• Co-sponsor of “Latin America Night” at 124th Canton Fair, China’s most influential import and export fair held in Guangzhou, China
• Promotion of B2B e-commerce trade solutions and Agri-Blockchain system for supply-chain management for cross-border transactions to be featured
• Proprietary multi-lingual e-commerce B2B and B2C trade platform under development
• Immutability of blockchain technology applicable for all industries, making complex supply chains safer and significantly more manageable

Pacific Software, Inc. (OTC: PFSF), an emerging development technology corporation and master licensor of Hyperledger blockchain-based systems, is slated to co-sponsor “Latin America Night” at the 124th session of the historic Canton Fair PDC Design Show. This highly anticipated international trade show spotlights innovative companies from around the globe with an emphasis on foreign trade and economic development (www.CantonFair.net). Pacific Software will promote its B2B e-commerce solutions and blockchain system for supply-chain management with a unique focus on Brazil and Agri-trade possibilities with China, a news release states (http://ibn.fm/NcUQh).

Pacific Software will actively promote “Latin America Night,” scheduled for October 31 at the Westin Pazhou Hotel, with a host of cultural and tourism exhibits from Brazil, including special food tasting demonstrations. Trade associations and delegations will be invited to learn more about Pacific Software’s unique e-commerce/blockchain platform that currently focuses on the agricultural supply chain between Brazil and China.

The multilingual platform being developed by Cobalt 47 Technologies Ltd., a spin-off of leading Chinese Microsoft distributor KBQuest Group, Inc., is set to launch in November of this year, a news release states (http://ibn.fm/ZhM7U). Pacific Software has developed a working relationship with the local government in the Brazilian state of Rondônia, one of Brazil’s largest agricultural regions, to assist in enhancing the exportation of agricultural products to China. While the primary focus remains trade and supply chains between China and Brazil, the possibilities are certainly more far-reaching with a much wider application, the company notes.

Pacific Software’s Agri-blockchain platform will improve transparency and trust in the origin and quality of food products by employing blockchain’s transformative ability to track products from origin to final destination. Any contamination source can speedily be identified, which can accelerate removal of the tainted item from agricultural channels, Pacific Software President Peter Pizzino said during an interview with New Economies (http://ibn.fm/vOq6V). Using IBM’s Hyperledger Blockchain “Backend as a Service” infrastructure, Pacific Software’s platform will be able to store, record and track digital product information from farm to fare, including batch identification numbers, expiration dates, factory and processing information, shipping details and more.

Pacific Software’s foray into China is bound to elevate opportunities as the company builds valuable relationships linking Brazilian agricultural suppliers with Chinese distributors.

More information about the 124th Canton Fair, celebrating ‘A Badge of Friendship: A Bridge for Trade’, can be found at www.CantonFair.org.cn/en

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

• As cannabidiol oil market explodes, Youngevity expands HempFX product line
• Product diversification reduces revenue volatility
• Direct seller with its own 1,000-acre coffee plantation
• Clinched $250 million five-year coffee supply contract

If diversification is the road to portfolio efficiency, then the expansion of its HempFX product line should take Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) closer to optimizing its risk-return position. Already well diversified with its eggs in many baskets, Youngevity is a leading omni-direct lifestyle company offering products in the top eight selling retail categories of health and nutrition, home and family, food and beverage (including coffee), spa and beauty, fashion, essential oils, photo and innovative services. Expanding its cannabidiol oil product line takes the company further along the road of revenue stability and risk reduction. With the new products, Youngevity is also doubling down on its mission to promote healthy lifestyles. The therapeutic benefits of cannabidiol oil are being increasingly recognized.

Earlier this year, Youngevity announced its intention to enter the cannabidiol oil market with a proprietary line of hemp-derived products. The timing was auspicious, for the cannabidiol oil market is expanding rapidly. Indeed, the Hemp Business Journal projects that consumer sales of cannabidiol products will reach $2.1 billion by 2020, with $450 million of that coming from hemp-based sources. That would represent a 700 percent increase from 2016. Demand for cannabidiol oil has exploded as its uses have expanded. Cannabidiol oil can now be found in cosmetics, medications, food and health supplements (http://ibn.fm/6jnZv).

