• Company accelerates drilling activities at Idaho site with the installation of two new drill rigs
• Drilling from underground successfully extending mineralization of Waite Zone
• U.S. needs to add 14 million plug-in electric vehicles and more than 300,000 public charging outlets by end of 2025 to meet Paris Agreement goals

The United States needs to ramp up production of electric vehicles considerably in order to meet Paris Agreement target goals by 2025. This market growth is expected to translate into an overall higher demand for cobalt, one of the key components of the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles, making clean, conflict-free cobalt exploration projects such as the ones owned and operated by First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (ASX: FCC) in North America of crucial importance.

First Cobalt Corp., with headquarters in Canada, is a vertically integrated North American pure-play cobalt company. First Cobalt has three significant North American assets: the Iron Creek Project in Idaho, which has a historic mineral resource estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 1.3 million tons grading 0.59 percent cobalt; the Canadian Cobalt Camp, with more than 50 past producing mines; and the only permitted cobalt refinery in North America capable of producing battery materials.

Currently an exploration stage company, First Cobalt’s main focus is on building a diversified portfolio of assets outside the DRC to help meet demand in the fast-growing cobalt market. First Cobalt is the largest cobalt exploration organization in North America and the only company on the continent that can produce cobalt battery materials to meet this growing demand.

Following its acquisition of U.S. Cobalt and its exploration properties in Idaho, First Cobalt’s primary focus shifted to what is now its flagship asset, the Iron Creek project, where it hopes to restart extraction and production operations in a few years. The company has already taken steps to expand the Idaho project with the addition of two more drill rigs in July, and it is optimistic about initial results indicating that drilling from underground is successfully extending mineralization beyond the extent of the historic resource.

This year’s drill program at the Idaho site is designed to extend the strike length of the previously known mineralization in two zones (Waite and No Name) and determine if a third zone is present. Six drill holes completed at the western end of the cobalt-copper mineralized zones have extended the total strike length of the Waite Zone westward to 520 meters along a dip length of more than 250 meters from the surface, according to a company press release (http://ibn.fm/LiyDW).

Plans are also in motion to reopen the refinery, which was closed earlier this year. The refinery’s ability to produce battery-grade cobalt and its location in the vicinity of major U.S. auto hubs could further cement First Cobalt’s position as the leading producer of cobalt in North America.

Cobalt demand will continue to rise as the United States looks to add 14 million new plug-in electric vehicles and more than 330,000 public charging outlets by the end of 2025 in order to meet the target goals of the Paris Agreement, according to a report by the Center for American Progress (http://ibn.fm/Is3t1). There are currently only 16,000 public charging outlets across the U.S.

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

• 30 percent of energy used in commercial buildings is wasted, an issue that most businesses wish to address
• Cost of energy-efficient renovation is daunting for most companies
• Zenergy’s Zero Cost Program makes it possible for businesses of all sizes to reduce utility consumption by 20 to 60 percent

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 30 percent of the energy used in commercial buildings is wasted. The commercial building sector is the largest user of energy and emitter of greenhouse gasses in the U.S., and the U.S. is currently the largest global user of energy. Sustainable investments toward energy efficiency within commercial buildings will help create high-performing buildings that leave a lasting environmental impact and provide operational savings. Energy conservation and efficiency are simply a win-win for everyone.

However, the cost of energy-efficient renovation can be daunting when relying on company profits and capital budgets. Zenergy Brands, Inc. (OTC: ZNGY) is leading the way in offering affordable, attractive financing to make upgrading to energy-efficient, smart control products for the reduction of utility consumption a reality through its Zero Cost Program™. According to the Business Case for Energy Efficient Building Retrofit and Renovation Report by McGraw Hill Construction (http://ibn.fm/4N5R7), businesses value utility cost savings as the most crucial factor in investing in efficiency. The good news for these companies is that Zenergy is saving businesses between 20 and 60 percent of their utility consumption on average.

Through the Zero Cost Program™, companies are able to upgrade older, inefficient energy infrastructure through the combination of energy services and smart controls. With zero upfront cost, the customer receives considerable economic benefits while lessening the demand on the nation’s grid and water supply.

