects felt in minutes (https://ibn.fm/Yr7aP). Other proven benefits include the fact that APIs processed using the technology platform are rendered largely flavorless and odorless, meaning manufacturers no longer have to add sweeteners or chemical masking agents. As a result and using DehydraTECH, they can create low-sugar products with fewer calories while avoiding the use of excessive artificial sweeteners. This is particularly positive, considering that recent studies suggest that consumption of excessive artificial sweeteners predisposes consumers to elevated blood sugar levels and raises their risk of developing stroke or heart disease (https://ibn.fm/feIJQ).

The above DehydraTECH-related findings are part of Lexaria’s extensive repository of positive results generated by its ongoing research and development (“R&D”) program. This program focuses on the development of product candidates across four main segments, which are intended to eventually serve as the platform’s commercialization avenues. These include the development of DehydraTECH-processed cannabidiol (“CBD”) for hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes and dementia; DehydraTECH-processed nicotine delivered via non-combustive methods; other pharmaceutical areas exploring a wide range of DehydraTECH-processed active molecules, including antiviral drugs, hormone treatment, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, and more; and hemp-derived CBD applications for consumer packaged goods (“CPG”).

To date, Lexaria has undertaken multiple studies aimed at improving the commercialization prospects of the platform. “Our applied R&D programs completed since [our up-list to the Nasdaq exchange and capital raise in 2021] have yielded almost entirely positive results – a crucial accomplishment as we prepared to use those results to reinforce our outreach strategy to potential corporate partners,” CEO Chris Bunka stated in his annual letter to shareholders published January 2023 (https://ibn.fm/eYdpz).

Bunka added that the applied R&D “is paying off in spades” because the company is currently engaged in active discussions with several multi-billion dollar companies around the world for the potential use of its DehydraTECH technology in their commercial products pursuits. And while the company cannot disclose the identities of these potential partners prior to the signing of definitive agreements, stakeholders and shareholders can, in the meantime, focus on the positive results of its R&D program, which are bellwethers of potential success.

For instance, in a recent diabetes animal model study, DIAB-A22-1, Lexaria reported at least three positive outcomes, including weight loss in obese diabetic-conditioned animals, a statistically significant improvement in locomotor activity, statistically significant reductions in triglyceride levels (high levels in the blood can suggest the onset of diabetes), and increased levels of HDL cholesterol, the ‘good’ kind of cholesterol (https://ibn.fm/iTQXz).

These findings are the latest in a series of studies evaluating DehydraTECH-CBD as a potential treatment for a number of conditions, including diabetes, dementia, epilepsy, and hypertension, with the latter being the company’s primary and most advanced R&D program in this pipeline. To date, Lexaria has undertaken five human clinical studies evaluating DehydraTECH-CBD for hypertension. In 2023, the company expects to launch an FDA-registered Investigational New Drug (“IND”) program to formally investigate DehydraTECH-CBD, at the Phase 1b stage. And given the success witnessed in the five previous clinical trials, Lexaria believes it has effectively de-risked the upcoming FDA-registered program.

This program, Bunka wrote, is expected to dominate the company’s second half of 2023 and beyond, and “will be a major step in our maturation as a pharmaceutical company and will be our primary research focus once it begins. If it is successful, it should contribute to an increase in our corporate value and an increase in the likelihood of our reaching one or more commercial agreements within the pharmaceutical industry.”

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

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

• Assurance released a new study ranking every state for 11 sustainability factors ranging from solar power to electric heat and recycling regulations, with Oregon coming out on top
• GeoSolar Technologies is an emerging leader in the space with its new Smart Green(TM) Home that includes a rooftop solar system, geothermal loops, EV charging station, and more
• As measured by the HERS Index, a Smart Green(TM) Home is essentially 100% more efficient than a typical home built in 2006

Whether motivated by financial incentives, environmental concerns, or both, people are increasingly looking to climate and wallet friendly technologies in their homes. In a study published on March 21, 2023, insurance company Assurance analyzed 11 environmental ranking factors to provide a clearer look at the green movement and discern which are the best locations for green homes.

