• Despite stock market nervousness over cannabis’ undersupply since Canada legalized recreational use, market watchers expect rebound
• The Green Organic Dutchman is building a relatively rare organic growing operation that’s expected to have low operating costs, premium pricing and green-friendly credentials
• The company’s first crop will be delivered next month to select patients as management continues building toward industry-leading capacity
• The Green Organic Dutchman expects 2019 to be a banner year as it works toward output of at least 170,000 kilograms per year
• TGOD recently launched a brand new patient and consumer-focused website, which can be viewed at www.TGOD.ca

Canada’s legalization of cannabis for a full spectrum of adult uses created a bit of a land rush as investors moved to secure fertile ground for profits in the emerging market, but undersupply of cannabis product created a sense of caution, which was reflected in declining stock values as consumers also rushed to greet the plant’s legalization in numbers greater than the cultivators and their pipelines could sustain. Even so, industry watchers generally agree that the problem is temporary and should correct itself as growers such as The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) get their operations up to capacity.

In an interview, Danny Brody, TGOD’s vice president of investor relations, stated, “This is exactly why we have waited to launch our product. We want the kinks to be worked out and have operational readiness across all divisions of our company. We want patients to not only enjoy our organic cannabis but also enjoy the experience of ordering that product from start to finish – the best customer service in the industry.”

Cannabis news outlet The Motley Fool noted that Canada’s top seven marijuana growers, which include The Green Organic Dutchman, lost nearly $300 million collectively during the most recently reported quarter as they worked to get their initial operations up to full capacity and distinguish their brands in a heavily competitive marketplace (http://ibn.fm/IrmE3), but the report states that the industry is “growing like a weed,” adding that “according to various Wall Street estimates, the legal industry in Canada could see around $5 billion in added annual sales from adult-use pot within a matter of years.”

The Green Organic Dutchman landed among the list of top growers, because it expects to approach 200,000 kilograms in annual yield during 2020, when at full capacity. A news release issued earlier this month in response to the annual general meeting of the company’s shareholders noted that its funded capacity is currently 170,000 kilograms, and it is building almost 1.4 million square feet of cultivation facilities across Ontario, Quebec and Jamaica (http://ibn.fm/5wabY).

The necessary majority of shareholders approved all of the matters put forward by the company at the meeting, including the director nominees, showing the confidence that shareholders continue to place in the company’s focus.

“We are thrilled with the overwhelming support from shareholders at our AGM,” Board Chairman Jeff Scott stated in the news release. “2019 will be a pivotal year as TGOD’s flagship domestic facilities begin production ramp-up and sales commence in the coming weeks… I have the utmost confidence in our team as we solidify our organic leadership position and deliver on our goal of becoming the largest organic cannabis brand in the world.”

TGOD made a strategic decision to dedicate its first commercial crop to a closed group of patients and investors next month as a show of loyalty to the company’s boosters and the patients who “are most in need of medical cannabis therapy,” according to its quarterly report (http://ibn.fm/JUDh7).

TGOD is among a mere handful of Canadian cultivators dedicated to organic growing principles. While the capital expenditure is about 20 percent greater for an organic cannabis facility, the operating costs are lower to compensate (http://ibn.fm/A9W7V). When the company’s additional purpose-built greenhouses are completed, they will be among the largest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building system-certified facilities in the world. They will also be completed to European Union good manufacturing practice standards to facilitate expansion into that market.

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

• Farm Bill 2018, freeing up hemp, awaits President’s signature
• Makes CBD from compliant hemp legal
• DVLP set to benefit, with operations in CBD retail, wholesale and information services

Texas-based Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP), along with the industry as a whole, seems set for a Christmas gift that will surely be welcomed. This past week, Congress passed the $867 billion Farm Bill, which, among other things, loosens restrictions on the cultivation and sale of hemp. Approved by the Senate on Tuesday, December 11, and by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, December 12, the legislation is expected to become law as soon as it is signed by the president, very likely before Christmas. Freeing hemp from prohibitive legal rules opens the way for further research into the plant’s possible nutritional and therapeutic virtues. As a result, DVLP expects demand for hemp-related products and services, like those it offers, to increase.

