Calidi Biotherapeutics Inc. (NYSE American: CLDI)

Calidi Biotherapeutics Inc. (NYSE American: CLDI) is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company pioneering proprietary technology that empowers the immune system to combat cancer. Calidi's innovative, off-the-shelf cell-based platforms use allogeneic stem cells to deliver potent oncolytic viruses (OVs) across multiple oncology indications, including high-grade glioma (brain cancers) and solid tumors. In addition, Calidi has presented a breakthrough systemic technology, RTNova, which utilizes an exteracellular enveloped virotherapy. RTNova is pre-clinical and has been extremely well-received by market analysts and large-cap biopharma – opening the door for potential collaboration.

These cell-based platforms are engineered to protect, amplify, and enhance the efficacy of oncolytic viruses, resulting in improved patient safety and potentially advancing treatment outcomes for metastatic disease. By employing a dual approach that combines OV delivery with immune activation, Calidi's therapies aim to not only treat but potentially prevent the spread of metastatic cancers.

The company's development pipeline leverages this technology to address pressing needs in cancers such as glioblastoma (brain cancer), metastatic melanoma, triple-negative breast cancer, head & neck cancer, and lung cancer. Calidi's approach has shown early signals of efficacy and safety, establishing it as a distinctive player in the growing OV market, which is projected to increase significantly in value over the next decade.

Calidi is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Products

Calidi's product pipeline includes advanced cell-based platforms targeting a variety of oncology indications, each designed to harness the power of oncolytic virotherapy for improved cancer treatment outcomes.

• NeuroNova (CLD-101): A platform designed for treating high-grade gliomas (HGG), NeuroNova employs neuronal stem cells combined with an engineered adenovirus (CRAD-s-Pk7) to selectively target glioma cells. After a successful Phase 1 safety study in newly diagnosed HGG, NeuroNova has now progressed into Phase 1/1b trials for recurrent cases. FDA clearance for a Phase 1b/2 trial at Northwestern University was received in September 2024, with patient enrollment expected to begin in Q1 2025. This trial will utilize multiple-dose intracerebral administration to maximize safety and efficacy in newly diagnosed HGG patients.
• SuperNova (CLD-201): Built on Calidi's foundational technology, SuperNova utilizes an engineered Vaccinia virus (CAL1) delivered via allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells to target advanced solid tumors, including head & neck, triple-negative breast cancer, and soft tissue sarcomas. Early studies with autologous stem cells demonstrated both safety and promising efficacy, and Calidi plans to begin a Phase 1 trial with multiple dose regimens for SuperNova in the coming months.
• RTNova (CLD-400): Calidi's systemic delivery platform for lung and metastatic cancers, RTNova employs an extracellular enveloped virotherapy (envRT-01) technology for intravenous (IV) administration, simplifying the treatment process and expanding its potential applications. Currently in preclinical stages, RTNova focuses on demonstrating efficacy and safety through systemic administration. A clinical trial targeting metastatic lung cancer is anticipated for Q2 2026, using a single-arm monotherapy with dose escalation. Calidi has partnered with SIGA Technologies (NASDAQ: SIGA) to support the development of this program.

Market Opportunity

The global oncology drugs market was valued at $201.75 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $518.25 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 11.3%. The oncolytic virotherapy market in particular is growing rapidly, driven by increasing approval rates and significant unmet needs.

The market for OV treatments is expected to expand from one approved product generating $150 million in the U.S. in 2021 to 6-8 approved therapies generating $2.4 billion by 2030. As a leader in OV technology, Calidi is well-positioned to address these high-demand areas in oncology.

Alongside global trends, the American Cancer Society projects nearly two million new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. in 2024, reflecting a 28% increase since 2010. This underscores the urgent need for novel therapies that not only treat disease progression but also enhance patient quality of life, reinforcing the demand for Calidi's innovative approaches.

Management Team

Allan Camaisa, CEO, Chairman, and co-founder, is a seasoned leader with extensive experience in scaling businesses to successful exits. Mr. Camaisa previously led High Technology Solutions, growing it from two employees to over 500 with $50 million in revenue. He also served as CEO of Parallel6 Inc. and is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate with further studies at Harvard Business School.

Antonio Santidrian, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, leads all research and development initiatives at Calidi and is the coinventor of the company's CLD-201 (Supernova) and CLD-400 (RTNova) platforms. Since joining Calidi in 2015, he has applied his 20+ years of expertise in academia and biotech, focusing on anti-cancer translational research, to drive the company's innovative drug pipeline. Before Calidi, Dr. Santidrian led translational studies at The Scripps Research Institute, advancing treatments for breast cancer metastasis, and contributed to the development of ACADRA for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) at the University of Barcelona, Spain.

Boris Minev, M.D., President of Medical and Scientific Affairs, is a renowned physician-scientist with expertise in Immuno-Oncology, stem cell biology, and oncolytic viruses. Previously, Dr. Minev served as Director of Immunotherapy and Translational Oncology at Genelux Corporation and remains an adjunct professor at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. His background includes research at the National Cancer Institute.

Andrew Jackson, CFO, has held executive finance roles with experience in biotech and clinical-stage companies, including Eterna Therapeutics and Ra Medical Systems. Mr. Jackson holds an MSBA in Finance from San Diego State University and a BSB in Accounting from the University of Minnesota.

Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN)

Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) is a developer of lidar-based solutions that help enable ADAS, autonomous vehicles, smart cities, smart spaces, and smart industrial applications. The company's products are currently used in a variety of use cases including monitoring airport terminals, enhancing efficiency at highway tolling stations / railways, and securing high value infrastructure. In 2021, Cepton announced it was awarded the largest known ADAS lidar series production award^[1] to support General Motors' (NYSE: GM) Ultra Cruise program and expects to have its lidars in select GM models starting next year. In addition, Cepton is currently engaged with all other top 10 global automotive OEMs.

Cepton was established in 2016 by Co-Founders Dr. Jun Pei and Dr. Mark McCord and has 151 employees. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California, with a newly opened Center of Excellence in Metro Detroit, Michigan, and an international presence spanning North America, Germany, Japan, India, and China.

Patented Micro Motion Technology (MMT®)

Cepton was built from the ground up to address key lidar industry challenges for mass market adoption. The company's portfolio of proprietary technology is uniquely aimed at facilitating this industry growth through a combination of performance, reliability, affordability, and design integration.

Key among its innovations is MMT®, a mirrorless, frictionless, rotation-free 3D imaging platform designed specifically for lidars. Its benefits for OEMs and system integrators include:

• Reliability – The durable design uses common, easily attainable materials
• Versatility – The platform is capable of achieving near- to ultra-long range with a wide field of view
• Efficiency – MMT® features a compact form factor, low power usage, and inexpensive components
• Scalability – Its simple design means that scaling-up to high manufacturing volumes is easily attainable

Due to their compact form factor, Cepton lidars are embeddable and ideally suited for advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) integration, whether behind windshield, in headlamp, or in fascia.

Strong Partnership with Koito, a Leading Tier 1 Supplier

Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd., the world's premier Tier 1 auto lighting supplier, originally started an evaluation of Cepton's MMT® based lidars in 2018. In 2020, Koito made a $50 million Series C investment in Cepton aimed at accelerating the company's development and enabling Koito's industrialization of high-performance and high reliability lidar sensors for ADAS and autonomous vehicle (AV) applications.

Through this collaboration, Cepton and Koito were able to secure the largest ADAS lidar series production award^[1] with General Motors as a sole source in the automotive space. The award covers GM vehicles for the initial period of 2023-2027.

The two companies deepened their relationship in August 2021 when Koito committed to invest an additional $50 million in Cepton's business through a Private Investment in Public Equity (PIPE) transaction in support of Cepton's business combination with Growth Capital Acquisition Corp.

On June 27, 2022, Cepton and Koito jointly announced their intention to expand their existing collaboration efforts to include select future Cepton lidar products and go-to-market activities.

Advancing ADAS in Collaboration with GM

On July 13, 2021, Cepton announced that it had secured an ADAS lidar series production award from a leading, Detroit-based global automotive OEM – the biggest lidar production award by any OEM to any lidar company^[1]. It was later clarified that the OEM was General Motors, and Cepton's lidar is part of GM's Ultra Cruise program.

GM is "expected to deploy Cepton lidars in its next generation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across multiple vehicle classes and models – not just luxury cars." As such, the agreement marks the potential for "an industry-first, mass-market adoption of lidar technology for automotive ADAS, with an anticipated deployment in consumer vehicles starting in 2023."

On July 28, 2021, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) distributed an article on Medium noting, "Ford has been engaged with Cepton almost since their inception in 2016, both for R&D collaboration and small-scale deployments. Cepton lidar are deployed in some of [Ford's] smart city projects. Based on Ford's guidance, Cepton delivered a custom version of their lidar to enable R&D on advanced ADAS features."

Increasing Applications Across Smart Infrastructure

In addition to its work with leading automotive OEMs, Cepton has entered into partnerships around the world leveraging its lidar-based solutions to improve infrastructure efficiency and safety.