Zenergy retrofits buildings with the most up-to-date and energy efficient LED (light-emitting diode) lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) controls and motor controllers. Building automation, efficient water system solutions, EC motor control systems, demand-side management and load factor correction are all part of the provided retrofit.  Even the smallest Zero Cost deals have a lasting impact on the environment, as detailed in a recent post on the company’s website (http://ibn.fm/GR6er).

Zenergy’s mission is to help customers achieve sustainability goals and reduce harmful carbon emissions. Following every Zero Cost Contract, the company performs an industry best practices analysis to monitor the environmental impact. The real-time effect of Zenergy’s services can be found on the company’s website. One thing is certain, Zenergy is leading the way in helping businesses of all sizes meet their goals of creating high-performing buildings that leave a lasting, positive environmental impact.

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

• Pressure BioSciences Inc. announced strong financial results for the second quarter of 2018, demonstrating the company’s growth and stability
• Products and services revenue increased for the tenth consecutive quarter (YoY) while registering growth of 29 percent compared to Q2 2017
• Company sets all-time first half fiscal year total revenue record
• A partnership with Ohio State University will enable the company to seek expansion in new industries like food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics

Pressure BioSciences Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) recently announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2018, highlighting one of the most successful periods in the history of the company. A leader in the development and sale of pressure-based instruments, the company registered its tenth consecutive quarterly increase (YOY) in products and services revenue. In addition, the company marked another financial accomplishment – an all-time record in total revenue for the first half of the fiscal year.

In a news release, Pressure BioSciences vice president of finance and CFO Joseph L. Damasio said that, in addition to its six-month total revenue record, its second quarter was just one percent away from the company’s all-time quarterly record. He also noted that quarterly gross profit margins went up by double digits year-over-year.

Products and services revenue for the second quarter of 2018 was $618,400 in comparison to $480,400 for the same period in 2017, an increase of 29 percent. Sales of instruments went up from $346,900 in 2017 to $397,000 in 2018.

Total revenue for the period ended June 30, 2018, was $638,800 in comparison to $540,400 for the second quarter of 2017, an increase of 18 percent. This increase was fueled primarily by the significant growth in products and services revenue.

The company’s financial report highlighted several additional achievements for Pressure BioSciences. One of the most critical accomplishments was converting $13.6 million of debt into equity. Additionally, operating loss significantly dropped in Q2, going down to $920,900 from $1,204,300 during the same period of 2017 (a 24 percent decrease). This was due to the company’s sales growth and diminishing reliance on outside investor and public relation firms, as well as the implementation of new sales and marketing contracts.

Pressure BioSciences is also continuing to strengthen its partnership with The Ohio State University for the development of a superior method for the sterile processing of liquid food and beverages, via the use of Pressure BioSciences’ patented Ultra Shear Technology (UST). Such a process would obviate the need to put chemical additives in liquid food and beverages and would allow them to remain in room temperature storage for extended periods of time. An $891,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently awarded to Ohio State is dedicated to the development of the UST technology platform and confirms the U.S. government’s support of this cutting-edge methodology for the preservation of perishable foods like milk and other dairy products. As part of this award, $318,000 has been allocated to Pressure BioSciences for the development of first-in-kind laboratory bench-top and manufacturing-scale UST instruments, according to Pressure BioSciences president and CEO Richard T. Schumacher.

Traditional food sterilization methodologies use prolonged exposure to heat for the purpose of bacteria destruction. While such sterilization does work, it adversely affects the look, nutritional value and taste qualities of the item. The UST instruments to be developed by Pressure BioSciences under the USDA-OSU award will rely on high pressure, very high shear (tearing) forces and a very short exposure to high heat. PBIO and Ohio State believe that this technology will enable the destruction of bacteria, viruses and spores without affecting the taste or diminishing the nutritional value of the food.

The potential uses of the UST technology platform, both within and outside of the food industry, are expansive. Importantly, the USDA grant will enable the company to develop and build the initial UST instruments.  With such equipment, Pressure BioSciences will not only be able to work on the development of specific UST-enhanced food processing applications, but on applications in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, industrial lubricants and many other potentially lucrative industries as well.

