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Is the NRC Overstepping on Fusion?

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Image: Deuterium ionized into fusion plasma lets off a fuchsia glow (Helion)

A Hybrid Regulatory Approach by the NRC on Fusion

A fusion energy system is a power plant that harnesses energy released from the fusion of atomic nuclei to generate electricity. New commercial fusion designs intended to assist in the future of mass power, are being engineered with very little regulatory framework for them to design toward. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Christopher Hanson wants the regulatory framework for fusion energy systems based on its existing process for licensing the use of byproduct materials. A new framework may add to the number of companies designing and developing pilot reactors.

The process of fusion involves bringing together atomic nuclei under high temperatures and pressures to create a plasma state, where the positively charged nuclei fuse to form heavier elements, releasing a large amount of energy in the process. Unlike traditional nuclear power plants, which rely on nuclear fission, fusion power plants do not produce long-lived radioactive waste and have a virtually limitless supply of fuel in the form of hydrogen isotopes found abundantly in seawater. Fusion energy, holds great promise as a clean and sustainable source of energy as fossil fuels fall from favor.

“Dozens” of companies are developing pilot-scale commercial fusion designs, according to NRC Chair Christopher Hanson. In a press release by the NRC last Friday Hanson said the “precise future” for fusion in the USA is uncertain, the agency should provide “as much regulatory certainty as possible given what we know today.” The reason provided in the release said,”Licensing near-term fusion energy systems under a byproduct material framework will protect public health and safety with a technology-neutral, scalable regulatory approach.”

Is this overstepping on the part of the NRC? The Commission describes a fusion system as a device that contains nuclear fusion reactions as well as associated radioactive materials and supporting structures, systems and components – would generate electricity from the energy released when hydrogen atoms are combined to form helium, rather than the splitting, or fission, of uranium atoms. This very definition causes the systems to fall outside the requirements to be regulated by NRC as nuclear reactors, because they do not involve special nuclear material (plutonium, uranium-233 or enriched uranium) and cannot produce the self-sustained neutron chain reaction that defines nuclear fission reactors under NRC regulations.

The NRC staff outlined suggested options earlier in 2023 for the licensing and regulation of fusion systems.  It categorized them as “utilization facilities”, with a novel regulatory framework developed to address associated specific hazards. These include a byproduct material approach, which adds to the existing regulations for byproduct material licenses. It also included a hybrid framework where the decision on whether a byproduct material or a utilization facility approach would be most appropriate for a particular system based on the potential dangers and hazards inherent to it – it would need to define what would be most applicable for that system. The NRC staff supported the use of a hybrid system in its submission.

Tritium and other radioactive materials which occur or are used in fusion systems have been categorized by the NRC as byproduct material. The NRC has now directed its staff to create a regulatory framework for fusion systems built on the agency’s existing process for licensing the use of such materials.

Image: @Helion_Energy (Twitter)

The Commission will move forward with a “limited revision” to materials licensing regulations, including consideration of whether the revision should include a new category specifically for fusion energy systems. The rule, according to the NRC, take into account fusion systems “that already have been licensed and are being regulated by the Agreement States, as well as those that may be licensed prior to the completion of the rulemaking”. The commission staff is also exected to expand materials license guidance to cover fusion systems across the US.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced in 2022 up to $50 million of federal funding to support experimental research in fusion energy science as part of the Biden administration’s vision to accelerate fusion energy. New designs are speeding along as a few fusion systems are likely reach design proof-of-concept, and even net power production later this decade, with deployment projected to follow in the 2030s, according to the NRC.

One US fusion system developer, Helion Energy, expressed support for the NRC’s announcement. “This approach provides a clear and effective regulatory path for our team to deploy clean, safe fusion energy,” the company said on Twitter.

Sources

https://www.nrc.gov/cdn/doc-collection-news/2023/23-029.pdf

https://mobile.twitter.com/Helion_Energy

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nrc-regulations-nuclear-fusion-energy-systems/647766/

https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NRC-starts-work-on-regulatory-framework-for-fusion

https://thebreakthrough.imgix.net/BTI-Fusion-Whitepaper.pdf

Artificial Intelligence, Speculation, and ‘Technical Debt’

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Image Credit: Focal Foto (Flickr)

AI Has Social Consequences, But Who Pays the Price?

As public concern about the ethical and social implications of artificial intelligence keeps growing, it might seem like it’s time to slow down. But inside tech companies themselves, the sentiment is quite the opposite. As Big Tech’s AI race heats up, it would be an “absolutely fatal error in this moment to worry about things that can be fixed later,” a Microsoft executive wrote in an internal email about generative AI, as The New York Times reported.

In other words, it’s time to “move fast and break things,” to quote Mark Zuckerberg’s old motto. Of course, when you break things, you might have to fix them later – at a cost.

In software development, the term “technical debt” refers to the implied cost of making future fixes as a consequence of choosing faster, less careful solutions now. Rushing to market can mean releasing software that isn’t ready, knowing that once it does hit the market, you’ll find out what the bugs are and can hopefully fix them then.

However, negative news stories about generative AI tend not to be about these kinds of bugs. Instead, much of the concern is about AI systems amplifying harmful biases and stereotypes and students using AI deceptively. We hear about privacy concerns, people being fooled by misinformation, labor exploitation and fears about how quickly human jobs may be replaced, to name a few. These problems are not software glitches. Realizing that a technology reinforces oppression or bias is very different from learning that a button on a website doesn’t work.

This article was republished with permission from The Conversation, a news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It represents the research-based findings and thoughts of Casey Fiesler, Associate Professor of Information Science, University of Colorado Boulder.

As a technology ethics educator and researcher, I have thought a lot about these kinds of “bugs.” What’s accruing here is not just technical debt, but ethical debt. Just as technical debt can result from limited testing during the development process, ethical debt results from not considering possible negative consequences or societal harms. And with ethical debt in particular, the people who incur it are rarely the people who pay for it in the end.

Off to the Races

As soon as OpenAI’s ChatGPT was released in November 2022, the starter pistol for today’s AI race, I imagined the debt ledger starting to fill.

