u/Fluffy-Lead6201

Sponsored publication on behalf of the issuer

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Copper Quest Exploration Inc. (CSE: CQX; OTCQB: IMIMF; FRA: 3MX) (“Copper Quest” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it plans to advance several of its properties in 2026 starting with drilling on the Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project (the “Project” or “RIP”) in early May. Copper Quest has signed a Drilling Services Agreement with APEX Diamond Drilling Ltd. out of Smithers, BC, and has commenced preparations for drilling a minimum of 2,000 meters. The RIP Project is in the Stikine region of British Columbia, situated approximately 33 km northeast of Imperial Metals Corporation’s past producing Huckleberry copper-molybdenum (“Cu-Mo”) mine and Surge Copper’s advanced stage Ox/Seal/Berg projects, and 30 km southeast of Vizsla Copper Corp’s Poplar copper-gold Project. Imperial Metals Corporation is exploring Huckleberry and its surrounding claims for additional Cu-Mo resources.

Copper Quest planned 2026 Exploration:

• Early-May to mid-June – minimum 2,000 meters drilling at Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project.
• Mid-May to early-July - induced polarization (“IP”) survey on the STARS Copper-Molybdenum Property to be followed by the Company’s inaugural drilling campaign.
• Late-May to late-June - refurbishment of the access road for the past-producing Alpine Gold mine followed by reopening of the underground workings and assessment of the stockpile of run-of-mine material at site.
• Mid-July to early-September – drilling on the Alpine Property to confirm and expand upon historical resource estimates.
• Early-August to early-September - induced polarization (“IP”) survey on the Kitimat Copper-Gold Project to be followed by the Company’s inaugural drilling campaign. Permitting is expected to be completed by late summer based on the BC Government’s new guidelines.
• September to October - STARS Copper-Molybdenum Property inaugural drilling campaign.

Highlights of the Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project:

• First phase drill testing at Rip has confirmed that largely covered geophysical targets define a multi-phase Cu-Mo mineralized porphyry system.
  • Zones of anomalous Cu-Mo mineralization are hosted in porphyritic intrusions and associated vein stockwork. Drill Intersection highlights include (*Table 1):
  • 0.102% CuEq over 126.6 m* in drill hole RP24-001 from 21.4 m
  • Including 0.268% CuEq over 24.6 m* from 21.4 m
  • 0.112% CuEq over 114.3 m* in drill hole RP24-002 from 33.6 m
• The northern, approximately 1 X 1 kilometre (“km”), annular geophysical anomalies remain largely untested, while the southern anomaly of similar size has yet to be drill tested.
• most assays from the 2024 drill campaign are anomalous in Cu-Mo and the presence of intense quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration and strongly developed vein sets resembling D veins indicates the presence of a significant porphyry system that has only been partially tested.
• The Rip represents an opportunity for the Company to drill an untested but known multi-phase Cu-Mo porphyry system in the Bulkley Valley that is one of BC’s most prospective areas for porphyry exploration and discovery.

Brian Thurston, CEO of Copper Quest, stated*, “Copper Quest staff and contractors are excited to be getting an early start to what we anticipate will be a busy field season. We aim to advance several of our key properties, beginning with a drill program at RIP that will fulfill the terms for our acquisition of a 60% interest in this high-potential asset. Phase One drilling in 2024 demonstrated that a blind, multi-phase Cu-Mo mineralized porphyry system is responsible for at least one of the two compelling geophysical ‘bullseye’ targets outlined on the property. While the 2024 program successfully validated the target concept, most of the northern target and all of the southern target remain untested by drilling. It is a rare opportunity to get to explore road-accessible, validated porphyry targets in British Columbia that have seen so little previous drilling, particularly within an established porphyry district such as the Bulkley Valley. Copper Quest has assembled a dominant land position in the Bulkley Porphyry Belt, including the STARS, RIP and Stellar properties, providing shareholders with a district-scale copper porphyry exploration and discovery opportunity.”*

APEX Diamond Drilling Ltd. out of Smithers, BC, has been contracted for this second phase drill program comprising a minimum of 2,000 metres. The project will be run out of Houston, BC, located approximately 60 km north of the Rip property. The drilling will target both the northern and untested southern anomalies defined by Copper Quest’s geophysical surveys, airborne magnetics and 3D IP, detailed by the Company in its July 31, 2024, press release. The geophysical surveys define two porphyry Cu-Mo mineralized centres (Figure 1). The northernmost centre coincides with outcropping porphyry Cu-Mo mineralization and comprises a coincident magnetic/resistivity high, surrounded by a large “doughnut” shaped chargeability high (>35 mV/V) with a diameter of approximately 1 km. The second potential porphyry Cu-Mo centre is situated approximately 1.1 km to the south, comprising a similar magnetic high surrounded by a “doughnut” shaped chargeability high (>35 mV/V). This southern potential porphyry centre is entirely covered by overburden with a diameter of approximately 850 metres.