Looking at the financial and operational achievements of 2018 to date, it certainly seems that the company has been doing things right and is now on the path to profitability, a higher valuation and success. As Schumacher noted in a news release, “We believe that the markets our patented, pressure-based technology platforms serve have now expanded to include many additional multi-billion-dollar areas, and that our recent developments have positioned us well to take advantage of these exciting and potentially lucrative opportunities.”

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

• Rise in transaction volume, product enhancements and asset acquisition show Net Element’s ongoing growth strategy
• SeeThruEquity labels Net Element an ‘intriguing’ high-risk, high-reward growth company with stable share price target
• Since 2014, Net Element’s revenues from payment processing services have nearly tripled

A series of optimistic developments for payment tech processor Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) has led independent equity research firm SeeThruEquity to issue an update of its coverage on the company (http://ibn.fm/7NBjg). The research firm is taking note of Net Element’s forecast for an increase in gross profits based on its acquisition of services assets from partner Universal Payment Systems (“UPS”), an approximately 40 percent increase in its trading volume and number of transactions, and its addition of a smart security function in its business-to-business vendor payment platform Netevia (www.Netevia.com).

“NETE’s announcements suggest the company continued to identify growth initiatives, as evidenced by growth in transaction volume, new product enhancements, and the UPS deal announcement,” SeeThruEquity wrote (http://ibn.fm/hgjTQ), labeling the company an “intriguing” high-risk, high-reward growth company in the financial technology space.

Net Element is a company that serves small to medium enterprises through its innovative productivity-generating platforms. Its expertise in generating multi-payment channel possibilities to consumers extends to mobile technology, linking brick and mortar business, as well as unbanked, web-based businesses, to their customers. The company also provides transaction analysis capability to help businesses optimize their revenue streams.

The transaction growth reports cited by SeeThruEquity show that, during the first half of 2018, Net Element outperformed its first-half 2017 results, processing $1.62 billion in transactions over the previous $1.18 billion transaction mark. The number of transactions processed by the Netevia platform grew from 35.7 million to 50.2 million, a sign that the platform is increasingly being adopted for completing financial transactions. Since SeeThruEquity began coverage on Net Element in 2014, its annual revenues have increased from $21.2 million to $60.1 million.

The $2.7 million UPS deal is expected to generate $5 million in gross profits alone over the next four years, with ongoing profit contribution thereafter. UPS is a California-based provider of bankcard payment processing services and value adds, and the deal transfers a suite of solutions to Net Element.

SeeThruEquity continues to hold to a share price target of $25 for the company. During the past year, shares have fluctuated between $2.60 and $33.51, but the $25 mark would generate a value of 1.3 times the estimated revenues of $72.1 million this year, the agency states.

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

• Response rate to PRO 140 rose from 40 percent at 350mg dose to 70 percent at 525mg
• Institutional Review Board (IRB) allows trials of viral-entry inhibitor to continue at 700mg dose
• PRO 140 is an FDA fast-track candidate

Following clinical trial results showing that its new anti-HIV treatment is more effective at higher dosages, biotechnology company CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) is set to give trial participants an increased weekly dose of PRO 140 (http://ibn.fm/oyLRe).

The latest round of trial results showed that the response rate among trial participants treated with the viral-entry inhibitor rose from 40 percent at a 350mg weekly dose to 70 percent at 525mg. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) has given CytoDyn the go-ahead to give newly-enrolled trial participants a 700mg weekly dose of the viral-entry inhibitor. Current trial participants who did not respond to the lower dosage will also be allowed to continue on the 700mg weekly dose.

In a news release, CytoDyn president and CEO Nader Pourhassan, Ph.D., said, “We are able to increase the dose of PRO 140 due to its positive safety profile in prior clinical trials.” He added that the treatment’s safety is a key reason why the IRB has approved the higher dosage.

“Also of note, patients who achieve suppressed HIV viral load with 52 mg tend to maintain suppressed viral load after 10 weeks of monotherapy,” Pourhassan added. “Interestingly, some patients in our Phase 2b extension study are now achieving suppressed HIV viral load for nearly four years with PRO 140 as a single agent.”

