MissionIR Small-Cap Investor Blog

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Moxian, Inc. (MOXC) Moxian+ Social Customer Relation Management Platform Poised to Pop as Chinese Smartphone Market Accelerates

As of early this year, there were over 1.28 billion mobile phone users in China according to GSMA (Groupe Spécial Mobile Association, which represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide), more than any other country on Earth by far. GSMA projections for 2020 are that there will be over a billion 4G smartphone connections in China, a massive increase from the 913 million reported last year, representing an unquestionably favorable forward trajectory that is underwritten by sweeping infrastructure programs like China Mobile’s (NYSE: CHL) TDD-LTE project.

Investors should keep in mind where the overall consumer market space is headed, with viewing all migrating to streaming, mobile commerce taking up an ever larger slice of the retail pie on a daily basis, and pipeline innovations like the recent spectrum efficiency world record set by a 5G research team from the University of Bristol. The team used huge multiple-input, multiple-output cellular base station arrays in March of this year to achieve spectrum efficiencies on the order of 22 times that of current 4G technology. It looks like people are going to be using their mobiles a lot more moving forward, and for more bandwidth-intensive things than in the past as well.

The GSMA analysis jogs quite well with recent China Internet Network Information Center (CINIC) data that showed a smartphone penetration rate of around 59 percent last year. CINIC, a branch of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, recently blew the lid off the long-running mystery about the number of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone units in China (something about which the smartphone juggernaut has been notoriously tight-lipped), with a report showing the iPhone at around 131 million active units, or nearly 17 percent of the smartphone market.

Of course, the bandwidth-creating infrastructure to service all these hungry consumers with their smartphones will have to keep up as device proliferation accelerates. But, China Mobile just announced a huge new $1.5 billion one-year frame agreement with Finnish telecom giant Nokia (NYSE: NOK) to aide in leveraging certain network assets to a more flexible cloud platform. Given that Nokia helped quarterback the global standardization of TD-LTE as a key member of the 3GPP organization and that its relationship with China Mobile stretches way back, this spells big things for China’s Internet Plus initiative, which seeks to spur on economic growth by permeating traditional Chinese industries with internet-based capabilities.

The Chinese government clearly is doubling down on the importance of mobile tech and high-speed wireless internet when it comes to juicing the country’s growth metrics. For small, local businesses in particular, such as merchants who are looking to benefit from this trend toward greater and greater volumes of mcommerce, consumer to merchant interaction, social media, big data-driven business intelligence and even entertainment are all key vectors that need to be addressed. Retailers need to make their shops and offerings visible in the age of mobile, they need to generate engagements with consumers, and ensure that those consumers will not only come back for more, but spread the word as well.

What’s really needed here is a total-package social customer relation management platform, something that can adapt as the market grows and more consumers flood in. A platform that can scale up as a merchant scales up logistically, delivering the same rich business intelligence whether a merchant has five customers, or five hundred thousand. And it just so happens that homegrown social marketing and promotions platform developer Moxian, Inc. (OTCQB: MOXC), which got its start in Shenzhen, has developed just such a platform in its Moxian+ (now in version 2.2.0) app, which comes in both a User and Business compile and can be downloaded as easily as scanning a QR Code off the website with a smartphone.

By truncating the platform into two apps for the user and merchant ends of the equation, substantial advantages are made accessible, both when it comes to the entertainment and social interaction end of things for users, as well as the big data backend that MOXC’s merchant clients are so in love with. The Moxian+ architecture truly is a marvel, bundling together customer auto updates, loyalty rewards programs and discount vouchers, with social media and entertainment, as well as geolocalizing elements. The platform thus becomes like a virtual agora, allowing people to meet new friends, share engagements, and discover local stores that are attractive to their interests. At the same time users can play games for rewards in the form of MOXC’s proprietary virtual currency units, something which also helps drive customer retention, producing a sense of familiarity, and brand intimacy.

The Moxian+ platform is ideal for driving customer conversion into full memberships, executing seamless and timely interactions, and really helping to build lasting relationships, which can serve as the foundation for growth. Moreover, this same framework lets business owners marshal their staff in real-time, resulting in tightly coordinated marketing efforts, whether the end points are in the digital realm of social media, or elsewhere.

