Softech November 2017

November 2017

I N T

Softech

L

Excellence in Innovation Tech billionaire, Dr. Andy Khawaja of Allied Wallet shared his thoughts on winning the Excellence in Innovation award and exactly how the firm excels in innovation, to ensure that online transactions are always safe and secure.

Also in This Issue Best for Cloud Managed WiFi Services - USA

Editor’s Note

, Welcome to the November issue of Softech INTL Magazine, showcasing the latest news and information from the leading companies in the software and technology market.

Gracing the cover of this month’s issue is tech billionaire, Dr. Andy Khawaja of Allied Wallet. Dr. Khawaja shared his thoughts on winning the Excellence in Innovation award and exactly how the firm excels in innovation, to ensure that online transactions are always safe and secure.

In this month’s issue, Honeywell launches new connected gas detector to keep industrial operations safe while making set-up, maintenance and reporting fast and easy. The new Sensepoint XRL detector, is certified for explosive area applications; works with smart phone to simplify and speed installation, calibration, maintenance, and reporting.

Also in recent news, leading provider of semiconductor solutions differentiated by power, security, reliability and performance, Microsemi Corporation announced on the 1st November the production release of its new Smart Storage SAS/SATA adapters.

Lastly, Mojo Networks is revolutionising the Enterprise WiFi industry. Harnessing the power of the cloud, the company is driving innovation and challenging the largest brands in the WLAN market. We profiled the firm to find out more.

Here at Softech INTL, we sincerely hope you enjoy reading this captivating edition and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Jessie Daykin, Editor Phone: +44 (0) 203 725 6842 Email: jessica.daykin@ai-globalmedia.com AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them.

The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions.

Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility.

2 Softech / November 2017

Contents

, 4. News 6.

Innovation in Online Transactions

8.

Best for Cloud Managed WiFi Services - USA

10. Designed to Keep Industrial Operations Safe 12. Strong Performance. Strong Results 14. Microsemi Introduces New Smart Storage HBAs and RAID Adapters for Data Centres 18. Disrupting the Construction Industry: Sigma Estimates Partners with RSMeans Data 20. Eastman Launches the Performance Films Pattern and Software Design Centre at SEMA 2017 22. Two Top University Startup Hubs 24. Launch of Cyberport Investors Network 26. Supermicro Showcases Deep Learning Optimized Systems at GTC Washington DC 28. Lithium Demand Projected to Rise as Li-Ion Battery Technology Improves

Softech / November 2017 3

NEWS

,

Infoblox Partners with McAfee for Unified Security Infoblox Inc., the network control company that provides Actionable Network Intelligence, announced on the 1st November 2017 it is partnering with McAfee to improve the security of a customer’s network by combining the power of web and Domain Name System (DNS) security to deliver unified security.

On the 1st November, the network control company that provides Actionable Network Intelligence, Infoblox Inc. announced it is partnering with McAfee to improve the security of a customer’s network by combining the power of web and Domain Name System (DNS) security to deliver unified security. The Infoblox and McAfee solution enables sharing of threat intelligence and security event information to deliver comprehensive protection and faster incident response.

Today, 91 percent of malware uses DNS to carry out malicious campaigns and the longer it takes to discover, the higher the cost of damage. Furthermore, the various security tools that organizations have today work in silos. Traditional security tools do not address DNS security, thereby creating a security gap often exploited by malicious actors to inject and propagate malware inside the network and to exfiltrate valuable data out of the enterprise.

A recent Gartner report entitled, “Competitive Landscape: Secure Web Gateways” noted emerging trends, including Secure Web Gateway blocking and threat defense coupled with DNS services.

4 Softech / November 2017

NEWS

, “By coupling DNS with SWG web proxying, SWG service providers can widen their basic threat prevention and filtering capabilities beyond just HTTP, HTTPS and FTP. Technology strategic planners should seek ways to leverage both DNS and proxy-based inspection methods in order to compete with this new emerging complementary capability to appropriately protect against advanced threats and improve SaaS performance.”[1] The Infoblox McAfee joint solution combines a best in class DNS security solution with a leading secure web gateway solution to deliver comprehensive network security for web and non-web traffic.

The Infoblox ActiveTrust® Cloud solution provides comprehensive DNS security and flags potentially infected devices that can then be redirected to McAfee’s Web Gateway Cloud Service for deeper content inspection including malware scanning and SSL inspection.

Another challenge facing organizations are siloed security solutions.

Lack of interoperability and inability to share threat intelligence across security solutions inhibits an organization’s capability to respond effectively to ever-increasing amount of attacks. The joint Infoblox and McAfee solution addresses these challenges by automating data sharing between Infoblox DNS security, and McAfee Endpoint and Web Security offerings.

The joint Infoblox and McAfee solution includes the following product integrations: • Infoblox ActiveTrust Cloud with McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service – unifies DNS and web security for detection and blocking of malicious traffic and data exfiltration from infected devices.

• Infoblox DDI and ActiveTrust with McAfee Data Exchange Layer and McAfee® ePolicy Orchestrator® - enables ecosystem solutions that subscribe to DXL topics to take action on network and security events detected by Infoblox and contain threats faster • Infoblox DDI and ActiveTrust with McAfee® Enterprise Security Manager - allows for comprehensive threat data

correlation and detection. Infoblox also shares valuable network context and actionable intelligence to help assess risk and prioritize alerts in order to enable more efficient incident response “A key goal behind the McAfee Security Innovation Alliance program is to accelerate the development of interoperable security products and break down security silos within the customer environment,” said D.J. Long, head of McAfee Security Innovation Alliance. “The joint integration between McAfee and Infoblox enriches a customer’s network with the ability to provide protection for non-web protocols via DNS while improving the visibility into web traffic and enabling customers to use threat intelligence to more effectively respond to the ever-increasing amount of attacks.”

As a member of the McAfee Security Innovation Alliance, Infoblox plays a critical role in the program’s mission to accelerate the development of interoperable security products and to simplify the integration of these products within complex customer environments, bringing better value and more protection against the growing threat landscape to joint customers.

Through this partnership, Infoblox and McAfee address a rising industry need to shorten response times from security events and more easily remediate compromised systems, leading to a simplified Threat Defense Lifecycle.

“By bringing together McAfee, a leader in cyber security, and Infoblox, the leader in DDI, we are breaking down the silos between security operations and network operations,” said Kanaiya Vasani, vice president of business development at Infoblox. “The integrated solution from Infoblox and McAfee provides visibility into DNS and web traffic, plugs the DNS security gap in organizations, automates data sharing, and enables automated workflows to quickly remediate threats.”

