• The new HUB880 Explorer ultra-high pressure based system will be used by research laboratories worldwide in food-borne pathogen research to potentially maximize food safety
• Pressure BioSciences has sold a second system to Tennessee State University’s Public Health Microbiology Laboratory
• The development of laboratory-scale high pressure research instruments is one of the major product areas upon which the company is focusing, the other being its novel Ultra Shear Technology (UST) platform
• UST, the centerpiece of the company’s recently announced, USDA-funded ($891,000) development program with The Ohio State University, is a scalable food processing method with the potential to make healthy, nutritious, great tasting beverages and liquid foods with extended shelf-lives without requiring chemical additives
• Feedback from early users of the HUB880 Explorer are expected to help guide the development of the company’s first UST commercial instrument

Pressure BioSciences Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) announced recently the sale of the first two instruments from its newest line of high-pressure instrument systems. The HUB880 Explorer is a high-pressure based system that will enable public health, microbiology, food science, agriculture and other research scientists to study the manner in which pressure can kill food pathogens.

The first customer of the new system is a leading Japanese research institute that’s conducting trials in the fields of food and agricultural development. The aim is to maximize safety while also reducing production costs. The Japanese researchers will rely on the HUB880 Explorer to study the effects of high pressure on food manufacturing and the destruction of food-borne pathogens during the process, according to a company press release (http://ibn.fm/FNSWY).

Pressure BioSciences Vice President of Marketing and Sales Dr. Nate Lawrence revealed that the second customer is the Public Health Microbiology Laboratory at Tennessee State University. The laboratory will use the newly-released pressure instrument to acquire a better understanding of enteric pathogens, such as E. coli, salmonella and listeria.

Every year, foodborne pathogens like the ones mentioned above contribute to 420,000 deaths worldwide. They also cause the cumulative loss of 33 million years of healthy living on an annual basis, according to the Public Health Microbiology Laboratory.

The Public Health Microbiology Laboratory has been relying on Pressure BioSciences’ pressure-based instruments for years, which has enabled the publication of multiple scientific articles on food quality, as well as safety and handling of foodborne pathogens. According to Dr. Lawrence, these publications have been well-received in the scientific community.

Through the use of the new HUB880 Explorer, researchers will become capable of reaching higher pressure levels and working with larger sample sizes. This way, the manner in which pathogens contribute to spoilage and safety hazards will be studied more thoroughly. Because of this enhancement, the HUB880 Explorer could potentially lead to higher revenue levels in the foreseeable future, Dr. Lawrence noted.

Pressure BioSciences President and CEO Richard T. Schumacher said that the company is concentrating its efforts in two fields – pressure-based research instruments for use in scientific research settings and the Ultra Shear Technology, which is a scalable food processing method. The aim of UST is to address the limitations of using standard high-pressure processing and other food processing technologies in the quest to develop a scalable, enabling food processing method that can result in safer, great tasting, longer shelf-life, clean label (no chemical additives) food.

The Ultra Shear Technology combines high-pressure with intense shear forces while simultaneously limiting the exposure to high temperature. Recently, an $891,000 grant was awarded to Ohio State University for the development of the technological platform in collaboration with Pressure BioSciences. A significant portion of the funds will be allocated to the design, development and manufacturing of two prototype instruments (a bench-top and a floor model). According to Schumacher, the company believes that once the prototype instruments have been made, UST processing will result in the ability to process beverages and liquid foods that will have excellent taste and extended shelf life, but will not require chemical additives.

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

• Search engine features focused on cannabis commerce
• “Business media” platform that makes networking easier
• One-stop shop for both consumers and commercial operators

There’s a good chance that, very soon, someone who wants information on cannabis commerce will “NUG-L” with an application developed by NUGL Inc. (OTC: NUGL), in much the same way that they “Google” a topic. The tech company, located in Chino Hills, California, is aiming to become a leader in fostering communication and business relations in the cannabis space. To do so, it has developed a distinct platform that is part Google, part LinkedIn, which will allows users to not only find information on products, services and much more related to cannabis, but also facilitate networking and alliances between brands and service providers. NUGL’s leading edge, first-of-its-kind search app and online directory for the marijuana industry may soon be a one-stop shop for dispensaries, hydro stores, vape shops, brands and strains, as well as doctors, lawyers and other service professionals.