With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the hemp industry is poised to escape from the doldrums. Hemp is derived from the cannabis sativa plant, differing mainly because it has a much lesser level of THC than marijuana. However, having a common origin with marijuana has meant that it has suffered the same opprobrium and prohibitions. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, for example, required every person who sold, dealt in, dispensed or gave away marihuana to register with the Internal Revenue Service and pay a special occupational tax; it made no exception for hemp. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 retained and intensified the restrictive regime around hemp. By making only negligible distinction from marijuana, it criminalized hemp, labeling it as a Schedule I controlled substance, the most restricted category of drugs.

The Farm Bill reverses that provision, removing industrial hemp from the CSA’s definition of marijuana and, consequently, from Schedule I. In addition, it will allow commercial cultivation of hemp, provided that such cultivation is compliant with federal and state guidelines. Previously, only cultivation of hemp under the auspices of a state agricultural pilot program or for research purposes at an institution of higher education were permitted. The legislation does not, however, legalize CBD generally, but it does create an exception under which CBD and any cannabinoid can be produced legally. CBD produced from hemp will be legal “if and only if that hemp is produced in a manner consistent with the Farm Bill, associated federal regulations, association state regulations, and by a licensed grower.” Importantly, the hemp must contain no more than 0.3 percent THC (http://ibn.fm/8uNwy).

Golden Developing Solutions is poised to benefit from these developments. The company has two distinct operations; the first is an ecommerce and wholesale CBD business. This sphere of operations includes a joint venture, Pura Vida, which recently launched a direct-to-consumer website (www.PuraVidaVitamins.com) and commenced sales of Pura Vida-branded products. Branded merchandise includes hemp and CBD-related products and other products focusing on health and lifestyle. DVLP is also developing a CBD aggregator site, www.WheresCBD.com, which will allow consumers to access multiple brands and gather info on CBD and its many uses. In addition, the company is planning to develop a branded line of CBD beauty products and a beverage division.

The other main theater of DVLP operations revolves around www.WheresWeed.com. DVLP recently acquired Layer Six Media LLC (DBA ‘Where’s Weed’) and its online portal. The acquisition will allow DVLP to interact socially with the cannabis community, keeping the company in touch with current and emerging trends. ‘Where’s Weed’ is a rapidly growing, community-based online resource for cannabis consumers with a host of user-friendly services, including a sophisticated mobile app. Presently, it enjoys three million page views per month. The portal provides a directory of cannabis establishments in 49 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC, allowing consumers to conduct searches on dispensaries and cannabis retailers. The mobile app, available on both iOS and Android, has been downloaded over 80,000 times to date.

For more information, visit the company’s websites at www.PuraVidaVitamins.com and www.WheresWeed.com

• ETST has reported successful results in the testing of its unique Hygee medical device for detecting sexually transmitted infections
• Hygee detects chlamydia and is intended to be sold as an at-home kit
• This puts ETST on track to market Hygee in early 2019 through its established distribution channels in multiple countries
• In the future, Hygee may also be certified for gonorrhea testing

Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST), a biotech company, has received good news on the development and performance of its Hygee medical device. Molecular diagnostic assays by Procréa Fertility Laboratories have analyzed samples obtained by Hygee and successfully identified the presence of chlamydia, confirming earlier test results on more than 500 women (http://ibn.fm/Xphkq).

ETST, based in Doral, Florida, is focused on the cannabidiol, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors, as well as the development, through subsidiaries, of medical devices and research. ETST’s goal is to become a world leader in the CBD space.

For the development of Hygee, manufacturing partner Dermagate has already received certification ISO 13485:2013. It opens the way for Hygee’s marketing by early 2019.