[1] Gartner Inc, Competitive Landscape: Secure Web Gateways,

by Lawrence Pingree & Ruggero Contu, September 12, 2017

InFocus Introduces New IN110 Series High Value Projectors Six new projectors offer superior brightness, performance and long lamp life, all priced for maximum value.

InFocus Corporation, the industry leading innovator in digital projection, has announced the immediate availability of six new entry level projectors for use in boardrooms, classrooms, and on the go. The IN110xa series and IN110xv series round out InFocus’ line of high value solutions, now upgraded with improved image performance, up to 3500 lumens, for a brighter picture, dual-HDMI inputs, and an industry-leading 15,000-hour dynamic lamp that adjusts to the perfect level of brightness based on the type of content being viewed.

“Our customers care greatly about quality, lamp life and connectivity options but for small businesses and education institutions, value is the main consideration in their buying decisions,” said Dave Duncan, InFocus product manager. “We have completely revamped our entry level solutions and tailored six new projectors with the latest technology advancements to bring businesses and educators the bright, quality picture and features that they desire combined with the industry’s leading lamp life. The new IN110 Series offers our customers a selection of high-quality projectors at an unbeatable value. We believe these projectors are the answer to help any employee or teacher engage audiences and become more efficient and productive.”

The IN110 Series is comprised of models to fit a wide range of common requirements.

For the most up to date connectivity options to connect to content, the IN112xa, IN114xa and IN116xa are

equipped with all the standard connectivity needed for the classroom or conference room, including dual HDMI, VGA, S-Video and 3.5mm audio ports, supporting the video and audio requirements of demanding users. The IN112xa, IN114xa, and IN116xa models deliver 3500 lumens of brightness and an 18,000:1 contrast ratio for whiter whites, darker blacks, and excellent image sharpness no matter what the image is being projected on, including beige walls, whiteboards, or blackboards.

For bright images in any light at a low cost, the IN112xv, IN114xv and IN116xv models feature up to 3400 lumens and a 16,000:1 contrast ratio.

Adding to its value, the new projectors all include an unprecedented 15,000 hours of lamp life with dynamic mode, allowing the level of brightness to be adjusted for any content, location or scenario. To further extend the life of the battery, the IN110 series comes with the Eco Blanking feature to instantly dim the screen when the projector isn’t being used and reduce the lamp’s power consumption to 30-percent.

The IN110 Series supports multiple forms of 3D content – including BluRay, 3D broadcasting, video games and PC connectivity. Each model is equally compact and lightweight for ultimate portability and ease of installation.

The IN110 series is priced from $499 to $710 MSRP, depending on specific model, and is now available through InFocus authorized resellers or at infocusdirect.com. To learn more, please visit infocus.com.

Softech / November 2017 5

1705ST02

,

Excellence in Innovation Tech billionaire, Dr. Andy Khawaja of Allied Wallet shared his thoughts on winning the Excellence in Innovation award and exactly how the firm excels in innovation, to ensure that online transactions are always safe and secure.

Beginning this interview, Dr. Andy Khawaja explains to us how Allied Wallet excels in innovation.

Also, Dr. Khawaja goes into detail about the role his team play in the firm’s innovation where technology is concerned.

“Innovation is key for Allied Wallet. Since we are concerned with financial technology and FinTech, indeed we must discover innovative ways to compete within the market.

At Allied Wallet, our work in innovation is to enable quicker payment, faster API integration but also to update our codes for them to be implemented on numerous platforms as simple as 1, 2 and 3. Most of all, we innovate our back-end API with the capability to adapt and integrate simply within minutes.

“If innovation did not exist – I think we would be riding on horses, and not using cars!

“At Allied Wallet, innovation plays a huge role, because we always must be up to speed and aware of what is out there and how we can improve it. The team here are constantly on the lookout for better ideas and products that we can implement. However, having said that we build our own products in house. As such, our coders make it and code it, and we have a debugging team who launch our financial technology

6 Softech / November 2017

products live. Every week, Allied Wallet launches 10 or 15 items live, so we are constantly busy.”

Moving the conversation onto technology, Dr. Khawaja describes to us Allied Wallet’s role as a pioneering firm that keeps both the software and technology industries moving forward.

“Since we are the leader in the e-commerce business, Allied Wallet plays a massive role in keeping the software and technology industries moving forward. Also, to be in this position, you need to be knowledgeable based on the experiences we obtain from jurisdictions from all around the world and the improvement of technology. We gather all this information up and take it into our development room and see how we can improve it - to make it ten times better and ahead of its time. It’s all about collecting information, data and what consumers and merchants need the most. Our mission at a company, is that we want to create something and make their experience even better.

“Our technology is changing the way the world transacts, since we are altering the core technology - that’s making things much more reliable for us and easier to move forward with Allied Wallet’s e-commerce business.”

When discussing the opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs, Dr. Khawaja highlights the chances Allied Wallet’s are providing for millennials who want to start up a business and perhaps to be successful as he has been.

“I would say that as a firm, Allied Wallet are educating innovative entrepreneurs and leading the way in financial technology and online payment, so we are mentoring the millennials in how to do things in the right way.

We also offer opportunities for millennials to have an internship in Allied Wallet, where we can give them an opportunity to start a business line.”

Bringing the interview to a close, Dr. Khawaja looks ahead to what the future holds for the successful firm, touching on what it meant to have been selected in our Excellence in Innovation awards, and noting on how Allied Wallet’s keeps both their consumers and merchant’s safe.

“To be have recognised in the Excellence in Innovation awards as the representative for USA, felt great. I am honoured to be recognised because that means a lot to me, in that all of my hard work has paid off.

“Moving forward, we are working on launching our artificial intelligence system, which literally thinks and operates as a

human, so we plan to have live

by July 2017. This is a bug push for Allied Wallet and a massive achievement for us.

“For Allied Wallet to keep consumers and merchant’s safe, we have all the tools in place to reduce fraud and eliminate charge back, ensuring that our clients complete a safe and clean transaction online. It’s as simple as that.”

g

Innovation in Online Transactions

Company: Allied Wallet Web: www.alliedwallet.com

Softech / November 2017 7

CCR17002

,

Best for Cloud Managed WiFi Services - USA Mojo Networks is revolutionising the Enterprise WiFi industry.

Harnessing the power of the cloud, the company is driving innovation and challenging the largest brands in the WLAN market. We profiled the firm to find out more.

The WiFi industry awaits a revolution.