Some recent examples include:

• Traffic Challenges in Cape Town, South Africa – Cepton and Fibre Based Integrations, an established fiber optics systems house, are working together to develop lidar-based vehicle detection solutions to enable citywide smart transportation infrastructure
• Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) Solutions in West Midlands, United Kingdom – Cepton and Vortex IoT, a UK-based IoT solutions company, teamed up to turn UK buses into real-time road inspection tools
• Security & Safety Systems in the U.S. – Cepton partnered with Barrier1 Systems, a top perimeter security solutions provider, to enable the next-generation of early-warning intrusion detection and onsite safety applications
• Smart Railway in Europe – Cepton teamed with Lithuania-based system integrator Belam to improve road user and rail passenger safety by deploying lidar-enabled obstacle detection at railway level crossings
• Real-Time Crowd Analytics at Orlando International Airport – The Indoor Lab, a leading provider of lidar-based real-time foot traffic monitoring, implemented Cepton's award-winning Helius™ Smart Lidar System in a crowd analytics solution that helped Orlando International Airport create one of the world's safest terminals during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Free-flow E-tolling – Cepton partnered with Red Fox ID to deploy lidar as part of their free-flow e-tolling solutions. Deployments include a major highway turnpike crossing multiple states in the United States, and various sites across North America, EMEA, and Asia.

Market Outlook

The global lidar market is forecast to experience considerable growth over the coming years, driven by increased development and adoption in automobile safety applications, environmental mapping, and 3D-modeling. In 2020, ground-based lidar accounted for the lion's share of the overall lidar market, and this trend is expected to continue as the automotive sector continues to rapidly advance adoption across the full spectrum of vehicle classes.

The lidar automotive end market also has high barriers to entry, because it can take substantial time, spanning multiple years, for automotive OEMs to vet and award a production win to a lidar company. It is a commonly held view that the fragmented universe of lidar companies will inevitably consolidate into a handful of companies.

Cepton is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this market growth in the years to come given its head start and established partnerships with leading global OEMs.

Opening a New Center of Excellence in Metro Detroit

On June 16, 2022, Cepton announced the opening of its new corporate office in Metro Detroit (Troy, Michigan). As detailed in the release, the new office will serve as the company's automotive hub as it continues to expand active engagements and initiatives with OEMs.

"I'm incredibly proud that our Silicon Valley company, Cepton, has earned Detroit's trust," Dr. Jun Pei, Co-Founder and CEO of Cepton, stated in announcing the new office. "As we continue to expand our engagements with all of the top ten global OEMs, locating our experienced team in Detroit will serve us well."

Cepton's new office will house members of its senior leadership team, as well as team members engaged in product development, program management, business development, application engineering, sales, and corporate marketing.

Experienced Management Team

Cepton's founder-led team is made up of lidar industry pioneers with decades of collective experience across advanced lidar and imaging technologies.

Jun Pei, Ph.D., is the company's CEO and Co-Founder. He is a technology specialist with a focus in optics and electronics. Prior to founding Cepton, Dr. Pei founded AEP Technology, a firm focused on developing advanced 3D optical instruments. He received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

Mark McCord, Ph.D., is Cepton's CTO and Co-Founder. Prior to founding Cepton, he led advanced development at KLA-Tencor. Dr. McCord also formerly served as an associate professor at Stanford University, where he earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering.

Hull Xu is the company's CFO. He is a seasoned investment banker and electrical engineer who has previously held leadership positions with RBC Capital Markets, Barclays Investment Bank and GE Capital. Mr. Xu has an M.B.A. from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Davis.

[1] Largest known ADAS lidar series production award based on number of vehicle models awarded

Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN)

Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN) is a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving mitochondrial health and protecting neuronal function to treat neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Its lead drug candidate is CNM-Au8®, an oral suspension developed to restore neuronal health and function by increasing energy production and utilization by driving critical cellular energy producing reactions that enable neuroprotection and remyelination to increase neuronal and glial resilience to disease-relevant stressors. CNM-Au8 is being studied in various clinical trials, including the Harvard/MGH Healey ALS Platform clinical trial for patients with ALS; RESCUE-ALS, a completed proof-of-concept clinical trial in patients with early symptomatic ALS; the REPAIR trials, completed target engagement clinical trials showing brain energy metabolite change with CNM-Au8; and a completed MS clinical trial for the treatment of visual pathway deficits in chronic optic neuropathy for remyelination in stable relapsing MS. The company also has a nanotherapeutic platform of drug discovery.

CNM-Au8

CNM-Au8, Clene's lead asset, is a highly concentrated aqueous suspension of catalytically active, clean-surfaced, faceted gold nanocrystals. Multiple pathogenic insults contribute to neuronal death. Mitochondrial dysfunction and NAD+ decline is a common final pathway in neurodegeneration, with NAD+ as a critical determinant of cell survival and function. CNM-Au8's catalytic mechanisms target the energetic deficits, oxidative stress and accumulation of misfolded proteins that are common to many neurodegenerative diseases.

The unique catalytic mechanism of action of CNM-Au8 is hypothesized to act as a neuroprotective and remyelinating therapy in neurodegenerative disease states in order to: (1) drive, support and maintain beneficial metabolic and energetic cellular reactions within diseased, stressed and/or damaged cells, (2) directly catalyze the reduction of harmful, reactive oxygen species ("ROS") and (3) promote protein homeostasis via activation of the heat shock factor-1 pathway, recognized to dampen the cytotoxicity caused by misfolded and denatured proteins, which are known to occur ubiquitously in neurodegenerative diseases.

CNM-Au8 is used in combination with other agents, has no known drug-drug interactions, and is designed to improve function and survival. The clinical effects of both function and survival were seen in its clinical ALS trials, as earlier announced.

More than 500 estimated years of collective exposure across ALS, MS, and Parkinson's disease participants in CNM-Au8 clinical trials and Expanded Access Protocol (compassionate use) programs have been recorded without any observed safety signals.

CNM-Au8 is a federally registered trademark of Clene Inc. Clene, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, with R&D and manufacturing operations in Maryland, began in 2013.

Market Opportunity

ALS is the most prevalent adult-onset progressive motor neuron disease, affecting approximately 30,000 people in the U.S. and an estimated 500,000 people worldwide, with a life expectancy of typically three to five years. Clene estimates that global ALS treatment sales will be greater than $1 billion annually within the coming few years. Additional treatments affecting daily function and survival remain the market need.

Additionally, there are more than 2 million MS patients globally, and Clene estimates the market size to be worth more than $23 billion annually. While the MS community has been successful at limiting relapses, non-relapsing MS patients continue to clinically deteriorate even while receiving effective immunomodulatory disease-modifying therapies ("DMTs"). A critical unmet medical need remains for therapeutic interventions that protect neuronal function and myelin health independent of immunomodulation to address progression independent of relapse activity.

Management Team

Robert Etherington is President, Director and CEO of Clene. He has more than 30 years of sales, marketing and leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining Clene, he worked at Actelion Pharmaceuticals, the largest biopharma company in the European Union prior to its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson in 2017, where he led that company's U.S. commercial operations. He began his pharmaceutical sales and marketing career at Parke-Davis, a division of Pfizer, where he rose to the position of Team Leader overseeing the drug Lipitor.

Mark Mortenson is Chief Science Officer at Clene. He is co-inventor of the technology platform developed to produce the company's therapeutics. He is the inventor or co-inventor on 32 other U.S. patents and hundreds of corresponding international patents. He is a former chief patent counsel responsible for 5,500 U.S. and international patents and patent applications. He holds bachelor's degrees in physics and ceramic engineering from Alfred University, a master's degree in materials science from Penn State University and a J.D. from George Washington University.

Benjamin Greenberg, M.D., MHS, FAAN, is Head of Medical at Clene. He is an internationally recognized expert in disorders of the central nervous system. He is currently professor of neurology and Vice Chair of Clinical and Translational Research in the department of Neurology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He holds a bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins, a master's degree in molecular microbiology and immunology from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and graduated from Baylor College of Medicine. He served residency in neurology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Morgan R. Brown is CFO at Clene. He has more than 30 years of finance and accounting experience, with 23 years at biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device companies. He has served in similar roles at Lipocine Inc., Innovus Pharmaceuticals, World Heart Corp., Lifetree Clinical Research and NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc. He previously worked at accounting firm KPMG. He is a CPA with a bachelor's degree in accounting from Utah State University and an M.S. in business administration from the University of Utah.

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS)

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) is a leader in quantum computing systems, software and services focused on delivering value to our customers via practical quantum applications for problems such as logistics, artificial intelligence, materials sciences, drug discovery, scheduling, fault detection and financial modeling. As the only provider building both annealing and gate-model quantum computers, the company is unlocking commercial use cases in optimization today, while building the technologies that will enable new solutions tomorrow. Founded in 1999, D-Wave is the world's first commercial supplier of quantum computing solutions.

