• Carter Chalmers, MKTDF director of sales and business development, says new merchant signups are growing monthly; July’s total was 20 percent above June, with August tracking higher
• MKTDF’s gamification strategy converts, through online surveys and games, unknown social media followers into identified email subscribers and paying customers
• MKTDF’s goals include the introduction of an enhanced paid version of its app in October; company has received 125,000 emails from merchants praising higher conversion rates

DeepMarkit Inc. (TSX.V: MKT) (OTCQB: MKTDF) sees its gamification marketing strategy growing with the scheduled October release of its enhanced, paid toolkit that will give merchant/clients the ability to run gamified campaigns outside their sites and across social media in paid ads. It also sees momentum in its merchant signups: July was 20 percent higher than June, with August tracking even higher (http://ibn.fm/a9C4S).

Gamification uses the marriage of game-like features to a non-game platform to collect consumer data from online games. The result is the application of real-time information and analytics created for retailer clients to better understand their customer base (http://ibn.fm/0MA2f).

MKTDF is a Calgary, Alberta-based technology company focused on the monetization of gamification. It seeks, through the prizes and discounts offered by gaming apps, to convert site visitors into loyal customers who confirm their identities as they participate. MKTDF’s revenue comes from paid gamification campaigns, MKTDF’s June 2018 Investor Presentation says (http://ibn.fm/oxdR0).

The company’s strategy is to convert players into leads and leads into customers. Darold Parken, president and CEO of MKTDF, said in a corporate YouTube video (http://ibn.fm/l4r1W), “Businesses need a way to stand out from the crowd. DeepMarkit’s gamification platform gives customers that way to stand out. And it’s a way that they can afford. That’s the strength of our platform.”

“By providing a complete marketing solution, merchants can use different DeepMarkit tools to drive more traffic to their website, and once that traffic is on their site convert them into paying customers,”  Chalmers of MKTDF added. “The new DeepMarkit product release will represent a very powerful, comprehensive and cost-effective online marketing toolkit.”

MKTDF’s gamification app and proprietary technology is patent-pending. Online customers can use it on the Shopify, Inc. (NYSE: SHOP) platform (http://ibn.fm/GeDQk). Gamify is also currently available for free download on other major e-commerce platforms.

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

• The Green Organic Dutchman launched its premier organic cannabis brand on September 12
• Studies show that Canadian consumers prefer organic cannabis
• TGOD’s goal is to become the largest organic cannabis brand in the world
• Partnership with Aurora Cannabis has resulted in a nearly fivefold return on Aurora’s initial investment thus far

Coinciding with Canadian Organic Week, Canada’s biggest annual celebration of organic food, farming and products, The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) announced the launch of its premium, certified organic cannabis brand on September 12. This marks a significant step toward TGOD’s goal of becoming the world’s largest organic cannabis brand.

The Green Organic Dutchman is a research and development company that is a licensed medical cannabis cultivator under Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). The very highest standards for organic cultivation are employed by TGOD, with the company growing its cannabis naturally in Canadian soil without using synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Out of Canada’s 116 ACMPR-licensed cannabis producers, TGOD is one of only two that are certified organic. The cannabis produced by TGOD is also never irradiated—a factor that helps the company provide rich, fragrant, all-natural terpene profiles. TGOD further produces cannabis oils using a super-critical CO2 extraction process that is free of harmful additives and solvents.

As part of its organic cannabis brand launch, the company will choose 200 beta patients to try its products in January 2019. These beta patients will be selected through TGOD’s Founder’s Club enrollment program (www.TGOD.ca/Patients).

Studies have found that Canadian cannabis consumers prefer organically-certified marijuana, valuing its safety, medical effectiveness and natural terpene profiles. Providing superior products that are certified organic fits TGOD’s mission of “Making Life Better.” Along with delivering a premium cannabis experience, the company aims to be an industry leader when it comes to sustainability and environmental standards, demonstrating respect for the land in every part of its production process. The company is building all of its facilities to GMP standards and will operate the largest LEED-certified facility in the world, adhering to the standards of this internationally recognized green building certification system.