The development of PRO 140 is of particular interest, because it could allow people living with HIV to take just one weekly dose instead of the daily pills required by current therapies.

An antibody rather than a drug, PRO 140 works by blocking the most prevalent HIV subtype from entering healthy cells, thus protecting them from infection. Recognizing the treatment’s potential, the FDA has designated PRO 140 a fast-track candidate. To qualify for fast-track status, a treatment must be intended for a serious condition and must also show an advantage over currently available treatment options.

Pourhassan noted, “Approximately 70 percent of trial participants who started with PRO 140 at the 525mg dose and have been treated between one and nine months are achieving HIV viral load suppression. This response rate is very promising and we are excited to evaluate PRO 140 at an even higher dose.”

Speaking of those trial participants who did not respond to PRO 140, the principal investigator of CytoDyn’s current trial said that these patients had been able to successfully return to their previous highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatments.

Jacob Lalezari, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF/Mount Zion Hospital, noted, “Of key importance in the Phase 3 monotherapy trial, all non-responders to PRO 140 have safely achieved suppressed HIV viral load upon returning to their prior HAART regimens before PRO 140 monotherapy.”

In addition to HIV treatment, PRO 140 is also being explored for other inflammatory indications and is being studied in a phase 2 graft versus host disease clinical trial for patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome who are undergoing bone marrow transplant or are at risk of developing graft versus host disease.

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

• The handheld testing device technology under development by Zenosense aims to deliver rapid results and state-of-the-art, laboratory-accurate results for the quick diagnosis of heart attacks
• Medical professionals believe that diagnosis within 30 minutes of a heart attack is the golden standard for ensuring adequate treatment
• Cardiac diagnostic testing market estimated between $2 billion and $6 billion in the U.S. alone

MIDS Cardiac™, a handheld diagnostic device for cardiac emergency triage being developed by Zenosense, Inc. (OTCQB: ZENO), could prove to be revolutionary in the diagnostic process. Incorporating the patented MIDS technology, which is predicated on the nano-magnetic detection of assay beads and has demonstrated detection of low enough assay bead numbers to be suitable for high sensitivity cardiac biomarker tests, shows real potential to be able to ensure accurate results, delivered at a fraction of the time required by large and expensive laboratory analyzers and right at the point of care, according to an article by Zacks Small Cap Research (http://ibn.fm/h4VPb) and recent quantitative results released by Zenosense.

The device technology is being created via a partnership between Zenosense and a third-party medical detection device developer. The joint venture carries the name MIDS Medical, and it was set up in the summer of 2016. Zenosense has 40 percent interest in the venture that is based in the UK.

MIDS Cardiac™ is unique, because the technology is being developed to detect very low levels of cardiac markers to deliver accuracy that’s equal or superior to expensive state-of-the-art central laboratory analyzers, all while being accessible at the point of care and offering results within minutes.

The need for such reliable medical technology is growing in the U.S. and throughout the Western world. Anywhere from six to eight million Americans undertake an emergency hospital visit each year due to chest pain and suspected heart attacks. Cardiac diagnostic testing has become incredibly important, and the market niche has grown over the past few years. Currently, the value of the market is estimated between $2 billion and $6 billion in the U.S., as detailed in the Zacks article.

Standard procedure for chest pain patients is an immediate ECG, complemented by blood tests for the cardiac markers troponin I or T, to diagnose AMI. However, the sensitivity of an ECG is recognized as only around 55-75 percent accurate. Troponin proteins are associated with the cardiac muscle and they enter the bloodstream immediately after cardiac arrest. So far, high sensitivity troponin testing requires state-of-the-art laboratory analyzers, which are often unavailable and require at least an hour to turnaround results – a lengthy process that often includes repeated testing to rule out false positives.