Youngevity introduced the HempFX product line at its August 2018 convention in San Diego, California. The three debut products were labeled with reassuring names – Soothe, Relax and Uplift – which emphasized their curative properties. Soothe supports a healthy immune system and soothes sore, tired and achy muscles and joints. It contains Youngevity’s proprietary hemp-derived cannabinoid oil, as well as a variety of herbs, minerals and a powerful antioxidant – glutathione. Relax has the same cannabinoid oil base found in Soothe, to which is added a number of calming botanicals, such as chamomile, lavender, valerian and melatonin, that naturally induce slumber. Uplift combines Youngevity’s exclusive hemp-derived cannabinoid oil with St. John’s Wort and a specialized set of natural terpenes (cannabinoid enhancers).

The HempFX additions are ‘HempFX Hydration – Sleep’ and ‘HempFX Hydration – Pure’, both of which come in tablet form. They are meant to be used with Youngevity’s Y-DR8+ proprietary, portable water bottle system, which produces great tasting water and reduces chemicals found in tap water. The cannabidiol tablets are housed in the system and dissolve as the water flows over them. The Y-DR8 filter features (ACC) activated carbon cloth and is portable to fit today’s “On the go lifestyle.”

‘HempFX Hydration – Sleep’ combines melatonin with organic, full spectrum, hemp-derived cannabidiol oil and is formulated to improve sleep patterns that contribute to a restful night. ‘HempFX Hydration – Pure’ is added to water and quickly dissolves as it is consumed. It contains 25mg of organic, hemp-derived cannabidiol oil per tablet and is designed to provide a daily dose of cannabidiol to anyone who wants a full-spectrum cannabinoid product. Both ‘HempFX Hydration – Sleep’ and ‘HempFX Hydration – Pure’ are expected to be available in November of this year.

The cannabidiol oil product portfolio takes the number of SKUs available from Youngevity to well over 2,000. Leveraging its direct-selling network, the company now offers products in a wide range of market segments, including apparel and accessories, business lending, health and wellness, home and garden, lifestyle products, nutritional supplements, skincare and cosmetics, packaged foods, pet care, telecare health services, weight management and gourmet coffee. Additionally, the company owns a 1,000-acre coffee plantation in Matagalpa, Nicaragua.

Through wholly owned subsidiary CLR Roasters, Youngevity has entered into a five-year contract for the sale and processing of over 41 million pounds of green (un-roasted) coffee on an annual basis (http://ibn.fm/JLaAL). Based on current coffee prices and coffee futures, this contract should generate revenues in excess of $50 million per year for each year of the five-year deal. The purchaser of the coffee is a major coffee importer and exporter that has, for over 70 years, been supplying some of the largest coffee brands in the industry. Revenue for this contract covers the period from 2019 through 2023, with first shipments to begin in January 2019.

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

• Gamification uses gaming elements to drive customer engagement
• Gamification market exploding at CAGR of 45 percent
• Market is expected to hit $23 billion by 2022

By 2022, gamification is expected to be a $23 billion dollar industry, an estimate of income that would place the fast developing sector, if it were a nation state, ahead of Malta, Iceland, Monaco and about 50 other countries. It’s already a significant business, with a value, in 2015, close to $2 billion, and it’s experiencing phenomenal growth – a CAGR of over 45 percent – due to advances in digital technology and the exponential growth in the use of smartphones and mobile devices (http://ibn.fm/NOldr). Gamification is being increasingly recognized as an effective way to engage online visitors and convert them into customers. Now, encouraged by these trends and the growing passion for gaming, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, DeepMarkit Inc. (TSX.V: MKT) (OTCQB: MKTDF) has launched its proprietary promotions platform, ‘Gamify’. Currently, it is the only public company focused on the burgeoning gamification sector.

Gamification is a way of harnessing the characteristics associated with our game-playing inclinations to achieve business and marketing objectives. It is an approach that incorporates gaming principles into phases of the customer engagement process or designs aspects of the process as games. It is proving to be a potently effective way of evoking a positive customer response, no doubt because of our naturally playful nature. The impulse to “play” appears to be encoded in the DNA of Homo sapiens. It is our natural pursuit as children and, as adults, our game playing goes on, driven by our delight in socializing, our demand for status, our need for self-expression, our competitive instincts, the desire to develop and master skills and many other psychological factors.