D-Wave is a pioneer in quantum computing, with a history of delivering the world's first commercial quantum computer; the first real-time quantum cloud service; countless hardware and software product and research milestones; and the planned first cross-platform quantum solution which will deliver both annealing and gate-model quantum computers to customers via an integrated platform. Its current commercial product offerings include: Advantage™ (fifth generation quantum computer), Leap™ (quantum cloud service), Launch™ (quantum computing onboarding service), Ocean™ (full suite of open-source programming tools) and Quantum QuickStart™ (quantum programming training).

D-Wave's relentless pursuit of practical quantum computing has resulted in the technology being used today by some of the world's most advanced enterprises – our customers include more than two dozen of the Forbes Global 2000 companies.

D-Wave's commercial customers include blue-chip industry leaders like Volkswagen, Mastercard, Deloitte, ArcelorMittal, Siemens Healthineers, Unisys, Accenture, BBVA, NEC Corporation, Pattison Food Group Ltd., DENSO and Lockheed Martin. The company owns one of the largest quantum computer intellectual property portfolios in the industry including more than 210 issued U.S. patents. In addition, it has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers in leading scientific journals.

Advantage™ Quantum Computer

With the Advantage™ Quantum Computer, D-Wave has incorporated two decades of experience and over 10 years of customer feedback to create the first and only quantum computer designed for business applications. The platform features a new processor architecture with over 5,000 qubits and 15-way qubit connectivity. This is 2.5x more connections and more than double the number of qubits than the company's previous generation quantum computer.

D-Wave's quantum computers, first located at the company's facilities in British Columbia, Canada, have been available to North American users through its Leap™ quantum cloud service since 2018. Over the last two years, D-Wave has since introduced new Advantage systems located in Julich, Germany and Marina Del Rey, California, which marked the availability of the first Advantage quantum computer physically located in the United States. This system is part of the USC-Lockheed Martin Quantum Computing Center (QCC) hosted at USC's Information Sciences Institute (ISI), a unit of the University of Southern California's prestigious Viterbi School of Engineering.

Leap Quantum Cloud Service

D-Wave's customers interface with the Advantage quantum computer through the Leap™ quantum cloud service. Leap delivers immediate, real-time access to the company's Advantage quantum computer and quantum hybrid solver service, all with enterprise-class performance and scalability.

Leap allows developers proficient in Python to get started building and running quantum applications. Through a seamless and secure cloud-based connection, users can easily start solving complex problems of up to 1 million variables and 100,000 constraints.

Using Leap, D-Wave customers have developed quantum hybrid applications for use cases in manufacturing, logistics, financial services, life sciences, materials science, retail and transportation. By eliminating the need to wait hours, days, or even weeks, to get good answers to a broad array of problems, D-Wave is helping businesses accelerate solutions to their complex computing problems.

The Leap quantum cloud service is available directly from D-Wave and also in AWS Marketplace.

D-Wave Launch

D-Wave Launch™ is the company's onboarding platform aimed at helping businesses easily start their quantum journey. Through this program, D-Wave's team of experts and partners aid enterprises in identifying best use cases for quantum and work with them to develop a proof of concept and a production pilot.

From there, the team coordinates with customers to get their hybrid quantum applications up and running, providing ongoing Leap quantum cloud access to ensure the application is operating smoothly and delivering real business value.

Target Verticals

While the potential applications for quantum computing are essentially limitless, D-Wave has identified a number of industry verticals as key areas of focus for its quantum architecture, providing case studies for each. These include:

• Manufacturing – D-Wave worked with Volkswagen to identify a commercial optimization application, the binary paint shop problem, which was run on D-Wave's hybrid solver service. The solver outperformed four purely classical methods on problem sizes at commercial scale (N=3,000).
• Life Sciences – Menten AI makes use of D-Wave quantum computing to assist in the design of novel therapeutic peptides—short strings of amino acids that can act as potent drugs. With the rise of COVID-19, D-Wave's Advantage system made it possible to identify molecules that might be especially well-suited for binding and inhibiting the related spike protein, producing several promising peptide designs.
• Finance – Multiverse Computing, a leader in developing quantum solutions for the financial sector, leveraged D-Wave's hybrid solver service in a collaboration with BBVA, one of the world's largest financial institutions. Multiverse helped BBVA with financial portfolio optimization, using D-Wave's quantum technology to identify a portfolio with 15% risk that yielded a 60% return on investment.
• Logistics – SavantX is using the D-Wave Advantage system to optimize operations at the Port of Los Angeles. By using our quantum technology, SavantX improved cargo handling efficiency at Pier 300 with rubber tyred gantry (RTG) cranes by 60%, and the turnaround time for the trucks picking up those cargo containers by 12%

Market Opportunity

The quantum computing total addressable market is projected by the Boston Consulting Group to grow to between $450 billion and $850 billion over the next 15 to 30 years. For quantum hardware, software and service providers, the near-term TAM (3 to 5 years) is expected to be $400 million to $1 billion, growing to $90 billion to $170 billion over the long-term (15-30 years). Driving factors behind this growth include rising investments in quantum computing tech by governments and an increasing number of commercial use-cases.

Forward-thinking organizations see quantum as an opportunity to move ahead of the competition. From finding efficiencies and reducing waste to decreasing time to solution and solving problems abandoned due to complexity, the business value is real. According to data from Hyperion Research, 80% quantum early adopters are planning to increase their commitment to quantum in the next two to three years, and one-third are planning to invest at least $15M USD in quantum efforts.

D-Wave is strategically positioned – in an industry with significant barriers to entry – as evidenced by a decades-long track record serving a roster of blue-chip customers. The company is singularly focused on helping its customers achieve clear value by leveraging quantum computing in practical business applications. As one of very few quantum companies with a full stack of systems, software, developer tools and services, D-Wave is working to enable enterprises, governments, developers and researchers to access the power of quantum computing, thereby providing an intriguing opportunity for prospective investors.

Prior to listing on the NYSE in August 2022, D-Wave raised over $300 million as a private company with significant investors including PSP Investments, Goldman Sachs, BDC Capital, NEC Corporation, Aegis Group Partners and In-Q-Tel.

Leadership Team

Dr. Alan Baratz has served as the CEO of D-Wave since 2020. Previously, as Executive Vice President of R&D and Chief Product Officer, he drove the development, delivery, and support of all of D-Wave's products, technologies, and applications. Dr. Baratz has over 25 years of experience in product development and bringing new products to market at leading technology companies and software startups. As the first president of JavaSoft at Sun Microsystems, he oversaw the growth and adoption of the Java platform from its infancy to a robust platform supporting mission-critical applications in nearly 80 percent of Fortune 1000 companies. He has also held executive positions at Symphony, Avaya, Cisco, and IBM. Dr. Baratz holds a doctorate in computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

John Markovich has served as D-Wave's CFO since 2021. He brings over 25 years of experience serving as CFO for rapidly growing private and public technology companies across all stages of development. Mr. Markovich has directed the finance, accounting, tax, treasury, M&A, legal, operations, customer service, IR, HR, and IT functions for companies ranging from privately held pre-revenue startups to an NYSE-listed Fortune 500 multi-national company with over $1.2 billion in annual revenue. During his career, he has negotiated and closed over 150 debt, equity, M&A, and joint venture transactions exceeding $2.5 billion in value. Mr. Markovich holds a BS in Business from Miami University and an MBA from the Michigan State Graduate School of Business.

GivBux Inc. (OTC: GBUX)

GivBux Inc. (OTC: GBUX) is a publicly traded super app and charitable giving platform. The company is creating a sharing economic community of brands and consumers in which consumers have an easier and more convenient way to shop and buy, merchants have a more efficient and profitable way to advertise, and charities receive built-in contributions from the community's transactions.

The GivBux Super App revolutionizes shopping by offering a user-friendly tool to make purchases swiftly at over 100 national retailers, along with an expanding roster of local merchants. Users earn cash back on every purchase, a portion of which can be directed toward a charity of their choice, embodying GivBux's commitment to giving back. Additionally, the app is evolving to include numerous functionalities like social networking, e-commerce, banking, messaging, food delivery and transportation, following the super app model.

GivBux is forging a new path in charitable giving, with aspirations to build the largest community of givers in the United States, and eventually globally. The company believes it is uniquely positioned to make a major contribution to society by overlapping the worlds of commerce and philanthropy.

The GivBux Super App is currently available for free on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

The company is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

Products

The company, through wholly owned subsidiary GivBux Global Partners Inc., is engaged in the fintech mobile wallet sector, specifically as a point-of-sale payment system by means of a consumer mobile wallet. GivBux uses smartphone technology to bridge consumers and merchants together without the need for traditional plastic cards or paper cash.

The GivBux mobile app has been designed to store, send and receive funds; donate; and make real-time purchases at top retail brands, restaurants and other venues. The brands benefit, because they are empowered with a data-rich marketing tool to reach and retain consumers through their mobile phones.

With GivBux, recipients can use funds instantly by paying with their mobile phones at thousands of locations. GivBux rewards all users for using the app every time they make a purchase and every time their friends, friends of friends and stranger friends make purchases with the GivBux mobile wallet. These rewards can be redeemed for cash to pay at participating retail stores, restaurants, cinemas, entertainment venues and more.