Within months, Google and Microsoft released their own generative AI programs, which seemed rushed to market in an effort to keep up. Google’s stock prices fell when its chatbot Bard confidently supplied a wrong answer during the company’s own demo. One might expect Microsoft to be particularly cautious when it comes to chatbots, considering Tay, its Twitter-based bot that was almost immediately shut down in 2016 after spouting misogynist and white supremacist talking points. Yet early conversations with the AI-powered Bing left some users unsettled, and it has repeated known misinformation.

When the social debt of these rushed releases comes due, I expect that we will hear mention of unintended or unanticipated consequences. After all, even with ethical guidelines in place, it’s not as if OpenAI, Microsoft or Google can see the future. How can someone know what societal problems might emerge before the technology is even fully developed?

The root of this dilemma is uncertainty, which is a common side effect of many technological revolutions, but magnified in the case of artificial intelligence. After all, part of the point of AI is that its actions are not known in advance. AI may not be designed to produce negative consequences, but it is designed to produce the unforeseen.

However, it is disingenuous to suggest that technologists cannot accurately speculate about what many of these consequences might be. By now, there have been countless examples of how AI can reproduce bias and exacerbate social inequities, but these problems are rarely publicly identified by tech companies themselves. It was external researchers who found racial bias in widely used commercial facial analysis systems, for example, and in a medical risk prediction algorithm that was being applied to around 200 million Americans. Academics and advocacy or research organizations like the Algorithmic Justice League and the Distributed AI Research Institute are doing much of this work: identifying harms after the fact. And this pattern doesn’t seem likely to change if companies keep firing ethicists.

Speculating – Responsibly

I sometimes describe myself as a technology optimist who thinks and prepares like a pessimist. The only way to decrease ethical debt is to take the time to think ahead about things that might go wrong – but this is not something that technologists are necessarily taught to do.

Scientist and iconic science fiction writer Isaac Asimov once said that sci-fi authors “foresee the inevitable, and although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not.” Of course, science fiction writers do not tend to be tasked with developing these solutions – but right now, the technologists developing AI are.

So how can AI designers learn to think more like science fiction writers? One of my current research projects focuses on developing ways to support this process of ethical speculation. I don’t mean designing with far-off robot wars in mind; I mean the ability to consider future consequences at all, including in the very near future.

This is a topic I’ve been exploring in my teaching for some time, encouraging students to think through the ethical implications of sci-fi technology in order to prepare them to do the same with technology they might create. One exercise I developed is called the Black Mirror Writers Room, where students speculate about possible negative consequences of technology like social media algorithms and self-driving cars. Often these discussions are based on patterns from the past or the potential for bad actors.

Ph.D. candidate Shamika Klassen and I evaluated this teaching exercise in a research study and found that there are pedagogical benefits to encouraging computing students to imagine what might go wrong in the future – and then brainstorm about how we might avoid that future in the first place.

However, the purpose isn’t to prepare students for those far-flung futures; it is to teach speculation as a skill that can be applied immediately. This skill is especially important for helping students imagine harm to other people, since technological harms often disproportionately impact marginalized groups that are underrepresented in computing professions. The next steps for my research are to translate these ethical speculation strategies for real-world technology design teams.

Time to Hit Pause?

In March 2023, an open letter with thousands of signatures advocated for pausing training AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. Unchecked, AI development “might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete and replace us,” or even cause a “loss of control of our civilization,” its writers warned.

As critiques of the letter point out, this focus on hypothetical risks ignores actual harms happening today. Nevertheless, I think there is little disagreement among AI ethicists that AI development needs to slow down – that developers throwing up their hands and citing “unintended consequences” is not going to cut it.

We are only a few months into the “AI race” picking up significant speed, and I think it’s already clear that ethical considerations are being left in the dust. But the debt will come due eventually – and history suggests that Big Tech executives and investors may not be the ones paying for it.

Release – Space Industry Veteran Nicole Robinson Joins Comtech’s Executive Leadership Team

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Research News and Market Data on CMTL

Apr 18, 2023 9:20 AM

MELVILLE, N.Y. –
April 18, 2023– (NASDAQ: CMTL) Comtech today announced the appointment of space industry veteran Nicole Robinson as a Chief Strategy Officer.

With nearly two decades of leadership experience in the space industry, Robinson brings deep expertise and differentiated knowledge across public, private, government, and commercial space sectors that are well aligned with Comtech’s strategic priorities and global growth trajectories. Prior to joining Comtech, Robinson served as President of Ursa Space Systems, a leading satellite intelligence and data analytics provider, where she was responsible for taking the company from a start up to a scale up by accelerating growth globally while also optimizing operations. Previously, Robinson served as Senior Vice President of Global Government for SES, the largest commercial satellite operator in the world.

“Today, we are taking another step to expand our executive team with an incredibly talented leader who will be instrumental in helping Comtech achieve our core business objectives and make a lasting, positive impact in the world,” said Ken Peterman, President and CEO, Comtech. “Nicole brings unparalleled space industry expertise that will help Comtech implement overarching space strategies; identify and oversee new end-to-end technology developments; and further enhance our technology leadership across global markets.”

In her position as a Chief Strategy Officer, Robinson will collaborate with Comtech’s Strategic Council to create and implement priority space business pursuits; oversee the development and implementation of new technologies; orchestrate global growth initiatives; and lead other priorities related to geospatial imagery and data as well as space communications in both U.S. and international markets.

“It is a tremendous honor to join this exceptional team in this dynamic chapter of growth and innovation,” said Robinson. “With its unique culture of innovation, proven technology leadership, and customer-centric focus, Comtech maintains an unparalleled position to lead the way in democratizing access to communications technologies and accelerating the convergence of global connectivity infrastructures.”

Robinson is known across the space and satellite industry for serving in a variety of high-profile board and leadership positions including serving as the President of the Society of Satellite Professionals International, the largest professional organization in the space and satellite. Robinson also previously served two terms as Chair of the Hosted Payload Alliance and held positions at Washington Space Business Roundtable as well as other organizations. She was the recipient of the 2012 Future Leaders Award by the Society of Satellite Professionals International and is a member of “The FEW,” an invitation-only assembly of senior executive women.