The DeepMarkit platform – Gamify – has been designed to encapsulate many of these properties by a team that has been developing games successfully for 15 years. Darold Parken, DeepMarkit’s president and CEO, was instrumental in building Chartwell Technologies, later sold to Amaya Gaming, now known as The Stars Group (NASDAQ: TSG), a company with a market cap that’s close to $8 billion. The Gamify platform uses games and gaming elements to generate leads, to promote products and deliver rewards, and to build brand awareness and customer loyalty. With it, customers can build branded games that incentivize audiences, generate leads and drive sales (http://ibn.fm/q5k7Q).

Gamification can improve conversion rates, turning visitors into customers. Having large numbers of visitors to an ecommerce site is just a starting point and contributes nothing to the top line if they leave without taking action. Typical “bounce rates” – the percentage of single interaction visits to a website – are around 50 percent, i.e., about half who visit an online store exit a click or two later. Consequently, incentives that increase their desire to stay play a vital role in closing sales.

The DeepMarkit Gamify platform is designed to reduce bounce rates. Through the use of unique branded games, the platform turns visitors into players, players into leads and leads into sales. It integrates a variety of gaming elements with interactive advertising and powerful visuals, including 3-D images, and is flexible enough to be scaled for campaigns of all sizes. The platform is also suitable for multi-channel and omni-channel approaches that incorporate web, mobile and social media. At present, both free and paid solutions are available (http://ibn.fm/fsUkA) on many major ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce, and also as a plugin for WordPress, which opens the way for easy and broad adoption.

Gamify also offers a selection of easily customizable gaming apps featuring a customer’s branded e-store in addition to tailored landing pages, technical support, real-time analytics, data collection and an engaging marketing campaign. The platform’s patent-pending app comes complete with unique user incentives that draw consumers in with games and prizes, which in turn engage shoppers, turning them into buyers and brand promoters.

In June 2017, DeepMarkit attracted a $1.5 million investment from Allstate International LLC in Hong Kong. The investment gives Allstate a 10 percent stake in DeepMarkit and an opportunity to bring the Gamify platform into the growing Asian gaming market

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

• Cannabis industry set to quadruple to $47 billion over next 10 years
• Sugarmade strategy centers on supplying “picks” and “shovels” to growers
• Focused on the supply of hydroponic cultivation systems

Getting cannabis to market involves many stages. Before you can sell it, you have to grow it and perform myriad operations to ensure that’s done right. So, if you’re growing cannabis, it may be a good idea to turn to Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD). The company is one of the largest publicly traded hydroponics supply companies, with brands that include Zen Hydro, Carry Out Supplies, BudLife Cannabis Storage Solutions and Cali Grown Supplies. With a finger in so many pies, Sugarmade is poised for growth as the cannabis industry continues its exponential expansion. Spending on legal cannabis is projected to quadruple to over $47 billion over the next decade from its present level of about $11 billion (http://ibn.fm/0xu9x).

Headquartered in Monrovia, Los Angeles County, California, Sugarmade has been operating in several areas. The company is a supplier of generic and custom printed products to the quick service restaurant sub-sector of the restaurant industry, but its main focus is on the supply of hydroponic and other cultivation systems, with particular emphasis on the cannabis industry. Sugarmade aims to become a major force in the cannabis cultivation market as a supplier; however, the company will not be directly involved in the cultivation, processing, distribution or marketing of cannabis. Sugarmade will simply be supplying the “shovels” need to work the cannabis “gold rush.”

A revealing piece published by CannabisNewsWire details the M&A activity currently taking place in the cannabis space (http://ibn.fm/gXKoQ). Sugarmade, one of the featured companies in that report, has been consolidating its position in the sector. Its four divisions run the gamut from grow solutions to storage. ZenHydro is its online hydroponics store, which offers grow tents, lighting, nutrients and additives, instruments and tools and nearly everything else you need to grow cannabis. Then there’s CarryOutSupplies, which serves the quick-serve restaurant sector with essential supplies such as cups and spoons and bottles.