Moreover, GivBux allows users to contribute to a charity or worthy cause of their choice. To encourage giving and recommendations, a trending 'Top 10 List' of all charities will be generated and displayed on the mobile wallet based on ongoing contributions by GivBux users.

Market Opportunity

A report from Future Market Insights, a New York-based market research organization, estimated the worldwide mobile wallet market at $9.5 billion in 2023. The report projects that in 2024 the industry is likely to reach a valuation of $11.9 billion, and, by 2034, the mobile wallet market is forecast to grow to a value of $138.5 billion, achieving a CAGR of 27.8% over the forecast period.

Key market growth drivers include payment convenience, transaction security and continuing technological innovation. The report points out that mobile wallet payments are widely accepted worldwide, fueled by a rise in digital transactions and a growing use of mobile phones for simple and effective payment options. Innovations like blockchain integration, contactless payments and artificial intelligence are improving functionality and user experience while staying ahead of rapidly evolving digital payment trends, according to the report.

Management Team

Umesh Singh is President and Director at GivBux. He is a Certified Professional Accountant (Canada) with more than 25 years of experience in accounting and finance. He began his career at PwC before joining Hayes Stuart Little & Company (now Grant Thornton), where he was Senior Accountant-Manager and later Partner. Prior to being named GivBux president, he was a member of the GivBux Advisory Board for more than three years.

Michael Arnkvarn is Vice President of International Business Development at GivBux. He has over 30 years of experience in management, sales and marketing. He managed several medium and large agribusiness and environmental businesses before founding Collagenna Skin Care Products, a natural health products and cosmetics company, in 2004. He has been CEO of multiple public small-cap companies and co-founder of a start-up cannabis company that eventually sold for more than $800 million.

Massimo Group (NASDAQ: MAMO)

Massimo Group (NASDAQ: MAMO) is a prominent manufacturer and distributor specializing in powersports vehicles and recreational watercraft. Established in 2009, the company has built a reputation for delivering value-packed utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and on-road vehicles to both recreational enthusiasts and professionals in the agricultural sector. In 2020, Massimo expanded its offerings by launching Massimo Marine, dedicated to crafting high-quality watercraft with advanced designs and exceptional customer service.

Massimo Group is focused on sustainability. Its recent initiatives, including the introduction of the MVR Series of electric carts, highlight the company's commitment to eco-friendly solutions that address growing consumer demand for sustainability in the powersports and marine industries.

The company's manufacturing capabilities have also evolved significantly. Its expanded 376,000-square-foot facility in Garland, Texas, now features advanced automation, including a vehicle assembly robot line. This addition is expected to significantly enhanced production capacity and efficiency, enabling Massimo to scale its operations and better meet market demand.

Product Portfolio

Massimo Group's product portfolio showcases its dedication to innovation and versatility. Its diverse lineup combines advanced features, sustainability, and value to meet the needs of a dynamic market.

• Massimo Motor: This category includes a wide range of UTVs, ATVs, go-karts, and mini-bikes designed for both recreational and practical applications. Notable recent additions include the T-Boss 1000 UTV, which combines rugged performance with advanced features, and the GKD 350 All-Terrain Go-Kart, a versatile two-seater ideal for various terrains. The Buck 550-6 Crew, a six-seater UTV, further expands this lineup, providing comfort and utility for families and light-duty users at an accessible price point.
• Massimo Marine: Specializing in pontoon and tritoon boats, this division emphasizes luxury and performance. A recent collaboration between Massimo and Vision Marine Technologies has introduced electric pontoon platforms, catering to consumers seeking eco-friendly watercraft for both commercial and recreational use.
• Massimo Electric: Reflecting the company's commitment to sustainability, Massimo Electric focuses on low-speed electric vehicles (LSVs) tailored for diverse applications. Recent launches include the MVR 2X Golf Cart and MVR Cargo Max Utility Cart, which deliver advanced features and versatility for recreational users and professionals in industries like farming and groundskeeping.

By combining practicality with cutting-edge design, Massimo Group seeks to set the standard in the powersports and marine industries.

Market Opportunity

The global ATV and UTV market is experiencing robust growth, with North America projected to reach approximately $9.18 billion in 2024 and expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8% to $13.37 billion by 2029, according to Mordor Intelligence. Likewise, the U.S. electric UTV and ATV powertrain market is rapidly expanding. It was valued at $2.46 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.2%, reaching $5.18 billion by 2030, as reported by Grand View Research.

The pontoon boat market complements this growth, driven by increased interest in leisure and marine tourism. The market size exceeded $7.9 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.3% through 2032, according to Global Market Insights. Massimo Marine's introduction of electric pontoon platforms through its Vision Marine partnership is expected to position the company to effectively address this growing market segment.

With strategic partnerships and an expanding dealer network, Massimo believes it is poised to penetrate deeper into domestic and international markets. The company's service coverage currently includes over 2,800 retail locations, 600 motor service centers, and 5,500 marine service centers, ensuring robust support and accessibility for customers. This extensive distribution network underpins Massimo's ability to capture market share and drive sustained growth.

Leadership Team

David Shan, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, established Massimo Motor in 2009 and Massimo Marine in 2020. He has led the company through significant growth phases, including the development of diverse product lines and its public listing. Shan holds a bachelor's degree in international trade from Qingdao Ocean University of China.

Dr. Yunhao Chen, CPA, serves as the company's Chief Financial Officer, bringing extensive experience in capital markets, financial reporting, and corporate governance since her appointment in May 2023. She holds a Ph.D. in Accounting and an MBA in Finance from the University of Minnesota.

Michael Smith, Vice President, joined Massimo in 2019 and played a pivotal role in launching Massimo Marine. With a strong background in powersports retail and product innovation, he is dedicated to driving new product development. Smith studied International Business and Marketing at the University of California, San Diego.

McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX)

McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) is an asset rich diversified gold and silver producer in the Americas with a large exposure to copper through its subsidiary, McEwen Copper, owner of the Los Azules copper deposit in Argentina, believed to be the 8th largest undeveloped copper resource in the world.

Led by a management team with a track record of success, MUX owns and operates mines in some of the most prolific gold producing regions of the Americas. The company proactively took cost-saving measures months ago to lower expenses and increase production across its portfolio of gold assets, driving some production costs below industry averages. Gold and copper prices, already in an upswing, are forecast to enter an explosive uptrend over the next couple years. Drawing from its experience, McEwen Mining planned, prepared and laid the groundwork to capitalize on this emerging opportunity.

The company currently holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), placing it in the top 5% of over 4,000 stocks ranked by Zacks, based on trends in earnings estimate revisions and EPS surprises. Seldom is management so aligned with investors' interests and committed to the company's success. With a combined investment of over $220 million, CEO Rob McEwen holds a 17% ownership stake in McEwen Mining and a 13% ownership in McEwen Copper. Acclaimed in the mining industry, McEwen founded Goldcorp, where he increased the company's market capitalization 160 times – from $50 million to over $8 billion. That same vision and tenacity led MUX in creating McEwen Copper.

For McEwen Mining shareholders, beyond the company's exposure to gold upsurges, its 47.7% stake in McEwen Copper is expected to be a blockbuster, turbocharging MUX by creating the world's next prolific copper unicorn.

McEwen Copper

With continuous industrial need, new critical demand for copper is rapidly emerging, increasingly driven by the green energy transition. The price of copper rose from a low of about $2 per pound in 2020 to over $4.60 per pound in May 2024, and strong demand is expected to intensify. A study by S&P Global, titled The Future of Copper: Will the Looming Supply Gap Short-circuit the Energy Transition?, projects global copper demand to nearly double over the next decade, from 25 million metric tons today to about 50 million metric tons by 2035. Based on current trends, S&P Global forecasts annual supply shortfalls to reach nearly 10 million metric tons in 2035.

McEwen Mining owns a 47.7% equity stake in McEwen Copper, the holder of a 100% interest in the Los Azules copper project in San Juan, Argentina, which is ranked the 8th largest undeveloped copper deposit in the world. Current copper resources at Los Azules are estimated at 10.9 billion pounds at a grade of 0.40% Cu (Indicated category) and an additional 26.7 billion pounds at a grade of 0.31% Cu (Inferred category). McEwen Copper also owns a copper exploration project in Nevada, USA, called Elder Creek.

In a 2023 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), Los Azules was estimated to have a 27-year life, producing an average of 321 million lbs. of copper cathode annually, at a cash cost of $1.07 per lb. of copper, in the lowest quartile of the copper cost curve. The project could ultimately become an even larger mine with a longer life, with less than 40% being mined.

The project's 2023 PEA presents a distinctly different development strategy from a prior PEA published in 2017. By proposing a heap leach project using solvent extraction-electrowinning instead of the previously detailed mine with a conventional mill and flotation concentrator, McEwen Copper aims to decrease its environmental footprint and reduce permitting risk, albeit with a lower overall copper recovery, slightly higher unit costs and a delay in immediate cashflow due to extended leach cycles.