Moxian, as a cutting-edge offline-to-online (O2O) integrated platform operator, is already out ahead of the curve when it comes to cloud integration and recently announced it’s using several of Oracle’s (NYSE: ORCL) suite of offerings, including the Oracle Exadata Database Machine, which it uses in a private cloud environment at its data center in China. This key engagement by MOXC is in support of its payment and transaction platform rollout, as well for handling the rapidly growing volume of Moxian+ users, and it also shows clearly how this small company is on the same page as sector majors like Nokia and China Mobile.

Chairman and CEO of Moxian, James Tan, asserted in an interview early in 2016 that the formation of its Moxian Beijing (Moxian Technologies Co Ltd.) subsidiary was a bold step to capitalize on both the existing success of the Moxian+ platform in China, as well as the future of the smartphone market. Moxian is looking to make big moves in the coming years, really supercharging its sales in Beijing and Mainland China, and Tan was also keen to point out the five-year cooperation agreement signed with Xinhua New Media Culture Communication to resell its ad space in China’s booming $26 billion plus gaming industry.

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

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International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO) Protecting its Technology Worldwide

A patent is essentially a government license that gives certain rights to the patent holder, excluding others from making, using, or selling a particular product or invention without permission. According to WIPO’s 2015 World Intellectual Property Indicators Report, there have been more than 2.7 million patent filings worldwide since 2013 and this number has grown significantly in recent years. The top three offices in the world have been in China, the U.S., and Japan. According to the report, the leading technology fields are computer technology, electrical machinery, measurement, and digital communication, with medical technology not far behind.

International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCQB: ISCO) is a publicly traded biotechnology company that promises to advance the field of regenerative medicine by addressing the problem of immune-rejection. Most recently, the company has focused its efforts on using unfertilized human eggs to create parthenogenetic stem cells to treat severe diseases of the eyes and nervous system, including diseases such as Parkinson’s. The company is careful to protect its associated intellectual property.

International Stem Cell Corporation protects its technology worldwide by filing and holding patent applications for its more specific stem cell lines, methods of production, and various research methods. So far, ISCO has 16 issued patents and 91 pending patents across 15 patent families, as well as a licensed portfolio of 25 patents or patents applications across eight patent families related to its skin care products. Most of International Stem Cell Corp.’s patents are filed internationally, covering the U.S., Canada, and a wide range of other industrialized countries.

The company’s technology strengths are backed up by a carefully chosen team of managers and scientists. ISCO’s directors, executive managers, and scientific advisors have been selected to benefit the company’s business and science related operations. Each person is skilled in particular aspects of corporate management or biotechnology, with executive managers specializing in systems analysis, strategic planning and corporate management, as well as financial management, accounting, medical genetics, embryology, and stem cell biology. This level of combined experience enables ISCO to function positively in every aspect of its business.

For more information, visit www.internationalstemcell.com

Monday, June 13, 2016

Monaker Group (MKGI) Offering Full Residences at Luxury Resorts through NextTrip.com

Combining luxury with the comforts of home has now been made easier with NextTrip.com, Monaker Group’s (OTCQB: MKGI) real-time booking engine. Monaker Group is a travel company that is driven by technology and operates through its flagship booking platform, NextTrip.com. MKGI has more than 60 years of experience in the travel and leisure industry. It is made up of a number of companies serving the travel industry, including Maupintour, NextTrip, and Voyage.tv. Monaker offers a range of services including home rentals, flight bookings, cruises, car rentals, and much more. All of these are combined into one platform in order for customers to have ease of access and full power of choice when organizing their vacations.

What if a guest wants to have their own personal space by booking a home with the added luxury of resort facilities? NextTrip Resorts offers just that. Aside from being a platform to book a hotel and a car rental, NextTrip.com also has a large inventory of hundreds of thousands of discounted resort residences. This means that, in addition to having a nice holiday lined up, customers are able to experience a level of luxury with resort amenities and staff. The site offers the opportunity to rent a full residence at a luxury resort while being able to make the most of the comfort and space of a home.