In a news release (http://ibn.fm/5V0gg), Michel Aubé, CEO and chief scientific officer of ETST, said, “Hygee is an incredible innovation, and we have partners from many countries waiting to market the device. This is only the beginning of realizing the potential of this unique device, and we look forward to updating our shareholders on our progress.”

Initially, it will be marketed as an at-home testing device for Chlamydia, ETST said, but it added that R&D efforts in progress indicate that Hygee may soon be certified for gonorrhea testing as well.

ETST also develops and markets hemp-based CBD oil products. The company, and the industry at large, would benefit from the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill by year’s end. That legislation has already has been passed by both houses of Congress, and a provision in it legalizes the growing of industrial hemp in the United States (http://ibn.fm/oiJNA).

ETST holds several wholly owned subsidiaries. Cannabis Therapeutics is an emerging biotechnology company. KannaBidioiD manufactures and distributes in the recreational sector. Earth Science Foundation, Inc. is becoming a non-profit and accepts grants and donations to conduct additional studies. Earth Science Pharmaceutical develops medical diagnostic tools and vaccines. It also formed subsidiary Canno Inno Laboratories Inc., a Montreal, Canada-based company that provides ETST with access to government grants.

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

• Cannabis Strategic Ventures injects capital, expertise and network to expand its portfolio
• The company is developing a family of brands with its portfolio approach
• Company management believes that there is significant opportunity in the industry to create and control specific industry niches

Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) acquires and develops companies within the cannabis and ancillary sectors that are in startup and growth stages. Cannabis Strategic Ventures, based in Los Angeles, California, injects capital, expertise and network to hyper-grow its portfolio. The company concentrates on supporting entrepreneurial growth within the fast-growing legal cannabis sector and works to provide a public vehicle entity to investors looking to invest in a vertically integrated company that approaches the cannabis and cannabidiol industries from a global viewpoint.

The legal cannabis industry is positioned for significant growth. Forbes notes (http://ibn.fm/4QP6v) that, “Spending on legal cannabis worldwide is expected to hit $57 billion by 2027. The adult-use (recreational) market will cover 67% of the spending; medical marijuana will take up the remaining 33%.” The biggest group of cannabis buyers will be in North America. Spending is forecast to increase from $9.2 billion in 2017 to $47.3 billion in 2027.

To this end, Cannabis Strategic Ventures’ management believes that there is a major opportunity in the industry to create and control specific industry niches by developing cannabis consumer brands to complement the organization’s hard assets. The company is bringing together expertise in the cultivation, product sales and personnel services for the cannabis sector and offers, via a select portfolio of subsidiaries, products, technologies and services made to match the growth aspects of cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries and other cannabis industry participants.

With its portfolio approach, Cannabis Strategic Ventures is developing a collection of brands. These brands cover varied areas including cannabis oil, concentrate extraction services and staffing for the cannabis sector, as well as cannabis cultivation (http://ibn.fm/lSz9v). The company’s portfolio comprises Halo Filters, Fitamins, The Asher House Wellness and Pure Applied Sciences.

Halo Filters is a unique filter material for protecting the lungs from harmful toxins and chemicals. Fitamins is a proprietary joint formula infused with cannabidiol to enhance health and wellness. The Asher House offers whole plant-based cannabidiol for pets.

Pure Applied Sciences offers its PureOrganix brand. This is a line of organic and pure cannabis oils and related accessories. Pure Applied Sciences has a cannabis concentrate extraction services agreement with CP Logistics LLC. Through this agreement, CP Logistics will perform white label services, producing high quality, ultra-purified cannabis extracts for Pure Applied Sciences out of its Sun-Oil Facility in Cathedral City, California. It will do so under the PureOrganix brand name (http://ibn.fm/cVwSV).