Rob McEwen led with a $10 million order, and after securing a $25 million investment from mining giant Rio Tinto's technology arm, Nuton LLC, McEwen Copper closed its non-brokered, private placement offering of $82 million in August 2022. Shortly after, in February 2023, Nuton agreed to invest an additional $30 million into McEwen Copper, and in October 2023, Nuton once again expanded its stake, investing an additional $10 million to bring its ownership position in McEwen Copper to 14.5%.

"We are extremely pleased to have Nuton's strong continued participation in McEwen Copper," Rob McEwen stated in a news release. "Together we are exploring new technologies that save energy, water, time and capital in the pursuit of delivering green copper to Argentina and the world, a product that will contribute to the electrification of transportation and the protection of our atmosphere."

Also in February 2023, FCA Argentina S.A., a subsidiary of Stellantis N.V., one of the world's leading automakers, invested ARS $30 billion in McEwen Copper. In October 2023, Stellantis invested an additional ARS $42 billion, bringing its current stake in McEwen Copper to 19.4%.

"We are delighted to have Stellantis as a partner in the future development of our Los Azules copper project," Rob McEwen said of the investment. "Together, we share a vision to build a mine for the future based on regenerative principles that can achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2038."

Following the capital raise, McEwen Copper is well-funded to advance its Los Azules Project, with a Feasibility Study planned for Q1 2025. MUX strategically reduced its interest to increase its treasury, in order to reduce debt and fund the further development of its gold and silver assets.

Gold & Silver Projects

The Fox Complex

McEwen Mining owns a 100% stake in the Fox Complex in the heart of a prolific gold district in Timmins, Canada.

"When MUX bought the Fox Complex, in late 2017, it was a distressed asset with a history of high operating cost/oz. While it has taken longer than I expected, the cost to produce an ounce of gold is significantly lower," CEO Rob McEwen stated in a news release.

McEwen Mining issued 2024 guidance for its cash cost/oz at the Fox Complex of $1,225-1,325 on annual production of 40,000-42,000 GEOs. Fox Complex produced 44,450 GEOs in 2023, which was within the company's guidance range for production but not cost/oz guidance.

Located in one of the most prolific gold production areas in the world, along the Destor-Porcupine Fault Zone within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, the Fox Complex includes the Black Fox mine and Froome mine which together have yielded over 1,000,000 ounces of gold to date. Also, the complex includes the Grey Fox and Stock deposits that have over 1,800,000 ounces in gold resources. The 2.7-billion-year-old Abitibi Greenstone Belt, formed by ancient volcanic activity, has proved to be one of the world's richest and most abundant gold regions, with a total gold content currently estimated at over 300 million ounces.

In May 2024, MUX will commence development of underground ramp access to the Stock orebodies at the Fox Complex. This development will become the primary source of feed following the completion of mining the Froome deposit in 2026. As part of the future mining sequence initiative, the company has already reported a 31% year-over-year increase of gold resources at Stock West and Stock Main (historical Stock Mine), with confirmation of good grading structures plunging to depth. It has also identified Stock East as a potential new near-term source of future revenue.

The Gold Bar Mine

McEwen Mining owns a 100% stake in the Gold Bar mine, located in an area well known for gold production, the southern Roberts Mountains of the Battle Mountain-Eureka-Cortez gold trend in Eureka County, Central Nevada. The Gold Bar mine is on the same geological structure, 25 miles south of Nevada Gold Mines, a Barrick-Newmont joint venture, part of the Cortez-Goldrush complex. This complex contains estimated reserves and resources of over 50 million gold ounces, with an annual production of 1,000,000 gold ounces.

Gold Bar had been mined between 1991 and 1994, producing 134,000 gold ounces. A new facility was built by MUX in 2019. Gold Bar accounted for 42,700 GEOs in 2023, within the company's guidance for the year. For 2024, McEwen Mining issued guidance of 40,000-43,000 at a cash cost of $1,450-1,550. The first half of the year is expected to deliver higher production relative to the second half, due to a scheduled waste stripping phase in the Pick pit, in preparation for the 2025 mining program.

Notably, in April 2024, McEwen Mining announced its entry into a definitive agreement and plan of merger with Timberline Resources Corporation (TSX.V: TBR) (OTCQB: TLRS) in a transaction valued at roughly $18.8 million. The merger with Timberline is expected to augment McEwen's existing portfolio of production and exploration projects in Nevada, leveraging synergies between Timberline's projects and the Company's Gold Bar mine.

El Gallo/Fenix

Project Fenix is the proposed redevelopment plan for McEwen Mining's El Gallo Complex in Mexico. There is a long history of mining in this region. MUX began operating it as an open pit, heap leach mine in 2013, which produced 281,000 gold equivalent ounces at average cash cost of $655 per ounce. Due to the transition to deeper sulfide mineralization that is not amenable to heap leaching, mining activities ceased in the second quarter of 2018 and residual heap leaching followed until mid-2023. The redevelopment plan envisions constructing a mill at the existing mine site that will initially reprocess the existing heap leach material, then transition to open pit mining and processing of the sulphide gold and silver mineralization. The company recently acquired a complete process plant on very advantageous terms that has considerably reduced the projected capital requirements for the project.

CEO Rob McEwen stated in a news release, "This acquisition has made Fenix more attractive to build and could provide a new long life mine for McEwen Mining."

The initial development approach is to build a mill to reprocess the material on the heap leach pad and produce in the range of 18,000 – 26,000 oz of gold annually for eight years. Construction of the Fenix project is expected to begin in the second half of 2024.

San José Mine

McEwen Mining is a 49% owner and non-operator of the San José gold and silver mine, located in Santa Cruz province, Argentina, encircling Newmont's prolific Cerro Negro (approx. 300,000 gold ounces produced in 2023). This high-grade underground mine has been operating since 2007 and currently has an expected life of six years with a reserve grade of 296 gpt silver and 5.4 gpt gold.

Exploration is continuing to extend high-grade veins and discover new veins at the complex. San José's drilling programs to define additional resources and reserves have a long history of success due to a high vein density, aided by good geophysical response from hidden veins.

Production guidance for 2024 for MUX's 49% interest is 50,000-60,000 GEOs. As a minority shareholder in the mine, MUX equity accounts for its investment in San José, and receives 49% of the dividends from the mine's free cash flow.

Market Outlook

Mining stocks suffered significant losses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this has turned, and many analysts now forecast a gold bull market in 2024 and beyond.

"The operating challenges we faced in recent years have severely damaged our credibility with our shareholders and the market. As a result, few investors have taken a close look recently at our assets," Rob McEwen said in a news release. "If they did, I believe some would see the potential value that I see today… I believe there is considerable potential value in MUX, and that is a big reason why I have a personal financial commitment of $220 million in MUX and McEwen Copper."

Management Team

Robert R. McEwen is Chairman, CEO and Chief Owner of McEwen Mining. He has been associated with the gold industry all his career, with his first 18 years in the investment industry and, since 1990, as CEO of several gold mining companies. He founded Goldcorp and took that company from a $50 million market capitalization to more than $8 billion. He owns 17% of McEwen Mining and is in complete alignment with investors – his investment in MUX and McEwen Copper is $220 million and he takes an annual salary of only $1. He was awarded the Order of Canada and the Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee Award, was inducted into the Mining Hall of Fame, was named an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year and has Honorary Doctor of Law degrees from York University and Western University.

William Shaver is interim COO and a Director of McEwen Mining. He has decades of management and executive experience in mine design, construction and operations. He was a founder of Dynatec Corporation, which became one of the leading contracting and mine operating groups in North America. In 2013, he was recognized as Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Most recently, he served as COO of INV Metals. He is a Professional Engineer with a B.Sc. in Mining Engineering from Queens University.

Perry Ing is interim CFO at McEwen Mining. He has 25 years of experience in the Canadian mining industry. Over the past 15 years, he has held positions as CFO of Mountain Province Diamonds, Kirkland Lake Gold and McEwen Mining. Prior to that, he worked at Barrick Gold and Goldcorp and started his career in the mining practice at PwC. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto and is a Chartered Professional Accountant in Canada and Certified Professional Accountant in the U.S.

Adrian Blanco S. is the company's Director of Operations for America and Mexico. He has extensive international experience in several industrial sectors and has held executive positions in Mexico, the United States, Peru and Argentina. He joined the McEwen Mining team in 2015 and has led a successful business transformation toward operational discipline, best business practices and financial profitability at subsidiaries Compañia Minera Pangea and McEwen Mining Nevada. He graduated from an Executive Management Program at IPADE and Harvard Business School.

Michael Meding is Vice President and General Manager of McEwen Copper. He has over 20 years of international experience, primarily with major mining companies such as Barrick Gold and Trafigura, including extensive experience with project development and operations in Argentina. While at Barrick Gold's Veladero mine in Argentina, Mr. Meding played a key role in the turnaround, extension of the mine life and subsequent strategic partnering with Shandong Gold. He holds an MBA from Indiana University in Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Leipzig Graduate School of Management in Germany.