Robinson completed her bachelor’s degree at Radford University, earned an MBA from Liberty University, and is a graduate of the Senior Executives in National and International Security Program at Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government.

About Comtech

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. is a leading global technology company providing terrestrial and wireless network solutions, next-generation 9-1-1 emergency services, satellite and space communications technologies, and cloud native capabilities to commercial and government customers around the world. Our unique culture of innovation and employee empowerment unleashes a relentless passion for customer success. With multiple facilities located in technology corridors throughout the United States and around the world, Comtech leverages our global presence, technology leadership, and decades of experience to create the world’s most innovative communications solutions.For more information, please visit www.comtech.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this press release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature and involve certain significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and performance could differ materially from such forward-looking information. The Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings identify many such risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by the risks and uncertainties described in such Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

PCMTL

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230417005915/en/

Investor Relations

Robert Samuels

631-962-7102

[email protected]

Media Contact

Jamie Clegg

480-532-2523

[email protected]

Release – Johnny Rockets Touches Down in India at Kempegowda International Airport

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Research News and Market Data on FAT

APRIL 18, 2023

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Classic Burger Chain Broadens International Presence with Newest B engaluru Location

LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Johnny Rockets and 16 other restaurant concepts, announces a new location in India at the Kempegowda International Airport in partnership with HMSHost. Located in Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka, the new Johnny Rockets serves the classic fare that put the brand on the map over 35 years ago, including juicy, made-to-order burgers and hand-spun shakes.

“Expanding Johnny Rockets’ presence in non-traditional venues continues to be a key growth objective for the brand,” said Jake Berchtold, COO of FAT Brands’ Fast Casual Division. “Strategically, we are pleased to spearhead this type of expansion in a country like India, where we see significant opportunity to build our footprint.”

“We are seeing exciting times in the air travel industry as the demand remains strong in both the domestic and international travel spaces,” said Jagvir Singh Rana, Managing Director, India and Middle East, HMSHost. “With increased travel and the opening of T2 at Bengaluru International Airport, guest expectations are sure to increase. By partnering with Johnny Rockets, we aim to not only give our guests varied food choices but also an experience they will cherish forever.”

The first Johnny Rockets restaurant opened June 6, 1986, on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. Since that time, the chain’s timeless all-American brand has connected with customers across the U.S. and in 25 other countries around the globe.

The Johnny Rockets team’s passion for delivering fresh, classic American fare is only equaled by their commitment to providing a superb guest experience. The new location’s menu includes cooked-to-order burgers, indulgent, hand-spun real ice cream shakes, crispy fries, halal chicken options and more.

The new Bengaluru Johnny Rockets is located at Kempegowda International Airport, Terminal 2, Devanhalli, Bengaluru, and is open from 2 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily.

For more information on Johnny Rockets, visit www.johnnyrockets.com.

###

About FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands

FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual and polished casual dining restaurant concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 17 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises and owns over 2,300 units worldwide. For more information on FAT Brands, please visit www.fatbrands.com.

About Johnny Rockets
Founded in 1986 on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Johnny Rockets is a world-renowned international franchise that offers high-quality, innovative menu items including Certified Angus Beef® cooked-to-order hamburgers, veggie burgers, chicken sandwiches, crispy fries, and rich, delicious hand-spun shakes and malts. With over 325 locations in over 25 countries around the globe, this dynamic lifestyle brand offers friendly service and upbeat music contributing to the chain’s signature atmosphere of relaxed, casual fun.

For more information, visit www.johnnyrockets.com. 

MEDIA C ONTACT :
Erin Mandzik, FAT Brands
[email protected]
860-212-6509

Source: FAT Brands Inc.

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Release – Cocrystal Pharma to Present New Data from its CC-42344 Phase 1 Influenza A Study at the 7th Annual ISIRV Antiviral Group Conference

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APRIL 18, 2023

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BOTHELL, Wash., April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: COCP) (Cocrystal or the Company) announces the acceptance of an oral presentation containing new data from the Company’s CC-42344 Phase 1 influenza A study at the 7th Annual International Society for Influenza and Other Respiratory Virus Diseases’ (ISIRV) Antiviral Group Conference. Sam Lee, Ph.D., President and co-CEO, will present “First-in-Human Study of CC-42344, a Novel Broad-Spectrum Influenza A Polymerase PB2 Inhibitor” on May 4, 2023 at 11:05 a.m. Pacific time. The conference theme is “Advancing Respiratory Virus Therapeutics: Lessons Learned from COVID-19” and the event is being held May 3-5 in Seattle.

“We are excited to share additional data from our Phase 1 study with CC-42344 in influenza A and to outline next steps for our compound at this well-respected conference,” said Dr. Lee. “We plan to file a regulatory submission for a Phase 2a influenza A human challenge study that we expect to initiate in the second half of 2023.”

Cocrystal intends to issue a press release summarizing the new data presented at the conference and to post the conference slides to the Company’s website following Dr. Lee’s presentation.

About CC-42344
CC-42344 is a novel PB2 inhibitor discovered using Cocrystal’s proprietary structure-based drug discovery platform technology. CC-42344 targets the influenza polymerase complex, an essential enzyme required for the viral replication. In vitro testing showed CC-42344’s potent antiviral activity against influenza A strains, including pandemic and seasonal strains, as well as against strains resistant to Tamiflu® and Xofluza®.

About ISIRV
The International Society for Influenza and other Respiratory Virus Diseases (ISIRV) is an independent and international scientific professional society promoting the prevention, detection, treatment and control of influenza and other respiratory virus diseases. ISIRV was founded in 2005 as the first scientific society with a fully worldwide remit focused on influenza and respiratory virus disease. As a global scientific society, ISIRV fulfils this mission through promoting the exchange and dissemination of information, facilitating the interaction of scientists and of public health specialists and the promotion of international collaborative efforts against these diseases. More information is available here.