Cannabis Strategic Ventures continues to center on investing in and securing market share in the $10 billion cannabis and $900 million hemp industries. An umbrella company, it is expanding its product lines to include beauty products while it adds cultivation to its portfolio for better vertical integration. This strategy offers considerable growth potential for the company and its stakeholders in diverse verticals.

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

• Pacific’s B2B cross-border platform aims to facilitate trade expansion
• China strengthens trade ties with Latin America
• Blockchain technology holds promise to improve food safety and quality

Different times call for different measures. In antiquity, caravans traversed the 4,000 miles between China and the West bearing silk, spices and news. They traveled along what is now known as the Silk Road, a term coined by German explorer Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen in the late nineteenth century. But that was then. Today, both goods and information can travel by other channels. While trade must go by train, boat and plane, trading information between East and West can occur electronically through a platform like the one being developed by Pacific Software, Inc. (OTC: PFSF). The tech company is out to facilitate trade between China and Brazil with an e-commerce trade platform that looks set to become an important hub in a digital Silk Road.

Trade between China and Brazil looks set to increase. Although China has been Brazil’s largest trading partner since 2009, trade between the two giants is a fraction of what it might be. Currently, exports and imports between the two countries run at around $40 billion per annum. This is a mere seven percent or so of the $600 billion traded between the U.S. and China. Moreover, the incentives for China to diversify its trading relationships are intensifying. The Trump administration’s approach is likely to keep trade between the two countries a matter of contention. As a result, China has been looking to do business further afield, and exhibitors from across the world, such as Pacific Software, having been showing up at China’s trade fairs.

Pacific Software took part in the recently concluded 124th Autumn Canton Fair, which ran from October 15 to November 4 in the city of Guangzhou. The company was a co-sponsor of ‘Latin America Night’, a featured event at the Fair, which is said to be China’s largest, typically attracting close to 20,000 vendors and about 200,000 buyers. Held on October 31, 2018, the Fair’s ‘Latin American Night’ provided an opportunity for Pacific Software to demonstrate its B2B e-commerce solutions and blockchain system.

Pacific’s Agri-Blockchain B2B e-commerce platform is designed to work as an overlay to existing international distribution channels. Initially, it will be employed to facilitate trade between Brazil and China, but it is expected to find additional application as China develops trading relationships in the Southern Hemisphere.

The PFSF platform will be developed using IBM’s Hyperledger Blockchain Backend as a Service (BaaS) infrastructure. The platform is expected to allow Pacific’s Agri-Blockchain technology to record, store and track a variety of digital product information, including farm origination details, batch numbers, factory and processing data, expiration dates, storage temperatures and shipping details. The B2B cross-border trade platform is expected to increase the diversity of China’s trading relationships, reduce costs by eliminating the plethora of middle men, shorten the trade process time cycle by replacing paper with digital records and, importantly, enhance food quality by providing faster alerts when food is contaminated.

The Silk Road team at Pacific Software is headed by Harrysen Mittler, Peter Pizzino and Wang-chan Wong. Mittler, CEO and chairman of the board at Pacific, has over 30 years’ experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, business administration and commerce. He held the positions of chairman and president at Grand Prix Sports, Inc., which owned a stake in Nordic Racing Ltd., a FIA F3000 racing team and the support venue for the Formula 1 International auto racing series. He also served as CFO at Nortia Capital Partners Inc., a publicly traded merchant banking company, and Autoworks International Ltd., a company quoted on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Pacific’s president is Peter Pizzino, an executive with an extensive career, spanning over 25 years, in the securities and investment industry. Pizzino has served in several NYSE boutique securities firms on Wall Street and has played a part in generating several hundred million U.S. dollars in client offerings. Pacific’s technical advisor is Wang-chan Wong, PhD. He is the founder of KB Quest Group Inc., a spin-off from which, Cobalt 47 Technologies Ltd., will construct Pacific’s multi-lingual e-commerce B2B and B2C trade platform. KBQuest Group, Inc. is the leading Microsoft distributor in China and was named ‘Microsoft SQL Partner of the Year 2017’.