Speedy diagnosis is of paramount importance for the treatment of people who have suffered heart attacks. Whenever the flow of blood to the heart is restricted after cardiac arrest, the muscle will begin to deteriorate. The process can be initiated in less than 30 minutes, which is why time is of the essence. Those who receive diagnosis and treatment within the so-called golden hour are more likely to recover without adverse side effects. If treatment does not occur within six hours, most of the heart will be injured beyond repair.

According to the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, myocardial infarction blood tests should ideally be available within 30 minutes. The use of a device like MIDS Cardiac™ could help achieve this goal, as test results are available in a few minutes right at the point of care.

The successful development of MIDS Cardiac™ would be the first step in the development of a wider technology platform that could be adapted to a range of point of care immunoassay tests, based on the same concepts of speed, accuracy, ease of use and cost-effectiveness. Zenosense is planning to use the platform to develop a multi-capability point of care device that would test for different conditions, including prostate, colorectal and other cancers, inflammatory and autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, endocrine ailments, blood infections, respiratory viruses, meningitis, rheumatism, hepatitis, HIV, chlamydia and many more.

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

• New equipment, Cavitation Technologies agreement boosting efficiency as Petroteq launches environmentally friendly operations
• Company awaiting word on its application to uplist to Nasdaq Capital Market
• Petroteq expects to begin production at 1,000 barrels per day and ramp up to 8,000 barrels within about two years

Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTC: PQEFF) (FSE: PQCF), a company actively proving its environmentally friendly, proprietary oil extraction technology, has announced the completion of continuity testing as it builds up to full capacity extraction of 1,000 barrels of oil per day utilizing the technology at its Asphalt Ridge facility in Utah’s desert tar sand-rich desert.

The company is now making final arrangements for continuous operations and marketing activities, refining its techniques for more efficient production in part through an agreement with Cavitation Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: CVAT) that aims to keep Petroteq’s production costs at a minimum by establishing efficient workflow processes, as well as through ongoing analysis of how the company’s technology itself is working.

“The operational readiness of the facility coincides with the laboratory testing that we have been conducting. With multiple samples that have been taken from our mining operations, we have determined the proprietary solvent molecular and volumetric specifications to effectively and efficiently work with our proprietary extraction process,” Petroteq Chief Technology Officer Vladimir Podlipskiy stated in a news release this month (http://ibn.fm/MGrZz). “We are also looking at the many new and compelling products that will work with and integrate with our proprietary solvent process to improve the separation of oil from sand as well as stabilize and reduce asphaltenes in the oil to produce a better grade of heavy oil.”

Petroteq’s closed-loop extraction process uses no water, produces zero greenhouse gas, zero waste and requires no high temperatures. Its aim is to extract commercial amounts of crude oil from the desert tar sand rock through a crushing and recyclable solvent distilling operation.

“We continue to focus on becoming the first environmentally friendly oil sands mining facility,” company President Jerry Bailey stated. “I am extremely impressed with the work completed by our site operations team. As I review all 14 operating processes that comprise the ten stages of our facility, I have to mention the dedication and experience of our field team.”

CEO David Sealock reported that pricing of the extracted oil and the structure of the marketing strategy are still being finalized, but the company is confident that its costs and its discounts to buyers will be comparatively well positioned with Canada’s crude market.

“We believe that the market for Petroteq’s heavy oil product is attractive as our Asphalt Ridge facility is in close proximity to major refineries in Utah,” Sealock added. “We expect pricing to track West Texas Intermediate quite closely, as the refiners are already used to buying and using Utah Heavy Oil as part of their refining mix.”

Petroteq is awaiting word on its application to uplist on the Nasdaq stock exchange, where it hopes to attract a larger amount of investor interest as the promotion of its zero-harm extraction technology advances. The company expects to begin producing 1,000 barrels of oil per day as operations get up to full speed, and it is optimistic that it can increase its output to 8,000 barrels per day by late 2020 or early 2021 (http://ibn.fm/SmXJg).