TGOD continues to provide top-quality products for medical cannabis customers and, soon, will also provide products for recreational users in Canada, once that country’s nationwide recreational cannabis legalization goes into effect in October.

TGOD also recently announced (http://ibn.fm/FoBOd) that it has agreed with Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX: ACB) to extend Aurora’s exercise deadline of its first milestone option under the TGOD Aurora Investor Rights Agreement. This first milestone option entitles Aurora to acquire an additional eight percent of TGOD’s common shares. The agreed-upon extension has moved the milestone option expiration date to October 12.

The partnership with Aurora has been very beneficial for both companies, and Aurora’s initial investment has increased almost fivefold. The Aurora team’s assistance, in turn, has helped TGOD accelerate its progress across all divisions.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.TGOD.ca

• Focused on discovering new technologies that deliver cannabinoids and other beneficial molecules to the bloodstream
• Bypassing the negative side effects of lighting up
• Crossing blood brain barrier

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) is focused on discovering new technologies that deliver cannabinoids and other lipophilic (fat soluble) beneficial molecules to the bloodstream through efficient and healthy ingestion.

The first step to discovering how to deliver a higher percentage into the human bloodstream was to find a way to protect the molecules on their journey through the gastrointestinal system. It was discovered that fats are an excellent conduit, increasing absorption and breaking down molecules into more easily absorbed particles in the small intestine, bypassing the liver. Lexaria’s DehydraTECH drug delivery platform manipulates CBD and other beneficial molecules in certain ways to connect them at a molecular level with various foods, including but not limited to fatty foods.

With the increased understanding of bioavailability, DehydraTECH is providing an alternative to smoking. The edible technology holds promise that the negative side effects of lighting up can be bypassed with a more effective delivery mechanism for cannabinoids, nicotine, pain relievers, vitamins, supplements and more. The technology provides increases in intestinal absorption rates, more rapid delivery to the bloodstream and improved taste and smell.

Lexaria Nicotine Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary, is working to encourage cigarette smokers to use alternative forms of nicotine that do not lead to lung cancer. By promoting healthier ingestion methods while providing lower overall dosing, Lexaria is at an advantage as the FDA pushes for improved public health through the reduction of nicotine consumption.

In a press release from August 2018, Lexaria announced a second-generation study in 40 rats. The study resulted in Lexaria’s formulation being four-times faster at reaching its peak level in brain tissue than the non-enhanced control formulation. In a press release (http://ibn.fm/yYhZk), Chris Bunka, chief executive officer of Lexaria, stated, “DehydraTECH delivery technology continues to demonstrate its superior effectiveness in delivering nicotine without the need for combustion or the need for inhalation whatsoever. Crossing the blood brain barrier is a significant achievement all on its own and this data confirms the outcome of our earlier first-generation test.”

This technology could also hold promise for application of treatment of nervous system diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Crossing the blood-brain barrier is significant beyond its applications to nicotine. The similarities in physical structure between the nicotine molecule and several of the drugs used to treat nervous system diseases mean that Lexaria is strategically poised to change the efficiency of drug delivery across multiple channels.

Currently, Lexaria is the only company in the world with a patent for the improved (oral or ingestible, including pills) delivery of all non-psychoactive cannabinoids and has patents pending in over 40 countries.

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

• Earth Science Tech, Inc. recently announced a strategic Direct Response TV (DRTV) campaign deal with Kevin Harrington’s ‘As Seen On TV’ production company
• The 12-month campaign, during which Harrington will be appearing in person to promote ETST’s products, is aimed at raising awareness of ETST’s activities and boosting its high-grade cannabinoid (CBD) oil
• Recently, SeeThruEquity, a renowned Wall Street firm, recognized ETST’s sales growth, market potential and current activities in the cannabidiol, pharmaceutical and research and development fields

Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) is a Florida-based innovative biotech company and a key player in the cannabidiol, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields. The company, which has also made significant footprints in the medical devices and research and development fields, has announced a partnership with Kevin Harrington’s ‘As Seen On TV’ production company for a Direct response media campaign (http://ibn.fm/L9Voc).