As Technical Engineer CJ Melone of NUGL explained in a recent interview (http://ibn.fm/zkWYZ), “We basically built an application that addresses every type of business in the 420 sector… and the businesses range from services, such as a CPA, a real estate agent… we cover all the storefronts, such as dispensaries and hydro stores, and we really are focusing on brands. And a brand could range from a vape pen coming out or a certain strain of marijuana, and what we’re seeing is that as the industry is becoming more sophisticated and it’s evolving, people and users are looking for that level of sophistication. They don’t want to just find marijuana or a store that sells it, they want to find a certain strain or brand of marijuana, and it’s just a natural step in evolution.”

“So we built profiles that address all these types of companies and it’s good, because it gives brands and services the ability to network ‘on the back end’, and a brand could start setting up distribution, and start making connections with dispensaries; a type of nutrient could start making connections with hydro stores or grow houses; and services can start making connections to people that need it. And what’s even more important is that this is a ‘value-add’ to the user, since they can find more things online and in a more detailed way, so it’s a win-win on both sides,” he continued.

The “profiles” are a feature that is proving to be especially favored. The wealth of information a profile provides “almost alleviates the need for a company to have a web site.” They will undoubtedly play an important role as dispensaries and other cannabis retail establishments search for suppliers and service providers. Indeed, this B2B capability of the application gives NUGL a unique position in the cannabis sector, making the company not simply a search platform but a “business media” portal. NUGL expects that as businesses and professionals become more familiar with the platform, this B2B characteristic will take on increasing importance. It is presently engaging in a variety of educational outreaches to teach the community how to use the back end of the software.

The company continues to enhance the application – it is rolling out new features every week – based on feedback received from the ecosystem of cannabis businesses, service providers and consumers, and it expects to start charging for some services in the very near future.

“We are going to start monetizing soon,” explained Melone. “You know software is a funny thing. Sometimes it’s better to start charging 5 million eyeballs later, than 500 hundred eyeballs today… We are getting into the market very methodically. We are gaining users and brands. We are putting together some strategic alliances. It’s going good. We are growing every day. We are not trying to do things on a whim. We are in this for the long haul.”

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

• A syndicate of underwriters is to purchase 3.8 million units at C$5.27 per unit
• Sale terms are an amendment of previously announced agreement to sell 1.9 million units
• Sunniva is closer to achieving full vertical integration in California with launch of Sunniva-branded product lines commencing in Q4 2018

Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQX: SNNVF), a vertically-integrated medical cannabis provider, aims to raise C$20 million through the sale of units of the company to a syndicate of underwriters spearheaded by Beacon Securities Limited and Canaccord Genuity Corp., according to a company press release (http://ibn.fm/HVqPi).

Sunniva announced that the syndicate will purchase 3.8 million units priced at C$5.27 per unit, an amendment of the previously publicized agreement which said that the syndicate was to buy 1.9 million units. Subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange, the closing date of the deal will be October 10. The funds realized from the sale will go toward working capital, among other corporate expenses.

Sunniva recently released its second quarter results, at which time the company’s management said that they looked forward to future revenue opportunities (http://ibn.fm/EQesV). In a news release, CEO Dr. Anthony Holler said, “We made great progress in Q2 2018 towards our goal of becoming a truly vertically integrated cannabis company in the U.S. In California, construction progressed at our phase one 325,000 square foot state-of-the-art Sunniva California Campus with completion targeted by the end of this year and first harvest expected in Q1 2019. Our extraction facility began generating revenue this quarter. We continue to secure new contracts and are excited about the future revenue opportunities in this and other vertical channels that maximize the synergies with our Vapor Connoisseur device business.”

In the six months up to June 2018, Sunniva’s total revenue amounted to C$9.6 million, against a net loss of C$11.2 million, compared to a C$11.7 million loss in the same period last year.