The service is broken down into three steps. First, customers are able to use the NextTrip Resorts search engine to go through the inventory of resorts. Once the resort is chosen, the customer is then given the chance to click the “book it now” button or the “make an offer” button. This extra service means customers can get special discounts on luxury accommodation. Once the owner has agreed to a price, customers are then given full roam of a condo with the luxury of onsite resort staff and facilities.

The NextTrip Resorts platform is an easy-to-use site that offers guests the chance to tailor their holidays according to their unique needs. Whether it is a family holiday, a romantic getaway, or just the luxury of cooking your own meals and having your own space, the choices are endless. Aside from the ease of use, the system also offers the chance to book discount air fares and car rentals. From the site, guests are able to book excursions, tours, and activities in advance of their trips.

For more information, visit www.monakergroup.com

Intellicheck Mobilisa, Inc. (IDN) Reiterates Commitment to Innovation through Release of Retail ID Mobile™ and IP Portfolio Expansion

Intellicheck Mobilisa, Inc. (NYSE MKT: IDN) serves dozens of Fortune 500 companies with innovative, proprietary technology that enables its customers to enhance the awareness and safety of their facilities and people, improve customer service and increase operational efficiencies. Headquartered in Jericho, New York, Intellicheck currently leverages an IP portfolio including more than 20 patents to offer threat identification, identity authentication, verification and validation systems to a diverse set of markets, including retail, hospitality, law enforcement, defense and transportation. In recent months, the company has remained at the forefront of the security market through a consistent dedication to innovation. In May, Intellicheck announced the release of its latest product, Retail ID Mobile™.

Retail ID Mobile is a groundbreaking mobile platform that provides retailers with the capability to prevent fraudulent retail transactions while simultaneously delivering a warmer, more personal customer experience without the need to integrate with existing point-of-sale infrastructure. Following the launch of the platform, Intellicheck announced that it will be installing Retail ID Mobile at two prestigious department store chains, offering as much as $450,000 in annual licensing revenues and bolstering Intellicheck’s financial performance.

“We have been working closely with our clients to define and develop new approaches to fraud prevention that also support a warmer, more personal customer experience,” Dr. William Roof, chief executive officer of Intellicheck, stated in a news release. “Many retailers have begun deploying their retail IT systems on mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones. We identified a clear path to supporting their new mobility requirements, while, at the same time, supporting our clients’ desire to avoid the cost and time associated with retail point-of-sale systems integration.”

Earlier this week, Intellicheck reaffirmed its commitment to innovation when it announced reception of a new patent that’s expected to have far-reaching impact across both government and commercial markets. The newest addition to the company’s IP portfolio governs the two-factor fingerprint biometric identity process, which authenticates an identity card with embedded fingerprint biometric information and the live biometric information of a person presenting the card. In addition to strengthening Intellicheck’s position in the rapidly expanding $25 billion fingerprint biometric marketplace, the new patent has sweeping implications, because it covers the process at the center of the leading biometric fingerprint technology that assures compliance with The Federal Information Processing Standard, which is the underlying standard for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential, the Personal Identity Verification Credential and several other U.S. government identification methods.

“We believe the issuance of this patent firmly positions us in a leading role in the fingerprint biometric identity authentication industry,” added Roof.

Following the introduction of Retail ID Mobile and the reception of its newest patent, Intellicheck is in a strong strategic position to achieve profitability in the coming months while supporting sustainable long-term growth. Leaning on a sizable IP portfolio and a growing presence in key markets across the country, the company’s management team is confident in Intellicheck’s ability to deliver industry-leading products and services that will “enhance market appeal and drive shareholder value.”

For more information, visit www.intellicheck.com

About MissionIR

MissionIR is committed to connecting the investment community with companies that have great potential and a strong dedication to building shareholder value. We know our reputation is based on the integrity of our clients and go to great lengths to ensure the companies represented adhere to sound business practices.

Sign up for “The Mission Report” at www.MissionIR.com

Please see disclaimer on the MissionIR website http://www.missionir.com/disclaimer.html

Friday, June 10, 2016

Content Checked (CNCK) Primed to Benefit from Grocery’s Strong Investor Appeal

Content Checked Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CNCK) is the company behind a revolutionary marketplace for people with dietary restrictions. The company’s suite of mobile apps, including ContentChecked, MigraineChecked and SugarChecked, gives consumers the ability to determine if particular grocery items fit into their specific dietary requirements. With a database covering more than 70 percent of conventional U.S. food products, Content Checked is directly targeting the growing food allergy and intolerances market, which was valued at roughly $13 billion in 2015. However, the recent performance of the grocery industry as a whole has been equally noteworthy for the technology company.