About Cocrystal Pharma, Inc.
Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company discovering and developing novel antiviral therapeutics that target the replication process of influenza viruses, coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2), hepatitis C viruses and noroviruses. Cocrystal employs unique structure-based technologies and Nobel Prize-winning expertise to create first- and best-in-class antiviral drugs. For further information about Cocrystal, please visit www.cocrystalpharma.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the Company’s plans and anticipated timelines to begin its Phase 2a human challenge study with its oral PB2 inhibitor CC-42344 in the second half of 2023. The words “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “will,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events. Some or all of the events anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties arising from inflation, interest rate increases, the current banking crisis and the Ukraine war on our Company, our collaboration partners, and on the U.S. and U.K. and global economies, including manufacturing and research delays arising from raw materials and labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and other business interruptions including any adverse impacts on our ability to obtain raw materials and other supplies as well as similar problems with our vendors and our current Contract Research Organization (CRO) and any future CROs and Contract Manufacturing Organizations, the results of the studies for CC-42344 , the ability of our CROs to recruit volunteers for, and to proceed with, clinical studies, our and our collaboration partners’ technology and software performing as expected, financial difficulties experienced by certain partners, the results of future preclinical and clinical trials, the impact of COVID-19 (including long-term and pervasive effects of the virus), general risks arising from clinical trials, receipt of regulatory approvals, regulatory changes, and the potential development of effective treatments by competitors. Further information on our risk factors is contained in our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Investor Contact:
LHA Investor Relations
Jody Cain
310-691-7100
[email protected]

Media Contact:
JQA Partners
Jules Abraham
917-885-7378
[email protected]

# # #

Source: Cocrystal Pharma, Inc.

Released April 18, 2023

Release – MustGrow Announces Soil Amendment and Biofertility Programs for Sustainable Agriculture

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Research News and Market Data on MGROF

  • Plant-based programs to focus on soil and microbiome health, nutrient and water use efficiencies, and plant yields.
  • Products to utilize multiple plant-derived extracts in addition to (and including) the mustard plant to improve beneficial microbial activity and soil health.
  • Soil Amendment and Biofertility are expected to increase MustGrow’s target market opportunity in addition to its existing Biocontrol focus.
  • Existing Biocontrol partnerships continue to achieve performance milestones and expand globally in scope and investment.

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, Canada, Apr. 18, 2023 – MustGrow Biologics Corp. (TSXV: MGRO) (OTC: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0) (the “Company” or “MustGrow”), is pleased to report an additional area of sustainable agriculture opportunity that the Company will be pursuing in the soil amendment (“Soil Amendment”) and biofertility (“Biofertility”) marketplaces. MustGrow’s Soil Amendment and Biofertility development programs will focus on soil and soil microbiome health, nutrient and water use efficiencies, and plant yields.

Throughout 2022, MustGrow engaged in extensive market research, formulation activities, and prospective partnership discussions, and has now added Soil Amendment and Biofertility programs to its growing list of global target applications, which now covers: preplant soil fumigation (under the brand name TerraMGTM), postharvest food preservation and bioherbicide (together “Biocontrol”), and now Soil Amendment and Biofertility applications.

MustGrow believes this Soil Amendment and Biofertility initiative will complement its existing Biocontrol programs in preplant soil fumigation, postharvest food preservation, and bioherbicide, all of which are currently under development with four global partners: Janssen PMP, Bayer, Sumitomo Corporation, and NexusBioAg. These partnered programs continue to achieve performance milestones and expand globally in scope and investment. MustGrow believes 2023 will be a pivotal year for commercial and strategic advancement in certain regions and crops.

Introducing TerraSanteTM for Soil and Ecological Health

Soil is a farmer’s most valuable and precious asset, and MustGrow’s plant-based technologies are being developed to improve not only the health of the soil, but also the surrounding ecological environment.

As a soil conditioner in mixable form, TerraSanteTM contains nutritious plant proteins and carbohydrates that feed soil microbes, potentionally improving beneficial microbial activity and ensuring long-term sustainable soil health. These targeted micro-communities are shown to work to improve nutrient availability, which can potentially increase plant vigor and yields, while reducing plant stress. TerraSanteTM has the potential to improve crop nutrient uptake and, hence, overall crop performance. There are no artificial additives or preservatives used during manufacturing.

MustGrow is initially pursuing TerraSanteTM branded registrations in North America for Soil Amendment applications, followed by formulations and brands targeting the Biofertility markets.  The Soil Amendment and Biofertility products will utilize multiple technologies derived from novel plant-based extracts from mustard and potentially other sources.

Soil Amendment and Biofertility Marketplace

The global fertilizer market is anticipated to be US$242 billion by 2030, up from US$193 billion in 2021 (2.5% CAGR).(1)  This aggregate fertilizer figure includes the following sub-markets, which MustGrow will target with TerraSanteTM and potentially other branded products:

  • Soil Amendment: estimated market size in 2022 was US$3.5 billion and is expected to be US$8.0 billion by 2030 (11.0% CAGR).(2)
  • Biofertility: estimated market size in 2021 was US$2.7 billion and is estimated to be US$7.0 billion by 2030 (12.3% CAGR).(3)

Combined, these additional market segments add over US$15 billion of target market opportunity globably for MustGrow by 2030, almost double from the initially targeted Biocontrol market.

Alternatives to Synthetic Fertilizers are Needed

With the world’s population expanding, improving agriculture production and ensuring global food security are becoming increasingly important. Fertilizers continue to play a critical role in agriculture, although plans to reduce their use have been amplified in recent years in order to implement emission reduction strategies and minimize the negative consequences of climate change. Canada, for example, has set a voluntary national fertilizer emissions reduction target of 30% below 2020 levels by 2030 to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable, climate-friendly solutions will be required to offset this reduction while balancing the nation’s economic health, since, in Canada alone, the fertilizer industry directly and indirectly supports over 76,000 jobs and contributes nearly C$13 billion to Canadian GDP.(4)

The European Green Deal is also targeting a 20% reduction in fertilizer use by 2030, while ensuring no deterioration in soil fertility, as part of the European Commission’s aim to reduce nutrient losses by at least 50% by 2030.(5) Fertilizer reduction is a key element of the broader Green Deal target of a minimum 55% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.(6)

Weighing fertilizer reduction targets against the need to increase farm production, farm profitability, economic growth and global food security points to sustainable Soil Amendment and Biofertility innovation and development as a key agriculture solution.

