In September, Elephant Talk Communications Corp. set the stage for sustainable international growth when it was selected by EUTV Brazil, a pioneering telecom provider, to provide its proprietary ET Software DNA® 2.0 mobile service platform throughout Brazil. Through this partnership, ETAK will deliver its core virtualized software service platform to the telecom provider, enabling Surf Telecom®, EUTV Brazil’s tier one authorized mobile brand, to provide superior services to end users and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs).

“We are very proud to have been selected by Surf Telecom after they thoroughly assessed the capabilities of our virtualized ET Software DNA 2.0 platform,” Martin Zuurbier, co-president of mobile platform business with ETAK, stated in a news release. “Elephant Talk welcomes the partnership… as we enter the vibrant Brazilian mobility market, a market ranked fifth worldwide in 2014 based on the number of subscribers, according to the International Telecommunications Union.”

ETAK’s ET Software DNA 2.0 intelligent mobile service platform empowers mobile network operators (MNOs) and MVNOs with fully-functional tier one, on premise or cloud-based mobile communications core network infrastructure functionality at a fraction of the cost of in-house solutions. By utilizing a software-as-a-service model, the company is able to offer its customers dramatically improved system reliability and overall return on investment. Additionally, thanks to its real-time simultaneous processing capabilities, ETAK’s platform delivers some of the highest key performance indicators in the industry, improving the ability of its customers to adapt to market changes faster while delivering a better overall service experience to mobile subscribers.

Through its innovative suite of mobile network software and services, ETAK enables telecom carriers and MNOs around the globe to offer a range of products, delivery platforms, support services, superior industry expertise and high quality customer service without a substantial upfront investment. Following its partnership with Surf Telecom, the company’s reach covers the entire globe, with a customer base and network of partners on every continent. ETAK already counts several of the world’s leading MNOs and technology firms – including Fair Isaac Corporation (NYSE: FICO), Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ), T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) and Vodafone (NASDAQ: VOD) – amongst its customers and partners.

Moving forward, ETAK is in a strong position to build on its presence on the international stage, particularly in the rapidly expanding markets of Latin America. Look for the company to leverage its recent partnership with Surf Telecom in order to continue promoting strong financial growth in the months to come.

For more information, visit www.elephanttalk.com

According to the National Retail Federation, more than 157 million Americans will celebrate Halloween this year, and roughly 80 percent of millennials are already cooking up something fun for the spookiest holiday of the year. The celebrations won’t come cheap. In 2015, total spending on Halloween festivities is expected to top $6.9 billion, with the average American dishing out just under $75 on a mix of decorations, candy, costumes and more. To put it simply, that’s a whole lot of candy.

While it’s safe to say that leading candy and cookie producers – including Hershey (NYSE: HSY), Mondelez International (NASDAQ: MDLZ) and Tootsie Roll (NYSE: TR) – are more than happy to provide the goods for the estimated 41.2 million children between the ages of five and 14 expected to partake in the trick-or-treating fun, The Active Times recently weighed in on one part of All Hallows’ Eve that’s even scarier than a good zombie costume: unhealthy candy-eating habits.

“It’s important to keep candy consumption in moderation and to remember that there are always healthier alternatives to your favorite candies,” Tara Zamani, M.S., C.N.S., a clinical nutritionist with Content Checked Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CNCK), stated in the Active Times article. “Keep in mind that too much sugar consumption is directly linked to weight gain, ADD, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and poor digestion and immune system function.”

Now, before concerned parents start bolting up their doors and cancelling trick-or-treating plans, it’s important to note that the article doesn’t suggest kicking the sweet stuff completely. “There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to a bite-sized Milky Way or sneaking a few Skittles every once in a while,” the article details. Instead, The Active Times suggests that you save over-sweetened candies for truly special occasions while aiming for healthier alternatives the majority of the time.

So, how do you find healthy alternatives to your favorite sweet treats? Zamani suggests scanning ingredients lists for a collection of ‘nutritionist approved’ ingredients – including natural sweeteners like agave nectar, brown rice syrup, honey, coconut palm sugar-syrup, tapioca syrup, stevia, reb A and monk fruit. Alternatively, shoppers can use Content Checked’s innovative suite of mobile apps to check products for potential nutritional conflicts or allergens. With a quick scan of a product’s barcode, the company’s apps help consumers identify potentially harmful ingredients and, if necessary, suggest a healthier alternative.