Speaking of the company’s immediate future plans, Dr. Holler said that its focus in California and the U.S. is to leverage its cultivation and extraction facilities and aggressively expand upstream distribution and retail opportunities to achieve full vertical integration from seed to sale, “which will include a focus on soon launching Sunniva branded product lines in various product categories including flower, extracted products, vaporizers and beverages.”

The first half of the year saw Sunniva entering separate agreements to provide distilled oil products to two leading California brands. Sunniva’s subsidiary, CP Logistics, has a deal with Farmacy Phactory, a producer of high-terpene strains of cannabis. CP Logistics will also produce distilled oil products for Cali Gold.

Sunniva has experienced significant expansion over the last year, including beginning construction of a new 759,000 square foot facility in Okanagan Falls, Canada, and opening a new clinic in its Natural Health Services referral network of cannabis-related clinics.

Dr. Holler continued, “In Canada, we received our Confirmation of Readiness letter for a license from Health Canada and broke ground and commenced construction on the 759,000 square foot Sunniva Canada Campus in Okanagan Falls, British Columbia. Our Natural Health Services’ clinics reported another strong quarter of revenue generation and together with the future production from the Sunniva Canada Campus, provide a solid foundation for future Canadian growth opportunities.”

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

• CytoDyn will present on October 1 at 9 a.m. EST (6 a.m. PST) at The Microcap Conference at the Essex House in New York City, with live webcast available
• CYDY is a biotechnology company developing humanized monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of multiple therapeutic indications, such as HIV, tumor metastasis and graft-vs-host disease

CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) management is set to present at The Microcap Conference on October 1 at the Essex House in New York at 9 a.m. EST (http://ibn.fm/CEGgV). The MicroCap presentation will be available on live webcast, and a replay will be hosted on the investor’s section of the company’s website at http://ir.CytoDyn.com.

CYDY is in advanced clinical development with PRO 140, a leading monoclonal antibody for the treatment and prevention of HIV, which offers potential both in combination with other HIV treatments and as single-agent therapy. PRO 140 is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody that blocks CCR5, a cellular receptor that plays multiple roles with implications in HIV infection, tumor metastasis and immune signaling.

In the setting of HIV/AIDS, PRO 140 belongs to a new class of therapeutics called viral-entry inhibitors; it masks CCR5, thus protecting healthy T cells from viral infection by blocking the predominant HIV (R5) subtype from entering those cells. At the same time, PRO 140 does not appear to interfere with the normal function of CCR5 in mediating immune responses. PRO 140 has been the subject of seven clinical trials, each demonstrating efficacy by significantly reducing or controlling HIV viral load in human test subjects. PRO 140 has been designated a “fast track” product by the FDA. The PRO 140 antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent leading to potentially fewer side effects and less frequent dosing requirements compared with daily drug therapies currently in use.

In the setting of cancer, research has shown that CCR5 plays a central role in tumor invasion and metastasis and that expression of CCR5 is an indicator of disease status in several cancers. Moreover, researchers have shown that drugs that block CCR5 can block tumor metastases in laboratory and animal models of aggressive breast and prostate cancer. In human pilot trials, CCR5 inhibition has been shown to remarkably limit colon cancer metastasis. CytoDyn is conducting additional research with PRO 140 in the cancer setting and plans to initiate Phase 2 human clinical trials when appropriate.

The CCR5 receptor also plays a central role in modulating immune cell trafficking to sites of inflammation, and it is crucial for the development of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and other inflammatory conditions. Clinical studies by others have shown that blocking CCR5 using a chemical inhibitor can reduce the clinical impact of acute GvHD without significantly affecting the engraftment of transplanted bone marrow stem cells. CytoDyn is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical study with PRO 140 to further support the concept that the CCR5 receptor on engrafted cells is critical for the development of acute GvHD and that blocking this receptor from recognizing certain immune signaling molecules is a viable approach to mitigating acute GvHD. The FDA has granted orphan drug designation to PRO 140 for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD).