In summary, the 2024 mag, IP and drill program successfully resolved the original Rip anomaly into two separate porphyry systems and demonstrated that the northern target contains multiple intrusive phases and long intervals of low-grade Cu-Mo mineralization. This northern target has been partly defined as a 600m wide subvertical cylindrical mineralized zone between a magnetic barren core and a chargeable pyrite halo. The northern target has only been tested by three diamond drill holes (two by Copper Quest in 2024, one historical in 1975). The southern geophysical target is equivalent in size to the northern anomaly and has no diamond drill testing.

https://preview.redd.it/rfw4dcg01kwg1.png?width=1426&format=png&auto=webp&s=87413c42b682bc891c10e7a3fd4bb72de09f954a

Figure 1: RIP Chargeability and Magnetic Survey Results

Technical Details of 2024 Exploration and Drill Program

Copper Quest drilled 1033 metres in two holes in 2024 at the Rip Cu-Mo porphyry project. The Rip project is interpreted as a highly underexplored porphyry Cu-Mo system that is predominantly covered by overburden. A small outcrop area contains variably altered porphyritic intrusions which cut strongly hornfelsed Hazelton Group volcano-sedimentary rocks. Porphyritic intrusions and hornfelsed country rock are both host to porphyry style stockwork, including magnetite-chalcopyrite and quartz-chalcopyrite-molybdenite veins. Historical exploration drilling on the project included shallow, predominantly percussion holes targeting a large IP anomaly; within the IP anomaly, the holes intersected predominantly quartz-sericite-pyrite altered lithologies (including altered porphyritic intrusions) with anomalous Cu-Mo mineralization. Multiple holes failed to reach bedrock.

An airborne magnetic survey flown in 2024 revealed for the first time two separate circular magnetic highs within the historical chargeability high, suggesting that Rip contains two porphyry centers. The southern mag high is significantly larger than the northern one but does not crop out. Following the airborne mag survey, a 3D-DCIP induced polarization and resistivity survey was completed over the Rip target in 2024. The new IP survey resolved the original 1980 chargeability anomaly into two chargeability “donuts” around the two separate magnetic highs, the classic “pyrite halo” signature of porphyry systems, providing more evidence for the interpretation that Rip contains two adjacent porphyry systems.

Two drill holes were completed on the northern geophysical target from a single setup, both intersecting anomalous to low-grade Cu-Mo porphyry mineralization from surface, and at depths >400m in RP24-001 (Figure 2). Mineralization in both holes is hosted in three distinct phases of porphyritic intrusions with potassic to phyllic alteration and multistage veining (e.g., magnetite-chalcopyrite; quartz-chalcopyrite-molybdenite, pyrite-chalcopyrite with sericite haloes).

Table 1. Summary of assay results*

https://preview.redd.it/4opbur221kwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=9b54511dc3310707730d8d5818055b382232fbee

Notes on Table 1*: CuEq values are length-weighted averages calculated using metal prices of US$5.50/lb Cu, US$25.00/lb Mo, US$4,500/oz Au and US$70/oz Ag, with assumed metallurgical recoveries based on average reported recoveries from five regional porphyry deposits. See footnote * below for details.*

RP24-001 drilled eastwards towards the core of the geophysical anomaly, targeting the magnetic high within the high chargeability ring. Between upper and lower mineralized zones lies a central barren zone of strongly magnetic crowded porphyry (148-284m), major quartz pods and segregations (284-334m) and unidirectional solidification textures (“USTs”) (369-374m). These coincide with the magnetic high and are interpreted to comprise a central magmatic cupola near the magmatic-hydrothermal transition.

RP24-002 drilled westwards away from the core of the geophysical anomaly, targeting the strongest portion of the high chargeability ring. Below an upper zone of weak Cu-Mo mineralization, the lower portions of the hole intersected strong to intense sericite-pyrite alteration with D-style veins but negligible Cu-Mo. This abundant pyrite alteration explains the chargeability ring and is interpreted to be a portion of the pyrite halo of the northern target.