In a report released last month by research firm CB Insights (http://dtn.fm/J3yIt), food and grocery was highlighted as a fruitful sector for on-demand startups. When studying these startups and their ability to attract investors, researchers found that food and grocery startups enjoyed the highest aggregate deal activity over the past five years. Led by sizable funding rounds from food delivery startups DoorDash and Swiggy, food and grocery successfully outperformed high-profile segments such as ride-hailing and logistics in terms of investor attention.

For Content Checked, the strong performance of food and grocery in the investor space is promising. Earlier this year, the company engaged PCG Advisory Group, a leading capital markets advisory firm, to serve as an advisor to its investor relations, social media and public relations strategies. Content Checked also engaged Bonwick Capital Partners LLC, a full-service broker dealer, to aid in the execution of its financial, corporate, and mergers & acquisition strategies.

These partnerships are expected to play a key role in the company’s efforts to increase shareholder value ahead of a planned uplisting to the NASDAQ Stock Market later this fiscal year. Content Checked has already commenced preparation for this uplisting in recent weeks, perhaps most notably with the election of Dr. Göran Rune Skog, an accomplished physician with more than 35 years of experience in the field of medicine, as an independent addition to its board of directors.

“Content Checked’s intriguing formula of fusing cutting-edge technology with nutrition provides a compelling story to present to our investor community and network,” Jeff Ramson, Founder and CEO of PCG Advisory Group, stated in a news release. “Their recent positive financial developments, partnerships and product milestones, illustrate a unique growth opportunity in an extremely relevant market with very optimistic long-term prospects.”

To view the company’s full financials, visit the following link: http://dtn.fm/sIJ7M

Net Element, Inc. (NETE) Capitalizing on Mobile Point of Sale Boom

Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) is a global, technology-driven company specializing in mobile payments and value-added transactional services. In the U.S., the company’s primary focus lies on increasing its transactional revenue through the introduction of innovative, payments-as-a-service transactional platforms to small to medium enterprise (SME) clients. Net Element’s flagship platform, Aptito, accomplishes this goal by way of a proprietary, cloud-based point of sale solution designed to deliver efficient operation in an affordable and scalable package.

Initially, Aptito was targeted exclusively at the restaurant industry, offering innovative features such as digital menus and mobile ordering designed to promote faster service while minimizing mistakes. In March, the company expanded upon this solution when it released Aptito for retail stores. Currently available on Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iOS platform, Aptito Retail Point of Sale allows retailers to improve in-store performance by seamlessly tracking purchasing habits, managing inventory and minimizing transaction times. The platform can also be integrated with a number of peripherals, such as a fully integrated cash drawer, thermal receipt printer, barcode scanner, barcode printer and EMV-compliant point of sale acceptance terminal, based on the unique needs of individual retailers.

By expanding its presence in the point of sale software industry, Net Element is well-positioned to capitalize on forecast market growth related to the proliferation of multi-channel shopping and updating of legacy systems. Despite the continued emergence of ecommerce, retail spending continues to dominate the U.S. buying landscape. According to a report by Javelin Strategy & Research (http://dtn.fm/7Bd6c), retail point of sale purchases are expected to reach $4.2 trillion by 2018. Alongside this growth, demand for mobile point of sale platforms is expected to skyrocket. According to 451 Research (http://dtn.fm/J94ge), the global installed base of mobile point of sale devices is on course to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 32 percent from 2015 to 2019, expanding from 13 million devices to just over 54 million.

“In a highly competitive retail industry, we recognize that now more than ever, smaller retailers must focus on providing their customers with the best in-store experience to improve retention, attract new customers and sustain repeat spending,” Oleg Firer, chief executive officer of Net Element, stated in a news release. “Aptito Retail POS solution gives retailers insight into their customer’s behavior and streamlines payment processes, allowing merchants to focus on their business.”