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

• Bitcoin wallet application SingleCoin is now available for iOS and Android
• SingleCoin expansion plans include supporting multiple currencies and cryptos
• Original “Shark Tank” member Kevin Harrington signed as company spokesman for SingleCoin with national ad campaign featuring virtual wallet’s secure method of storing cryptocurrencies
• Recent launch of LastMile Delivery platform gives small to mid-size companies, including those in the cannabis industry, the ability to streamline, track deliveries

SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING) is simplifying the oftentimes confusing financial nuances of owning, storing, sending and receiving bitcoin through its SingleCoin virtual wallet, now available for iOS and Android via the Apple App Store and Google Play. SinglePoint President Wil Ralston announced the launch of SingleCoin during an appearance on MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon (http://ibn.fm/NiwKT).

“SingleCoin is live, it’s launched on Android and iOS. We’ve launched at SinglePoint.com; you can now actually can see the preview and the links there to directly download the application,” Ralston stated in the interview. Original “Shark Tank” member Kevin Harrington recently completed filming a commercial promoting the SingleCoin app that is now being scheduled for broadcast on several national media outlets.

SingleCoin requires no signup, quickly sends updated, market-priced bitcoin to any wallet address, makes it easy to share a wallet address across different social networks and receive bitcoin and simplifies transaction history by tracking each transaction in a compact, specially designed list. SingleCoin stores private keys in a secure keychain placed only on the device and not in an online backup. To view Ralston’s full interview on MoneyTV, visit: http://ibn.fm/he9I7.

As a diversified holding company with operations in multiple industries and verticals, including two high-performing market sectors in legal cannabis and cryptocurrencies, SinglePoint continues to add to its diverse portfolio, which provides multiple revenue streams. The recent unveiling of LastMile Delivery is a perfect example of SinglePoint’s ability to identify a need and fill it with an exceptional product.

The LastMile Delivery platform aims to provide SMBs the ability to streamline their deliveries and give customers the insight and predictability of when a delivery will arrive, a company news release states (http://ibn.fm/gOtym). Available to businesses throughout the world, LastMile Delivery leverages advanced routing and location technology, providing location tracking, estimated time of arrival, product tracing and inventory, omnichannel e-commerce experience, and scheduled arrival time. The agnostic platform works for any genre of business from cannabis delivery services to pizza shops. Merchants can set up from order inception to delivery completion or just use the dispatch and track capabilities.

“Almost a year ago we started to build out LastMile… and we finished it and we’re so excited,” SinglePoint CEO Greg Lambrecht stated in a recent MoneyTV interview (http://ibn.fm/k25gM). “We really built it for the dispensaries, so when someone ordered cannabis they can see exactly when that delivery was coming. Having said that, this is for any business that can’t afford to do their own.”

SinglePoint reported significant year-over-year improvements of nearly 100 percent in second quarter revenues, as compared to the same quarter of 2017. The company also uplisted as a fully reporting company to the OTCQB Venture Marketplace, creating additional opportunities for growth (http://ibn.fm/gOR75).

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

• SeeThruEquity provides research insight into underfollowed smallcap and microcap equities
• CIIX recently announced FY2018 results, with 40.5 percent YoY growth
• Growth potential for CIIX in cryptocurrency offerings

The leading independent equity research firm SeeThruEquity recently announced an update note on ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX). Headquartered in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, SeeThruEquity maintains one of the industry’s most extensive databases of opt-in institutional and high net worth investors. The research firm’s core mission is to provide impactful, high quality research on underfollowed smallcap and microcap equities.

CIIX is a relatively undiscovered specialized financial information company dedicated to Chinese-speaking investors worldwide. The company focuses on delivering market analysis and education in the Chinese language. In addition, CIIX capitalizes on the market potential of cannabis-infused health and wellness products and cryptocurrency investments. With the upcoming CBD spinoff set to take place by year-end, the company plans to focus back on its original mission of providing financial information and services to the larger Chinese community in the U.S. and elsewhere.