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

• Growing environmental awareness creating demand for energy-saving solutions
• Smart controls make energy consumption manageable
• Zenergy owns retail energy provider in Texas

Growing environmental awareness and changing economics are creating halcyon days for the new Zero Cost Energy Saving Program from Zenergy Brands, Inc. (OTC: ZNGY). Cities across America are increasingly demanding cleaner energy and implementing energy conservation measures. Furthermore, data published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that, since 2017, the cost of electricity from renewables has fallen below the cost of fossil fuels (http://ibn.fm/ak4NE). These developments are set to usher in happy days for Zenergy, as its Zero Cost Program aligns with both trends. With its deployment of smart controls, the program holds the promise of limiting energy consumption while protecting the environment. Signing on to the program offers commercial, industrial and municipal customers the possibility of reducing their power consumption by 20 to 60 percent, and who isn’t in the market for conservative consumption?

The Zero Cost Program, made possible through an industry standard arrangement known as a Managed Energy Services Agreement (MESA), is a turnkey solution that enables customers to upgrade their older, inefficient equipment. The outdated assets are replaced by energy-efficient retrofits, such as HVAC and refrigeration motor controllers, load factor improvement technologies, building-envelope-based technologies, weatherization-based technologies, smart controls and LED lighting, all at no up-front cost to the client.

Under a MESA, Zenergy is obliged to develop, arrange financing for, install and maintain energy efficiency measures and equipment, all of which will be the property of Zenergy. The customer pays Zenergy a part of the savings in utility costs that follow the installation of the equipment, and Zenergy generates revenue from these “Service Payments.” Service Payments are fixed on a monthly basis over the term of the agreement. They scale down throughout the MESA, allowing the customer to reap increasing savings as time goes on. The minimum term of a MESA is five years, with an average life of seven years.

Zenergy has the ideal platform to promote its Zero Cost Program. In April 2018, the company completed its acquisition of Enertrade Electric LLC, a Texas-based retail electric provider (REP) (http://ibn.fm/QXqwZ). Now, Zenergy is in position to market its “smart energy” services to both residential and commercial customers. Bundling energy provision with energy efficiency services gives Zenergy a competitive advantage in the Texas market, which has over six million residential meters and nearly two million commercial meters. Zenergy’s strategy is to use its REP division to build scale in Texas and then expand to other deregulated markets across the nation. To date, 16 states – California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and Washington DC – have deregulated markets for electricity (http://ibn.fm/Zla3B).

The company recently announced that it had signed up several new clients this year, one of which is Tanglewood Resort & Conference Center (http://ibn.fm/AP05C). Through its Zero Cost Program, Zenergy will be able to provide an entire suite of conservation-based products and services to enable the Tanglewood facility to achieve its sustainability goals, as well as a positive bottom line.

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

• The Aziza Project focuses on investing in operations in the underdeveloped Southern Africa region
• The company’s Aziza Coin is an asset-backed security token
• The Aziza Project owns 20 percent of Africa New Energies

London-based Aziza Project LLC offers digital tokens backed by assets. Aziza offers a tokenized oil and gas fund investment opportunity comprising a security token offering, which will permit coin holders to share in company profits. The Aziza Project owns 20 percent of Africa New Energies (ANE). ANE, which has been operating in Namibia for six years, has rights to a huge hydrocarbon concession in the nation valued at $500 million. The Aziza Project is looking to raise $60 million via the sale of the Aziza Coin, an asset-backed security token. The proceeds will be used to underwrite a drilling program and make investments in other early stage oil and gas companies.