Source:

1) https://www.statista.com/statistics/1266004/global-fertilizer-market-size/
2) https://www.businessmarketinsights.com/reports/soil-amendments-market
3) https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/global-biofertilizers-market
4) https://fertilizercanada.ca/our-focus/stewardship/emissions-reduction-initiative/
5) https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-02/factsheet-farmtofork-comparison-table_en_0.pdf
6) https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en

———

About MustGrow

MustGrow is an agriculture biotech company developing organic Biocontrol, Soil Amendment and Biofertility products by harnessing the natural defense mechanism and organic materials of the mustard plant to sustainably protect the global food supply and help farmers feed the world.  MustGrow and its leading global partners — Janssen PMP (pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson), Bayer, Sumitomo Corporation, and Univar Solutions’ NexusBioAg — are developing mustard-based organic solutions to potentially replace harmful synthetic chemicals.  Concurrenly, with new formulations derived from food-grade mustard, the Company is pursusing the adoption and use of it’s technology in the target markets.  Over 150 independent tests have been completed, validating MustGrow’s safe and effective approach to crop and food protection, and yield and soil improvements.  Pending regulatory approval, MustGrow’s patented products could be applied through injection, standard drip or spray equipment, improving functionality and performance features.  MustGrow has approximately 49.7 million basic common shares issued and outstanding and 55.6 million shares fully diluted.  For further details, please visit www.mustgrow.ca.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

“Corey Giasson”

Director & CEO
Phone: +1-306-668-2652
[email protected]

MustGrow Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect the results, performance or achievements of MustGrow.

Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “occur” or “be achieved”.  Examples of forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements MustGrow makes regarding: (i) the estimated size and value of Soil Amendment, Biofertility, Fertilizer markets; (ii) commercial and strategic advancement of the Company in 2023; and (iii) the potential of TerraSanteTM to improve overall crop performance.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of MustGrow to differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, MustGrow.  Important factors that could cause MustGrow’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: (i) the preferences and choices of agricultural regulators with respect to product approval timelines; (ii) the ability of MustGrow’s partners to meet obligations under their respective agreements; and (iii) other risks described in more detail in MustGrow’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2021 and other continuous disclosure documents filed by MustGrow with the applicable securities regulatory authorities which are available at www.sedar.com.  Readers are referred to such documents for more detailed information about MustGrow, which is subject to the qualifications, assumptions and notes set forth therein.

This release does not constitute an offer for sale of, nor a solicitation for offers to buy, any securities in the United States.

Neither the TSXV, nor their Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV), nor the OTC Markets has approved the contents of this release or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

© 2023 MustGrow Biologics Corp. All rights reserved.

Release – Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. Announces First Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call

Posted on by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on ARLP

Company Release – 4/18/2023 7:00 AM ET

TULSA, Okla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP) will report its first quarter 2023 financial results before the market opens on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. Alliance management will discuss these results during a conference call beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern that same day.

To participate in the conference call, dial (877) 407-0784 and request to be connected to the Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. earnings conference call. International callers should dial (201) 689-8560 and request to be connected to the same call. Investors may also listen to the call via the “investor relations” section of ARLP’s website at www.arlp.com.

An audio replay of the conference call will be available for approximately one week. To access the audio replay, dial U.S. Toll Free (844) 512-2921; International Toll (412) 317-6671 and request to be connected to replay using access code 13737890.

About Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.

ARLP is a diversified energy company that is currently the largest coal producer in the eastern United States, supplying reliable, affordable energy domestically and internationally to major utilities, metallurgical and industrial users. ARLP also generates operating and royalty income from mineral interests it owns in strategic coal and oil & gas producing regions in the United States. In addition, ARLP is evolving and positioning itself as a reliable energy partner for the future by pursuing opportunities that support the advancement of energy and related infrastructure.

News, unit prices and additional information about ARLP, including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), are available at www.arlp.com. For more information, contact the investor relations department of ARLP at (918) 295-7673 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Cary P. Marshall
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(918) 295-7673
[email protected]

Source: Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.

Release – Schwazze Signs Definitive Documents to Acquire One Medical Retail Dispensary In Denver, Colorado, From Standing Akimbo

Posted on by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on SHWZ

April 18, 2023

PDF Version

DENVER, Colo., April 18, 2023 /CNW/ – Medicine Man Technologies operating as Schwazze, (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ) (“Schwazze” or the “Company”), announced that it has signed definitive documents to acquire certain assets of Standing Akimbo LLC (“Standing Akimbo“). The proposed transaction includes the medical cannabis dispensary located at 3801 Jason Street in Denver, Colorado. This acquisition expands the Company’s retail consumer base and furthers its growth efforts in the Colorado market, which upon close would bring the Company’s total number of operating Colorado dispensaries to 26 (this total excludes two additional Smokey’s dispensaries previously announced for acquisition in the second quarter of 2023 as well as a Colorado Springs medical dispensary acquired in 2022).

   

The consideration for the proposed acquisition is US$10,540,000 and will be paid as US$1,000,000 in cash and US$5,540,000 in Company common stock at closing, and US$4,000,000 in deferred cash payments. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2023 upon receipt of approval from the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division and local licensing authorities.

Following more than a year of medical cannabis market operating experience in New Mexico, this acquisition marks Schwazze’s concerted effort to expand operations in Colorado’s $200M+ medical cannabis market. As part of the Standing Akimbo acquisition, Schwazze plans to open a Colorado Springs medical dispensary acquired in 2022 under the Standing Akimbo banner.       

“We have tremendous respect for the Standing Akimbo brand and operators. We look forward to the team joining the Schwazze family, continue running their Denver location and also expand service by adding a second location in Colorado Springs,” said Nirup Krishnamurthy, President of Schwazze. “We look forward to utilizing Schwazze’s operating playbook to support the Standing Akimbo team in their outstanding service to the Colorado medical cannabis community.”      