CIIX reported revenue growth of 40.5 percent over FY2017 for FY2018. The growth is credited to the company’s focus on consumer products and services in the hemp oil, CBD and cryptocurrency markets, as well as an increase in revenue for investor relations and subscription-based investor news products. The company anticipates significant growth in its hemp, CBD and cryptocurrency initiatives in FY2019, with moderate growth overall.

SeeThruEquity noted that CIIX was seeking to raise $3 million in private placement in August 2018. The research firm anticipates that CIIX will continue to seek external capital to cover costs until growth initiatives are able to support free cash flow generation.

CIIX has expanded its offerings to target the fast-growing cryptocurrency market through education and trading subscription services for Chinese-speaking investors. NewCoins168.com and the Daily Cryptocurrency Chinese Video Newscast from the NYSE cover the emerging digital currency market. In 2018, the company also launched Bitcoin Millionaire VIP Livestream and Bitcoin Trading Academy. Currently, there are plans to install a cryptocurrency ATM network and domestic online coin-to-coin exchange.

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

• Pacific Software begins development of blockchain-based B2B/B2C e-commerce platform
• Product tracking from farm to fare
• System will gather data from devices linked to Internet of Things

With the development of its blockchain ecommerce trade platform, Pacific Software, Inc. (OTC: PFSF) offers the prospect of supply chains with a level of transparency and integrity that is sorely lacking in current systems. By its immutability, which makes it impossible to game, and its capacity to track products, the technology will identify origins; speed up the removal of contaminated food in agricultural channels; and flag fraud. Undertaken using IBM’s Hyperledger Blockchain ‘Backend as a Service’ (BaaS) infrastructure, the PFSF platform will have the capability to record, store and track digital product information, such as farm origination details, batch numbers, factory and processing data, expiration dates, storage temperatures and shipping details. In addition, PFSF is working to incorporate data from devices, such as barcode and RFID readers, connected to the internet. By linking to the ‘Internet of Things’, the PFSF platform will make complex supply chains safer and a great deal more manageable.

Managed by the Linux Foundation, the Hyperledger Project is an undertaking meant to facilitate collaboration among developers aiming to apply the blockchain concept to transactional markets other than cryptocurrencies. The initiative was launched in 2015 with 30 participants. By the middle of this year, 235 organizations had joined. They represent a range of industries, including aeronautics, credit card services, finance, health care, manufacturing and logistics.

The Hyperledger technology offers a number of advantages. Its consensus algorithm is Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT), not the Proof-of-Work (PoW) widely employed by cryptocurrencies. This eliminates the need for the large amounts of power needed to solve cryptographic hash functions and also reduces the time it takes for transactions to be validated, to seconds. In contrast, a transaction with bitcoin, which uses PoW, will only be confirmed after 10 minutes. Hyperledger also allows permissioned systems to be built, which increases the privacy and security of the network. In a permissioned blockchain, an issuing authority grants identities to transactors on the network and assigns the appropriate level of access. The permissioned network can provide privacy by granting different levels of access and provide accountability with a record of all the transactions for an identity. This differs from the bitcoin network, which is publicly accessible.

Initially, PFSF’s ecommerce platform will focus on the agricultural supply chain between Brazil and China. PFSF’s Agri-Blockchain platform will improve transparency and trust with regard to origin, product quality, product safety and other factors. Additionally, in the event of food contamination, the technology will allow the exact source of the failure to be traced, reducing costs tremendously.

The drug supply chain is another system set to benefit from the PFSF platform, particularly as it relates to preventing or reducing the diversion of opioids fueling the present epidemic. The scourge of opioid addiction continues to plague the nation. A 2017 study by the non-profit Altarum (http://ibn.fm/ezdFq) estimates that, since the turn of the century, “the opioid epidemic has cost the U.S. more than a trillion dollars… and may exceed another $500 billion over the next three years.” The main components of economic activity are affected, placing a drag on economic growth. Reduced productivity is lowering business investment; earnings lost from illness and absenteeism are decreasing consumption expenditure; and shrinking tax revenues are curtailing government expenditure. The toll on human lives is equally costly. In the U.S., overdose deaths now run at a rate of roughly five persons per hour.