The dawn of artificial intelligence and the unlimited power for cloud computing is poised to unsettle the enterprise WiFi landscape. For over a decade, enterprise WLAN flexibility and scalability has been hindered due to their controller-based architectures. While once the best option to manage enterprise WLAN, on-premises controllers are unable to keep pace with the flexibility, scalability and computing power of a cloud managed WLAN solution. WiFi networks, under pressure from user mobility demands and an influx of new devices, have moved from merely supporting business to becoming the conduit for how business is done. Yet enterprise WLAN management still remains under the control of behemoth companies selling expensive on-premise hardware software solutions. So how does a small, innovative company go head-to-head with the likes of Cisco and Aruba? By designing the world’s first cloud managed WiFi solution specifically for large enterprise networks.

Based in Mountain View, California and with over 2,000 customers globally, Mojo Networks is driving innovation

8 Softech / November 2017

and revolution in enterprise wireless networking. Mojo Networks, previously AirTight Networks, had its start as a Wireless Intrusion Prevention System (WIPS) provider.

Recognized as a leader in WIPS

by Gartner and IDC, Mojo has a 13+ year track record of securing WLAN infrastructure at some of the top defence and civilian agencies and Fortune 500 companies globally. It was only a few years ago that Mojo married its legacy of securing wireless networks with a cloud managed WiFi solution. Earlier this year, Mojo announced the launch of Mojo Aware, its Cognitive WiFi solution. Combining machine learning and artificial intelligence, Mojo Aware enables the wireless network to learn, predict, and improve automatically without the need for IT intervention.

Aware’s self-driving, self-healing features allow the network to understand its own baseline and make adjustments to improve performance. The network becomes its own root cause analysis engine, dramatically reducing the mean time to resolution when issues do arise.

If a WiFi issue is reported, Mojo Aware’s intuitive UI, allows IT to easily drill down into the details of what is causing an issue.

Complete visibility of users,

devices, applications, and even locations are available and each of these data points can be manipulated to see if an issue is limited to certain devices at a specific location. The cognitive computing power of Aware also allows the IT team to share valuable customer analytics with the organization. This type of analytical data is powerful information for distributed enterprise and retail customers seeking to gather answers on how they can better serve their customers.

Mojo’s cognitive cloud managed WiFi solution has been quietly making waves in the WiFi industry. It is currently building a 1 billion user public WiFi network in India with Reliance Jio, one of the nation’s largest mobile network operators. Mojo’s cloud based architecture, which is vastly less expensive to build and manage than a controllerbased solution, allowed Reliance Jio to develop an inexpensive pan-India public WiFi. This project has brought inexpensive, easily accessible WiFi to parts of India that had previously not had access to affordable WiFi. It is through these projects that Mojo Networks is challenging the large WiFi incumbents such as Cisco and Aruba, presenting a simplified, cost-effective cloud

managed solution that doesn’t require heavy investment in controller hardware. It is for their innovation and dedication to driving change to enterprise wireless networks that Mojo Networks is recognized as a cloud managed WiFi leader.

g Best for Cloud Managed WiFi Services - USA

Company: Mojo Networks Contact: Louise Peter Email: louise.peter@mojonetworks.com Address: 339 N. Bernardo Ave, Suite #200, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA Phone: 001 (650) 961 1111 Website: www.mojonetworks.com

Softech / November 2017 9

,

Designed to Keep Industrial Operations Safe Honeywell launches new connected gas detector to keep industrial operations safe while making set-up, maintenance and reporting fast and easy. The new Sensepoint XRL detector is certified for explosivearea applications; works with smart phone to simplify and speed installation, calibration, maintenance, and reporting.

Recently, Fortune 100 softwareindustrial company that delivers industry specific solutions, Honeywell announced a new connected gas detector designed to keep industrial operations safe while making set-up, maintenance and compliance reporting faster and easier by leveraging Bluetooth connectivity.

The new Sensepoint XRL fixed gas detector monitors industrial operations for specific hazardous gases, such as carbon monoxide or methane. Unlike other fixed gas detectors, Sensepoint XRL is Bluetooth-enabled, meaning it can be set up and maintained remotely using a smartphone app.

“Setting up, maintaining and generating reports from a fixed gas detector has usually been a time-consuming effort involving ladders or lifts, multiple personnel and even temporary equipment or production shutdowns,” said Duncan Gooch, product manager, gas detection, for Honeywell Industrial Safety, a recognized leader in industrial safety products ranging from gas detection to personal protective equipment. “With new Bluetooth

10 Softech / November 2017

connectivity, a single worker can quickly carry out a range of tasks – from set-up and maintenance to reporting – in hazardous areas from the safety of ground level.”

When paired with an intrinsically safe smartphone offered by Honeywell, a single worker can perform many standard maintenance tasks, including set-up, commissioning, and calibration wirelessly from up to 33 feet away. Sensepoint XRL and the app also can quickly produce system reports necessary for safety and environmental regulatory compliance.

Sensepoint XRL is certified for explosive area applications, and is suitable for wastewater, utilities, power generation, laboratories, and downstream oil and gas operations and applications ranging from laboratories to boiler rooms, and from fuel stations to warehouses.

The detector monitors for hazardous levels of one targeted gas from among 23 toxic and combustible gases, including methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. The detector is IP 66-rated and uses a metal enclosure to stand up to rugged

use, including hosedowns.

Sensepoint XRL is part of Honeywell’s Sensepoint line of connected gas detectors, announced in May, which also includes the Sensepoint XCL for commercial and light-industrial applications. Honeywell’s gas detectors are part of the company’s broad portfolio of industrial safety products and solutions, which include equipment to protect workers from helmet to boot, including hearing protection, safety harnesses, respiratory and electrical safety equipment, turnout gear for first responders and protective eye, hand and footwear.

For more information about Honeywell Industrial Safety, its products and services, visit the website at http://www. honeywellsafety.com

g

Designed to Keep Industrial Operations Safe

Softech / November 2017 11

,

Strong Performance.

Strong Results.

Acronis Backup 12.5 helps businesses to consolidate backup and optimize data protection costs. The strong performance of Acronis Backup 12.5 product line is supported by high market demand and wide industry recognition.

On the 1st November, global leader in hybrid cloud data protection and storage, Acronis reported a 25% YoY growth for its innovative Acronis Backup 12.5 product line with an increasing number of businesses choosing the Advanced edition to optimize costs and achieve the required level of data protection, control, and flexibility in hybrid IT environment.

Acronis Backup 12.5 is the world’s only secure backup offering complete protection of all workloads in more than 20 different environments, including Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, VMware, Microsoft, Red Hat, Citrix, Oracle, and mobile operating systems. It offers easy data management, blockchainbased data certification, and active protection against ransomware, ensuring the data is safe against malicious tampering and cyber-attacks. This proven

technology protected users from this year’s Wannacry, NotPetya, and Bad Rabbit ransomware attacks.