Kevin Harrington is a successful and highly respected figure in the entrepreneurship world, having marketed over 500 products and achieved more than $5 billion in sales. He is also one of the original Sharks on the ‘Shark Tank’ television program.

ETST plans to leverage its partnership with ‘As Seen On TV’ Production Company on this infomercial to deepen the market reach of its quality, high-grade cannabinoid oil. So far, the company has received validations from key institutions such as the University of Central Oklahoma and DV Biologics regarding the effectiveness of its CBD oil formulation in fighting breast cancer, boosting immunity, lowering cortisol levels and protecting the nervous system.

The direct response media campaign will feature Kevin Harrington, who will personally introduce ETST’s high-grade CBD oil. The campaign will run for a period of 12 months and will feature a 60-second ETST commercial spot aired in 10 selected regions and networks 300 times.

ETST will work closely with the ‘As Seen On TV’ team of analysts to ensure that the campaign is a success. The strategic alliance with Harrington is a major milestone in the company’s history and is expected to go a long way in polishing its brand.

The DRTV campaign will, in addition, give ETST’s infomercial a features placement on the ‘As Seen On TV’ website, a 15-second promotional video for digital marketing on social networks and permission to use the firm’s ‘As Seen On TV’ logo for its product branding.

The inking of the DRTV campaign deal comes hot on the heels of yet another achievement at ETST, its recognition from SeeThruEquity (http://ibn.fm/Qa0x3). This is an established equity research Wall Street company that targets micro-cap and small-cap companies with a valuation of under $1 billion.

The research firm has acknowledged ETST’s sales growth, market potential and recent activities. This recognition validates the passion and market expectations for the Earth Science brand. As part of the recognition, SeeThruEquity went set a price target of $3.60 on ETST’s shares.

ETST reported 1Q19 revenues of $166,891 represents growth of 64.8 percent from the previous period’s revenue figures. The growth in revenue is attributed to the rollout of CBD nutraceuticals and supplements.

The company currently has four wholly owned subsidiaries. It also has a Canadian subsidiary, Canna Inno Laboratories Inc., formed in 2017 to spearhead penetration of ETST into Quebec and access to government grants.

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

• Strikes deal to supply coffee to 60-ship cruise line
• Potential market of 60,000 crew members and staff
• Enters five-year contract to supply unroasted coffee worth $50 million

The cruise industry is big business, so it’s not surprising that the perceptive marketing practitioners at Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) have spotted the commercial opportunities therein. The company recently announced that it had expanded its footprint in the cruise line industry by adding one more prestigious brand to its hospitality business (http://ibn.fm/NZfTH). Its coffee manufacturing division, CLR Roasters, has bagged a contract with another top cruise operator. The two-year deal means roasting and serving coffee to the entire crew and staff of the cruise line, which has a fleet of 60 ships serviced by over 60,000 people from some 100 countries. It also requires CLR to supply coffee to the passengers of three luxury cruise ships. As global popularity of the caffeinated beverage continues at record highs, Youngevity’s fortunes are poised to rise in line. Our love of coffee ensures that.

Coffee has captured not just the palates of Homo sapiens, but their imaginations as well. In Brazil, where they’ve got an awful lot of it, a profusion of precepts are propagated. One such advises that coffee – café – should be drunk “black as the devil, hot as hell, and as sweet as sin.” If that’s the way you like your coffee, it’s very likely you’ll find that palatable brew from CLR Roasters. CLR, established in 2001, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Youngevity International. The division produces gourmet coffees under its own boutique-registered brands, which include the Café La Rica, Josie’s Java House and Javalution lines.

The CLR unit also manufactures a variety of private labels for major national chains and product for Youngevity’s direct sales operation. It is one of the largest suppliers in North America to the cruise line industry. The subsidiary was also the first entrant into the fortified coffee niche with its Youngevity JavaFit registered brand. It doubled down on coffee by acquiring a plantation and processing facility in Nicaragua. This vertical integration will allow a greater degree of control to be exercised over the supply chain, resulting in improved quality and lower costs as the coffee moves from land to lips.