Platinum Group Metals Ltd. (NYSE American: PLG) (TSX: PTM)

Platinum Group Metals Ltd. (NYSE American: PLG) (TSX: PTM) is the operator of the Waterberg Project, a bulk underground platinum group metals (PGM) deposit discovered by Platinum Group in 2011 and located on the Northern Limb of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. The Waterberg Project is planned as a fully mechanised platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold mine, including by-product copper and nickel production, and is projected to be one of the largest and lowest cost PGM mines globally.

The project is a joint venture between Platinum Group; integrated PGM producer Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. (OTCQX: IMPUY); Japanese consortium HJ Platinum, which includes trading house Hanwa Co. and the government-backed Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC); and local empowerment partner Mnombo Wethu Consultants (Pty) Ltd. Platinum Group has an effective 50.22% interest in the Waterberg Project.

The company's primary business objective is to advance the Waterberg Project to a development and construction decision. An update to the 2019 Definite Feasibility Study is expected in 2024.

PGMs are essential and precious metals that include platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, osmium and ruthenium. These metals are known for their purity, high melting points and unique catalytic properties. They are utilized in a number of industrial processes, technologies and commercial applications and play a critical role in autocatalysis and pollution control in the automotive sector. The bulk of global PGMs are mined in Southern Africa and Russia.

The unique properties of PGMs are being applied to various technologies as possible solutions for more efficient energy generation and storage, which may create new demand for PGMs. The company's battery technology initiative through Lion Battery Technologies Inc., using platinum and palladium in lithium battery technologies, represents one such new opportunity in the high-profile lithium battery research and innovation field.

Platinum Group Metals Ltd. founded Lion Battery Technologies Inc. in partnership with Anglo American Platinum Ltd. (AMS: JNB) to support the use of palladium and platinum in lithium battery applications. Lion Battery has entered into an agreement with Florida International University to further advance a research program that uses platinum and palladium to unlock the potential of Lithium Sulfur (Li-S) battery chemistries.

Platinum Group is headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Waterberg Project

Platinum Group's sole material mineral property, the Waterberg Project, is presently in process with pre-construction permitting; engineering work, including road upgrade and traffic studies; finalization of power and water infrastructure design; and construction camp design.

The company's principal product from the Waterberg Project is planned to be a PGM-bearing concentrate. The concentrate will contain economic amounts of six elements comprising platinum, palladium, rhodium, gold, copper and nickel. The company's partner in the Waterberg Project, Impala Platinum Holdings, has acquired a right of first refusal to enter into an offtake agreement, on commercial arm's-length terms, for the smelting and refining of mineral products from the Waterberg Project.

The Waterberg project has proven and estimated reserves of 19.5 million ounces of PGMs and gold. When fully operational, the mine is projected to produce more than 400,000 ounces of PGMs annually during the peak period of steady state production. The life of the mine is projected at 45 years.

South Africa's PGM mining sector remains closely tied to economic developments in the global automotive industry, which in 2022 accounted for approximately 43% of the total global demand for platinum and 82% of the total global demand for palladium.

Market Opportunity

According to a report from Straits Research, a global market and business research firm, the worldwide platinum market had an estimated value of $7.72 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $11.95 billion by 2031. That represents a CAGR of 5.13% over the forecast period.

Platinum, one of the rarest of precious metals, is about 30 times scarcer than gold. It is crucial to the automotive and electronics industries and is also used to make jewelry. Stricter emissions regulations around the world have led to an increased demand for platinum to be used in catalytic converters to reduce automotive emission, the report states.

A report from Allied Market Research estimated the global palladium market at $16.3 billion in 2021 and projects the market will reach $28.6 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% over the period.

Palladium is also used in automotive catalytic converters for reducing emissions and in jewelry, dentistry, watchmaking, blood sugar test strips, aircraft spark plugs, surgical instruments, electrical contacts and musical instruments.

An increase in demand for consumer electronics has driven demand for palladium-based multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) used to store energy in electronic devices such as broadcasting equipment, mobile telephones, computers, electronic lighting and high voltage circuits, according to the report.

Management Team

Frank R. Hallam is Co-Founder, Director, President and CEO of Platinum Group. He has over 30 years of experience in the mining, minerals and petroleum industry as an operator, principal and founder. He was a co-founder and former CFO of MAG Silver Corp. He was also co-founder and director of West Timmins Mining Inc. and a director of Lake Shore Gold Corp. In addition, he was CFO and director with gold exploration company Tan Range Exploration Corp. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and was formerly an auditor in the public mining practice of PwC. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University.

Greg Blair is CFO of Platinum Group. He has been with Platinum Group since 2010 in various roles, most recently as Interim CFO. Prior to joining Platinum Group, he was at a public accounting firm working on public company (mainly mining) audits. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a degree in Economics from Simon Fraser University and has completed the Canadian Securities Course.

Kris Begic is VP Corporate Development of Platinum Group. He has over 25 years of experience in the mining industry and capital markets and has been involved with the raising of over $500 million for various exploration and development projects globally. His efforts are focused on project generation, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, investor relations and marketing.

Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCNI)

Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCNI) is a biotechnology company focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative immunotherapeutic products primarily for the treatment of infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases.

In collaboration with the prestigious Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences (MPG) and the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), both in Germany, Scinai is developing a pipeline of innovative nanosized antibody (NanoAb) therapies addressing diseases underserved by current treatments and with large and growing markets, such as COVID-19, asthma and psoriasis.

NanoAbs, also known as VHH-antibodies or Nanobodies, are alpaca-derived nanosized antibodies that exhibit multiple significant competitive advantages over existing antibody therapies, including stability at high temperatures, superior binding affinity, more effective and convenient routes of administration and efficient production. Scinai is uniquely positioned to advance nanosized antibody innovation from R&D through commercialization.

The company's highly experienced and successful pharmaceutical industry leadership team includes former senior executives from Novartis, GSK and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Since its founding, Scinai has executed eight clinical trials, including a seven-country, 12,400-participant Phase 3 trial of a prior influenza vaccine candidate, and it built, owns and operates a 20,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art GMP biologics manufacturing facility housing its laboratories, production facilities and offices.

Lead Candidate: Inhaled COVID-19 NanoAb

In December 2021, Scinai signed definitive agreements with the Max Planck Society – parent organization of the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences– and the UMG to enter a strategic collaboration for the development and commercialization of innovative COVID-19 NanoAbs.

The company is planning a rapid development path that leverages its expertise and capabilities in biological drug development and manufacturing. Scinai anticipates preclinical proof-of-concept results for an inhaled COVID-19 NanoAb by the end of 2022, with initial Phase 1/2a human clinical trial results expected in 2023.

The intended inhaled mechanism of delivery of Scinai's COVID-19 NanoAb formulation may serve as a significant differentiator when compared to approved monoclonal antibodies, which are injected. Inhaled delivery has shown to be cheaper, more convenient and likely safer for patients and providers.

NanoAb Pipeline: Psoriasis, Asthma and More

The COVID-19 NanoAb development agreement is part of a broader five-year research collaboration agreement signed in March 2022 covering discovery, development and commercialization of NanoAbs for several other disease indications with large market medical needs, including asthma, psoriasis, macular degeneration and psoriatic arthritis.

Scinai has an exclusive worldwide license for development and commercialization of COVID-19 NanoAbs and exclusive options for similar worldwide licenses for NanoAbs for the above mentioned additional large market disorders currently underserved by approved therapeutic antibodies.

Academic research teams from MPG and UMG have verified strong affinity by the new NanoAbs to their biological target molecules and high thermostability. They have also demonstrated strong neutralization by several NanoAb candidates of their respective target molecules. Neutralization studies of the other NanoAbs are expected to begin later in 2022.

Based on the promising results, Scinai will focus development efforts beginning with the following NanoAbs:

• NanoAbs targeting IL-17 as drug candidates for the potential treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
• NanoAbs targeting IL-13 and NanoAbs targeting TSLP as drug candidates for the potential treatment of asthma

These are conditions for which the antibody target is validated by existing treatments and the mechanism of action is well understood. Both represent large medical needs and growing markets. Scinai anticipates preclinical proof-of-concept for at least one of these NanoAbs in 2023. This is in addition to the aforementioned human clinical Phase 1/2a for the inhaled COVID-19 NanoAb therapy, which is also anticipated in 2023.

CDMO Services

While NanoAb pipeline development is Scinai's core focus, the company also offers its cGMP manufacturing facility, aseptic fill and finish suite, laboratories and experienced professionals for contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services. This offering is designed to keep the Scinai team abreast of the latest industry developments and trends while building experience and generating revenue to support the company's NanoAb pipeline development.

Market Opportunity

COVID-19 treatment, target of the company's lead NanoAb therapy candidate, had an estimated market size of $22 billion in 2021.

Future Scinai drug candidates will target conditions with large markets growing at attractive CAGRs.

The global asthma treatment market was valued at $18.08 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $26.01 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period, according to Fortune Business Insights. The research firm predicts that the global psoriasis treatment market will grow from $26.37 billion in 2022 to $47.24 billion by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 8.7% over the forecast period.