On the international stage, Net Element is focused on delivering its omni-channel payments platform to emerging markets with diverse banking, regulatory and demographic conditions. In March, the company launched Aptito in Russia in an effort to capitalize on the country’s forecast growth of information technologies. According to a joint study by the Association of Computer Equipment Companies and McKinsey, growth of information technologies in the Russian market is expected to be roughly 25 percent per year, climbing to $154 billion by 2020. This move continues to highlight Net Element’s commitment to establishing itself on the global stage, as detailed by the company’s CEO.

“We are entering an underserved point of sale software market, that has tremendous opportunity,” added Firer. “Approximately 39% of our revenues came from outside of the United States, up from 9% a year ago, and this trend continues to grow.”

Earlier this week, Net Element provided another update on its growth in the Russian Federation when it announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Digital Provider, enabled mobile payments acceptance for Wi-Fi Internet access at one of the busiest airports in the country. Another of the company’s subsidiaries, PayOnline, was ranked as a top five payment acceptance company in the 2016 Internet Acquiring Rank report of Russian analytics agency Markswebb Rank & Report. According to Markswebb, roughly 80 percent of Russian internet users between the ages of 19 and 64 (about 43.8 million people) make at least one online purchase per month, further highlighting the significant opportunities for growth currently being pursued by Net Element and its subsidiaries.

In the first quarter of 2016, Net Element’s commitment to growth and innovation helped it achieve strong financial performance in a number of markets. The company’s net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2016, were over $11.2 million, up 103 percent from the comparable period of the previous year. With the launch of Aptito for retail stores and entry into the Russian market, Net Element is strategically positioned to build on these results throughout the balance of 2016.

Net Element is led by an experienced management team offering a unique blend of leadership, vision and creativity. The company’s CEO, Oleg Firer, is responsible for its overall vision and strategy. Firer has considerable experience in the payments space, having previously served as executive chairman of current Net Element subsidiary Unified Payments. Under Firer’s lead, Unified Payments recorded revenue growth of 23,646 percent over a three year period, earning it the title of ‘Fastest Growing Company’ from Inc. Magazine in 2012. Prior to his time with Unified Payments, Firer held numerous senior executive positions in private equity, payment processing, wireless communications and technology firms.

For more information, visit www.netelement.com

Thursday, June 9, 2016

OurPet’s Company (OPCO) Announces General Licensing of Polymer Bonded Pet Bowl Patent to Qualified Companies

Earlier today, OurPet’s Company (OTCQX: OPCO) announced the general licensing of its U.S. patent relating to the application of a polymer material to the bottom of stainless steel bowls in order to minimize sliding and noise while pets are feeding. Patent US 8,973,529 B1 was originally issued on March 10, 2015. OPCO’s innovative design, which is featured in a wide selection of products under its Durapet® brand, has proven very popular in the pet industry, with a multitude of domestic and foreign competitors infringing upon the design and necessitating legal action.

To date, OPCO has successfully defended its patents against domestic and foreign competitors six times. Most recently, in March, the company reached a favorable settlement agreement with one such competitor over the sale of stainless steel, rubber-bottomed bowls that, according to the filed lawsuit, ‘infringed OurPet’s ‘529 utility patent’. However, pursuing this litigation has proven to be time-consuming, expensive and, in many cases, disruptive to ongoing operations. OPCO’s decision to license its intellectual property related to Patent 8,973,529 B1 is expected to combat these negative effects while expanding the usage of the technology in the pet industry and enhancing OPCO’s overall profitability moving forward.

“In the future, OurPet’s will continue to protect the value of our innovative product lines, and specifically our intellectual property portfolio, which currently includes 160 patents issued or pending,” Dr. Steven Tsengas, president and chief executive officer of OPCO, stated in a news release following the company’s most recent settlement.

As of this morning’s announcement, the company had already agreed to licensing deals with six manufacturers regarding its polymer bonding stainless steel technology, and it is in ongoing negotiations with two more. It’s important to note that OPCO’s decision to license Patent US 8,973,529 B1 does not extend to the remainder of its extensive intellectual property portfolio, which includes a library of patents accounting for approximately 75 percent of the company’s revenues. Other utility patents, including one issued in October 2012 that covers the application of a polymer to the bottom and slightly up the side of a stainless steel bowl, will not be licensed at this time.

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