Green homes use carbon-free technology like rooftop solar panels and electric heat pumps rather than those powered by fossil fuels. For full-service provider GeoSolar Technologies (“GST”), its Smart Green(TM) Home system takes decarbonizing a home to the next level. A whole-house audit is followed by optimizing insulation, designing, and installing a rooftop solar system for the home’s electricity, new electric vehicle charging station, backup battery power, upgraded windows, solar washer and dryer, smart LED lights, and new HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system complete with geothermal piping, smart air filtration, and electric heat pump.

Geothermal systems use ground source heat pumps operating with a heat exchanger that, via a loop of pipes run hundreds of feet underground, extracts heat from the ground in winter and serves as a heat sink in summer to provide cooling. They are growing in popularity because they reduce the load on household units to bring the ambient air to the desired temperature. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a free online tool for homeowners using geothermal systems to calculate their cost savings.

On the point of savings, GeoSolar’s Smart Green(TM) Homes have scored some of the lowest marks ever on the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) Index. A typical home built around 2006 scores 100 on the HERS Index. The further below 100, the more efficient the home is (i.e., a score of 70 means a home is 30% more efficient). Smart Green Homes score near zero, meaning they’re essentially 100% more efficient than a typical home built in 2006.

Assurance didn’t specifically mention geothermal in its analysis. However, geothermal is viewed by some as having the potential to become important in the later stages of decarbonization.

Using factors such as percentage of homes using electric heating, recycling regulations, and percentage of electricity from solar, Assurance ranked all 50 states on a scale of 0-50. Oregon came in first for green homes with a score of 39.7, followed by Nevada (36.6), California (33.7), and Arizona (33.4).

Not everything was led by the West Coast states. Texas (33.0) and New York (32.3) rounded out the top six. On a city level, Atlanta, Georgia had the most listing of green home (defined as homes with LEED and Energy Star certifications, along with several green features) on Redfin at 543 homes per 100,000 residents.

As far as trends, Washington leads the country with respect to transitioning to renewable energy. Underscored by 85 state incentive programs to switch to cleaner sources, almost half of the state’s energy consumption comes from renewable power. Florida was the hands-down winner for homes using electric heat at a whopping 91 percent. Even with Florida more than doing its part, the national average was just 36.6 percent.

Assurance also noted that having a green home provides benefits beyond being a steward of health for Mother Earth. There are incentives and rewards for transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables that can save money for upgrading a home, as well as saving money on insurance, loans, and taxes. For the energy-conscious resident, GeoSolar Technologies handles the whole process to ensure the homeowner capitalizes on every incentive available.

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

• Cepton, Inc. recently published its 4Q22 and FY22 financial results
• The company revealed that it had generated FY22 revenues of $7.4 million, up by 65% relative to FY21 results. Furthermore, Cepton guided for FY23 revenues of $15-20 million
• Cepton is at the forefront of lidar technology development, a position they’ve further consolidated with the recent launch of their award-winning Vista® X-120 Plus sensors

Cepton (NASDAQ: CPTN), a Silicon Valley innovator and pioneer within high-performance MMT® lidar solutions, recently announced their financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ending December 31, 2022 (https://ibn.fm/6wp95). The company reported full year 2022 revenues of $7.4 million, within the target guidance provided by Cepton earlier in the year and equivalent to a 65 percent increase year over year. Meanwhile, full year GAAP net income was equivalent to $9.4 million or $0.06 per share. During their release, Cepton provided guidance for their 2023 figures, forecasting full year 2023 revenues to come in at between $15 million to $20 million; meanwhile, the company revealed that they expected 2023 operating expenses to be in line with 2022’s results (i.e., $61.4 million).