A major difference between cryptocurrency tokens and coins is that tokens are built and hosted on existing blockchains. Coins, based on their own blockchains, are standalone cryptocurrencies (http://ibn.fm/xt0kR). The crypto industry is moving toward sensible mainstream regulation and adoption, as well as institutional investors. Entrepreneur (http://ibn.fm/4hfHN) notes that, “In fact, more investors are seeing cryptocurrencies as a viable asset because of their attractive returns: In December 2017 bitcoin hit a record high of almost $20,000 for one Bitcoin.”

The Aziza Coin is compliant with the Ethereum blockchain’s ERC-20 standard. ERC-20 is the official unified protocol. It is designed to solve the issue of compatibility of various coins and improve the functionality of the network (http://ibn.fm/NhNlg). The value of Aziza’s security token offering comes from the value of assets held by the Aziza Project. Fundamentally, Aziza Coins represent an indirect fractional ownership interest in the Aziza Project (http://ibn.fm/zOkwM).

The Aziza Project’s strategy is to invest in operations in the underdeveloped Southern Africa region. It selects oil and gas-related young businesses with the potential to create intergenerational wealth for token holders, shareholders, communities and entrepreneurs. ANE is preparing to drill wells on a Montana-sized portion of Namibia. With the Aziza Project owning 20 percent of ANE, the proving of this resource could potentially result in the Aziza Project’s holdings being worth more than $600 million.

The Aziza Project is working to raise funds to complete a 10-well drilling program in Namibia. Africa offers significant opportunity, as at least 90 percent of African countries currently explore for oil and gas (http://ibn.fm/ax7YT). Namibia ranks highly as being business- and, by extension, investor-friendly. The nation is ranked “1= most business-friendly regulations” in the Ease of Doing Business Index by Trading Economics (http://ibn.fm/GV2G2).

The outlook on the price of oil also portends well for the Aziza Project and ANE. Oilprice.com (http://ibn.fm/A0CkP) states that, “Oil Majors Cautious But Upbeat About 2019.” It also reports that a foremost oil trader foresees higher oil prices next year (http://ibn.fm/SdqVT). Therefore, the potential is there for investors willing to adapt a new investing paradigm with the Aziza Coin and ANE’s oil and gas initiative.

Advancing security tokens over utility tokens, the Aziza Project continues to focus on ethical oil and gas development in business/investor friendly Namibia. The company’s Aziza Coin could have significant value for investors who hold them because of ANE’s substantial hydrocarbon assets in Africa. The potential is there for the Aziza Project, ANE and investors looking for returns from emerging opportunities in Southern Africa.

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

• Successful tradeshow and business development mission completed at China International Import Expo
• Pacific Software uniquely positioned to deliver multilingual B2B and B2C e-commerce blockchain solutions
• Brazil and China are longtime export/import partners with significant potential to increase trade relationship
• Proposed location for Pacific Software presence in Shanghai under review

As a co-sponsor of Latin America Night at the 124th session of the Canton Fair PDC (Product Development Council) Design Show in Guangzhou, China, in early November, representatives of Pacific Software, Inc. (OTC: PFSF) fostered emerging connections with high-level government contacts and prominent importers, a news release states (http://ibn.fm/SLhKo). The company’s expertise in e-commerce marketing solutions utilizing IBM’s Hyperledger Blockchain “Backend as a Service” (BaaS) infrastructure was a highlight in several discussions as connections were fostered with both government contacts and prominent private importers.

Pacific Software executive management team members also capitalized on their time in China by hosting and cosponsoring several events at the Canton Fair and during the first ever China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in Shanghai. The CIIE attracted companies from around the globe in a bid to seal import/export deals with potential partners. According to several media reports, nearly $58 billion in planned deals for the upcoming year are now in the works (http://ibn.fm/Q5dYq).

The potential to boost trade between China and Brazil, the largest countries in Asia and South America, respectively, is significant. China is already Brazil’s largest trading partner, with exports from Brazil to China hovering around $40 billion per year. Pacific Software seeks to expand that trade relationship with a proprietary e-commerce trade platform under development that could also generate additional trade between other Asian and Latin American countries.