Through this unit, Sugarmade is already a significant player in the market for generic and custom printed paper, as well as other goods for the quick service restaurant industry. The larger competitive suppliers that service this sector usually require restaurant customers to place large orders, but CarrryOutSupplies allows these smaller establishments to gain the marketing and advertising benefits of customized printed products without tying up large amounts of working capital. Plans are afoot to increase the number of products offered, and a new business unit – CaliRestaurantSupplies – will market and distribute those products, with the aim of increasing its customer base beyond the current 2,000 or so takeout establishments, restaurants and other food service operators.

The company’s fourth business unit is BudLife Cannabis Storage Solutions, which offers a novel way to preserve the quality of cannabis flowers over long periods. Introduced in late December, the BudLife system has been able to preserve the integrity of cannabis flowers for up to six months.

With so many bets placed on the burgeoning cannabis industry, one is bound to pay off for Sugarmade. After all, it’s been said that more money was made from supplying pickaxes, shovels and blue jeans than was made from mining during the great California Gold Rush.

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

• First Cobalt owns the only permitted cobalt refinery in North America and is looking at the necessary requirements to restart production there
• Three studies evaluated potential costs, supply chain options and permit issues
• The studies found that the refinery could be restarted within 18 months at a throughput of 24 metric tons of material per day
• First Cobalt is working to establish suitable feedstock sources and downstream financing, possibly through offtake agreements

Pure-play cobalt company First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (ASX: FCC) is beginning to play its cards as it contemplates the possibilities of initiating North American production of the in-demand metal from facilities in eastern Canada.

On October 10, First Cobalt announced the results of three studies (http://ibn.fm/ZTPAe) examining the feasibility of restarting the company’s shuttered cobalt refinery in Ontario, the only permitted cobalt refinery on the North American continent capable of producing cobalt battery materials and, as such, a key potential domestic supply source of cobalt sulfate for the computer-powering lithium-ion battery market or, alternatively, cobalt metal for aerospace and industrial sectors.

First Cobalt has been focused on exploring the potential for mining cobalt from its flagship Iron Creek Cobalt Project site in the western United States in recent months, and it also holds significant past-producing assets in the famed Cobalt Camp region of Ontario where the refinery is located. Separate from this work, these three recent studies evaluated the refinery’s potential to restart production independent of any specific expectations for the company’s projects to provide feedstock. The analyses therefore present a baseline of expectations that could rapidly expand in terms of profitability if the Iron Creek site in Idaho proves to be a feasible mining operation. A maiden resource estimate completed in September provided encouragement toward that end (http://ibn.fm/y288n).

The three studies examined the estimated costs of restarting the refinery, as well as subsequent operational costs, the costs and time necessary to renew or obtain necessary permits and the product pipeline’s potential budgetary impacts in terms of cobalt sourcing and end-user offtake agreements to secure a client base.

The company determined that the refinery could be restarted within 18 months of securing feed utilizing its existing facilities and permits, even if those permits need to be renewed or amended (http://ibn.fm/QTuWd). Cobalt feedstock would likely come from three primary sources: concentrate from as-yet unspecified mining operations, hydroxide material from the Democratic Republic of the Congo that could be established as free of the ethical labor concerns that plague the DRC and recycled battery materials from North America. The output, at least initially, would be an expected 24 metric tons per day, or between 568 and 1,063 metric tons per year depending on a feed grade of between eight and 15 percent cobalt.

Restart capital injection costs are estimated at nearly $26 million, including a 30 percent contingency plan allotment. Yearly operating costs are estimated at over $6.7 million, with an estimated $2.5 million more for crystallization if sulphate is the preferred product.

“The First Cobalt Refinery is a strategic North American asset and potentially our quickest path to cash flow by producing cobalt materials for the North American market,” First Cobalt CEO Trent Mell stated in a news release. “The facility is in excellent condition with permits in place and a short timeline to potential production, as well as optionality for both sources of material and refined product… We believe that the single best use of the refinery is to provide cobalt for the U.S. market, which does not currently produce a meaningful supply.” Mell added that, “While no decision for start-up has been made to move forward, we are reviewing funding alternatives that would minimize equity dilution for our shareholders today and in the future.”

