Sign Up NowThis Month's Tiny Gems - March 2016

Elio Motors Inc. (ELIO)
International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO)
NanoViricides, Inc. (NNVC)
Overstock.com, Inc. (OSTK)
Oakridge Global Energy Solutions, Inc. (OGES)
OurPet's Company (OPCO)

 

 

 

Elio Motors Inc. (ELIO)

 

Arizona-based startup company Elio Motors Inc. (ELIO) represents a refreshingly different take on the changing American automotive market. Instead of wrestling with untested high-priced technologies aimed at elite consumer markets, Elio is focused on the essential consumer basics of price and operational efficiency, but taken to the extreme. It's a bit like the approach of Henry Ford, who was smart enough to recognize the potential of a mass automotive market while other car makers produced expensive toys for the rich.

 

To Elio, the key to the marketplace is a set of parameters that, in spite of what the industry says, have not been fully respected or explored:

 

• Price (forget the $15,000 - $20,000 subcompact)
• Fuel Efficiency (forget 39 mpg)
• Style (forget "they all look alike")

 

Elio is out to produce a truly modern commuter vehicle for the urban masses; a sleek hyper-efficient car that is safe, fun, and amazingly affordable to purchase and operate. They realized that much of the driving being done today doesn't require the family minivan or SUV. It's about one or two people getting to work. Once they had fully accepted that fact, their research led them to the shocking conclusion that, using the latest and most sophisticated design and material capabilities, together with advanced organizational efficiencies, they could now produce a vehicle filling that very large market niche in a better way; a car that could get an unheard-of 84 miles to the gallon, while still only costing $6,800 to buy retail.

 

None of this revolution came easy. The company emphasizes that nothing is too small for engineering innovation. But the result is the potential to tap a vast market that has until now been improperly served. Elio is still in the startup stage, offering both investors and consumers a unique opportunity.

 

For more information, visit www.ElioMotors.com

 

 

 

International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO)

 

International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO) is a biotechnology company utilizing a proprietary new stem cell technology known as parthenogenesis to significantly advance the field of regenerative medicine. The company's innovative technology uses unfertilized human eggs to create human pluripotent stem cells (hpSC) that can be immune-matched to millions of people around the globe. These stem cells are unique in that they provide the best characteristics of each of the remaining classes of cells without the need for the creation or destruction of a viable embryo.

 

The company's business strategy features three unique channels for revenue generation within the biotechnology industry – including its core stem cell technology and related intellectual property, which encompasses 220 patents, applications and licenses associated with the development and manufacture of pluripotent cells, as well as its therapeutic research projects and promising development pipeline.

 

Lifeline Skin Care, the company's wholly-owned subsidiary, is an industry leader in effective anti-aging stem cell skin care. Since being established in 2010, Lifeline has served as a growing source of vital financial support to fund ISCO's ongoing medical research. In 2014, Lifeline accounted for more than $7 million in total revenue, which was primarily allocated to the advancement of the company's promising development pipeline.

 

UniStemCell is the life science industry's first collection of non-embryonic histocompatible human stem cells available for research and commercial use. This cell bank gives the company a nearly inexhaustible source of stem cells that can be used to generate revenue in the medium term. As the company's hpSC lines gain additional validation, they are expected to provide the company with royalty from sales of each successful hpSC-derived cellular therapeutic in the future.

 

In addition to the sale of its stem cells, ISCO is making noteworthy progress toward the continued advancement of its development pipeline. The company is currently engaged in pre-clinical development addressing a host of unmet medical needs. Parkinson's disease, which affects an estimated one million people in the United States, represents ISCO's leading development indication, with phase I/II clinical trials expected to begin in the coming months. Following the completion of initial studies, the company will seek out a suitable partner to assist with late-stage clinical development.

 

With its groundbreaking stem cell technology, ISCO is developing a significant presence within the expansive field of regenerative medicine. By successfully mitigating many of the limiting factors commonly associated with stem cell research – including auto-immune rejection and ethical debate surrounding the use of embryonic cells – the company is leveraging the marketability of its technology as a catalyst for continued growth.

 

Research indicates that the global regenerative medicine market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.2 percent through 2017, climbing to an estimated $24.7 billion by the end of the period. ISCO will look to capitalize on this market performance under the guidance of an executive management team with decades of experience in a collection of related scientific sectors.

 

 

 

NanoViricides, Inc. (NNVC)

 

Connecticut-based NanoViricides, Inc. (NNVC) is a development stage company working on what they consider to be the next great advance in immunotherapeutics: nanoviricide biomimetic technology.

 

A nanoviricide is a unique antiviral agent designed to fool a virus into attaching to it, in the same way that a virus normally attaches to the receptors of a cell surface. Once the virus is attached, the nanoviricide wraps around the virus, causing the virus to lose its surface proteins used to bind to cells. The nanoviricide goes on to dismantle and destroy the virus without immune system assistance. What virus a nanoviricide goes after is programmed into the nanoviricide.

 

The company is developing virus-specific nanoviricide drug candidates against influenza, HIV/AIDS, cold sores and herpes infection, viral eye diseases, as well as dengue viruses, demonstrating high levels of drug effectiveness. Product candidates are based on TheraCour® technology, invented and developed by company president and founder Anil R. Diwan, PhD. The company holds an exclusive, worldwide license to this technology for its antiviral drugs. The technology is protected by two broad international patent applications that cover compositions of matter, processes of manufacture, methods of use, and fields of use. Additional patent applications are expected, and NanoViricides intends to patent each drug separately as well.

 

NanoViricides works with independent researchers at leading academic, private, and government laboratories, performing tests against viral targets, and providing unbiased data on drug candidates. In addition to drug development, the company has put together a world-class team to design, build, and validate a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for the production of human clinical batches of nanoviricide drug substances.