Since April 2020, Schwazze has acquired, opened or announced the planned acquisition of 46 cannabis retail dispensaries (bannered as Star Buds, Emerald Fields and R. Greenleaf) as well as seven cultivation facilities and two manufacturing plants in Colorado and New Mexico. In May 2021, Schwazze announced its Biosciences division, and in August 2021 it commenced home delivery services in Colorado.

About Schwazze

Schwazze (OTCQX: SHWZ  NEO: SHWZ) is building a premier vertically integrated regional cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico and will continue to take its operating system to other states where it can develop a differentiated regional leadership position. Schwazze is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale. The Company is committed to unlocking the full potential of the cannabis plant to improve the human condition. Schwazze is anchored by a high-performance culture that combines customer-centric thinking and data science to test, measure, and drive decisions and outcomes. The Company’s leadership team has deep expertise in retailing, wholesaling, and building consumer brands at Fortune 500 companies as well as in the cannabis sector. Schwazze is passionate about making a difference in our communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and doing our part to incorporate climate-conscious best practices.

Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazze’s former operating trade name. The corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. Schwazze derives its name from the pruning technique of a cannabis plant to enhance plant structure and promote healthy growth. To learn more about Schwazze, visit www.Schwazze.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements.” Such statements may be preceded by the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intends,” “plans,” “strategy,” “prospects,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “approximately,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” or the negative of these terms or other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future events or future operating or financial performance, although the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control and cannot be predicted or quantified. Consequently, actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) regulatory limitations on our products and services and the uncertainty in the application of federal, state, and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws; (ii) our ability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own or in collaboration with third parties; (iii) our ability to identify, consummate, and integrate anticipated acquisitions; (iv) general industry and economic conditions; (v) our ability to access adequate capital upon terms and conditions that are acceptable to us; (vi) our ability to pay interest and principal on outstanding debt when due; (vii) volatility in credit and market conditions; (viii) the loss of one or more key executives or other key employees; and (ix) other risks and uncertainties related to the cannabis market and our business strategy. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law.

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/schwazze-signs-definitive-documents-to-acquire-one-medical-retail-dispensary-in-denver-colorado-from-standing-akimbo-301800128.html

SOURCE Medicine Man Technologies, Inc.

Release – Direct Digital Holdings Announces Upward Revision of Previously Published FY 2022 Earnings Press Release

Posted on by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on DRCT

April 17, 2023 5:19pm EDT

Revision Reflects an Increase of Revenue at the Company’s Colossus SSP Subsidiary for FY 2022

Results in Full-Year Revenue of $89.4 Million, or EPS of $0.33

HOUSTON, April 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), today announced an upward revision of the preliminary financial results originally published in its March 23, 2023 press release.

These financial results, which are reflected in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC today, resulted in an increase in revenues of $1.3 million over the previously published preliminary results, which increased net income to $4.2 million and increased EPS to $0.33 per share for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2022.

The updated amounts have no effect upon the cash flows for the affected periods, and will not affect forward revenue guidance for 2023 of $118 million to $122 million as issued on March 23, 2023.

About Direct Digital Holdings
Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage approximately 90,000 clients monthly, generating over 100 billion impressions per month across display, video, CTV, in-app and other media channels. Direct Digital Holdings is the ninth black-owned company to go public in the U.S and was named a top minority-owned business by The Houston Business Journal.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and which are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties.

As used below, “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to the Company. We use words such as “could,” “would,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “expect,” “likely,” “believe,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project” and other similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, but not all forward-looking statements include these words. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements.

All of our forward-looking statements involve estimates and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our industry experience and our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, many factors could affect our actual operating and financial performance and cause our performance to differ materially from the performance expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: our dependence on the overall demand for advertising, which could be influenced by economic downturns; any slow-down or unanticipated development in the market for programmatic advertising campaigns; the effects of health epidemics; operational and performance issues with our platform, whether real or perceived, including a failure to respond to technological changes or to upgrade our technology systems; any significant inadvertent disclosure or breach of confidential and/or personal information we hold, or of the security of our or our customers’, suppliers’ or other partners’ computer systems; any unavailability or non-performance of the non-proprietary technology, software, products and services that we use; unfavorable publicity and negative public perception about our industry, particularly concerns regarding data privacy and security relating to our industry’s technology and practices, and any perceived failure to comply with laws and industry self-regulation; restrictions on the use of third-party “cookies,” mobile device IDs or other tracking technologies, which could diminish our platform’s effectiveness; any inability to compete in our intensely competitive market; any significant fluctuations caused by our high customer concentration; our limited operating history, which could result in our past results not being indicative of future operating performance; any violation of legal and regulatory requirements or any misconduct by our employees, subcontractors, agents or business partners; any strain on our resources, diversion of our management’s attention or impact on our ability to attract and retain qualified board members as a result of being a public company; our dependence, as a holding company, of receiving distributions from Direct Digital Holdings, LLC to pay our taxes, expenses and dividends; and other factors and assumptions discussed in the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations” and other sections of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that we make from time to time. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of these assumptions prove to be incorrect, our actual operating and financial performance may vary in material respects from the performance projected in these forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances, and we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/direct-digital-holdings-announces-upward-revision-of-previously-published-fy-2022-earnings-press-release-301799448.html

SOURCE Direct Digital Holdings

Released April 17, 2023

Release – Direct Digital Holdings to Present at the Planet MicroCap Showcase: VEGAS 2023 on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 & 1×1 Meetings on Thursday, April 27, 2023

Posted on by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on DRCT

April 17, 2023 9:00am EDT

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 17, 2023 / Direct Digital Holdings, Inc (Nasdaq:DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”) , a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), today announced that it will be presenting at the Planet MicroCap Showcase: VEGAS 2023 on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 2:30PM (Local Time – PST). President & Co-Founder of Direct Digital Holdings, Keith Smith, and Chief Financial Officer of Direct Digital Holdings, Susan Echard, will be hosting the presentation and answering questions at the conclusion. The Company will also be hosting 1×1 meetings on Thursday, April 27, 2023.

