Item 1A. Risk Factors
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Our business faces many risks,
a number of which are described under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report. Other than as set forth below, there
have been no material changes from the risk factors previously disclosed in our Annual Report. The risks described in our Annual Report
and below may not be the only risks we face. Other risks of which we are not yet aware, or that we currently believe are not material,
may also materially and adversely impact our business operations or financial results. If any of the events or circumstances described
in the risk factors contained in our Annual Report or described below occurs, our business, financial condition or results of operations
could be adversely impacted and the value of an investment in our securities could decline. Investors and prospective investors should
consider the risks described in our Annual Report and below, and the information contained under the caption “Forward-Looking Statements”
and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q before deciding whether to invest in our securities.
We may not realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition
of Metagramm
In March 2025, we acquired
Metagramm, a Company that specializes in developing advanced writing assistance tools and licenses its products on a subscription basis.
Metagramm’s products and revenue model differs from those of our current platforms. We may not be able to assimilate or integrate
the acquired personnel, operations, products, services, and technologies of Metagramm successfully or effectively manage the business
of Metagramm and our management may be distracted from operating our business. We also may not achieve the anticipated benefits from the
acquisition of Metagramm due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, unanticipated costs or liabilities associated with
the acquisition and difficulty of incorporating Metagramm’s technology into our platforms. If the acquisition of Metagramm fails
to meet our expectations, our operating results, business, and financial condition may suffer.
Our common stock may
never be listed on a recognized national exchange
Our common stock trades on
the OTCQB Pink Sheets. You should not assume that any effort to uplist the trading of our common stock to a recognized national exchange
would be successful, or if successful, that compliance with the listing requirements of such recognized national exchange will be maintained,
including but not limited to requirements associated with maintenance of a minimum net worth, minimum stock price, minimum number of
shareholders, and ability to establish a sufficient number of market makers. A failure or inability to uplist the trading of our common
stock to a recognized national exchange, or any failure to maintain compliance with the listing requirements of such recognized national
exchange, may materially adversely affect our Company and the trading price of our common stock.
In addition, failure to uplist
to a recognize national exchange may adversely impact our ability to finance our operations through investments, which may in turn may
impact our ability to pay our obligations, including under our financing agreements, loan agreements and credit facilities, when they
become due.
The foregoing risks may have
a material adverse effect on our Company and the trading price of our common stock.
Unless and until our
common stock is approved for listing on a recognized national exchange, many potential investors may be unwilling to purchase our common
stock
Our common stock currently
trades on the OTCQB Pink Sheets. Many funds and other potential investors are unable or unwilling to purchase stocks on the OTCQB Pink
Sheets, being required or simply preferring to purchase stocks that have been approved for listing on a recognized national exchange,
such as the Nasdaq or the NYSE. Recognizing this situation, on September 13, 2024, we submitted an application to uplist to the Nasdaq.
The timing of the Nasdaq uplisting process will depend on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, overall market conditions.
No assurance can be given that our application will be approved or that a trading market will develop. Unless and until we successfully
uplist, potential investor interest in our common stock may be muted, which may adversely affect our company and the trading price of
our common stock. The foregoing risks may have a material adverse effect on our Company and the trading price of our common stock.
We may not be able
to retain and attract programmatic advertisers, and the associated payments received from such programmatic advertisers’ ads on
websites which have been categorized as “Made for Advertising” may be adversely affected.
Certain recent developments
relating to publishers that are categorized by a number of programmatic advertisers as “Made for Advertising” (MFA) sites,
including decisions made by leading media programmatic advertisers to prioritize different media categories and implement publishing
restrictions in connection with MFA, have negatively impacted Cortex’s business and operations. In connection with the foregoing,
a significant customer of Cortex has decided to stop advertising on Cortex’s sites. Additional advertising customers of Cortex
may opt to stop advertising on Cortex’s sites, which will impact Cortex’s, and as a result thereof, the Company’s current
and future revenue streams and results of operations. The foregoing issues could lead to decreased advertiser interest in Cortex’s
sites, potentially resulting in lower bids for ad space, and as a result thereof, lower revenues from Cortex’s business, and decrease
in the Company’s results of operation.
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Insolvency proceedings
filed against Gix Media may adversely affect our financial condition and operations
The Petition filed against
Gix Media for the court to issue an order to commence insolvency proceedings, may harm the ability of Gix Media to carry out its business
as usual, meet its obligations or pay its debt as they come due. Furthermore, due to the filing of the Petition, Leumi may demand immediate
repayment of the loans outstanding under the Financing Agreement. We are currently unable to predict the outcome of the legal proceedings.
In the event that the Petition is granted in part or in full, or an order is issued, our business, financial condition, or results of
operations may be adversely affected.
We may not be able
to receive credit facility to fund our operations, on favorable terms, or at all.
We generally finance our
operations primarily through a combination of cash flow generated from operations and borrowings under our credit facilities, loans,
and through credit with our vendors. Our ability to access capital through our existing credit facilities and raise additional capital
by expanding our credit facilities on economically favorable terms (including available borrowing line and the rate of interest charged
thereunder) or at all, or if we are in violation of our financial covenants in the future and do not receive a waiver, depends on our
ability to stay in compliance with the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement poses certain limitations, as explained elsewhere
in this Quarterly Report. In addition, and as a result of the decrease in the Company’s revenues, our financial performance has
been negatively impacted, which may affect the terms on which we are able to obtain credit facilities and loans.
If adequate capital is not
available at the time we need it, we may have to curtail future growth or change our expansion plans, which could have a material adverse
effect on us.
If borrowing under our existing
credit facilities is reduced, or otherwise becomes unavailable, or we are unable to arrange substitute financing facilities or other
sources of capital, our ability to fund our operations would be impaired, which would have a material adverse effect on our results of
operations.
We may be unable to
pay our obligations when they become due, including under the Financing Agreement.
We have financed our acquisitions
principally through the raising of debt, credit facilities, and our operations through credit with our vendors. Our ability to continue
our operations and to pay our obligations, including under the Financing Agreement and credit facilities (as described elsewhere in this
Quarterly Report), when they become due is contingent upon obtaining additional financing. Furthermore, due to the filing of the Petition,
Leumi may demand immediate repayment of the loans outstanding under the Financing Agreement.
During August 2024, we renegotiated
the terms of the Financing Agreement and entered into the Fifth and Sixth Addendum to the Financing Agreement. The availability of the
credit facilities to Gix Media is subject to us depositing the Investment Amount by the Deposit Date with Gix Media. If the Company,
Cortex and Gix Media cannot maintain compliance with the terms and covenant of the Financing Agreement, or if we are unable to obtain
sufficient amounts of additional capital, we may be required to reduce the scope of our planned operations, and/or consider reductions
in personnel costs or other operating costs, in addition to the measures currently contemplated pursuant to the Financing Agreement.
ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
AND USE OF PROCEEDS
None.
ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES
None.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Not applicable.
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