However, PFSF’s Hyperledger system may turn the tide, since it is a sophisticated method of recordkeeping. There is hope that better bookkeeping, which is possible with blockchain systems, may augment efforts to rein in drug abuse by identifying drug diversion and the bad actors (medical professionals and patients) responsible for it. The present system is flawed in several ways. It allows “double doctoring,” for instance, which occurs when a patient takes out more than one prescription from many physicians. This problem is compounded since tracking prescriptions is typically done on a state-by-state basis, and the silo nature of these systems can be easily exploited by patients who travel across state lines to repeat prescriptions.

Hyperledger Blockchain from Pacific Software may stop this corruption and chicanery. By tracking drugs from production to final use, the system will identify “pill mills” that over-prescribe painkillers or patients who “doctor shop” for extra prescriptions. The platform will be able to detect exactly where the opioids are sidetracked for abuse or illegal use. Moreover, it can overcome the lack of communicability between silo systems. Generally, blockchain has the capability to interconnect systems that don’t readily speak to each other, so several entities – state regulators, manufacturers, pharmacies – could potentially be on the same system. And, of course, unlike traditional databases, blockchains are immutable, i.e., records cannot be changed unless consensus is agreed by a majority of members. Also, a blockchain built to track pharmaceuticals would, very likely, be “permissioned” and accessible only by manufacturers, health care professionals and regulators.

Pacific met recently with representatives from the African Chamber of Commerce and is in the process now of developing a partnership with them for building trade with struggling African countries. This will include helping in areas where, for example, people are selling into counterfeit drugs and medications. Blockchain is already at work in the health care industry. Humanity.co has launched its My31 Mobile App, incorporating the IBM Blockchain design, which is designed to help users manage their health data (http://ibn.fm/8dlsI).

In August, Pacific Software announced that it had signed a definitive agreement to begin construction of its proprietary e-commerce trade platform (http://ibn.fm/KzZLA). The accord gives Cobalt 47 Technologies Ltd., a spin-off of KBQuest Group, the greenlight to begin construction of the multi-lingual e-commerce B2B and B2C trade platform.  The platform is expected to be in production by November 2018 and will integrate blockchain technology solutions.

KBQuest Group, Inc. is the leading Microsoft distributor in China and was named “Microsoft SQL Partner of the Year 2017.” Its founder and chairman, Dr. Wang-Chan Wong, advises Pacific Software on technical issues.

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

• BLOCKStrain Technology investing in technological means to provide businesses, consumers with cannabis pipeline transparency amid lab testing concerns
• Company has obtained agreements with a number of other enterprises to build security in cannabis market
• Global cannabis market expected to grow to $146.4 billion by 2025, with CAGR of 24.9 percent in United States

The nascent industries serving state-by-state cannabis legalization in the United States are feeling growing pains as they deal with the costs of delivering safe and quality-tested products to consumers. In this new age of plant-drug liberalization, BLOCKStrain Technology Corp. (TSX.V: DNAX) (OTC: BKKSF) is offering hope of some ground-level security to the product pipeline, so consumers can distinguish between potentially healthful cannabis and potentially low-quality products.

The black market for marijuana has always been beset by quality consistency concerns, particularly as sellers lace their products with other drugs to “bulk up” the item (http://ibn.fm/7nWqk) or growers experiment with ways to enhance marijuana’s potency (http://ibn.fm/Rlebm). In states where cannabis is now legal for medicinal or recreational use, laboratory testing is becoming a requirement for ensuring public safety, but those laboratories may not be consistent in the results they deliver and may even be willing to alter their findings in order to satisfy the growers paying for their services (http://ibn.fm/Z5t4D).