The company aims to establish not only its technology, but a heightened domestic production market in North America. The Utah site is a 2,541-acre mineral lease with an expected yield of about 87.5 million barrels over the lifespan of the undertaking.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Petroteq.energy

• Modern green movement leverages modern scientific breakthroughs
• Auscrete aims to increase home ownership stats
• ASCK lightweight concrete panels open new possibilities

In a world that’s keenly aware of the impact that every action has on the environment, businesses in all types of industries are committing to operate as sustainably as possible. Auscrete Corp. (OTC: ASCK) offers a unique path to environmental responsibility and economic efficiency. The building materials manufacturing company is focused on leading the way in the “green” movement.

Auscrete is acutely aware that the lack of affordable housing has reached what some are calling crisis proportions, and the company is equally dedicated to making its building material as affordable as possible. This dual focus — to provide technology-driven and eco-friendly housing to those who may not otherwise be able to afford it —differentiates the Washington state-based company from the competition.

The green movement is a combination of diverse scientific, social, conservation and political measures that broadly address the concerns of environmentalism. Although the modern movement gained prominence in the 1960s and 1970s, environmental awareness has been growing throughout history. One thing that marks today’s green movement is its emphasis on detailed research and resulting advanced technologies.

Auscrete is an example of that emphasis. The company’s unique process incorporates modern technology and research to produce a nontoxic medium that is highly soundproof, offers exceptional insulation values, requires low maintenance, won’t burn and resists damage from the forces of hurricanes and earth tremors, as well as insects and mold.

Finally, the company’s products are designed to be cost effective. Housing prices have seen significant growth coming out of the recession, particularly in hot real estate markets such as Seattle and New York City, but even in smaller cities and rural areas (http://ibn.fm/O5ydY). As housing prices rise, home ownership has been decreasing. July 2018 Census Bureau statistics note that home ownership now amounts to approximately 64 percent, continuing a steady decline that’s persisted since 2004 (http://ibn.fm/BRjwO).

That’s a trend that Auscrete hopes to help change as the company works to offer a ready-to-move-in turnkey house for around $100 per square foot, which is significantly less than the 2017 median list price of $148 per square foot.

This impressive feat can be accomplished because Auscrete produces hybrid cementitious building products in the form of wall and roof segments that are infused with millions of minuscule air “aggregates” that are evenly distributed throughout the cast sections. This creates a superior, lightweight product, without compromising strength or structural integrity. Each hybrid panel also incorporates a distinctive XPS insulation composition that ensures greater comfort in a wide range of climatic conditions and reduces heating and cooling costs.

Because the product has a reduced weight that is nearly half of normal concrete, architects and engineers can develop new design and construction concepts. Each hybrid panel can be cast in large sections for easier transportation and faster construction on site, translating to enhanced savings in the energy efficiency of the product, as well as the mass-production techniques practiced in its manufacture.

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

• SHRV selects Global Payroll Gateway as payment processor and e-commerce partner for its subsidiaries, including Elepreneur and Elevacity Global; company projects a 25 percent savings
• Elepreneurs are home-based independent sales representatives who employ the direct selling method
• Earlier this year, SHRV announced its intent to expand the Elepreneur brand to Asia via a signed joint venture agreement with a Hong Kong-based company; SHRV has strategic vision for international expansion

Sharing Services, Inc. (OTC: SHRV) has appointed network marketing veteran Keith Halls to the positions of president and COO of its Elepreneur, LLC subsidiary. Moving forward, he will be tasked with leading the company’s global growth (http://ibn.fm/6zoqo). SHRV has also appointed Global Payroll Gateway (GPG) as its payment processor and e-commerce financial partner (http://ibn.fm/6ZtmF). That company is seen as an important asset as SHRV expands internationally.

SHRV is a Plano, Texas-based diversified holding company that owns, operates or controls a variety of companies engaged in direct selling through independent sales representatives. It also offers services such as energy, technology and insurance. It focuses on life-changing wellness products integrated with a rewards program. The line includes Timeless branded skincare for men and women, Vitamin Patches designed to generate energy and anti-aging Elier Mud.

Halls will lead a worldwide team of network marketers. SHRV commenced the growth of Elepreneurs globally when it finalized a joint venture with Hong Kong-based Health Wealth and Happiness Ltd. (HWH) earlier this year to expand its brand throughout Asia. The new company will be named Elepreneurs Asia Limited and will have the sales rights to countries including China, Japan and South Korea (http://ibn.fm/lZhao).