The first study, conducted by engineering firm Primero Group, examined the possibility of expanding production to as much as 50 tpd. The 24 tpd base case scenario rate relies on two autoclaves that exist in the facility, although the second autoclave wasn’t fully commissioned during previous operations. The 50 tpd expansion would require replacement of all processing equipment in the facility, which the company says is nearly complete.

First Cobalt’s permits include use of its tailing pond, which the company estimates would require expansion after eight years under the 24 tpd scenario. The news release notes that the company would then be able to use 80 acres to the north of the refinery for additional tailings storage.

Following the favorable review of First Cobalt’s prospects for firing up the refinery during the next year and a half, the company states that its next priorities are establishing suitable cobalt feedstock sources and deciding whether its best interests lie in producing sulfate or metal. First Cobalt can then begin detailed engineering and permitting while working to complete offtake agreements or other financing solutions.

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

• The global yacht and luxury vessel market is registering steady growth that’s expected to continue to 2025 and beyond
• Economic stabilization and an increased interest in marine and coastal tourism have ranked among the most prominent factors for the positive market trend
• Companies like Victory Marine Holdings provide excellent investment opportunities because of the tailored, comprehensive range of services available

Throughout 2018, Victory Marine Holdings Corp. (OTC: VMHG) has been working on ensuring vertical growth opportunities and increasing its number of core directions. Two of the primary objectives announced in September 2018 were to increase the company’s inventory and the size of its sales team. Both of these strategic improvements aim to respond to the growth of the yacht industry that occurred in 2017 and 2018 and that is anticipated to continue.

Per reports, 2017 was the busiest year for the market since the financial crisis. According to industry experts, the year marks the best results since 2007, and this positive direction is expected to remain unchanged in 2018 and beyond (http://ibn.fm/seW9p).

The U.S. market is still at the forefront, showing signs of strong economies and a positive overall outlook. The size of the global leisure boat market is predicted to reach $51.37 billion by 2025, which represents a CAGR of 4.3 percent over the forecast period (http://ibn.fm/Ucuni).

Apart from the U.S., other countries are also expected to drive the growth of the luxury vessel market. The Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets are expected to create regional opportunities for market augmentation. Developing economies, particularly those in the Asia-Pacific region, are also working on growing their yacht infrastructure. Such decisions will contribute to better opportunities for those interested in the acquisition of luxury vessels (http://ibn.fm/an1rd).

Several other factors will be contributing to consistent growth over the coming years. Marine and coastal tourism activities have been gaining popularity, and they’ll be one of the growth drivers. There has also been an increase in the number of high net worth individuals that will affect the yacht and boat market favorably.

Reports suggest that Europe and North America have been registering an increase in expenditure on sports and recreation. Furthermore, new technologies will be making yachts safer, easier to use and more accessible to a broader range of high net worth individuals.

Victory Marine Holdings is one of the leading players in the luxury vessels niche worldwide. In 2014, the company opened doors as a world-class yacht sales brokerage and consulting firm. Its management team has over 25 years of experience in the boating industry. Over the years, the company has partnered up with leading manufacturers, and the Victory Marine experts know what it takes to guide a potential customer through the purchase or commissioning of a boat.

VMHG’s credo is extensive communication and offering clients a “one-stop shop” approach. A portfolio of comprehensive services provides clients with opportunities to get specialized consulting, buy, rent and maintain yachts. Investment advice is also provided to those considering the purchase of a luxury vessel as an investment opportunity.

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

• In 2018, BriaCell obtained topline safety and efficacy clinical data, achieved proof of concept and advanced its clinical program
• The company initiated patient dosing in a phase I/IIa clinical trial of its breast cancer immunotherapy Bria-IMT in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors KEYTRUDA or YERVOY
• BriaCell is also working on the development of a personalized off-the-shelf immunotherapy treatment for advanced breast cancer that will potentially reduce the cost of tailor-made immunotherapy

BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (OTCQB: BCTXF) (TSX.V: BCT), a biotechnology company focused on immuno-oncology, recently announced the completion of several important milestones in 2018. These include obtaining topline safety and efficacy data in a clinical trial, achieving proof of concept and advancing the BriaCell clinical program.