CLR Roasters recently entered into a five-year contract for the sale and processing of over 41 million pounds of green (unroasted) coffee on an annual basis (http://ibn.fm/1KJsi) 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 contract.

The coffee plantation in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, extending over 1,000 acres, was acquired by Youngevity International in 2014. The plantation had been essentially abandoned but still housed 180 dedicated workers and their families. Its rehabilitation began with a project – the Kindness Project – that asked for clothing to be donated to the workers. The enthusiastic response from distributors and customers resulted in enough clothing to supply not only the Youngevity plantation, but also many plantations nearby. This led to the establishment of the ‘Youngevity Be the Change Foundation’, after the neighboring plantations began calling the Youngevity estate ‘The Giving Plantation’ – an initiative that aligns with Youngevity’s desire to promote healthy and empowered lifestyles.

Youngevity is a leading omni-direct lifestyle company that markets an extensive range of products and services covering the eight top-selling retail categories. Brands offered include those in health and nutrition, home and family, food and beverage (including coffee), spa and beauty, fashion, essential oils, photo and innovative services. The company was formed from the 2011 merger of Youngevity Essential Life Sciences and Javalution Coffee Company (now part of the company’s food and beverage division). The company also plans to enter the cannabidiol (CBD) market with a proprietary line of hemp-derived CBD oil products very soon (http://ibn.fm/RMOkn).

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

• Asphalt Ridge facility approaching 1,000 barrel per day capacity
• Full-time production planned to begin by next month
• Company considering opportunities to share environmentally-friendly extraction technology through licensing or joint ventures

Oil and gas company Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTC: PQEFF) is on the verge of putting its oil on the market as it approaches 1,000 barrel per day capacity at its Asphalt Ridge oil sands extraction facility in Utah, according to the company president Dr. R. Gerald Bailey in a recent Uptick Newswire interview (http://ibn.fm/rxGQR).

“We have not started making sales right at the moment; we’re storing oil in the tanks. But by the end of this month we should be back in the market and running full time on that plant. So, it will be a good revenue generator for us and further proof that this process is scalable and it’s not just something that’s a one-shot deal,” Bailey said, talking about his company’s patented clean technology to extract heavy oils from oil sands, oil shale deposits and shallow oil deposits.

Referring to what he described as “remediation technology,” the Petroteq president said, “There’s no emissions, nothing to the air and nothing to the soil. We just return the sand a lot cleaner, in fact 100 percent cleaner than it was when we took it out. So, you could put plants on it and grow it after we get finished. So, there’s no environmental issues in this stuff and it’s very amenable to easy expansion.”

Bailey also said that the company has been successful in raising capital to fully fund its current phase of operation. “We have very little debt now; we have been able to use minimal funds to accomplish our expansion. So, as we begin selling oil, we expect to be self-sustaining in that regard.”

He said that the next round of capital raised would probably go toward expansion of the Asphalt Ridge facility, to create even more capacity, adding, “This is very modular, like building a Lego set with the kids. You can just keep adding units to it. We’ve had ideas to increase up to 3,000 and even 5,000 a day.”

Petroteq’s plans are to gradually increase output to 8,000 barrels per day by late 2020 or early 2021. According to a New York Times article discussing the company’s technology, output could go as high as 10,000 barrels per day within 25 years (http://ibn.fm/xXPDG).

Bailey noted that, although Petroteq’s primary business is oil production, its patented environmentally-friendly technology is also creating a lot of interest, and there may be opportunities to export the technology through licensing or joint ventures.

If the Asphalt Ridge project performs according to expectations, Petroteq could unlock billions of barrels of oil in Utah and surrounding states, as well as from other shallow oil sand deposits in the world, according to The New York Times. Bailey and CEO David Sealock told the publication that they are already having talks about joint ventures and licensing agreements with companies from Australia, Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago.