Pacific Software’s e-commerce platform will digitalize the trade process, which includes product certification, marketing, logistics, trade finance, cross-border payment solutions and customs clearance through smart contract technology for global supply chain management. The company has commissioned Cobalt 47 Technologies Ltd., a spin-off of KBQuest Group, to construct its multi-lingual e-commerce B2B and B2C trade platform using IBM’s BaaS infrastructure (http://ibn.fm/bZyIj). KBQuest Group, Inc. is a leading Microsoft distributor in China and was named ‘Microsoft SQL Partner of the Year 2017’.

The IBM BaaS platform is uniquely capable of tracking, recording and storing a variety of digital product information that makes agri-business more transparent and secure. This technology, which will integrate blockchain components and has the ability to link to the “Internet of Things,” will increase reliability and response time in the supply chain. As an emerging development technology corporation, Pacific Software’s trip to China was an undeniable success. The company will continue to foster trade between China and Brazil and has plans to open an office in Shanghai, China, to serve as a crossroads for business, development and networking opportunities.

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

• Worldwide mobile payment market expected to grow at a CAGR of 33.8 percent from 2017 to 2023 to a market size of $4.5 trillion
• Net Element ranked in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 list as one of North America’s fastest-growing companies in 2018
• Net revenue for Q3 2018 increased 15.7 percent to reach $17.2 million, with overall net revenue for first nine months of 2018 reaching $49.7 million

Global technology and value-added solutions group Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) is answering the call for hassle-free purchase of goods and services as consumers and businesses seek the security and ease of digital and cashless payments. New strategies, such as Net Element’s recent announcement to bundle Netevia Light Point-of-Sale (“POS”) mobile payments acceptance software in PAX A920 and A80 smart terminals developed by PAX Technology, are seen as a robust solution to market demands, a news release notes (http://ibn.fm/PXgRD).

“Mobile payments market is growing rapidly and we are taking advantage of this trend by launching our proprietary software on multiple mobile touch points including PAX Technology smart terminal platform,” Vlad Sadovskiy, president of integrated payments for Net Element, stated in the release. “Our robust application and PAX’s powerful hardware will enable business owners to process payments with greater ease and more flexibility than ever before.”

Allied Market Research reports that the mobile payments market is anticipated to reach a market size of $4.5 trillion by 2023, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 33.8 percent from 2017 to 2023 (http://ibn.fm/nkNaJ). The retail segment currently holds a dominant position in the global payment market and is expected to lead all categories by 2023, the report adds.

The combination of Netevia Light POS application and PAX Technology’s Android-based interactive smart payment terminals offers a flexible, state-of-the-art solution aimed at helping merchants conduct transactions in a seamless, convenient way that also provides a user-friendly experience to the consumer. Netevia Light POS application on Smart Terminals by PAX Technology brings all the functions and payment types of a classic point-of-sale terminal with the addition of:

• An easy setup on an all-in-one platform;
• A fully compliant cloud-based solution with real-time reporting;
• Smart inventory management with tip adjustment, discounts and loyalty management;
• Client management, invoicing and on-screen signature; and
• A complete back office solution via Netevia HQ.

Existing PAX technology clients can download the Netevia Light POS application via the smart terminal by PAX Technology without additional hardware, while United Payments clients have effortless access to the Smart Terminals by PAX Technology, as well. As part of United Payments’ comprehensive offerings, merchants can take advantage of the Unified Payments cash discount program in addition to other innovative programs that help merchants reduce fees and expenses while increasing sales.

Net Element supports electronic payments acceptance in a multi-channel environment, including point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile devices. The company operates a payments-as-a-service transactional and value-added services platform for small to medium enterprise in the U.S. and selected emerging markets. Internationally, Net Element’s strategy is to leverage its omni-channel platform to deliver flexible offerings to emerging markets with diverse banking, regulatory and demographic conditions. Net Element was ranked as one of the fastest-growing companies in North America on Deloitte’s 2018 Technology Fast 500 (http://ibn.fm/xsTkS) and was listed among the South Florida Business Journal’s 2016 fastest-growing technology companies.