The past year has been a momentous one for the company, punctuated by a series of operational and financial highlights. Whether it was unveiling their award-winning Vista® X-120 Plus, the slimmest software definable, top-end automotive lidar for real-time adaptive 3D perception; winning a multi-million-dollar sales contract from one of the largest highway tolling system operators in the U.S.; or successfully closing on a $100 million investment from Japan’s Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Cepton has unveiled a broad array of milestones over the course of the past twelve months.

“We closed out our first year as a public company with notable achievements,” said Jun Pei, Cepton’s Co-Founder and CEO. “We are in the final stages of preparation for the start of the production launch of our lidar for OEM customers, we announced our next-generation Vista® X-120 Plus lidar to meet future OEM requirements and closed the $100 million investment from Koito. We look forward to capitalizing on our extensive experience in commercializing automotive grade lidar to win additional series production awards this year,” Jun Pei added.

Cepton has long sought to position themselves at the cutting edge of lidar based technology, envisioning a future where their technological innovations may be used to drive the next stage of development within the autonomous-driving space. Whilst the company believes that fully autonomous driving may still be a couple of decades away, they operate under the assumption that technologies supporting advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) will continue to gain traction in the automotive industry. In a recent interview carried out at the M30 Mobility Summit, Cepton CFO, Hull Xu expounded on his vision of the ongoing developments within the mobility sector and Cepton’s potential role in the technological revolution.

“The lidar technology has been around for a couple of decades, maybe more. In the past five years, it has been more about who has the right technology to enable the right application. And as we mentioned earlier, we think the application that’s most relevant to people is ADAS. What we think right now is that lidar is moving from a pure technology discussion to deployment. So, whose technology product is going to be in vehicles that are mass produced? That is the competition we are in today,” he stated.

Autonomous driving technology has quickly become a focus area for automotive OEMs across the world, attracting billions of dollars in capital investment over the past several years. With Cepton leading many of its peers, both in terms of its technological breakthroughs as well as its commercial achievements, the company looks well positioned to benefit from the sector’s continued development.

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

• The FEXD management team has extensive international experience in developing global fintech platforms and services
• The company in September 2022 announced a business combination with Rana Financial, which provides transfer of funds services between the U.S. and Latin America
• At that same time, FEXD announced the acquisition of Afinoz, a digital lending platform used by India’s leading banks
• In January 2023 the company announced an extension to close its announced business combinations with Rana and Afinoz through April 2023

Fintech Ecosystem Development (NASDAQ: FEXD) is a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”) formed for the purpose of effecting one or more business combinations with an intent to focus on the financial technology sector.

The company’s mission is to create and grow a global financial services ecosystem to address unmet mobile money needs in developing and industrialized countries and markets. FEXD plans to achieve this by acquiring and merging with financial technology pioneers that have the potential to help establish its global fintech ecosystem, and by continuing the development of proprietary technologies and applications to keep the company at the forefront of the cashless society market.

Digital money is replacing physical cash. Consumers can buy products and services from anywhere in the world and make payments across borders. Parents can send money to students studying in other countries. Migrant workers are sending money to families in developing nations. Rural villagers without banks can send and receive money using their smartphones. FEXD is developing mobile transaction platforms, applications and services that are helping to implement these changes.

The company plans to offer a diverse portfolio of products and services to consumers and businesses in the United States, South Asia, East Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Its growth strategy includes acquisition, innovation and market development.

FEXD is a Delaware corporation based in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. The company was launched in May 2021 by a management team led by Dr. Saiful Khandaker that has extensive experience in developing and managing financial service platforms and applications, primarily in the mobile money sector. FEXD is sponsored by Revofast LLC.

Acquisition Targets

In September 2022, FEXD announced definitive agreements for business combinations with Rana Financial Inc., a Georgia corporation, and Mobitech International LLC (dba Afinoz), a limited liability company organized in the United Arab Emirates. The agreements call for Rana and Afinoz to become wholly owned subsidiaries of FEXD, with the combined company expected to continue trading on the Nasdaq under existing ticker symbol ‘FEXD’. The mergers are expected to close in Q2 2023.