To view the entire article by The Active Times, visit www.theactivetimes.com/fitness/nutrition/worst-halloween-candies-and-alternatives-are-healthier

For more information, visit www.contentchecked.com

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The ethical controversy surrounding stem cell research does not reach the International Stem Cell Corp. as it employs non-embryonic cells (unfertilized) for exploring and attempting to treat different diseases. The company has developed the first collection of non-embryonic human stem cells that are stored in the UniStemCell Bank. When properly stimulated, the unfertilized eggs begin dividing into usable cells called human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSC). The process, called parthenogenesis, creates stem cells that are self-renewing and have high potential for being compatible with a large portion of the population. A single cell line can treat millions of people with a low risk of immune rejection, a common issue in stem cell therapies. The company intends to use this system on eye, nervous system, and liver diseases with high expectations for successful results.

The controversy surrounding embryonic stem cell research begins with the view that life starts at conception with the embryo. The formation of a human stem cell line means the destruction of a human embryo. Therefore, the rights and status of an embryo are called into question.

Fortunately, the International Stem Cell Corp. side steps this controversy by using unfertilized embryos in its research. Stem cells have the capability of becoming any and all types of cells in the body, making them invaluable when combating degenerative diseases. However, the use of non-embryonic adult stem cells produces the possibility of immune rejection while embryonic cells lessen that chance. The company’s production of human leukocyte antigen genes (HLA) from parthenogenesis greatly diminishes this risk while keeping an ethical advantage.

The rapid division of these cells into usable regenerative ones means potentially effective cellular replacement therapies. The company has developed treatments for liver and retinal diseases that replace aged or damaged cells with newer ones. The company also recently announced its progression with clinical trials in treating Parkinson’s disease in Australia.

The International Stem Cell Corp. continues its goal of developing innovative restorative stem cell treatments for diseases that cause deterioration.

For more information, visit www.internationalstemcell.com

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Lingo Media, an EdTech company offering innovative online and print-based technologies and English language learning solutions, will present at the upcoming Small-Cap Conference November 10 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The Small-Cap Conference highlights companies that are generating positive cash flow and earnings, and Lingo Media will be among five small-cap companies making company presentations.

Company president and CEO Michael Kraft will make a 10-20-minute demonstration to members of the press, analysts and investors in attendance at the one-day event where keynote speakers will share their investment knowledge, outlook and top picks. Following his presentation, Kraft will be available for a short question and answer session.

Lingo Media will also have a booth at the conference to provide attendees with an opportunity to meet and speak with the company’s management. Individuals wishing to have one-on-one meetings with the company should contact Lingo Media investor relations at investors@lingomedia.com or Michael Kraft at 416-617-7455.

Lingo Media is focused on online and print-based technologies and solutions through its two distinct business units: ELL Technologies and Lingo Learning. The company is a print-based publisher of English language learning programs in China, and has formed successful relationships with key government and industry organizations, establishing a strong presence in China’s education market of more than 300 million students. Lingo Media is extending its global reach, with an initial market expansion into Latin America and continues to expand its product offerings and technology applications.

For more information, visit www.lingomedia.com

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Through its robust IoT enterprise monitoring platform and licensing, subscription recurring revenue business model, GTX Corp. offers a complete end-to-end solution backed by an extensive portfolio of patents with filing dates going back as early as 2002, patents pending, registered trademarks, copy rights and URLs. GTX was featured in a 38-page research piece outlining the value proposition of the company’s IP portfolio, and was also published in a SeeThruEquity research report discussing the value of the company’s IP.

GTX has established a growing global distribution network with partners in more than 20 countries, and has garnered millions of dollars’ worth of free media with coverage on CNN, Good Morning America, The Doctors, Fox News, Discovery Channel, ABC, NBC, CBS, The New York Times, LA Times, U.S.A. Today, the LA Business Journal, AARP and hundreds of other television, radio, magazine and newspaper media outlets across the globe.

The company’s flagship, patented GPS SmartSoles were recently showcased in Munich at the Telefonica Digital Innovation Day 2015; was featured in AARP’s 2015 technology gear guide; and came in second place, with Microsoft finishing first and Samsung taking third, in the 2015 Wearables, Health, Fitness & Wellness category at CTIA’s Hot for the Holidays Awards competition.

As GTX continues to expand its brand awareness and distribution channels both domestically and internationally, in parallel it also plans to introduce new products with an emphasis on e-health and wellness. Corporate strategies are guided by a visionary management team with the insight and experience needed to navigate the plentiful opportunities and potential market share in the emerging multibillion IoT and Wearable Tech industries.