Some of the most important information and data were included in a comprehensive report for Frontiers of Immunology, according to BriaCell CEO Dr. Bill Williams. The report highlights the complex mechanism in which targeted immunotherapy helps a patient’s immune system target cancer cells specifically.

BriaCell recently announced excellent safety and efficacy data from a phase I/IIa proof of concept clinical study in advanced breast cancer patients. There were reports of tumor shrinkage in various sites. These results were confirming the findings from two previous proof-of-concept clinical trials that showed promising results in patients with advanced breast cancer. The most notable result was observed in a patient whose breast cancer had metastasized. The patient responded to Bria-IMT, and substantial tumor shrinkage occurred. Shrinkage was observed in the breast, lungs, soft tissues and brain.

The immuno-oncology focused biotechnology company has already initiated patient dosing in a phase I/IIa clinical trial of its Bria-IMT, a breast cancer cell line that has been engineered to produce an immune-activating factor, in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors pembrolizumab [KEYTRUDA; manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK)] or ipilimumab [YERVOY; manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY)]. The study focuses on advanced breast cancer (http://ibn.fm/thGQd).

Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as KEYTRUDA and YERVOY boost the anti-tumor immune activity in cancer patients, and they recently came into the spotlight when the Nobel committee decided to award Dr. Tasuku Honjo and Dr. James P. Allison the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine “for game-changing discoveries about how to harness and manipulate the immune system to fight cancer” (http://ibn.fm/3DZae). In an important pre-clinical study lead by Dr. Allison, KEYTRUDA and YERVOY significantly boosted the anti-tumor effects of an immunotherapeutic product designed similarly to Bria-IMT (http://ibn.fm/an8s4).

Bria-IMT stimulates the activity of T-cells that play a crucial role in the immune response. BriaCell expects KEYTRUDA and YERVOY to further amplify the anti-tumor activity of Bria-IMT, and it hopes to offer safe and effective treatment options to advanced breast cancer patients soon.

In addition to launching the new clinical trial, BriaCell is also focused on creating personalized off-the-shelf immunotherapy treatments that will eventually cover 90 percent of the patient population. According to Williams, such an approach will potentially revolutionize cancer immunotherapy.

BriaCell is the developer of the trademarked Bria-OTS – a personalized immunotherapy treatment for advanced breast cancer. The treatment is tailored to match the patient without the need for the execution of a personalized manufacturing process. The treatment produces a powerful selective immune response against the specific cancer. The treatment reduces the amount of time, expense and logistical processes currently required for the creation of personalized cancer immunotherapies.

Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring form of cancer in women and the second most common overall cancer, according to the World Cancer Research Fund. In 2018, there have been over two million new cases globally (http://ibn.fm/hdGX3).

Approximately 12.3 percent of women in the U.S. will receive the diagnosis at some point in their lifetime (http://ibn.fm/U4kCo). The good news is that the five-year survival rate for patients diagnosed with breast cancer has improved over time, going up from 74.8 percent in 1975 to 90.7 percent for those between 2004 and 2011.

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

• NUGL will soon be finalizing the acquisition of specialized magazine company Nichols Publishing
• Through the deal, NUGL will gain access to the publishing company’s well-established audience of both cannabis professionals and enthusiasts
• The publisher’s purchase is just a first step in NUGL’s planned strategic expansion

NUGL Inc. (OTC: NUGL) is working toward the expansion of its business model through the purchase of Nichols Publishing Company – a well-known brand that has been issuing specialized magazines like Professional Marijuana Grower and Garden & Greenhouse for over a decade.

On October 15, 2018, NUGL announced that it has entered into a binding letter of intent for the purchase of the publisher. The acquisition will occur after a 30-day exclusive due diligence period and the execution of a definitive agreement, according to a company press release (http://ibn.fm/RBmHu).

NUGL will acquire 100 percent of Nichols Publishing in exchange for $1 million of the company’s common stock. Upon finalization of the acquisition, all publication activities will occur under the NUGL brand umbrella.