The Advanced edition of Acronis Backup 12.5 is in demand in situations where the speed of recovery is critical for business survival. It offers remote and automated bare-metal recovery, deduplication, WAN optimization, off-host backup management, and user roles and delegations.

(Full feature list is available at https://www.acronis.com/en-us/ business/backup-advanced/) “Businesses start to realise that traditional disjointed backup approach is no longer enough.

They are now looking for an easy-to-use solution that can protect all data and at the same time reduce management cost.

This is exactly what Acronis Backup 12.5 offers, and our partners and customers love it,” said John Zanni, President of Acronis.

According to a recent customer survey, 90% of businesses choose Acronis Backup 12.5 for its reliability and 80% for the ease of use. This is in line with the recent Backup Service Survey conducted by IT Central Station where 70% of the respondents chose simple and straightforward UI and 91% of the respondents selected reliable recovery as the most important features in a backup software.

Acronis Backup 12.5 also received multiple awards and recognition from industry leaders and analysts. In a recent Market Note*, global industry research firm IDC noted that Acronis Backup 12.5 is “game-changing for the vendor’s future.” And is “aimed at helping users consolidate the management and protection of data regardless of its physical location or application deployment model” and that “it heralds a change in backup and data protection technologies, aiming it at the modern, heterogeneous enterprise IT environment.”

“Acronis Backup 12.5 gives us confidence, because we know that all our data is protected,” Joel Stuart, network administrator from Johnson Electric, told Acronis following the switch over from a competitor’s product earlier this year.

Helping companies to ensure GDPR compliance According to IDC*, data protection and recovery software market — the biggest storage software

12 Softech / November 2017

market segment — will grow at a CAGR of 5.5% in Europe to 2021, reaching $2.30 billion in constant currency. The research firm also predicts that half of the market spend in 2017 and 2018 will be driven by companies updating their data protection tools to comply with GDPR, which comes into effect in May 2018.

Acronis Backup 12.5, in particular the Advanced edition with its advanced reporting and data management features, will help companies to ensure GDPR compliance. “With Backup 12.5, Acronis has the potential to address the backup, recovery, and data protection challenges that European enterprises face in terms of GDPR, the changing threat landscape, and hybrid and multicloud infrastructures,” IDC Market Note stated.

“IDC believes Acronis is well positioned to address modern enterprises’ need to back up, protect, secure, and recover data across their multi-infrastructure environments. The engineering efforts to improve usability and implement advanced technologies such as blockchain establish Acronis as a credible, long-term vendor with significant competitive advantages,” IDC Market Note concluded.

* IDC Market Note, Acronis Backup 12.5: Transforming Data Protection with Blockchain Tech, Ransomware Protection, and Quick Insights, doc #EMEA42880317, July 2017.

g Strong Performance. Strong Results.

Softech / November 2017 13

,

Microsemi Introduces New Smart Storage HBAs and RAID Adapters for Data Centres Microsemi Corporation, a leading provider of semiconductor solutions differentiated by power, security, reliability and performance, announced on the 1st November the production release of its new Smart Storage SAS/SATA adapters.

On the 1st November, leading provider of semiconductor solutions differentiated by power security, reliability and performance, Microsemi Corporation announced the production release of its new Smart Storage SAS/SATA adapters.

The addition of these advanced Smart Storage adapters advances Microsemi’s Smart Storage offering for SAS/SATA server storage in data centres with full board-level solutions as well as silicon plus software for custom embedded solutions.

The entire product portfolio, which includes the Microsemi Adaptec HBA 1100 family, SmartHBA 2100 family and SmartRAID 3100 family, is based on the company’s latest 28nm SmartIOC 2100 and SmartROC 3100 storage controller integrated circuits (ICs), and delivers high performance, low power, reliability and feature-rich solutions tailored to a variety of server storage applications, including software-defined storage (SDS), cold storage and

14 Softech / November 2017

enterprise applications.

The HBA 1100 delivers performance and flexibility for SDS applications. The SmartHBA 2100 is a unique adapter solution which delivers all the benefits of an HBA 1100 plus the option of basic hardware RAID on a selection of drives, ideal for SDS applications with the desire for RAID for boot drives or small/medium business (SMB) applications. The SmartRAID 3100 offers maximum functionality, acceleration through caching and the highest data availability for the most demanding enterprise storage applications. Each of the three solutions offers port densities up to 24 ports in half-length, halfheight form factors, and come in a variety of port configurations.

“Microsemi’s unified Smart Storage stack offers one of the industry’s most reliable and highest performing storage controller software platforms, boasting performance of up to 1.7 million random read input/ output (I/O) operations per second. The production release of our Smart Storage 12Gbps

SAS/SATA adapters reflects our commitment to providing solutions for the specific needs of our server original equipment manufacturer (OEM), server original design manufacturer (ODM), hyperscale and system integration customers,” said Pete Hazen, vice president and business unit manager, Scalable Storage, at Microsemi. “With a significant improvement in total cost of ownership, the inherent benefits of a unified firmware and software offering across the full line of products, a significant boost in performance and power savings of 40 percent, we are proud to offer to the market a highly differentiated portfolio of adapters to build upon the success of the Microsemi Adaptec Series 8 RAID solutions.”

Microsemi’s Smart Storage solutions can be used in any server storage application with 12 Gbps SAS or 6 Gbps SATA hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid state drives (SSDs). SAS/SATA HDDs and SSDs are forecasted by market research firm IDC to represent 80 percent of all

g Microsemi Introduces New Smart Storage HBAs and RAID Adapters for Data Centres

Softech / November 2017 15

,

enterprise drives shipped on an annual basis through the end of the decade. Microsemi’s Smart Storage solutions are performance-optimized around SSD performance and poweroptimized for HDD-based cold storage. Features are available for both deployment extremes in addition to a myriad of hybrid SSD/HDD applications.

“Cloud and hyperscale data centres continue to push the boundaries of storage capacity per disk and overall total cost of ownership per Terabyte of storage,” said Brendan Collins, vice president, HDD Product Marketing, Western Digital.

“Microsemi’s HBA 1100 series, combined with the HGSTbranded Ultrastar® Hs14 enterprise SMR hard drive, enables data centres to continue to address the explosive growth in storage capacity requirements with optimal power, performance and footprint.”

The Microsemi Adaptec HBA 1100, SmartHBA 2100 and SmartRAID 3100 all leverage the unified Smart Storage Stack. Each family has unique differentiating features.