Management Team

Amir Reichman is Scinai's CEO. He previously was Head of Global Vaccines Engineering Core Technologies at GSK Vaccines in Belgium. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at Novartis Vaccines' Global Vaccines Supply Chain Management organization. He was the first employee of NeuroDerm Ltd., a company focused on transdermal drug delivery, and served as Senior Scientist until his departure in 2009. He earned a M.Sc. in Biotechnology Engineering from Ben-Gurion University and an MBA in Finance and Health Care Management from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

Tamar Ben-Yedidia, Ph.D., is Chief Science Officer at Scinai. She has more than 30 years of experience in immunology, with specific expertise in the development of vaccines. She began her career with Biotechnology General Ltd., working on development of a recombinant Hepatitis-B vaccine. She later joined the Weizmann Institute of Science, working on the design of a peptide-based vaccine against several pathogens. She is widely published, with numerous refereed articles and invited reviews in various scientific journals. She received her Ph.D. from the Weizmann Institute.

Elad Mark is COO at Scinai. He has over 15 years of biotechnology industry experience encompassing diverse project stages including feasibility studies, conceptual and detailed design, commissioning, qualification and process validation. Prior to joining Scinai, he led Novartis's $800 million investment in a biologics facility in Singapore. With Biopharmax and Antero, both global pharmaceutical engineering companies, he successfully led projects in Israel, China and Singapore. He holds a BSc. in Engineering from the Afeka Tel Aviv Academic College of Engineering and an MBA from the Open University of Israel.

Uri Ben-Or is CFO at Scinai. He has served as CFO with public life science companies traded on the TASE, OTC and Nasdaq. Ben-Or provides his services to Scinai through CFO Direct, a company he founded and for which he serves as CEO. He served as the VP of Finance of Glycominds, a leading biotechnology company, and as CFO of a spin-off from Telrad Networks. He also served as a Corporate Controller at Menorah Capital Markets and as an Auditor at PWC. He holds a B.A. in Business from the College of Administration, an MBA from Bar-Ilan University, and is a CPA.

SolarBank Corp. (NASDAQ: SUUN) (CSE: SUNN)

SolarBank Corp. (NASDAQ: SUUN) (CSE: SUNN) is a premier developer and owner of renewable and clean energy projects, specializing in distributed and community solar initiatives throughout Canada and the United States. The company is committed to advancing the transition to sustainable energy by offering end-to-end services that include project origination, financing structuring, engineering, procurement, construction, and long-term operations and maintenance. SolarBank focuses on delivering innovative energy solutions through solar photovoltaic systems, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

With a vision to provide scalable and reliable clean energy solutions, SolarBank has established itself as a leader in the renewable energy market by cultivating partnerships with utilities, commercial and industrial entities, municipalities, and residential customers. Its vertically integrated business model allows for optimized efficiency, cost management, and returns across diverse markets in North America. This end-to-end approach ensures greater control over project quality, costs, and operational outcomes, strengthening its competitive position.

Driven by a mission to create a greener future, SolarBank manages a robust portfolio of projects, including more than 100 megawatts (MW) of developed capacity and a pipeline exceeding one gigawatt (GW). The company's commitment to sustainability and innovation makes it a recognized player in the renewable energy sector.

SolarBank has offices in Toronto, Ontario and New York.

Projects

SolarBank boasts an impressive and diverse portfolio of renewable energy initiatives that underline its leadership in the clean energy space. In the U.S., the company has over 250 MW of solar projects under development, principally in New York, focusing on community solar farms and commercial and industrial installations. Notably, SolarBank is developing several community solar projects in upstate New York, which will deliver clean energy to local residents and small businesses. Community solar projects, which are a cornerstone of SolarBank's portfolio, provide scalable solutions for renters, homeowners, and small businesses to access affordable renewable energy, driving localized energy independence and economic savings.

In Canada, SolarBank has been a significant participant in Ontario's Feed-in-Tariff program, where it has secured contracts for close to 200 MW of capacity. Its current management includes 70 solar power projects, totaling 28.8 MW of operational solar assets. The company's expertise extends to the development and ownership of battery energy storage systems and EV charging stations, further diversifying its portfolio.

The company's vertically integrated approach spans the entire project lifecycle, from initial site acquisition and grid interconnection to long-term operation and maintenance services. This ensures seamless execution and high-quality outcomes, providing value to stakeholders and supporting the transition to a clean energy future.

Market Opportunity

SolarBank operates within a growing renewable energy market driven by global demand for sustainable power solutions. In North America, favorable policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States and Canada's investments in green technologies provide a robust foundation for renewable energy adoption. Solar PV installations and battery energy storage systems are at the forefront of this expansion, addressing energy reliability and grid stability while reducing carbon emissions.

The North American solar PV market was valued at $25.02 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $120.74 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.7% from 2020 to 2027. Likewise, the global BESS market is expected to expand from $7.8 billion in 2024 to $25.6 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 26.9%, as reported by MarketsandMarkets. These trends are driven by the increasing integration of renewable energy sources, the need for grid resilience, and declining technology costs.

SolarBank's operations have it well-positioned to capitalize on these opportunities. With a development pipeline exceeding one gigawatt (GW), the company is focused on meeting growing demand in community and commercial solar sectors. Decentralized energy solutions, such as virtual net metering and behind-the-meter systems, further enhance SolarBank's market potential by addressing the critical need for flexible, cost-effective, and sustainable energy infrastructure. By leveraging its vertically integrated model and diversified portfolio, SolarBank stands as a key player in driving the renewable energy transition.

Leadership Team

Dr. Richard Lu, MD, MSc., MHSc., MBA, serves as President and CEO of SolarBank, bringing over 25 years of global energy experience. His leadership has been instrumental in advancing the company's strategic initiatives across North America, Europe, and Asia, with a focus on renewable energy development and operational excellence.

Sam Sun, MBA, is the Chief Financial Officer of SolarBank. A Chartered Professional Accountant with more than 15 years of expertise in corporate finance, Mr. Sun has overseen financial strategies and internal controls across the cleantech, manufacturing, and mining sectors in Canada, the U.S., and China.

Andrew van Doorn, PE, serves as Chief Operating Officer, with nearly three decades of experience in engineering and construction. Mr. van Doorn has successfully led projects totaling over 200 MW of solar capacity and is a former Chairman of the Canadian Solar Industries Association.

Tracy Zheng, MBA, Chief Development Officer, has over 25 years of experience in brand marketing, business development, and solar project operations. She has spearheaded sales initiatives, conducted feasibility studies, and negotiated key partnerships that drive SolarBank's growth.

Matt Wayrynen, Executive Chairman and Director, has a background in resource company management, venture capital, and mergers and acquisitions. Under his leadership, Solar Flow-Through Funds, where Mr. Wayrynen acted as CEO, was acquired by SolarBank, enhancing its asset portfolio and growth prospects.

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Forward Looking Statements

This report contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to the Company's current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "expects", "will continue", "is anticipated", "anticipates", "believes", "estimated", "intends", "plans", "forecast", "projection", "strategy", "objective" and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. In particular and without limitation, this report contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the Company's expectations regarding its industry trends and overall market growth of the data center market; the Company's expansion into the data center market, including its pursuit of opportunities as a developer, owner, and strategic partner in data center infrastructure; supporting the demand for high-performance, sustainable energy solutions within the sector; details of the company's business plan including development of solar power projects, battery storage projects and EV charging projects; the completion of any contracts for, or construction of, any data center, solar power, battery storage or EV projects; the receipt of interconnection approval, permits and financing to be able to construct projects; the receipt of incentives for projects; and the size of the Company's development pipeline. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this report should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this report.

Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of the experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate, and are subject to risks and uncertainties. In making the forward looking statements included in this report, the Company has made various material assumptions, including but not limited to: obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals; that regulatory requirements will be maintained; general business and economic conditions; the Company's ability to successfully execute its plans and intentions; the availability of financing on reasonable terms; the Company's ability to attract and retain skilled staff; market competition; the products and services offered by the Company's competitors; that the Company's current good relationships with its service providers and other third parties will be maintained; and government subsidies and funding for renewable energy will continue as currently contemplated. Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect, and the Company cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Whether actual results, performance or achievements will conform to the Company's expectations and predictions is subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, including those listed under "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recently completed Annual Information Form, and other public filings of the Company, which include: the Company may be adversely affected by volatile solar power market and industry conditions; the execution of the Company's growth strategy depends upon the continued availability of third-party financing arrangements; the Company's future success depends partly on its ability to expand the pipeline of its energy business in several key markets; governments may revise, reduce or eliminate incentives and policy support schemes for solar and battery storage power; general global economic conditions may have an adverse impact on our operating performance and results of operations; the Company's project development and construction activities may not be successful; developing and operating solar projects exposes the Company to various risks; the Company faces a number of risks involving Power Purchase Agreements ("PPAs") and project-level financing arrangements; any changes to the laws, regulations and policies that the Company is subject to may present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to the purchase and use of solar power; the markets in which the Company competes are highly competitive and evolving quickly; an anti-circumvention investigation could adversely affect the Company by potentially raising the prices of key supplies for the construction of solar power projects; foreign exchange rate fluctuations; a change in the Company's effective tax rate can have a significant adverse impact on its business; seasonal variations in demand linked to construction cycles and weather conditions may influence the Company's results of operations; the Company may be unable to generate sufficient cash flows or have access to external financing; the Company may incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future; the Company is subject to risks from supply chain issues; risks related to inflation; unexpected warranty expenses that may not be adequately covered by the Company's insurance policies; if the Company is unable to attract and retain key personnel, it may not be able to compete effectively in the renewable energy market; there are a limited number of purchasers of utility-scale quantities of electricity; compliance with environmental laws and regulations can be expensive; corporate responsibility may adversely impose additional costs; the future impact of any resurgence of COVID-19 on the Company is unknown at this time; the Company has limited insurance coverage; the Company will be reliant on information technology systems and may be subject to damaging cyberattacks; the Company may become subject to litigation; there is no guarantee on how the Company will use its available funds; the Company will continue to sell securities for cash to fund operations, capital expansion, mergers and acquisitions that will dilute the current shareholders; and future dilution as a result of financings.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them, or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this report are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