NUGL, a company setting a new standard of technology in the cannabis industry, will benefit from the industry-specific magazine audience that Nichols Publishing Company has established through the years. Professional Marijuana Grower targets professionals in the field, while Grower & Greenhouse addresses the needs of the home enthusiast. Both of these audiences already form an important part of the NUGL community.

Professional Marijuana Grower releases six issues per year, and the magazines are distributed among cannabis growing facilities, dispensaries and other industry representatives. A digital version of each issue is also posted online upon release. The total distribution and the online reach enable the magazine to generate an audience of 23,000 people per issue.

Garden & Greenhouse is mailed directly to subscribers, with a digital version also available online. The publication’s website averages over 30,000 visitors per month, and the total number of subscribers (plus the online audience) exceeds 41,000 people per issue.

The reach of the Nichols publications can be used to spread news about the NUGL technology and its importance for the innovative development of the cannabis industry.

NUGL Vice President of Sales Bob Waters said in a news release that the company’s customers currently utilize the services provided by the company, after which they leave. The magazines provide an opportunity to deliver high quality content to this audience for the purpose of growing engagement. According to Waters, NUGL intends to further grow the Nichols audience and expand the reach of the magazines.

The NUGL press release suggests that the acquisition of Nichols Publishing is just a first step in a strategic expansion process. The company has worked hard this year to update its Android and Apple apps and add new functionalities.

NUGL is the first cannabis search engine in the world aimed at enabling the most user-friendly experience in the respective industry. The app strives to provide unbiased and relevant search results, which is why paid-for listings are not featured.

Currently, NUGL can be used to search for strains, dispensaries, doctors, lawyers and various cannabis service providers (hydro stores, vape shops, etc.). Since there are no geographic limitations, NUGL can quickly connect cannabis companies and users interested in their services.

The NUGL brand-to-shop connection is a unique characteristic that enables the verification of cannabis brand retailers that are closest to the respective customer.

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

• Tourism and travel industry revenues expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2025
• Partnership’s VIP Payments solution adaptable to popular hotel, travel industry software to enable card-present and mobile-enabled payments
• Payment solution also designed to handle multiple currencies in booming era of tourist travel

Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) has taken a significant step in adapting its payment processing technology to the specific challenges of the tourism and hospitality industry through its recently announced partnership with VIP Systems, an advanced technology integrator already working in the hospitality industry space (http://ibn.fm/ieFgf).

“VIP Systems is a leading technology integrator with vast experience deploying complex point of sale solutions for some of the biggest brands in the travel and hospitality industry; adding payments to its offerings will create new revenues for VIP Systems and enable us to create more guest-centric value-added offerings,” Vlad Sadovskiy, Net Element’s president of integrated payments, stated in the announcement of the venture.

“This partnership brings together technology and value-added offerings that are set to streamline processes and create additional revenue for our clients at the point of sale,” VIP Systems Executive Vice President Edward Genin added. “Since inception, VIP Systems has been committed to providing its clients with the best quality integration services. The partnership with Net Element is another example of our commitment to this mission.”

VIP Systems is a preferred provider of tech solutions for well-known brands such as Marriott International, Choice Hotels International, Simon Property Group, Hotwire Communications, Morgans Hotel Group, InterContinental Hotels Group and Related Group.

Net Element operates a payments-as-a-service transactional model and a platform for value-added services that benefit small- to medium-sized businesses in the United States and select emerging markets. Internationally, the company’s strategy is to leverage its omni-channel platform to provide flexibility where diverse banking, regulatory and demographic conditions exist.

The partnership’s product is named the VIP Payments solution, designed as tech that works seamlessly with computerized Property Management Systems (PMS) utilized by businesses, particularly hotels, to govern property, personnel and legal operations through a single software system. It manages online and mobile payments compatibly with leading global distribution systems (GDS) utilized by travel industry service providers to manage real-time vacancies in rooms, etc., including the Amadeus and Sabre brands.