California’s move to become one of the world’s largest pot-friendly economies this year introduced new laboratory standards for testing cannabis, but media reports note that the testing has found many products falling short of those standards since the July 1 deadline for pot shops to clear out any pre-existing, untested inventory. The Associated Press recently reported that nearly 20 percent of marijuana products in California have failed potency and purity tests since the deadline (http://ibn.fm/FX9sT), although some industry players are complaining that the standards are unreasonably strict. In Massachusetts, testing labs note that their already slim profit margins for testing cannabis are further compromised by onerous profiteering by community regulatory agencies (http://ibn.fm/drSzi).

BLOCKStrain Technology is a full-service software company headquartered in British Columbia, Canada, that developed the first integrated blockchain platform for registering and tracking cannabis intellectual property from genome to sale. Canada expects to grant full recreational and medicinal use rights to cannabis next month, creating an emerging national market for numerous cannabis-related products. While the United States is not following Canada’s lead, the federal government is expecting to reschedule the non-psychotropic cannabidiol (CBD) extract this month following the legalization of a cannabis-infused medication (http://ibn.fm/g0g50) and potentially advance CBD-rich hemp legalization to the President (http://ibn.fm/9UHKz).

BLOCKStrain’s proprietary technology will serve clients at both ends of the production pipeline and those in between. Growers want to know that their product is making it to market in good condition. Consumers want to know that the product they buy was manufactured by a company invested in good practices. Distributors, shipping companies and government agencies also have a stake in ensuring the wellbeing of a product, and BLOCKStrain’s technology will provide a transparency that meets all parties’ concerns.

In May, WeedMD Inc. (TSX.V: WMD) (OTC: WDDMF) (FSE: 4WE) became the first Canadian Licensed Producer (LP) to begin utilizing the BLOCKStrain technology to track plant genetics (http://ibn.fm/BTwd7) and, most recently, BLOCKStrain announced a partnership with advisory firm Spire Secure Logistics Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Friday Night Inc. (CSE: TGIF), as part of an effort to provide security programs and infrastructure for the legal distribution and sale of cannabis to governments throughout Canada in light of next month’s legalization deadline (http://ibn.fm/llVfn). The company also reached an intent agreement with life sciences company Abattis Bioceuticals (OTCQB: ATTBF) to let Abbatis use BLOCKStrain’s technology to provide transparency to consumers as products are sold, shipped and tested.

Market analysts at Grand View Research, Inc. issued a forecast earlier this year that anticipates the global legal marijuana market will reach $146.4 billion by the end of 2025, illustrating the excitement surrounding related industries, even in their early stages (http://ibn.fm/4fvA0). In the United States alone, the market was estimated at $7.06 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.9 percent amid the political developments transforming the industry.

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

• GreenBox has developed the fastest and safest way to send and process money through blockchain technology
• The company’s flagship products, services and custom hardware include QuickCard, point-of-sale solutions and LOOPZ
• GreenBox has now acquired Sky Mids Technologies

Hardware/software technology company GreenBox POS, LLC (OTC: GRBX) offers individual disruptive applications integrated into an end-to-end set of financial products. Based in San Diego, California, the company builds customized payment solutions for a variety of industries, with a focus on blockchain-secured ledger technology. Its blockchain orientation ensures that vital elements, including security, privacy, reliability and extendibility, are always part of the package.

Fundamentally, the company has developed the quickest and safest way to send and process money utilizing blockchain technology. The design of GreenBox’s technology aims to lessen transaction costs, decrease fraud and strengthen regulatory compliance. All data and information are securely hosted on a blockchain platform. The company has a suite of flagship products, services and custom hardware. These include QuickCard, point-of-sale solutions, and LOOPZ delivery infrastructure.

QuickCard offers a blockchain technology powered E-Wallet. The QuickCard Kiosk performs direct and immediate deposits from cash to blockchain. It confirms bank account availability immediately, and it accepts cash, debit/credit card or ACH directly to most banks.

The company’s TrustGateway blockchain technology is integrated with QuickCard, with an emphasis on fraud protection. Being integrated systems, TrustGateway and QuickCard provide the security of an owned blockchain gateway. The design of TrustGateway technology aims to facilitate the largest platform in existence.