Rana Financial

Rana Financial is a licensed money transfer company founded in 2009. Rana provides fast and affordable online and mobile transfer of funds between the U.S. and Latin America. Rana has been providing money transfer services in the U.S. market for 13 years and has 30,000 active users. Rana’s money transfer business grew to 200,000 transactions in 2021. The merger agreement values Rana at an implied $78 million enterprise value.

Mobitech International LLC

Mobitech International LLC (dba Afinoz) is an artificial intelligence-enabled digital lending platform used by India’s leading banks, non-banking financial companies and fintech loan providers. Afinoz’s fintech platform supports enterprises making loans primarily to middle- and working-class borrowers via its website or through its mobile phone application. Afinoz’s platform makes loans available and affordable to millions of Indian workers and unbanked users by providing access at a low cost. Afinoz’s platform has more than 50 lending partners, and its database of registered users in India includes more than two million individuals. The merger agreement values Afinoz at an implied $120 million enterprise value.

Market Opportunity

According to analysis by global market research firm Mordor Intelligence, the worldwide financial technology market is valued at approximately $194 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to nearly $500 billion by 2028, representing a CAGR of 18.97% for the forecast period. According to the report, various financial crises and the COVID-19 pandemic have fueled consumer adoption of, and investor interest in, fintech over the past several years.

Management Team

Dr. Saiful Khandaker is Founder, CEO and President of FEXD. He is Group CEO and founder of FAMA Holdings Inc., a global developer of fintech platforms, applications and services based in the U.S. with offices in the U.K., India, Bangladesh and Zambia. He is currently leading the development of the FAMACASH(TM) network, a global fintech ecosystem to provide fast, affordable mobile money services in underserved countries such as Bangladesh. Before founding FAMA, Dr. Khandaker spent more than two decades leading the development of software solutions for Fortune 100 companies and startups. He also helped numerous clients modernize their fintech services as Chief Technology Officer at Mi3. He holds a Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership, a Master of Science in Technology Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems.

Jenny Junkeer is CFO at FEXD. She is a Chartered Accountant with over 17 years of experience. As CEO of Junkeer New Era Consulting, she leads a team specializing in helping companies launch and optimize business operations in fast-changing industries. She has extensive experience helping organizations scale operations to maximize value. She is an Adjunct Association Professor at Deakin University in Australia, a board member of the Global Health Initiative Foundation, and Director of Implementation at ConnectCV. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Honors) from Monash University.

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

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

• It is estimated that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, cybercrime, including theft, data hacking, and destruction, grew by 600%, forcing nearly every industry to embrace new cybersecurity solutions
• Cybercrime is projected to cost companies worldwide an estimated $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015. However, the hefty upfront cost associated with protecting businesses from these attacks is leaving most SMBs vulnerable
• SideChannel acknowledges this issue, and through its team of vCISOs and vCPOs, it is lowering the barrier of entry to access fundamental cybersecurity services, ultimately providing a robust yet affordable solution
• By doing so, the company is playing a pivotal role in improving cybersecurity attack readiness while making robust cybersecurity solutions more accessible and affordable, particularly to SMBs

SideChannel (OTCQB: SDCH), a company founded on the belief that all enterprises, big or small, can have top-tier security guidance at a manageable cost, recognizes the current cost-prohibitive issue with cybersecurity solutions, and seeks to address it by offering affordable and robust cybersecurity support. In addition, the company acknowledges cybersecurity as a growing concern, and the inability of small and mid-sized businesses (“SMBs”) to access associated services is an issue that needs to be addressed, lest many be put out of business.