In adding Global Payroll Gateway, SHRV seeks fraud protection for its customers and also a comprehensive financial solution program for its suite of services. Additionally, it offers a unified system enabling SHRV to transact with its vendors and independent sales force. In a news release, John “JT” Thatch, CEO of SHRV, added, “We will save approximately 25 percent from our current model, which will quickly be reflected in our bottom line.”

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

• Ecommerce platform fostering international trade between Brazil and China
• Based on marquee hyperledger blockchain technology
• Built on IBM Hyperledger Blockchain BaaS Infrastructure

Since the publication of Adam Smith’s ‘The Wealth of Nations’ in 1776, which, among other things, set out the theory of absolute advantage, and David Ricardo’s ‘On the Principles of Political Economy’, published in 1819, which introduced the advantageous subtleties of comparative advantage, no sensible person has sought to deny that international trade has its benefits. Even if a nation were the most efficient producer of all goods and services, it could still profit from trade because of the inescapable toll of opportunity cost. Economic resources are scarce and so making one thing always means not producing some other thing. Consequently, rather than trying to be a jack of all trades, which inevitably means being master of none, a nation should specialize in what it does best. In line with that economic theory, accepted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Pacific Software, Inc. (OTC: PFSF) is now out to facilitate global trade (http://ibn.fm/SckQz). The company has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to begin construction of its proprietary ecommerce trade platform.

Under the agreement, Cobalt 47 Technologies Ltd., a spin-off of KBQuest Group, will commence construction of Pacific Software’s multi-lingual e-commerce B2B and B2C trade platform (http://ibn.fm/SuY3S). The platform is expected to be in production by November 2018 and will integrate blockchain components, including the company’s Agri-Blockchain. The technology, designed to work as an overlay to existing international distribution channels, is meant to facilitate trade between exporters in Brazil and importers in China, but, as may be expected, it has wider application. KBQuest Group, Inc. is the leading Microsoft distributor in China and was named ‘Microsoft SQL Partner of the Year 2017’.

Development of the PFSF platform will be undertaken using IBM’s Hyperledger Blockchain “Backend as a Service” (BaaS) Infrastructure The IBM BaaS platform has the capability to record, store and track a variety of digital product information, such as farm origination details, batch numbers, factory and processing data, expiration dates, storage temperatures and shipping details.

Hyperledger is the name given to an initiative, which began in 2015, when a number of blockchain developers decided to pool their resources. The 30 founding members were ABN AMRO, Accenture, ANZ Bank, Blockchain, BNY Mellon, Calastone, Cisco, CLS, CME Group, ConsenSys, Credits, The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), Deutsche Börse Group, Digital Asset Holdings, Fujitsu Limited, Guardtime, Hitachi, IBM, Intel, IntellectEU, J.P. Morgan, NEC, NTT DATA, R3, Red Hat, State Street, SWIFT, Symbiont, VMware and Wells Fargo.

These companies selected the nonprofit Linux to manage the enterprise, which has grown rapidly since inception. There are now more than 230 member organizations working on the current 10 projects, involving some 3.6 million lines of code. To date, the 10 active working groups have drawn close to 28,000 participants who have attended the 110+ meetings held so far. The aim of the Hyperledger project is to make blockchain technology available as modular, open-source platforms that are easy to utilize.

Initially, PFSF’s Agri-Blockchain platform may target Brazil’s substantial beef exports to China. Every year, the South American giant exports about $5 billion of beef, most of which goes to Hong Kong. The advantages of implementing a blockchain system for Brazilian meat exports are many. The blockchain will ensure transparency and trust with regard to origin, product quality, product safety and other factors. Additionally, in the event of food contamination, blockchain will be allow experts to pinpoint the exact source, which will reduce costs tremendously. Typically, under present supply chain systems, large quantities of good food are recalled and destroyed after an alert or warning is issued by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This, of course, adds the costs of wasting good food to the damage sustained by removing the infected food. Every year, around 420,000 people die due to food contaminated by bacteria, chemicals, viruses, parasites and toxins.

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