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

• BriaCell is set to present clinical and scientific data on its findings in biomarker analyses from the clinical trials it has so far conducted; the presentations will take place at the upcoming conferences in New York
• The clinical efficacy data, which will be made public in advance of these conferences, is crucial to BriaCell, because it helps advance the company’s BriaDX diagnostic test solution; BriaDX is used in determining the kind of patients with a high likelihood of responding to advanced breast cancer treatment

BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (OTCQB: BCTXF) (TSX.V: BCT) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Berkeley, California. The company is in the process of developing off-the-shelf personalized cancer treatment options, targeting advanced breast cancer patients.

Having seen the unmet need, the company embarked on the development of Bria-IMT and is now testing its immunotherapy, through clinical trials, for commercialization.

At the first of two upcoming conferences, the Fourth International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference, slated to take place September 30-October 3, 2018, BriaCell will be presenting a poster on its whole-cell targeted immunotherapy approach to treating advanced breast cancer. The focus of this poster is on circulating tumor cells and cancer-associated cells as biomarkers of treatment response.

The data to be discussed is drawn from the Phase I/IIa findings in the ongoing clinical trials being conducted by BriaCell. The presentation will include, among other things, potential correlation relationship between circulating tumor cells and tumor response to the treatment.

Part of the findings already shows signs of tumor regression, as seen in large tumor-associated cells in patients. These findings go a long way in validating the application of Bria-IMT and in advancing the BriaDX diagnostic test.

Over 50 leaders in the oncology field are expected to make presentations at this conference. Areas of discussion include but are not limited to T cell regulation and their response to cancer, maintenance of immune balance, the convergence of immunotherapy and technology.

The second conference, The MicroCap Conference, will take place on October 1-2, 2018. This is an investor presentation event at which BriaCell will present its key achievements so far, especially the progress on Phase I/IIa, safety and efficacy data from the trials and any discoveries it has made on tumor shrinkage.

The MicroCap Conference brings together investors whose current and target portfolio is in microcap stocks. Here, participants get to interact with one another and, more so, the management teams of companies.

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

• Marifil exploring for gold, lithium and cobalt in metals-rich South American zone
• Argentina aims to capture as much as 45 percent of lithium market; investments in country’s lithium resource have grown tenfold since 2011
• Marifil’s recent drilling at San Roque property yields good results, with a 19-meter intersection of 1.89 grams per tonne gold

As a metal exploration boom elevates the prospects of Argentina’s mining industry, Canada-based Marifil Mines Ltd. (TSX.V: MFM) (OTCQB: MFMLF) continues to examine the prospects of its properties through drilling and sampling techniques. The company is focused on exploring for gold, lithium and cobalt because of their significant commercial potential, and on September 11, it published the results of its most recent round of exploration drilling on its San Roque property within the Province of Rio Negro, near the Atlantic coast, that significantly add to the advancement of the property (http://ibn.fm/fLouD).

The San Roque property is held by Minas San Roque S.A., which is jointly owned by Marifil Mines (51 percent) and NovaGold Resources Inc. (TSX: NG) subsidiary NovaGold Argentina Inc. (49 percent). Marifil is the project operator. It is an advanced-stage exploration project that encompasses some 42,320 hectares (104,575 acres) of mineral rights wherein significant gold-silver-indium-lead-zinc epithermal sulphide mineralization (http://ibn.fm/tYjHS) has now been drilled by 112 holes.

Results from the latest four drill holes are highlighted by a 19.8 meter intersection of 1.86 g/t Au near the surface, adding substantially to the extent of a gold mineralized area known as Zone 34. The company believes that Zone 34 holds potential for discovery of a heap leachable gold deposit similar to those found in Nevada. In another hole more than a kilometer away on Zone 33, a drill hole hit a composited intersection of 83 meters at 0.50 g/t Au, which also contains significant lead and zinc sulfide mineralization.

An NI 43-101 resource report has not been completed on the San Roque site, but, in the company’s judgment, there exists large volumes of mineralized earth within six distinct zones scattered across four square kilometers of its land holdings. All of these zones are open to expansion by further drilling.

Although the gold mining sector has seen little interest from investors this year because of a lackluster price for the precious metal and a dearth of new mining projects, recent M&A activity has increased market optimism (http://ibn.fm/u93j7), and Marifil has been undaunted about its exploration, noting in its news release that it has arranged a round of private placement financing for gross proceeds of $1 million, subject to regulatory approval.

