Our success is dependent to a great extent on the performance of our management team and certain key employees and our ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain highly qualified and skilled employees who are in high demand. The loss of the services of any key personnel, or an inability to attract other suitably qualified persons when needed, could prevent us from executing our business plan and we may not be able to find adequate replacements on a timely basis, if at all. Currently, we do not maintain any key-person insurance on the lives of any of our key personnel. Furthermore, each director and officer of a company that holds a license is subject to the requirement to obtain and maintain a security clearance from Canada Health under the Cannabis Act. A security clearance is valid for not more than five years and must be renewed before the expiration of the current security clearance. There is no assurance that any of our existing personnel who presently or may in the future require a security clearance will be able to obtain or renew such clearance or that new personnel who require a security clearance be able to obtain one. A failure by an individual in a key operational position to maintain or renew a security clearance could result in a reduction or complete suspension of our operations.
Employees
As of December 31, 2023, we had 49 employees which include Anthony Zarcone, Chief Executive Officer.
We have contracted several independent contractors and consultants to provide a range of information technology and marketing services who do not receive cash compensation but receive shares of our common stock as compensation. This mitigates any need for full or part-time employees for these services.
Intellectual Property Protection
Company subsidiary CannaKorp Inc. holds the following patents:
International Patent Application No. PCT/US20115/013778
Title: METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING HERBAL VAPO
Filing Date: January 30, 2015
Ref. No.: B1411.70000WO00
U.S. Provisional Application No.: 61/934.255
Title: CONTAINER POD AND DELIVERY SYSTEM
Filing Date: January 31, 2014
Ref. No.: B1411.70000US00
In addition, CannaKorp has proprietary rights to certain trade names, trademarks and service marks which include WISP POD™; cPOD™; CANNACUP™; and WISP™. CannaKorp also has certain proprietary formulas and processes involving herbal formulas and flavors, proprietary herbal production processes and an herbal base developed to suspend active ingredients for optimal vaporization.
At present, CannaKorp has failed to meet its annuities payments as well as maintenance fees on the 2 referenced patents. Although there has been a lapse and these patents remain unmaintained, there remains the possibility of CannaKorp reinstating these patents if done so in a reasonable amount of time. At this time, management is determining the value maintaining these patents will provide the Company. Once management has completed their assessment, the Company will proceed accordingly and advance in that determined direction moving forward. Additionally, CannaKorp is actively seeking a joint venture partner and/ or a licensor to assist in both marketing and launching the Wisp Vaporizer and Wisp Pods in both the US and Canadian legal cannabis or hemp markets.
Corporate Facilities
Our principal executive office is located at 20 Hempstead Drive, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity
Risk Management and Strategy
The Company invests in information technology systems for its operations. Such investments, including the implementation of technology updates, improves the Company's customers' experience, and supports both compliance and internal controls. The Company is actively engaged in attempting to identify and manage cybersecurity risks. Protecting company data, non-public customer and employee data, and the systems that collect, process, and maintain this information is a Company priority.
Cybersecurity Risk
In recent years there has been an increased risk of information and security risks due to increased sophistication and activities of perpetrators of cyber attacks. The computers are used for our everyday business operations including mobile devices and other online means of activities to connect with our customers, employees, suppliers and other parties. This extensive use give rise to cybersecurity risks such as system disruption, theft and the release of confidential information. There are numerous sensitive information stored in the system and intellectual property, including employees, customers and other financial information.
In the future we may be required to expend additional resources to continue to enhance information security measures to investigate and remediate any information security vulnerabilities. We can provide no assurances that the measures we have implemented to prevent security breaches and cyber incidents will be effective in the event of a cyber-attack.