The HBA 1100 is optimized for SDS, cold storage and raw highperformance connectivity. It also includes: • Adapters with up to 24 ports using 28nm SAS/SATAoptimized silicon, offering an optimal power profile for the target applications • Support for host-managed and host-aware shingled magnetic recording (SMR) drives • Broad operating system (OS) driver support, including inbox driver support • Performance of up to 1.7 million input/output operations per second (IOPS) The SmartHBA 2100 is optimized for SDS applications which desire hardware RAID for OS boot drives as well as entry level RAID for SMBs. It also provides: • Basic RAID without compromising on the requirement for a fully

16 Softech / November 2017

•

• •

featured and functional HBA, which is required for multi-path IO and SDS applications Mixed mode enables drives to be independently configured as raw drives or as part of a logical volume True hardware RAID for RAID 0,1,10 and RAID 5 Industry’s only basic RAID solution with more than eight ports

The SmartRAID 3100 is optimized for enterprise storage applications which require the highest level of data availability and data centre applications which benefit from caching. It also features: • Adapters with up to 24 ports using 28nm SAS/SATAoptimized silicon, offering an optimal power profile for the target applications • Zero Maintenance Cache Protection (ZMCP) with a cache size of up to 4GB and integrated cache backup circuitry for optimal cost, thermal performance and operating efficiency • Board options without cache backup • maxCache 4.0 included on all adapters with up to ~2TB SSD cache • Roadmap to maxCrypto controller-based encryption The combination of the company’s Unified Smart Storage Stack, SmartRAID and SmartHBA, HBA product families and Microsemi’s SXP family of SAS expanders provide a complete server solution for storage management and connectivity.

g Microsemi Introduces New Smart Storage HBAs and RAID Adapters for Data Centres

Softech / November 2017 17

,

Disrupting the Construction Industry: Sigma Estimates Partners with RSMeans Data Strategic collaboration with RSMeans data from Gordian with a LiveLink to Autodesk Revit set to transform the construction industry.

Global leader in estimating software, Sigma Estimates announced on the 31st October that in conjunction with RSMeans data from Gordian, they are transforming the 5D construction industry by delivering a single, integrated 5D platform to enable the next level of 5D Virtual Design and Construction VDC workflows.

“Through this platform, we provide an integrated, real-time view of project design, cost and schedule,” explained Magnus Therkildsen, CEO of Sigma Estimates. “We built Sigma to be a 5D BIM and estimating platform. Unlike alternative solutions, Sigma is 100% adoptable and object-oriented like the fundamental principles of BIM.” By leveraging Sigma with Gordian’s RSMeans data through live integration to Revit, users gain direct access to cost and estimation tools through all stages of the project lifecycle.

The platform provided by the three systems brings together planning, design and finance in real time, granting users a fast,

18 Softech / November 2017

data-driven solution grounded by the familiarity of spreadsheets: • Sigma Estimates – the most user-friendly professional estimating software on the market to sync 3D, 4D and 5D technologies in a collaborative environment.

• RSMeans data from Gordian – access to North America’s leading construction cost and productivity information, providing insights into costs and risk elements across all project stages.

• Revit from Autodesk – leverage intelligent linking of your traditional 3D models from Revit with 5D BIM results in a fully dynamic real-time model “The solution combines design, finance and real-time updates in VDC, providing users with instant access to RSMeans data, the most trusted construction cost data with industry-leading accuracy, directly integrated in their workflow,” said Noam Reininger, Chief Data Officer, Gordian. “This radically improves budgeting and planning decisions throughout the project lifecycle by providing more upto-date, accurate and specific cost data within the software

environment that the user is most comfortable with.”

The combination of these solutions aligns 3D models with 4D scheduling and 5D costs to create useful information to explore consequence of what you want to build in terms of finance and risk.

By aligning 3D models with 4D scheduling and 5D costs, construction professionals benefit from improved efficiency, increased profitability, reduced risks and less need for changes and rework. The 5D BIM platform provided by Sigma Estimates in combination with RSMeans data from Gordian and Autodesk Revit will enable the construction industry to stay competitive, ensure growth and embrace the next level of 5D VDC workflows.

“We see 5D BIM as an imperative. The close coupling of 3D and 5D BIM is crucial for achieving more effective project insight and overview, thus allowing for better-managed projects,” imparted Sarah Hodges, Director, Construction Business Line for Autodesk.

g Disrupting the Construction Industry: Sigma Estimates Partners with RSMeans Data

Softech / November 2017 19

,

Eastman Launches the Performance Films Pattern and Software Design Centre at SEMA 2017 Continued industry growth leadership through pattern fitment, quality, and consistency.

On the 31st October, Eastman Chemical announced the launch of its Performance Films Pattern and Software Design Centre to support its LLumar®, SunTek® and V-Kool® brands.

Recognizing that high-quality paint protection patterns and cutting software are a critical component of installers’ success, Eastman has made significant investments to improve its capabilities in these areas and develop a world-class offering for its customers.

This effort brings together more than 30 years of experience in pattern making, broad access to a full range of vehicle makes and models, state of the art design assets and a globally resourced team as well as significant investments in improved software functionality. While the full realization of this effort will be felt over time, Eastman is committed to establishing the industry standard in pattern fitment quality and software functionality to drive additional growth for its paint protection and window film customers.

This news is the latest in a series of investment announcements

– including a recent $12 million manufacturing facility expansion, consumer marketing campaign development and the launch of the company’s latest generation of paint protection film (PPF) products earlier this year.

“We’re experiencing phenomenal growth with PPF globally, driven by the unique combination of performance, clarity and installation advantages of Eastman’s PPF technology and manufacturing,” says Darrell Reed, commercial director, Eastman Performance Films.

“These incremental investments toward supplying top quality software and patterns, combined with superior PPF products and service, supports our vision of being the global supplier of choice for PPF.” Over the next 18 months, a series of cutting software releases will deliver upgraded features and capabilities designed to provide users with more flexibility and greater easeof-use, leading to less waste and increased productivity.

“The best test of this initiative is receiving positive feedback from our customers,” Reed added.

20 Softech / November 2017

“We were pleased to hear from one of our customers, AJ Costea of Auto Shield Calgary (Alberta, Canada) who remarked ‘the 2017 Honda Civic Type R 24inch wrapped hood and mirrors fit perfect, it is one of the best fitting kits I have used.’ This is exactly what we want to hear from our customers and it’s why we’re committed to this initiative.”

Cutting software and PPF pattern installation demonstrations will be taking place in the Eastman booth (#12117) during the SEMA Show (October 31, 2017-November 3, 2017).

Performance Films is a part of Eastman’s Advanced Materials business segment.