Marifil’s Las Aguilas property in central Argentina is currently the country’s largest known nickel and cobalt-producing site, and the company’s 15,267-plus hectares (37,726 acres) of Puna grasslands are located within the famed ‘Lithium Triangle’, where that metal has been found in abundance to form a zone crossing national boundaries between Argentina, Chile and Bolivia.

Lithium, cobalt and nickel have become particularly attractive to junior miners in recent years because of their vital importance in the low-heat, high-efficiency lithium-ion batteries that power most of the world’s computer technology. The worldwide growth of interest in environmentally friendly electric vehicles has drawn attention to the limited supplies of cobalt and lithium, in particular, as automakers and national governments have raced to ensure a secure pipeline for their concerns.

Argentina expects to become a lithium superpower by increasing its share of the world’s supply from about 16 percent of the market now to as much as 45 percent by extracting the metal from brines in the Puna, described as the “Saudi Arabia of lithium” (http://ibn.fm/JLnzd).

Mining Secretary Mariano Lamothe told Chile’s Strategic Excellence in Mining conference last month that Argentina could be producing 290,000 metric tons per year of lithium by 2023 (http://ibn.fm/FDCY0). Until Argentina’s government switched from a mining-averse stance to economic development friendliness two years ago, only one company was producing lithium on a commercial scale from Argentina’s brine deposits. Since then, lithium production has increased by nearly 60 percent (http://ibn.fm/qfqcm).

Lamothe told the conference that Argentina is pushing Chile and Bolivia to organize a price index for lithium in order to stabilize market volatility, advancing the possibility that the price could be based on the metal’s carbonate quality, hydroxides, or other technical specifications, according to local media (http://ibn.fm/b0xxK). According to Lamothe, a metric ton of lithium currently can go for anywhere between $14,000 and $25,000, depending on the producer.

According to Lamothe, investment in the country’s lithium mining potential has grown to 10 times its level in 2011, evidence of booming interest and the country’s potential.

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

• Strong financial results reported for Q2 2018, with $32.45 million in revenue, up nine percent over same quarter of previous year
• Net Element subsidiary Unified Payments and Payment Club, Inc. raise $7 million to expand subscription-based payment processing service
• Company delivers flexible offerings to emerging global markets with diverse banking, regulatory and demographic conditions
• Ranked as one of North America’s fastest growing companies on Deloitte’s 2017 Technology Fast 500

Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), a global technology-driven group that specializes in mobile payments and value-added transactional services, continues to add flexible, convenient options to its array of electronic payment solutions. The company’s growth in revenue supports its strategic approach in providing yet another avenue for small and mid-sized businesses to accept cashless payments. News that Net Element subsidiary Unified Payments is launching a subscription-based payment processing service through a partnership with Payment Club, Inc. is a value-added case in point, with $7 million raised to finance related expansion plans (http://ibn.fm/APf3n).

“Utilizing a transparent subscription-based pricing model combined with the latest technology solutions, Payment Club can provide positive options to frustrated merchants and streamline their payment processes,” Anthony Kutscher, president and co-founder of Payment Club, stated in a news release.

For business owners who are often stymied by rising or hidden costs, this subscription-based cashless payment operating model makes sense in more ways than one by providing access, efficiency and a cost effective service through a subscription-based economy, as detailed in a recent Forbes article (http://ibn.fm/SAU6b). Businesses of all stripes are entering a phase where, through subscriptions, cost-effective access to virtually unlimited resources is the new reality, the article asserts. In other words, “businesses don’t have to own the resources they need to enable their business, but rather can pay for efficient access to only the resources they need when they need them.”

Unified Payments’ newly created subscription-based billing engine allows Payment Club and many Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), Value Added Resellers (VARS) and Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs) to bill and manage any payment services and software licenses in a convenient and transparent way, according to an earlier news release (http://ibn.fm/kdPMZ). The turn-key solution includes everything needed for businesses to accept payments in a multi-channel environment, including smart point-of-sale devices for card present transactions and fully integrated point-of-sale systems, as well as online and mobile solutions developed exclusively for Payment Club by Net Element.