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

• Recently released Q3 2018 results provide evidence of production capacity enhancement and strengthening of the company’s international position
• To support its growth, The Green Organic Dutchman has also hired a number of reputable senior executives to fill key positions in the management team
• Milestones achieved throughout 2018 have granted the company a positive review from one of the world’s leading global investment banking entities
• Recent passage of the U.S. government’s farm bill legalizes hemp production

Recent company announcements reveal the numerous important milestones that The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF), a cannabis-focused research and development company, has managed to fulfill in 2018.

• Through the year, the company continued constructing its Hamilton, Ontario, and Valleyfield, Quebec, facilities. In the third quarter of 2018 alone, TGOD deployed $33 million in capital expenditure for this purpose. The company has also focused on optimizing commercial cultivation at its operational facility in Hamilton. The development of five new strains for placement on both the medical and the recreational markets will soon enable The Green Organic Dutchman to provide customers with consistently reliable services.
• In addition, The Green Organic Dutchman is focusing on the expansion of its international footprint. On October 1, 2018, TGOD finalized the HemPoland acquisition, gaining access to established production and sales of CBD oil and industrial hemp products across Europe (http://ibn.fm/C47Xo).
• Also in October, TGOD announced a strategic joint venture with LLACA Grupo Empresarial to create a 50/50-owned company to enter the medicinal cannabis market in Mexico (http://ibn.fm/13Q0R). The agreement will give The Green Organic Dutchman access to a network of 4,500 pharmacies and 3,100 supermarkets throughout Mexico.
• The company invested in Jamaica, as well, through Epican Medicinals (http://ibn.fm/ZNz1H). Sales are currently being run via its store in Kingston, and further expansion via four additional retail stores is anticipated. The Jamaican expansion is expected to increase production capacity by 14,000 kilograms.

With these improvements, The Green Organic Dutchman is anticipating its annual capacity across Canada and Jamaica to reach 170,000 kilograms. The scalable hemp capacity in Poland will add to the company’s international strategic advantage.

These expansion efforts have created a need for the strengthening of The Green Organic Dutchman team. In October 2018, Sean Bovingdon joined TGOD as the company’s new CFO. Bovigndon has over 30 years of experience in the financial management of both public and private companies (http://ibn.fm/rEL3r).

In November 2018, the company announced new additions to its senior management team in an attempt to fortify marketing and compliance efforts. Emily Demeo was appointed as the company’s marketing brand director and Terry Reid was chosen for the legal and compliance director position. Both experts have significant experience and an excellent reputation in their respective fields.

Because of these strategic milestones, TGOD earned a ‘Buy’ rating from Canaccord Genuity – a top investment bank whose analysts believe that the company deserves a speculative buy rating and a price target of C$7.00 ($5.40), almost double the present value (http://ibn.fm/GoVqv).

The Cannacord Genuity analysis points out that The Green Organic Dutchman differentiates itself from the competition on the basis of its organic production.

A recent survey suggests that 43 percent of Canadian recreational cannabis users prefer organic products over standard options. Based on this information, The Green Organic Dutchman’s production capacity is expected to translate to annual revenue in the range of $1.1 to $1.4 billion.

In addition, the recently announced U.S. passage of a comprehensive farm bill provides for the legalization of hemp production in the U.S., opening the door to even greater growth for the hemp industry in general. With presidential approval and imports being eventually allowed, TGOD could be able to export product from HemPoland into the U.S.

The Green Organic Dutchman is a premium organic cannabis company with operations focusing on the legal medicinal and recreational cannabis markets in Canada, Europe and Latin America. The company follows sustainable, all-natural principles in its cannabis production. All TGOD products are laboratory tested to ensure quality, standardization and safety.

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