With 60 years of experience, Eastman’s Performance Films business is the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of high performance window and paint protection films that are used in automotive, residential and commercial applications.

To learn more about the company’s window and paint protection films visit www.llumar. com, www.suntekfilms.com and www.v-kool.com

g

Eastman Launches the Performance Films Pattern and Software Design Centre at SEMA 2017

Softech / November 2017 21

,

Two Top University Startup Hubs Two universities internationally known for driving early-stage business activity have agreed to jointly support tech startups and entrepreneurial activity among tenant companies in their respective startup centres.

Two universities internationally known for driving early-stage business activity have agreed to jointly support tech startups and entrepreneurial activity among tenant companies in their respective startup centres. The international collaboration links the New York University Tandon School of Engineering Future Labs – New York City’s premier academic entrepreneurial hub – to the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK) Incubators – a leader in India’s rapidly growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The three-year agreement sets the framework for: • Giving select startups from the IITK Incubators access to NYU Tandon Future Labs for support and mentoring, as well as insight into U.S. market • Allowing Future Labs companies desiring to explore the Indian market to call upon IITK knowledge and resources • Providing flex desk space to companies visiting from either country for short periods of time • Planning mutually beneficial workshops, panels and other events focused on shared entrepreneurial concerns The new agreement expands the Future Labs’ reputation as a launch pad for international startups seeking to enter the

U.S. market. Other collaborations include startup centres in Germany, Canada, and Turkey.

Similarly, the agreement furthers IITK’s status as a major driver of India’s startup landscape, now said to be one of the largest and rapidly growing ecosystems in the world with 20,000 startups valued at $75 Billion and three to four startups being born everyday and funding of nearly $8 Billion in the last one year.

The Future Labs, a network of innovation spaces and programs that support earlystage startups in New York City, house and mentor startups in three technology sectors of critical importance: datadriven and data-intensive technologies at the Data Future Lab in Manhattan’s Hudson Square neighbourhood; digital technologies including virtual and augmented reality at the Digital Future Lab in the DUMBO neighbourhood of Brooklyn; and clean energy/smart city technologies at the Urban Future Lab in its ACRE incubator in Downtown Brooklyn.

In addition, the Future Labs are home to AI NexusLab, an accelerator-type program for artificial intelligence startups.

The Future Labs also host an entrepreneur training program for military veterans transitioning to owning their own businesses.

“This collaboration will provide important opportunities to Future Lab entrepreneurs in a vibrant

22 Softech / November 2017

and dynamic new locale while inspiring IITK startups to join New York’s burgeoning innovation economy,” said Kurt H. Becker, Tandon’s vice dean for research, innovation and entrepreneurship.

“We are thrilled to launch this international venture with a new partner who shares our understanding of the importance of tech entrepreneurship and its role in moving academic research to the marketplace, where it can directly benefit society.”

“This engagement will augment the large and vibrant innovation ecosystem at IIT Kanpur by providing the entrepreneurs with an opportunity to be part of a global ecosystem” said Dr. Phani, the Dean Resources and Alumni at IIT Kanpur. “We are very happy to engage in this sphere in addition to the academic engagements we already have with NYU and making both our visions of a global economy a reality.”

“It’s great to help with this tie-up and we will work to make it highly effective and useful to students and start-ups on both sides.

We look forward to expanding this arrangement and including more institutional partners into the network in the near future” said Sanjiv Khosla, IITK’s global liaison in New York City.

The two schools have enjoyed a close relationship that goes beyond their shared focus on entrepreneurship. Last year, IITK’s Centre for Cyber Security for Critical Infrastructure and

NYU Tandon’s Centre for Cyber Security entered into a seven-year agreement aimed at encouraging collaborative research and instruction in cyberattack prevention, detection, and mitigation; and the security of cyber physical systems in crucial industries like telecom, energy, and transportation.

Additionally, IITK hosts the Indiawide Cyber Security Awareness Week (CSAW) games, which has grown since its founding at NYU Tandon to become the world’s largest student-run cyber security event.

Tandon Dean Katepalli R. Sreenivasan welcomed the opportunity to strengthen the bonds between the two schools.

“When institutions that share common goals partner, it increases the chances that those goals will be met,” he said. “We are gratified that our counterparts at IITK are, like us, committed to making the world safer, cleaner, and, of course, more entrepreneurial.”

“Access to the resources of two great institutions and our own New York office is a fillip to the entrepreneurial spirit as it provides budding entrepreneurs access to a broader platform is a major milestone in their journey towards supporting an entrepreneurial economy,” added Manindra Agrawal, Deputy Director of IITK and professor of computer science and engineering.

g Two Top University Startup Hubs

Softech / November 2017 23

,

Launch of Cyberport Investors Network The Cyberport Venture Capital Forum 2017 (CVCF) successfully concluded the first day of proceedings on the 1st November.

On the 1st November, The Cyberport Venture Capital Forum 2017 (CVCF) successfully concluded the first day of proceedings. The two-day (1-2 November) forum has gathered the world’s influential venture capitalists, investors, key industry players and stakeholders as well as digital tech start-ups at Cyberport to share insights on successful tech venture cases and global tech investment trends.

As a key advocate of the startup ecosystem in Hong Kong, Cyberport hosted the CVCF and brought leading investors and tech start-ups under one roof to foster more investment matching and business collaboration opportunities. The Hon. Nicholas W Yang, JP, Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the Hong Kong SAR Government, joined Cyberport’s Chairman, Dr Lee George Lam to officiate the opening ceremony.

In his opening remarks, Mr Nicholas W Yang affirmed the Government’s support to foster Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development. “I am excited to see this signature event back at Cyberport, connecting the investment community and start-ups to a win-win partnership. We want to leverage on the expertise, business network and investment wisdom of VCs to help our local

start-ups grow and thrive,” he said.

At the opening ceremony, Cyberport launched a new key initiative, the Cyberport Investors Network (CIN). CIN is a structured platform that engages worldwide investors of leading venture capitalists, angel investors and private equity funds, to enhance the fundraising and deal-making capabilities of Cyberport start-ups. CIN comprises over 100 investors of different categories including angel, Pre-A and Post-A rounds, who are interested in new economy opportunities. Their diverse practices and investment aptitudes will complement the needs of Cyberport startup community. In addition to accelerate start-up investment, CIN members will also share their investment expertise, help to attract more strategic investors and facilitate more collaboration opportunities.