“Small businesses often complain about the fees they pay for accepting cashless transactions and the burden it places on their business,” Vlad Sadovskiy, president of integrated payments for Net Element, explained in a news release. “At Unified Payments, we make it fast, easy and affordable to accept cashless payments using the newly introduced subscription-based processing.”

A new independent research report, now available from Fundamental Markets (accessible through registration), highlights Net Element’s progress in building revenue and expanding its roster of electronic payment services (http://ibn.fm/pDgue). In the report, Net Element’s reported revenue for the first quarter of 2018 increased by 17.85 percent, coming in at $15.98 million versus $13.56 million over the same period last year.

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

• Institute of Food Technologists meeting draws 20,000 participants in food industry, academia and policymaking – IFT is the world’s largest annual meeting of the food industry
• Researchers discussed using Pressure BioSciences’ laboratory tools in innovative projects
• The company’s current high pressure instruments can be used in studies whose results could help scientists better understand and kill food-borne pathogens, such as E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella
• The company’s future Ultra Shear Technology could result in safer, better-tasting, longer shelf-life and chemical-free food products

Pressure BioSciences Inc.’s (OTCQB: PBIO) high pressure instruments, processing methods and platform technologies were prominently featured at the recent annual meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) in Chicago, Illinois. IFT is the world’s largest annual meeting of food industry professionals. Both in scheduled sessions and in the company’s exhibit booth, attendees at IFT2018 were able to hear of groundbreaking progress the company has made in the continuing development of its Ultra Shear Technology (UST) platform.  In particular, attendees learned of PBI’s collaborative program with the Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (http://ibn.fm/nME7M).

The IFT’s annual meeting, which drew over 20,000 attendees worldwide from across the food industry, academia and government, is the industry’s largest annual event. The IFT seeks to provide a forum where industry professionals, academics and government representatives can work together to leverage their technical knowledge into applications that will benefit the wider population, particularly in food safety.

Dr. Aliyar Fouladkhah, director of the Public Health Microbiology Laboratory at Tennessee State University (TSU), spoke at the event about his team’s research into developing ways to eliminate pathogens from food. Of interest in this field is the development of a commercially viable way to make food safer with longer shelf-life and with no added chemicals, while retaining its taste, smell, texture, and quality.

In a news release, Fouladkhah said, “I was the co-chair of a special session on the adoption and validation of high pressure-based technologies by the food industry at the recent IFT annual meeting. My research group presented on the effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the inactivation of foodborne pathogens of major public health concern, such as E. coli, Salmonella, Cronobacter, and Listeria. We believe the data we presented, much of it generated with PBI’s high pressure-based instruments, will assist food safety researchers and stakeholders worldwide as they consider the use of pressure-based interventions for their microbiological studies.”

Fouladkhah also voiced confidence that the food science community will require and embrace a continued flow of next-generation equipment, technologies and methods for years to come, and that Pressure BioSciences’ Ultra Shear Technology platform may be one such technology. Currently in development, UST is expected to greatly benefit the food and many other industries, as it is designed to inactivate the most resistant pathogenic organisms in food matrix, resulting in safer and more stable products, Fouladkhah noted.

Pressure BioSciences’ President and CEO Richard T. Schumacher added that his company achieved a number of key goals at the IFT conference. “Our assessment was that IFT 2018 was a highly successful meeting for PBI,” he said in a news release. “Related to our first major goal, we came back from the meeting with a list of food science researchers interested in learning more about how our products could better enable their research programs. Related to our second major goal, we had the opportunity to discuss the power and potential of the UST platform with Key Opinion Leaders in industry, government, and academia worldwide. We learned a lot, met many important and knowledgeable leaders and food industry stakeholders, and had the opportunity to deeply examine current competitive technology platforms.”

Schumacher continued, “Based on what we learned, we made several very important decisions concerning the opportunity for and future path of our UST Program.  As our action path unfolds, further highlights of these decisions will be made public over the coming weeks.”

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