 

For more information, visit www.NanoViricides.com

 

 

 

Overstock.com, Inc. (OSTK)

 

Overstock.com, Inc. (OSTK) is an online retailer based in Salt Lake City, Utah, that sells a wide variety of products at low prices. Originally founded in early 1999, the company's goal was to be the premier seller of excess inventory on the web. Today, Overstock.com has expanded beyond selling surplus inventory to offer a huge selection of consumer goods ranging from furniture and home décor to cars. In an effort to better represent this shift in business strategy, the company acquired the O.co URL in January 2011 and began incorporating it into parts of its brand, including, most notably, its international and mobile businesses.

 

In the past, Overstock.com has proven itself adept at adapting to evolving market trends, as demonstrated by its success in the mobile space. Earlier this year, the company's mobile app was named the Web Marketing Association's Best Shopping Mobile Application at the 2015 Mobile Web Awards. This was the fourth consecutive year in which the company's mobile app has been honored. In total, the Overstock.com app has been downloaded more than five million times, with 76 percent of mobile users becoming repeat customers.

 

Capitalizing on the sustained growth of the digital commerce space, Overstock.com has achieved profitable results for the past four years. In 2015, the company reported total revenues of $1.7 billion, marking an increase of 11 percent over the previous year. Overstock.com's net income for the fiscal year totaled $2.4 million. As of December 31, 2015, the company reported cash and cash equivalents of $170.3 million.

 

In recent weeks, Overstock.com has made considerable progress toward building on its strong financial growth. For more than two years, the company has been involved with the crypto currency Bitcoin in an effort to gain familiarity with the highly disruptive potential of blockchain technology. At the 41st Annual International Futures Industry Conference, Overstock.com, through majority-owned subsidiary t0.com, demonstrated the results of these efforts when it announced plans to complete the world's first public offering using proprietary blockchain technology. The company previously issued the world's first private blockchain crypto-bond in June 2015.

 

For more information, visit dtn.fm/6IroP

 

 

 

Oakridge Global Energy Solutions, Inc. (OGES)

 

Oakridge Global Energy Solutions, Inc. (OGES) is an integrated energy storage solutions company focused on the design, development and manufacture of high-quality cells, batteries and power systems. The company's innovative 'Made in the U.S.A.' product line includes multiple lithium-ion technologies and form factors that are optimized to address three high-demand target markets – including stationary and grid storage; motive applications, such as electric and hybrid electric fleet vehicles; and specialty applications, such as military, aerospace, marine, medical and telecom backup.

 

Through a recent restructuring of its operations, Oakridge strategically positioned itself to expand its market reach moving forward. The company currently owns and operates two manufacturing facilities in Melbourne, Florida, which play an instrumental role in its efforts to meet the growing demand for its cutting-edge large format Pro Series golf car batteries and its small format Patriot Series RC batteries. These operations also allow Oakridge to bring stable employment opportunities back to the U.S., effectively highlighting its tireless commitment to the revitalization of the country's manufacturing industry.

 

The company also maintains a presence on the international stage through its recently formed subsidiary, Oakridge Global Energy Solutions Limited, Hong Kong. This subsidiary, which is expected to serve as the foundation for Oakridge's sales efforts throughout the Asia-Pacific region, was created primarily to address the tremendous international demand for its revolutionary stored energy solutions. The company also maintains a substantial interest in Leclanche S.A., a Swiss developer and manufacturer of large-sized lithium-ion batteries that was originally founded in 1909.

 

Oakridge has indicated plans to expand its presence in a collection of markets throughout Europe and Asia as it continues to build upon its established product development and manufacturing infrastructure. The company will lean on the expertise of its proven management team – which includes well over a century of combined industry experience – as it looks to increase its share of the $12 billion domestic battery manufacturing industry.

 

 

 

OurPet's Company (OPCO)

 

OurPet's Company (OPCO) develops, produces and markets various pet accessory and consumable products designed to awaken pets' natural instincts, be it in feeding, playing or waste management. Sold globally through pet specialty retailers, food, drug and mass chains, e-commerce and international channels, the company's products are marketed under a the OurPets®, Pet Zone® and PetTastic® brands with well-known sub-brands such as Play-N-Squeak™, Cosmic Catnip™, Durapet, SmartScoop and Flappy. In total, OurPet's has an intellectual property portfolio featuring more than 160 individual patents, giving the company sustainable access to the pet products industry for the foreseeable future.

 

In recent years, the U.S. pet products and services market has experienced strong growth, with total sales accounting for approximately $73 billion in 2014, according to a report by Packaged Facts. In 2015, this strong performance is expected to continue, building on the recent rise in related ecommerce purchases, as well as an uptick in dog and cat ownership throughout the country. In order to capitalize on this market performance, OurPet's maintains an ongoing new product development program to continually keep an evolutionary and revolutionary new product pipeline feeding its offerings. In July 2015, OurPet's introduced many new products at the national Super Zoo trade show in Las Vegas such as the Catty Whack®, Designer Diner™/Barking Bistro™ and the Zoom Plume™.

 

The company's capitalization strategy is guided by a management team of experienced industry professionals dedicated to further strengthening its product portfolio through aggressive development of innovative products. Management has a proven track-record of leveraging deep knowledge in the innovation, technology, distribution and pet markets to successfully push through adverse market conditions to achieve increases in revenue, margins and net income.

 

OurPet's, through its innovative and extensive line of popular pet products, is in a favorable strategic position to continue building upon its recent market growth. For prospective shareholders, this positioning makes the company an intriguing investment opportunity in the months to come. Look for OurPet's to capitalize on steady market performance moving forward, providing an opportunity for the company to realize strong investor returns in the future.