“Hong Kong possesses many top-quality start-ups and digital tech solutions, particularly in FinTech and AI. Through the Cyberport Venture Capital Forum and the launch of CIN, we want to provide a unique platform to bridge quality investors with our high-potential start-ups and boost deal flows,” said Dr Lee George Lam, Chairman of Cyberport, in his welcome remarks. “Here at Cyberport, the digital technology hub of Hong Kong, investors can easily find quality start-ups

24 Softech / November 2017

that are engaging in high-growth technology industries. By bringing in smart capital and facilitating more deal flows, we aim to offer promising start-ups unprecedented means to scale up and succeed, and thereby lead Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development to a new era.”

Duncan Chiu, Co-founder and Managing Director of Radiant Ventures as well as Chairman of Steering Group of CIN, said: “Interest in CIN membership is strong. Since September, more than 100 investors from over 50 funds and individuals have signed up. The fervent response is a vote of confidence in Hong Kong’s digital tech start-ups and tech investments.

We foresee greater chemistry and synergy between investors and Cyberport’s start-ups, more deal flows, and a brighter future for Hong Kong’s innovation and technology industry.”

In addition to the launch of CIN, Cyberport announced a strategic partnership with the China Mergers and Acquisition Associations of Hong Kong (HKCMAA). This non-profit and non-government organisation is committed to establishing strategic alliance with the elites with all industries and promoting M&A market in Hong Kong. Through the partnership, HKCMAA and Cyberport aim to leverage on each party’s unique network and services to

facilitate deal flows and crossborder business development for technology companies, and to accelerate the growth of innovation and technology industry.

Dr Hu Zhanghong, Chairman of HKCMAA as well as Chairman and CEO of CCB International, said: “In collaboration with Cyberport, HKCMAA and CCB International will continue to promote advances in innovation and technology and help cultivate more unicorns to market.”

To help start-ups and tech companies understand global investment trends, CVCF speakers examined such topics as the trending venture capital prospects in China and the world.

Discussions on investment opportunities along the Digital Silk Road and in the Greater Bay Area shed light on the latest digital tech landscape in the region. To introduce investors to Hong Kong’s outstanding digital tech projects, CVCF also features investor workshops and business matching sessions.

Key speakers attending CVCF include senior executives from Ping An Group, Global Voyager Fund, Garage Technology Ventures, Intel Capital, Gobi Partners, and 500 Startups.

g Launch of Cyberport Investors Network

Softech / November 2017 25

,

Supermicro Showcases Deep Learning Optimized Systems at GTC Washington DC Delivering best-in-class features including next-generation NVIDIA Tesla V100 with NVLink support, maximum GPU density and global service, Supermicro’s GPU systems are ideal for Deep Learning, AI, and big data analytic applications.

Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ: SMCI), a global leader in enterprise computing, storage, networking solutions and green computing technology, on the 1st November is showcasing GPU server platforms that support NVIDIA Tesla V100 PCI-E and V100 SXM2 GPUs at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC) Washington D.C., Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Centre in booth #506.

For maximum acceleration of highly parallel applications like artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, autonomous vehicle systems, energy and engineering/science, Supermicro’s new 4U system with next-generation NVIDIA NVLink™ is optimized for overall performance. The SuperServer 4028GR-TXRT supports eight NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 GPU accelerators with maximum GPU-to-GPU bandwidth for

HPC clusters and hyper-scale workloads. Incorporating the latest NVIDIA NVLink GPU interconnect technology with over five times the bandwidth of PCI-E 3.0, this system features independent GPU and CPU thermal zones to ensure uncompromised performance and stability under the most demanding workloads.

Similarly, the performance optimized 4U SuperServer 4028GR-TRT2 system can support up to 10 PCI-E Tesla V100 accelerators with Supermicro’s innovative and GPU optimized single root complex PCI-E design, which dramatically improves GPU peer-to-peer communication performance. For even greater density, the SuperServer 1028GQ-TRT supports up to four PCI-E Tesla V100 GPU accelerators in only 1U of rack space. Ideal for media, entertainment, medical imaging, and rendering applications, the powerful 7049GP-TRT workstation supports up to

26 Softech / November 2017

four NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPU accelerators.

“Supermicro designs the most application-optimized GPU systems and offers the widest selection of GPU-optimized servers and workstations in the industry,” said Charles Liang, President and CEO of Supermicro. “Our high performance computing solutions enable deep learning, engineering and scientific fields to scale out their compute clusters to accelerate their most demanding workloads and achieve fastest time-to-results with maximum performance per watt, per square foot and per dollar. With our latest innovations incorporating the new NVIDIA V100 PCI-E and V100 SXM2 GPUs in performance-optimized 1U and 4U systems with next-generation NVLink, our customers can accelerate their applications and innovations to help solve the world’s most complex and challenging problems.”

“Supermicro’s new high-density servers are optimized to fully leverage the new NVIDIA Tesla V100 data centre GPUs to provide enterprise and HPC customers with an entirely new level of computing efficiency,” said Ian Buck, vice president and general manager of the Accelerated Computing Group at NVIDIA. “The new SuperServers deliver dramatically higher throughput for compute-intensive data analytics, deep learning and scientific applications while minimizing power consumption.”

With the convergence of Big Data Analytics, the latest NVIDIA GPU architectures, and improved Machine Learning algorithms, Deep Learning applications require the processing power of multiple GPUs that must communicate efficiently and effectively to expand the GPU network. Supermicro’s singleroot GPU system allows multiple GPUs to communicate efficiently to minimize latency and maximize throughput as measured by the NCCL P2PBandwidthTest.

g Supermicro Showcases Deep Learning Optimized Systems at GTC Washington DC

Softech / November 2017 27

,

Lithium Demand Projected to Rise as Li-Ion Battery Technology Improves According to a research report published Freedonia Group, the global demand for lithium metal is projected to rise 8.9 percent per year through 2019 to 49,350 metric tons.

According to a research report published Freedonia Group, the global demand for lithium metal is projected to rise 8.9 percent per year through 2019 to 49,350 metric tons. In lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) terms, the value of the global lithium market is projected to reach $1.7 billion. Impressive advances in rechargeable battery technology expected to fuel market demand. The report also points out that rapid expansion in the lithiumion (Li-Ion) battery industry as world demand for hybrid and electric vehicles (H/EVs), energy storage systems, and high-drain portable electronics continues to grow. LiCo Energy Metals Inc., Advantage Lithium Corp., Lithium X Energy Corp., Lithium Americas Corp., Galaxy Resources Limited.

“The range of EVs can be improved, and the fuel consumption of hybrid EVs can

be reduced using lithium-ion batteries. The diverse types of rechargeable batteries, distinguished by the materials used for the electrodes and electrolytes, have a short-range due to lower energy density and have a short operational life when compared with that of lithium-ion batteries. Growth in vehicle fleet leads to a proportionately faster change in the acceptance of EVs, thereby providing growth prospects for the global lithium market,” explained Mahitha Mallishetty, a lead metals and minerals research analyst at Technavio.