To access the live presentation, please use the following information:

Planet MicroCap Showcase: VEGAS 2023

Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Time: 5:30 PM Eastern Time (2:30 PM Pacific Time)

Direct Digital Holdings continues to demonstrate robust financial performance, significant operational expansion and continued gains in market share as it capitalizes on strong macroeconomics tailwinds in digital advertising and media. The Company continues to implement strategic growth initiatives to position the Company to continue to deliver high-quality, technology-led digital advertising solutions to its expanding customer network. Direct Digital Holdings is the ninth black-owned company to go public in the U.S. and is pioneering the AdTech space as a leader in programmatic advertising leveraging its technology and strategy to focus on reaching consumers and publishers in mid-sized and multicultural markets. The Company recently released a whitepaper conducted by Horowitz research that garnered key insights into the importance on effectively engaging with diverse communities and media properties.

If you would like to book 1×1 investor meetings with Direct Digital Holdings, and to attend the Planet MicroCap Showcase: VEGAS 2023, please make sure you are registered here: https://planetmicrocapshowcase.com/signup

1×1 meetings will be scheduled and conducted in person at the conference venue in LAS VEGAS.

The Planet MicroCap Showcase: VEGAS 2023 website is available here: https://planetmicrocapshowcase.com/

News Compliments of Accesswire

About Direct Digital Holdings

Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage approximately 90,000 clients monthly, generating over 100 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels. Direct Digital Holdings is the ninth black-owned company to go public in the U.S and was named a top minority-owned business by The Houston Business Journal.

About Planet MicroCap

Planet MicroCap is a global multimedia financial news, publishing and events company focused on news dissemination, providing information, data and analytics for the MicroCap investing community. We have cultivated an active and engaged audience of folks that are interested in learning about and to stay ahead of the curve in the MicroCap space.

If you would like to attend the Planet MicroCap Showcase, please register here: https://planetmicrocapshowcase.com/signup

Contact:

Name: Brett Milotte, ICR for Direct Digital Holdings
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Direct Digital Holdings via SNN Network



View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/749444/Direct-Digital-Holdings-to-Present-at-the-Planet-MicroCap-Showcase-VEGAS-2023-on-Wednesday-April-26-2023-1×1-Meetings-on-Thursday-April-27-2023

Released April 17, 2023

Release – Century Lithium Provides Update On Collaboration With Koch Technology Solutions

Posted on by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on CDYVF

April 17, 2023 – Vancouver, Canada – Century Lithium Corp. (TSXV: LCE) (OTCQX: CYDVF) (Frankfurt: C1Z) (“Century Lithium” or “the Company”) is pleased to report that further to its news release dated February 9, 2023, the Company has received from Koch Technology Solutions’ (“KTS”) equipment for KTS’ Li-Pro™ process for direct lithium extraction (“DLE”). The KTS equipment has been installed and is now operating at Century Lithium’s Lithium Extraction Facility (“Pilot Plant”) in Amargosa Valley, Nevada, USA.

The collaboration between Century Lithium and KTS begins a field trial of KTS’ Li-Pro™ equipment to treat the process solutions generated at the Pilot Plant in the leaching of bulk sample claystone collected from the Company’s Clayton Valley Lithium Project (“Project”). Following successful installation, operation of KTS’ equipment went very well throughout an initial 7-day start-up.  Results from the program will enable KTS to provide engineering and cost data to Century Lithium for a full-scale installation of the DLE plant in Century Lithium’s Project.

About Koch Technology Solutions

Koch Technology Solutions (KTS) is the technology licensing business of Koch Engineered Solutions (KES). KTS creates value for its customers across a growing portfolio of technologies including direct lithium extraction, the polyester value chain, refining industry and 1,4-Butanediol plus its derivatives. KTS combines its exclusive technologies, expertise, and capabilities with those of other KES companies to provide overall solutions to optimize customers’ capital investments and existing manufacturing assets.

About Century Lithium Corp.

Century Lithium Corp. (formerly Cypress Development Corp.) is an advanced stage lithium company, focused on developing its 100%-owned Clayton Valley Lithium Project in west-central Nevada, USA. Century Lithium is currently in the pilot stage of testing on material from its lithium-bearing claystone deposit at its Lithium Extraction Facility in Amargosa Valley, Nevada and progressing towards completing a Feasibility Study and permitting, with the goal of becoming a domestic producer of lithium for the growing electric vehicle and battery storage market.

ON BEHALF OF CENTURY LITHIUM CORP.
WILLIAM WILLOUGHBY, PhD., PE
President & Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:
Spiros Cacos | Vice President, Investor Relations
Direct: +1 604 764 1851
Toll Free: 1 800 567 8181
[email protected] 
centurylithium.com  

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are identified by words such as “expects,” “estimates,” “projects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “scheduled,” and other similar words. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration, and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.

Release – Comtech Secures Strategic Contracts for Hybrid Designed High-Speed SATCOM Solution

Posted on by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on CMTL

Apr 17, 2023 9:08 AM

MELVILLE, N.Y. –
April 17, 2023– Comtech announced today that the company recently secured multiple orders for significant quantities of its CDM-780 high-speed software defined modems. These modems will be delivered to innovative, next generation satellite operators as well as to the U.S. Department of Defense who will be assessing, evaluating, and fielding these modems in a variety of scenarios to enable broad scale government and commercial deployments to provide end users with access to high-speed connectivity in some of the hardest to reach places in the world.

“Our CDM-780 is uniquely positioned to support the blending of communications services across multiple, diverse satellite orbits and networks,” said Ken Peterman, President and CEO, Comtech. “These contracts illustrate our continuing technology leadership and fluency in future networking capabilities that can help our customers democratize access to communications and empower individuals, communities, businesses, and governments across the globe.”