VIP Payments is designed to provide businesses with financial transaction security, as it simultaneously offers consumers the payment flexibility that is essential to modern society’s penchant for personal preference by accepting an array of mobile, multi-channel and multi-currency payment platforms. The technology can work with smart point-of-sale devices for card-present transactions, as well as online and mobile transactions in multiple currencies.

It also has customer loyalty modules that promote additional services and generate new revenue sources, provides same-day settlements and delivers online reporting.

The travel and tourism industry has enjoyed a recent boom, in part because of a wanderlust indulged by the millennials who have comprised a significant source of revenue in the industry during recent years. The 2018 travel and hospitality industry outlook report published by Deloitte predicts that the industry’s revenues will top $500 billion this year, and market analyst Research Nester, predicting a CAGR of 4.7 percent from $814 billion in 2014, anticipates industry investments swelling to $1.3 trillion by 2025 (http://ibn.fm/Bgmi3).

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

• Rebranding retail energy provider subsidiary in Texas
• Washington DC and 16 states have deregulated electricity markets
• Zero Cost Program reduces utility bills by 20-60 percent

Digitalization has changed our world, most tellingly in the ways we communicate, but also in a hundred other areas; yet it seems to have largely bypassed the energy sector, which, in many parts of the country, still serves up electricity the way it has been doing for over a century. However, in Texas at least, that is changing, as Zenergy Brands, Inc. (OTC: ZNGY) continues on its mission to enrich businesses and consumers through responsible energy use and management. Its flagship Zero Cost Program has proved to be a huge success. The company has put the finishing touch on its April 2018 acquisition of Enertrade Electric LLC by rechristening the Retail Electric Provider (REP), which will henceforth be known as Zenergy Power & Gas, Inc. (http://ibn.fm/5l6Qt).

The energy industry is massive and, like all giant creatures, moves rather slowly. As a result, its evolution has lagged behind other sectors, but change is underway. Some markets – Texas, for example – have undergone deregulation, which has resulted in the unbundling of services. Legacy utility companies typically handled all aspects of electricity supply, from generation to transmission, distribution and customer service. However, in some deregulated markets, the retail services of the supply chain have been unbundled. Those activities are now performed by an entity known as a Retail Electric Provider (REP). A REP will offer different sources of power supply, perhaps a green option, different prices and ancillary services, as Zenergy does with its Zero Cost Program.

The Zero Cost Program allows customers to upgrade their energy gadgets to more efficient, cost-reducing appliances, at no additional expense. The program reduces utility bills by 20-60 percent by furnishing energy conservation, smart controls and efficiency-based products and services to residential, commercial, industrial and municipal end-use customers.

As awareness of environmental issues increases, the program is likely to resonate with both corporate and residential customers, particularly as it is a turnkey solution that requires no upfront expenditure. Under the Zero Cost Program, Zenergy upgrades older, inefficient energy infrastructure and implements a variety of retrofits, including HVAC and refrigeration motor controllers, load factor improvement technologies, building-envelope-based technologies, weatherization-based technologies, smart controls, LED lighting and other energy-saving solutions.

The Zero Cost Program was developed based on an industry standard agreement known as a Managed Energy Services Agreement (“MESA”). The MESA allows Zenergy to act as an intermediary between the customer and the utility, taking on the obligation of developing, arranging financing for, installing and maintaining all energy efficiency measures and equipment. The MESA is expected to last for a minimum of five years, with an average seven-year duration.

The acquisition and rebranding of Zenergy Power & Gas mark a significant milestone for the company. The convergence of Zenergy’s retail energy services and its smart home controls into one offering gives the company a competitive advantage in the industry. The Texas market, where Zenergy Power & Gas operates, has over six million residential meters and nearly two million commercial meters. Zenergy’s strategy as a retail energy provider is to create a beachhead in Texas and then expand to other deregulated markets across the nation. To date, 16 states – California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia – and Washington DC have deregulated markets for electricity (http://ibn.fm/w7gNi).

The company believes that the Texas market provides a mature and open retail framework, as well as a flexible wholesale framework, thus creating the opportunity for innovative energy programs such as its Zero Cost Program to gain acceptance. Other anticipated services include, but are not limited to, time of use service offerings, conservation program service offerings, micro-grid technology service offerings and demand response-programs en masse.

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