LiCo Energy Metals Inc. (OTCQB: WCTXF) is also listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker ‘LIC’. Just announced breaking news earlier this morning that it is pleased to update its shareholders on the current diamond drilling program for its Teledyne and Glencore Bucke Cobalt Properties situated in Bucke and Lorrain Townships, 6 km east-northeast of Cobalt,

28 Softech / November 2017

Ontario, as originally announced on September 12th, 2017. The Company has recently completed drilling 19 holes for a combined depth of approximately 2,000 meters on its two cobalt mineral exploration properties in Ontario.

Visual mineralization is present in all drill holes completed to date.

On the Glencore Bucke Property, the Company has completed a total of 16 holes for approximately 1,400 metres of drilling, testing the Main and Northwest zones on the Glencore Bucke Property. Visual cobalt camp style mineralization has been noted in every drill hole that the Company has completed. The historical drilling program outlined two separate vein systems hosting significant cobalt and silver values. The Main Zone, currently is 152 m in length, and the Northwest Zone, measuring 70 m in length. The Main Zone had a north-south strike, which is hypothesized as the southern extension of the #3 vein from the Cobalt Contact

g Lithium Demand Projected to Rise as Li-Ion Battery Technology Improves

Softech / November 2017 29

,

Mine located immediately to the north of the Property (Bresee, 1982).

On the Company’s adjoining Teledyne Property, a second drill rig has been recently added by the Company to expand its overall drilling program in the area. As of the date of this news release, the Company has been able to complete 3 - 200 metre drill holes for approximately 600 metres of new drilling. The second drill has also visually intersected Cobalt camp style mineralization in each drill hole that is testing the cobalt/silver targets on the Teledyne Property.

Tim Fernback, President & CEO of LiCo, states, “Building on what can be described as a successful start to LiCo’s fall exploration program, the first drill hole on Teledyne has been drilled to test the cobalt/silver targets of the Teledyne Property that were previously identified

by Teledyne Canada Ltd. Drill targets on the Teledyne and Glencore Bucke Property are considered to be extensions from the past producing Agaunico Mine and Cobalt Contact property respectively. The core samples from the initial drill holes have recently been sent to the laboratory for analysis and we are anxiously waiting to receive the results.” For more information on LiCo’s Teledyne and Glencore Bucke Properties listen to Tim Fernback’s latest audio interview with SmallCapVoice.com here: http://smallcapvoice.com/ blog/10-23-17-smallcapvoiceinterview-with-lico-energymetals-inc-wctxf/ .

LiCo will remain drilling on the Glencore Bucke property, while the second drill rig will be used to test the drill targets identified by management on the Teledyne Property. The Teledyne and Glencore Bucke Properties are managed by Joerg Kleinboeck, P.Geo. (LiCo’s QP), and supervised by Mr. Dwayne Melrose, Director and Head of the Technical Advisory Board of LiCo. The overall drilling program will be conducted as part of LiCo’s flow thru financing and work commitments for the

Glencore Bucke and Teledyne Properties.”

and de-risks potential future development of the salar.”

Advantage Lithium Corp.

(OTCQX: AVLIF) is a resource company specializing in the strategic acquisition, exploration and development of lithium properties. Recently, the company announced further positive progress with its Cauchari JV drilling and pumping program where three drill rigs are now expanding the depth and lateral extent of the existing NI43-101 mineral resource dated December 2016. A preliminary pumping test of 2.5 hours has been completed on CAU09, with 21 samples taken during the test, averaging 662 mg/l lithium and 6,169 mg/l potassium, with an average low Mg/Li ratio of 2.2:1. Quality control/assurance included three duplicates, five standard and three blank samples.

Lithium Americas Corp., together with its joint venture partner, Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A., is developing the Cauchari-Olaroz lithium project, located in Jujuy, Argentina, through its 50% interest in Minera Exar S.A. In addition, Lithium Americas owns 100% of the Lithium Nevada Project, and 100% of RheoMinerals Inc., a supplier of rheology modifiers for oil-based drilling fluids, coatings, and specialty chemicals.

Recently, the company provided an update on the Lithium Nevada Project (the “Lithium Nevada Project”) located in Nevada, USA. A total of 70 drill targets have been strategically located within, and to the south and to the east, of the Lithium Nevada Project’s Zone 1, where some of the most highly-concentrated lithium clays in North America have been discovered. The 2017 Exploration Program is fully permitted, approximately 65% complete, and is expected to be concluded by early 2018.

Lithium X Energy Corp.

(OTCQX: LIXXF) is a lithium exploration and development company with a goal of becoming a low-cost supplier for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. On October 4th, the company announced it has successfully completed the consolidation of the Sal de Los Angeles project so that it now controls 100% of the mineral titles contained within the brine bearing regions of the Diablillos basin. The consolidation involved the acquisition of 2,700 hectares of claims from Borax Argentina S.A. replacing the usufruct Lithium rights previously held by the Company over the Borax claims and an agreement to acquire a further 700 hectares currently owned by South American Salars S.A. for a total consideration of 650,000 common shares of Lithium X, USD $1,000,000 and a 1% Net Revenue Royalty (NRR) over the SDLA project. Brian Paes-Braga, President & CEO remarks “The execution of these agreements, coupled with the earlier purchase of Aberdeen’s portion of Potasio y Litio de Argentina, will ultimately give Lithium X one hundred percent ownership of the Diablillos basin.

This significantly simplifies

30 Softech / November 2017

Galaxy Resources Limited (OTC: GALXF) is an international S&P / ASX 200 Index company with lithium production facilities, hard rock mines and brine assets in Australia, Canada and Argentina.

It wholly owns and operates the Mt Cattlin mine in Ravensthorpe Western Australia, which is currently producing spodumene and tantalum concentrate, and the James Bay lithium pegmatite project in Quebec, Canada. The company recently announced the final assays from its 2017 drilling campaign at the James Bay Project in Quebec, Canada.

In late March 2017, the Galaxy James Bay team commenced a ~33,000m diamond drilling campaign to extend and develop the existing James Bay spodumene resource. The drilling program is now complete and all assays have been received.

Managing Director and CEO, Anthony Tse commented “The results from this drilling campaign support the James Bay Project becoming a significant hard rock, high grade, long life lithium resource.”

g Lithium Demand Projected to Rise as Li-Ion Battery Technology Improves

Softech / November 2017 31

Subscribe to Softech

Subscribe here www.softech-intl.com