It is estimated that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cybercrime, including everything from theft to data hacking and destruction, grew by 600% (https://ibn.fm/CK27W). This has forced nearly every industry to embrace new solutions and adapt quickly to the changing cybersecurity environment. With cybercrime projected to cost companies worldwide an estimated $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015, businesses are being forced to identify new and more effective ways of protecting themselves and their data from attacks. However, this comes at a hefty upfront cost that most SMBs cannot afford, leaving them vulnerable to such attacks.

SideChannel acknowledges this issue, and through its team of expert virtual Chief Information Security Officers (“vCISOs”) and virtual Chief Privacy Officers (“vCPOs”), it is lowering the barrier of entry to access essential cybersecurity services. This approach ultimately provides a robust yet affordable solution targeted explicitly toward SMBs. It also helps elevate cybersecurity readiness among these businesses, thus lowering the likelihood of a successful attack and mitigating the damages should one occur.

A Cybersecurity Readiness Index released by Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) noted that a mere 15% of organizations globally have a “mature” level of readiness needed to be resilient against today’s modern cybersecurity risk. In addition, the report noted that more than half (55%) of companies globally fall under the “beginner” (8%) or “formative” (47%) stages, meaning that they perform grossly below average on cybersecurity readiness (https://ibn.fm/PIlya).

60% of respondents in the Cisco study noted that they had a cybersecurity incident in the last 12 months, with 41% of those affected citing losses of at least $500,000. The double-blind survey, which involved 6,700 private sector cybersecurity leaders across 27 markets, laid bare the prevalence of cybersecurity threats and attacks. In addition, it highlighted the cost implications of these threats while emphasizing the importance of preparedness and the right systems and infrastructure to protect one’s business against such threats.

SideChannel looks to provide access to expertise through experienced vCISOs, a dependable and consistent source of critical information and experience. By doing so, it enables enterprises, specifically SMBs, to understand the cyber environment, develop cybersecurity programs specific to their use cases and track those programs in a way that mitigates cyber risk and guarantees the smooth running of the business. Through these efforts, SideChannel is playing a pivotal role in improving cybersecurity attack readiness while making robust cybersecurity solutions more accessible and affordable, particularly to SMBs.

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

Digital Engagement experts, Public Relations officers, and Social Media & Content Management executives, are all invited to attend the 2023 edition of Social Media Strategies Summit – First Responders. The summit will be held from April 12-13, 2023 as a virtual event.

The Social Media Strategies Summit (“SMSI”) will provide a stage to learn about real-life case studies that offer practical insights into generating fresh, creative ideas for social campaigns. SMSI will feature a mix of industry experts who will share advanced social media strategies to grow online communities for SMEs.

As the leading social media conference for social media service and solution providers, SMSI offers a unique opportunity to engage with a targeted audience of decision-making first responder specialists. This virtual social media summit series will offer marketing inspiration led by senior-level executives from across the world.

Highlights

• Learn the intricacies of a winning social media strategy
• Evaluate social media initiatives through discussions and real-life feedback
• Revive strategy framework
• Nurture a cache of resources, tools, and connections
• Experience an exclusive online assembly of cross-industry, senior-level marketers.

Being Social Media Champion With SMSI

Investing in professional growth is the best way to enhance skills, stay informed, and connect with experienced industry experts. SMSI continues to be the leading social media marketing conference for marketers. This virtual conference summit will help marketers with social media marketing challenges in the current scenario.

SMSI offers a great opportunity to learn the best practices in social media marketing from a mix of experienced award-winning agencies and in-house practitioners. Attendees will get a 360° view of what it takes to implement an effective, revenue-driving social media strategy. This virtual event is a chance to participate in interactive sessions and activity-based workshops to deep dive into explicit social media topics. Each speaker is committed to bringing the latest knowledge to help generate winning ideas for social media campaigns.

The Social Media Strategies Summit will bring together leading experts and scholars from around the world. It will provide the opportunity for both senior and young scholars to present their research and take feedback to excel in their careers.

To learn more, please visit https://ibn.fm/nkVQa.