Comtech’s CDM-780 is one of the highest capacity commercial off the shelf gateway SATCOM solutions available today. Through a software-defined architecture, the CDM-780 is designed to readily adapt and evolve over time to deliver SATCOM services that can transition across high throughput and very high throughput satellite networks, as well as Low Earth Orbit, Medium Earth Orbit, and Geostationary Earth Orbit constellations.

About Comtech

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. is a leading global technology company providing space and satellite communications technologies, terrestrial and wireless network solutions, next-generation 9-1-1 emergency services, and cloud native capabilities to commercial and government customers around the world. Our unique culture of innovation and employee empowerment unleashes a relentless passion for customer success. With multiple facilities located in technology corridors throughout the United States and around the world, Comtech leverages our global presence, technology leadership, and decades of experience to create the world’s most innovative communications solutions.For more information, please visit www.comtech.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this press release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature and involve certain significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and performance could differ materially from such forward-looking information. The Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings identify many such risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by the risks and uncertainties described in such Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

PCMTL

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230416005073/en/

Investor Relations

Robert Samuels

631-962-7102

[email protected]

Media

Jamie Clegg

480-532-2523

[email protected]

Release – Kratos and ALL.SPACE to Work Together to Develop Advanced Terminal Solutions for Software-Defined Satellite Ground Systems

Posted on by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on KTOS

April 17, 2023 at 8:00 AM EDT

PDF Version

Partnership Focuses on Delivering Fully Digital-Enabled Edge Terminal Solutions

SAN DIEGO and READING, United Kingdom, April 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company specializing in defense, national security and communications solutions, and ALL.SPACE, the world’s only provider of multi-orbit smart terminals, announced today a strategic partnership aimed at jointly developing and delivering solutions that will enable software-defined satellite ground systems to better leverage the capabilities of next-generation smart terminals. The combined solutions are expected to enhance dynamic operations end-to-end across the ground segment from the gateway to the network’s edge, placing more application power in the hands of end users and greatly expanding flexibility beyond today’s proprietary, purpose-built, satellite terminals.

The space industry is immersed in a renaissance driven by technology breakthroughs such as software-defined payloads, small satellite constellations, multi-orbit services and more. On the ground, advances in satellite networks are occurring as well, including the growth of ground station-as-a-service, virtualized ground systems and the need to better mainstream with terrestrial and cellular communications networks. These advances at both ends of the space/ground connection mean that satellite network systems must come to act more dynamically, adapting on-the-fly to changing needs, conditions and business or mission requirements.

Today’s announcement is part of a multi-year collaboration to integrate and enhance both companies’ products. It is supported by a joint development roadmap focused on new features, functions and capabilities that will deliver more powerful, flexible and agile terminal capabilities at the network’s edge for both defense and commercial uses, such as advanced support for multi-mission and multi-orbit capabilities.

According to Greg Quiggle, Senior Vice President of Space Product Management at Kratos, “Historically, satellite terminals have been defined by proprietary technologies resident on purpose-built hardware, severally limiting what users could accomplish at the network’s edge. That all changes with software-defined networking, which has long been the standard in global terrestrial communications and is now available for satellite network operators through the OpenSpace Platform. ALL.SPACE is a leader in smart terminal technology and a profound partner for Kratos to work with in revolutionizing what users can accomplish at the satellite network’s edge.”

“We are creating a new generation of digital, flexible terminals featuring both a multi-beam antenna and a platform capable of hosting software-defined applications,” said John-Paul Szczepanik, Chief Technology Officer for ALL.SPACE. “ALL.SPACE’s multilink terminal delivers the combined strengths of all orbits by unlocking simultaneous access to multiple networks. We believe pairing this flexibility with the Kratos OpenSpace Platform will dramatically enhance dynamic operations at the edge.”

Kratos and ALL.SPACE have already begun integrating their respective technologies, including elements of Kratos’ OpenSpace® software-defined ground system, such as its OpenSpace virtual modem (vModem) and OpenEdge™ 2500 digitizer, with ALL.SPACE’s S2000 Smart Terminal.

The jointly developed solutions will conform to industry standards for maximum flexibility, including the IEEE-ISTO Std 4900-2021: Digital IF Interoperability Standard from the Digital IF Interoperability (DIFI) Consortium (DIFI). Both companies believe that common standards are essential for the space industry to realize the opportunities on the horizon and to advance the industry’s integration with the larger global communications infrastructure. Both are founding members of DIFI, an independent organization created to develop and promote standards for interoperability in space and satellite systems.

About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) is a technology company that develops and fields transformative, affordable systems, products and solutions for United States National Security, its allies and global commercial enterprises. At Kratos, affordability is a technology, and Kratos is changing the way breakthrough technology is rapidly brought to market with actual products, systems and technologies rather than slide decks or renderings. Through proven commercial and venture capital backed approaches, including proactive, internally funded research and streamlined development processes, Kratos is focused on being first to market with our solutions, well in advance of competition. Kratos is the recognized Technology Disruptor in our core market areas, including Space and Satellite Communications, Cyber Security and Warfare, Unmanned Systems, Rocket and Hypersonic Systems, Next-Generation Jet Engines and Propulsion Systems, Microwave Electronics, C5ISR and Virtual and Augmented Reality Training Systems. For more information, visit www.KratosDefense.com.

About ALL.SPACE
Headquartered in Reading, UK, ALL.SPACE is the first and only field-proven platform to simultaneously deliver full-performance connections across all significant orbits from a single device. The company recently concluded live field tests with the US and UK governments and several satellite operators demonstrating multiple, simultaneous connections across LEO, MEO and GEO orbits, which empowers users in markets ranging from government and defence to maritime, aero and land mobile to harness the full benefits of new satellite constellations and the convergence of GEO and NGSO (Non-Geostationary Orbit) services. 

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of Kratos and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Kratos undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although Kratos believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve many risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. For a further discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of Kratos in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Kratos for the year ended December 25, 2022, and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the by Kratos.

Kratos Press Contact:
Yolanda White
858-812-7302 Direct

Kratos Investor Information:
877-934-4687
[email protected]

ALL.SPACE Press Contact:
Anne Wainscott-Sargent
404-435-5784
[email protected]

Source: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.