“With approximately 2% of the population having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism, TBI or some other cognitive disorder which may lead to wandering due to memory loss, GTX plays a vital role in the safety, security and recovery of these individuals and their caregivers.” — Patrick Bertagna GTX Corp CEO.

For more information, visit www.gtxcorp.com

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The reinvigoration of the U.S. manufacturing sector is bolstering the economy and creating thousands of stable jobs. For the first time in more than a decade, domestic output and employment figures are recording steady growth, with manufacturing output increasing by 38 percent since the end of the recession, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. This shift toward domestic manufacturing solutions has accounted for 19 percent of the rise in real gross domestic product since June 2009, as well as adding 646,000 jobs, as of June 2014.

The state of Florida, in particular, has benefitted from this manufacturing boom. Florida currently has approximately 321,000 manufacturing employees in various industries, and Oakridge Global Energy Solutions, Inc. is doing its part to sustain this economic growth. As part of its recent expansion, the company created more than 1,000 new jobs in Palm Bay, Florida, through the launch of its new 68,700 square foot manufacturing facility.

Earlier this month, Florida Governor Rick Scott, along with several local dignitaries and business entrepreneurs, met with members of the Oakridge staff and executive team to celebrate the company’s positive impact on the local community.

“Oakridge Global Energy Solutions could have moved their headquarters anywhere in the world, and I am proud to announce that they chose to remain in Florida and create 1,000 new jobs,” Governor Scott told the media following a tour of the company’s new facility. “Growing businesses like Oakridge… create opportunities for Floridians to provide for their families and build great careers.”

In recognition of the company’s impact on the local economy, the governor bestowed the prestigious ‘Governor’s Business Ambassador’ medal to Oakridge executive chairman and CEO Steve Barber.

Oakridge has made considerable progress toward capitalizing on its current momentum in recent weeks. The company recently announced that it has completed testing on both its ProSeries line of heavy duty battery systems for task oriented vehicles and its Patriot Series line of battery systems for radio controlled vehicles. Both lines utilize Oakridge’s proprietary chemistry formulation, allowing users to operate their vehicles much longer than is possible using conventional batteries. Moving forward, both product lines will be manufactured at the company’s expanded plant in Florida.

For prospective shareholders, Oakridge represents an opportunity to invest in both a rapidly growing company and a key player in the ongoing effort to bring jobs back to American soil.

For more information, visit www.oakg.net

Avant Diagnostics, a medical technology company focused on bringing to market cutting-edge diagnostic tests based upon the completion of the human genome sequencing project, has developed a sophisticated and much-needed screening test for diagnosing ovarian cancer. OvaDx is the market’s first large-panel biomarker screening test for ovarian cancer.

Discoveries in genetic research offer far-reaching opportunities for impacting both the diagnosis and treatment of serious disease. It centers on identifying variations in specific genes in the genome, variations that define individual characteristics, including disease states or a statistical propensity for disease. Diagnostic tests that detect diseases early in their progression will provide options for earlier treatments to improve the quality of life and outcome by delaying or preventing disease progression or even death. Medical providers will enjoy major cost savings by avoiding costly late stage disease treatments.

The American Cancer Society estimated diagnosis in 2013 of about 22,240 new cases of ovarian cancer, with perhaps 15,500 ovarian cancer deaths in the U.S., making ovarian cancer the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women. Other cancers have shown a marked reduction in mortality due to the availability of early detection tests and improved treatment, but this has not been the case with ovarian cancer, which has been called “the silent killer”. Early stage disease symptoms are often ignored, and current tests can lead to false diagnosis and unnecessary treatment. One study found that, on average, for every one case of ovarian cancer detected, 33 women had surgery for a false positive.

The Avant Diagnostics approach is based upon 10 years of genetic and physiological research, focused on exploiting the human immune system for early detection. The result, OvaDx, offers a large panel of refined markers for high sensitivity. OvaDx markers and kits are proprietary, with a patented manufacturing technology, and a worldwide exclusive license, and the company is progressing toward FDA 510(k) clearance for OvaDx.

For more information on the company, visit www.avantdiagnostics.com

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Legacy Ventures International is designed around the acquisition of proven and high-potential businesses across a variety of business sectors. Legacy is set up to provide critical capital and oversight to companies offering innovative products that are considered category game-changers, and established brands that are considered fast growth. Legacy looks for companies with big ideas that are able to scale hyper-growth, and recently acquired RM Fresh Brands representing an extensive portfolio of highly desirable food and beverage brands.