SuperCom Ltd. (NASDAQ: SPCB)

SuperCom Ltd. (NASDAQ: SPCB) provides secured solutions for the e-government, IoT and cybersecurity sectors. Since 1988, the company has been a trusted global provider of traditional and digital identity offerings, providing cutting-edge electronic and digital security solutions to governments and organizations, both private and public, around the world.

SuperCom's mission is to revolutionize the public safety sector worldwide through proprietary electronic monitoring technology, data intelligence, and complementary services.

The company is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, with offices in California and other regions in the U.S.

Business Units

IoT and Connectivity

SuperCom IoT products and solutions provide advanced electronic monitoring solutions and services to criminal justice agencies, enabling customers to detect unauthorized movement of people, vehicles, and other monitored objects. The company provides an all-in-one, field-proven PureSecurity offender monitoring suite, accompanied by services such as GPS monitoring, home detention, domestic violence prevention, and more. The company's services are specifically tailored to meet each client's needs.

SuperCom's proprietary Puresecurity suite of hardware, connectivity, and software components is the foundation for its criminal justice services and offerings. SuperCom is leveraging its extensive technology expertise to implement groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into various parts of its core offerings. By leveraging the power of AI, SuperCom's PureSecurity platform can offer new abilities, such as amplified data analysis, predictive modeling, and streamlined automation – all geared toward optimizing decision-making and operational efficiency.

Competitive advantages of SuperCom's technology include:

• Long Battery Life (No Tag Charging Required)
• Ultra Lightweight Form Factor
• Next-Gen Location Tech
• Protection of Domestic Violence Victims
• And More

Cybersecurity

In 2015, SuperCom identified the cybersecurity market as a fast-growing space with significant advantages due to synergistic technologies and a shared customer base with its e-Gov and IoT business units. Consequently, SuperCom strategically acquired Prevision Ltd., a company with a strong presence in the market and a broad range of competitive cybersecurity services.

During the first quarter of 2016, SuperCom acquired Safend Ltd., an international provider of cutting-edge endpoint data protection guarding against corporate data loss and theft through content discovery and inspection, encryption methodologies, and comprehensive device and port control.

Both acquisitions significantly expanded the breadth of the company's global cybersecurity capabilities.

e-Gov

Through proprietary e-government platforms and innovative solutions for traditional and biometrics enrollment, personalization, issuance, and border control services, SuperCom has helped governments, and national agencies design and issue secured multi-identification, or Multi-ID, documents and robust digital identity solutions to their citizens, visitors, and lands.

The company has focused on expanding its activities in the traditional identification, or ID, and electronic identification, or e-Gov, markets, including the design, development, and marketing of identification technologies and solutions to governments in Europe, Asia, America, and Africa using SuperCom's e-Government platforms.

Market Opportunity

Data from Berg Insight estimates the market for electronic monitoring solutions will grow from $1.2 billion in 2021 to $2.1 billion in 2026, marking a CAGR of 10.8% for the forecast period.

High recidivism rates, prison overcrowding, and soaring incarceration costs are some factors that are driving the electronic monitoring of offenders' market growth.

An analysis by ReportLinker forecasts that the global cybersecurity market will grow from an estimated value of $173.5 billion in 2022 to $266.2 billion by 2027, achieving a CAGR of 8.9% for the period.

The increased number of data breaches worldwide, the ability of malicious actors to operate from anywhere in the world, the links between cyberspace and physical systems, and the difficulty of reducing vulnerabilities and consequences in complex cyber networks are some factors driving the cybersecurity market growth.

Management Team

Ordan Trabelsi is President and CEO of SuperCom. He has over 15 years of experience as CEO, growing high-tech companies globally. He also has experience in research and development and product innovation, as well as hands-on experience in cybersecurity, encryption, advanced mathematics, and mobile and internet network technologies. Prior to joining SuperCom, he served as co-founder and CEO of Klikot Inc., a global social networking company. He holds an MBA from Columbia University and a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from The Technion: Israel Institute of Technology.

Barak Trabelsi is COO of SuperCom. He has expertise in big data, cyber, mobile, and internet network technologies, as well as extensive experience in product development and strategies. Prior to joining SuperCom, he served as Senior Product Manager at Equinox Ltd. Before that, he served for four years as VP of R&D at Sigma Wave, a wireless, security, and internet-focused company. He holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Business, as well as an MBA from Tel Aviv University.

Gil Alfi is VP of Sales at Safend Ltd., SuperCom's cybersecurity subsidiary. He joined SuperCom in 2016 as VP of Business Development for Safend. He has more than 18 years of experience in technology companies. He served as an R&D team technology lead for more than seven years and as Director of Product Management for various telecom and wireless companies for more than 10 years. Prior to joining SuperCom, he served as Regional Sales Director at Safend, managing sales regions in Europe and Africa. He holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Mathematics and an M.Sc. in Computer Science from Bar-Ilan University.

Thumzup Media Corp. (NASDAQ: TZUP)

Thumzup Media Corp. (NASDAQ: TZUP) is at the forefront of modernizing the social media branding and marketing industry with its unique platform designed to connect advertisers directly with everyday social media users. The company's mission is to empower individuals by turning their authentic social media activity into a monetizable asset while providing brands with cost-effective and impactful advertising solutions.

Through its flagship Thumzup platform, the company offers a seamless system where users post about participating advertisers and receive cash payments via Venmo or PayPal. Thumzup recently announced plans to integrate bitcoin as an additional payment option, expanding accessibility for gig economy workers.

By prioritizing accessibility and transparency, Thumzup is redefining traditional marketing strategies with an inclusive, user-driven approach. It is leveraging its scalable technology to disrupt the status quo, offering a win-win ecosystem for advertisers and users alike.

The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Products

Thumzup's key offering, the Thumzup platform, features two integrated components: a sophisticated advertiser dashboard and an intuitive consumer-facing app. The advertiser dashboard provides companies with tools to design, manage, and analyze campaigns.

On the consumer side, the Thumzup app allows users to participate in campaigns by posting approved content to their social media accounts. In exchange, users receive direct cash rewards.

Recent enhancements to the platform include the launch of video capabilities, enabling integration with Instagram Reels. This update allows advertisers to tap into the growing popularity of short-form video content, broadening campaign possibilities.

The platform not only incentivizes users but also delivers authentic, relatable content for advertisers, bridging the gap between grassroots engagement and effective campaign management.

Market Opportunity

The global social media advertising market is projected to reach $219.8 billion in 2024, with an expected annual growth rate of 3.86%, resulting in a market volume of $255.8 billion by 2028, according to Statista. Thumzup targets the intersection of this growth with the rise of micro-influencers and everyday social media users, a segment that remains largely untapped in the advertising ecosystem.

In October 2024, Thumzup achieved 202% year-over-year growth in advertisers on its proprietary platform, demonstrating significant traction and scalability. With plans for further expansion in both advertiser partnerships and user engagement, the company is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for authentic and trust-building marketing strategies. As Thumzup integrates innovative features like video support and continues its geographic expansion, it is poised to capture a larger share of the rapidly growing social media advertising market.

Leadership Team

Robert Steele, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Thumzup, has over 25 years of experience as a technologist and entrepreneur. He has successfully launched multiple companies, including iBrite, a pioneer in mobile software development. Mr. Steele's leadership and innovative vision drive Thumzup's mission to democratize the social media marketing industry.

Robert Haag, Director of Thumzup, is the Managing Member of Westside Strategic Partners LLC and a Managing Director at IRTH Communications. With decades of experience in financial communications, investment, and corporate strategy, Mr. Haag provides critical guidance on strategic initiatives and business growth.

Dr. Joanna Massey, member of the company's Board of Advisors, brings over 25 years of executive experience with Fortune 500 companies and startups to Thumzup. She has held senior roles in communications at Lions Gate Entertainment and CBS Corporation. Dr. Massey leverages her expertise to support Thumzup's growth strategy.