Regarding point-of-sale solutions, GreenBox’s POS software features compliance, financial audit preparation, expense tracking, tax payments, register-specific features and data fidelity controls. All records are stored on blockchain with no data backup or recovery needed. Point-of-sale solutions are completely integrated with delivery and payment systems.

LOOPZ is the company’s delivery software solution. It provides service dispatcher back-end technology with manual and automatic modes. LOOPZ features direct reporting to point-of-sale inventory and enables instant settlements. LOOPZ also features two mobile applications (driver and consumer) that run on Android and iOS.

GreenBox recently acquired Sky Mids Technologies and its book of transactional business capable of processing more than $1 billion annually (http://ibn.fm/iwyRb). It has already started taking Sky Mids’ book of business onto its infrastructure. GreenBox will integrate into its operations the staff (mainly engineers) and technology developed by Sky. Sky’s transactional platform specializes in strong and secure payments processing. For some time, Sky has been using GreenBox’s QuickCard payments system as its primary payments infrastructure.

In a news release, Ben Errez, executive vice president of GreenBox, said, “This is a great opportunity for both GreenBox and Sky. We have been working with Sky for a while now and are thoroughly impressed with their technology and capabilities. Their engineers are top notch and I am confident the synergy will continue to add to the plethora of new technologies we have brought, and will continue to bring, to market.”

GreenBox, with its end-to-end POS technology, is delivering advanced solutions to a society that is going increasingly cashless (http://ibn.fm/OHunc). With its customized payment solutions for diverse market sectors, it is leading the way concerning blockchain-secured ledger technology. It is building shareholder value by owning all parts of the blockchain payment system and operating over its own blockchain space.

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

• OTC Markets Group Inc. announced that Sharing Services, Inc. is approved for trading on the OTCQB Venture Market
• Growth has been 100 percent organic, with 10,000 new “Elepreneurs” in the last several months and record-breaking sales
• Dedicated to corporate and individual entrepreneurial success as the company continues to see growth

OTC Markets Group Inc. announced on September 11, 2018, that Sharing Services, Inc. (OTCQB: SHRV), a diversified holding company specializing in the direct selling industry, has been approved for trading on the OTCQB Venture Market. Current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for SHRV can be found at www.OTCMarkets.com.

Sharing Services, Inc. is headquartered in Plano, Texas and owns, operates or controls a variety of companies specializing in the direct selling industry. The 10,000 square foot facility offers room for expansion, as the company is on track for significant growth. The facility houses a growing customer service department, product fulfillment, opportunity and training rooms, and a video production suite. In the last several months, the company has grown by 10,000 independent sales representatives, which it coins “Elepreneurs.”

Not far from its headquarters, the first-ever “Elepreneur Happiness Convention” was held on March 2-3, 2018, in Dallas, Texas. Close to 1,000 people from several countries attended to hear from internationally known motivational leaders and learn about product lines. In a news release, Robert Oblon, chairman of SHRV, stated, “The enthusiasm of our attendees and the early success that we are experiencing is incredible considering our growth has been 100 percent organic, with almost no marketing from the company.”

In addition to growth in the U.S. market, the company is seeing growth in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. SHRV recently signed a joint venture agreement with Health Wealth & Happiness Limited to market its products throughout Asia. The new company will be named Elepreneurs Asia Limited and will deliver consumers the best products and services to improve their well-being. The soft launch is planned for later this year. In addition, wholly owned subsidiary Elevacity Global, LLC is completing the process to launch its product line in Australia and New Zealand.

In May 2018, SHRV reported its third consecutive record gross sales month, reaching more than $4 million. This followed March’s high of $2.4 million and April’s high of $3.5 million. The company credits these record sales to quality products, satisfied customers and the ability of independent sales representatives to effectively execute the company’s “Blue Ocean Strategy” to a global market.

The “Blue Ocean Strategy” is a combination of elevating “Elepreneurs” through direct selling channels that generate 100 percent organic growth while simultaneously creating as many successful independent leaders as possible.  Sharing Services, Inc. is revolutionizing the direct selling industry, creating a brand that establishes creative interaction toward corporate and individual entrepreneurial success.

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