With a focus on young companies offering fast growth potential, companies that need managerial and financial support, Legacy’s executive team is built around strong entrepreneurial and financial expertise.

• Evan Clifford (CEO) – Having extensive experience in both private and public sector entrepreneurial startups, Mr. Clifford has developed key relationships throughout many different industries, and has established a reputation for successfully building and promoting companies as well as the individual careers of top performing artists. He has been a speaker at the world-renowned Idea City Conference and has coached selected companies and individuals to achieve personal and professional success.

• Rehan Saeed (CFO, Director, Chairman) – With a degree in Information Technology, as well as an MBA and CPA, Mr. Saeed has established himself across multiple verticals in the banking industry, and has served in both CFO and vice presidential roles. In only two years, he built and managed a $110 million real estate portfolio. As VP of AYA Financial, Mr. Saeed brought in over $30 million in revenue, and increased profitability by 25% above the competition. Mr. Saeed also teaches college-level investments & finance, and consults law firms on financing.

• Matt Merson (Board of Directors) – Mr. Merson is a senior sales and marketing executive, with over 25 years in the branded food and beverage space, including such major organizations as Coca-Cola, Dannon Yogurt, and Sara Lee. He has specialized in the startup space for emerging brands that are disrupting the norm or creating entirely new categories. Mr. Merson thrives on building teams that can create strategic plans and objectives to bring brands to life across all channels of sales. He has expertise in all functional areas including operations, finance, marketing, human resources, and international sales.

For further information on Legacy Ventures or RM Fresh Brands, visit www.LegacyVenturesInc.com and www.RMFreshBrands.com

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Giggles N’ Hugs is a first-to-market, award-winning family restaurant and play space that brings organic gourmet food together with a play environment for children in a 2500-square-foot play space in the middle of the restaurant.

The company was launched in 2010 courtesy of Dorsa and Joey Parsi’s vision when they could not find anywhere to go and have a meal that catered to the needs of their daughter. It was at that point the couple began to explore the question pertaining to why the market was void of a solution.

The Parsi’s soon recognized that all of the “kid friendly” restaurants did a pretty good job of catering to adults but strikingly seemed to miss the bigger target – the smaller customer. Everything from furniture to eating utensils seemed to address the needs of mom and dad but nothing about these environments was appealing to their children. As a mom, Mrs. Parsi was always thinking of ways to make life more fun for her daughter while making it a little easier for her and her husband.

The Parsi’s question beckoned, ‘how can there not be a single restaurant just for kids, yet also parent friendly?’ Why not develop a restaurant concept where parents can enjoy a healthy, delicious meal and the kids can act their age? As the Parsi’s question began to take shape, the couple pursued the answer to the question as to why they couldn’t go out to dinner somewhere where they didn’t have to keep telling their daughter to sit down and be quiet. And as with so many successful business ventures, their idea took shape out of market need.

Giggles N’ Hugs, Inc. now owns and operates kid-friendly restaurants with play areas for children under 10 years of age in California. The company owns and operates a restaurant in the Westfield Mall in Century City, a restaurant in the Westfield Topanga shopping center in Woodland Hills, and a restaurant in the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, California.

For more information on the company, visit www.gigglesnhugs.com

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Cherubim Interests, Inc. has announced a plan its already begun executing to acquire income-producing properties through the creation of a class of Convertible Preferred Stock.

“Cherubim Interests, Inc. will begin placing an issue of convertible preferred shares to fund the acquisition of one or more income producing properties,” stated Patrick J. Johnson, CEO of CHIT. “The properties will in turn generate revenue for the Company and holders of the preferred stock.”

According to the press release, income from the investment properties will be tied to the preferred stock and paid out as dividends. The price for each share of the preferred stock has been set at $5.00 (US). The location for the first group of properties will be released in the coming weeks as negotiations continue to move forward.

“We are looking at a variety of locales and situations that have strong investment potential,” added Johnson. “We’ve narrowed the field and are closing in on our first targets. We expect things to happen very quickly. Look for more information in the coming weeks as a deal could be done as early as the end of this month.”

Cherubim Interests believes that creating a portfolio of income-producing properties will be an important part in its current strategy of acquiring assets and building wealth for shareholders.

For more information on the company, visit www.cherubiminterests.com

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