Drill hole locations

Table 2: 2024 drill hole locations (NAD83 Zone 10)

https://preview.redd.it/rw9n8gg31kwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=d37c6858d2b4fa2b30d72a87402334fc1d14dcf4

https://preview.redd.it/ck2qr0j71kwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=f0de5c89d1b8ea4fd4518aaf650b75c8d1145912

Figure 2 – Plan view of 2024 drilling, overlain on northern geophysical target. (Data from drill hole A75-1 is included from historical sources that have not been verified by Copper Quest)

https://preview.redd.it/v0k0jr591kwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=dbefc74a32aa9116b1e1caf1988aeba3a1dd5464

Figure 3: Cross section across the northern target (looking north), showing chargeability and CuEq drill intercepts.

Copper Quest Option Agreement and Claims Acquisition

In December 2023, the Company announced its option agreement with ArcWest Exploration Inc. (“ArcWest”) to acquire up to an 80% interest in the Rip Cu-Mo Project. Copper Quest can earn the first 60% tier of its interest in the project by completing staged exploration work totalling C$2.0 million and direct payment of C$100,000 and annual share payments over four years until the end of 2027.  In 2024 ArcWest and Copper Quest added five additional claims to the option agreement, acquired by staking, more than doubling the initial 2,308.81 ha road accessible property to its current 4,770.65 ha.

Notes:

* Detailed CuEq Methodology: Copper equivalent (“CuEq”) values represent length-weighted averages of selected contiguous assay intervals with values continuously greater than 500 ppm CuEq, with allowance for inclusion of single-sample gaps below 500 ppm CuEq. These intervals are intended to illustrate the extent and continuity of the mineralizing system and are not necessarily indicative of economic grades. CuEq calculations incorporate assumed metallurgical recoveries based on average publicly reported recoveries from five regional porphyry deposits: Huckleberry, Poplar, Seel, Ox and Berg. Average recoveries used were 91.2% Cu, 85.8% Mo, 73.1% Au and 70.1% Ag, normalized to copper. CuEq (%) = Cu (%) + 0.000428 × Mo (ppm) + 0.957 × Au (g/t) + 0.01425 × Ag (g/t). Metal price assumptions were US$5.50/lb Cu, US$25.00/lb Mo, US$4,500/oz Au and US$70/oz Ag. Recovery references include Christensen et al. (2011) Huckleberry Mine Technical Report; Ashton and Robb (2021) Poplar Project Technical Report; Stacey and Grey (2022) Seel metallurgical testwork disclosure; Boyce and Giroux (2014) Ox metallurgical study; and Murray et al. (2023) Berg PEA Technical Report.

Qualified Person

Brian Thurston, P.Geo., the Company’s President, CEO and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.

About Copper

Copper is an essential industrial metal at the heart of the global energy transition and modern infrastructure. It plays a critical role in electrification, renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, data centers, and smart technologies. With global demand rising and new supply challenged by declining grades, complex permitting, and underinvestment, the copper market faces persistent deficits and growing geopolitical scrutiny. Recent U.S. policy announcements, including import tariffs and initiatives to secure domestic and allied supply chains, underscore copper’s strategic importance and the need for resilient, localized resource exploration, development, production and processing capacity.

About Copper Quest Exploration Inc.

The company's land holdings comprise 8 projects that span over 46,000 hectares in great mining jurisdictions of Canada and the USA. Copper Quest is committed to building shareholder value through acquisitions, discovery-driven exploration, and responsible development of its North American portfolio of assets. The Company’s common shares are principally listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol “CQX”. For more information on Copper Quest, please visit the Company’s website at www.copper.quest.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the past-producing Alpine Gold Mine located approximately 20 kilometers northeast of the City of Nelson British Columbia, spanning 4,611.49 hectares with a 2018 National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects historical inferred resource of 268,000 tonnes, estimated using a cut-off grade of 5.0 g/t Au and an average grade of 16.52 g/t Au, that represents an inferred resource of 142,000 oz of gold* (*McCuaig & Giroux, March 6, 2018, NI43-101 Technical Report for the Alpine Property, BC, Canada. Further drilling is necessary by the Company to upgrade/verify the estimate. The QP has not done sufficient work to make the resource current and the Company is not treating the estimate as current.). Apart from the Alpine Mine itself the property hosts 4 other less explored significant vein systems including the past-producing King Solomon vein workings, the Black Prince and the Cold Blow veins system, and the Gold Crown vein system. *The Company has not yet completed sufficient work to verify the 2018 historic inferred resource results.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the road accessible Stars Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Property, spanning 9,693 hectares in central British Columbia’s Bulkley Porphyry Belt with Tana Zone discovery drill intersection highlights of 0.466% Cu over 195.07m in drill hole DD18SS004 from 23.47m, 0.200% Cu over 396.67m in drill hole DD18SS010 from 29.37m, and 0.205% Cu over 207.27m in drill hole DD18SS015 from 163.98m. This highly prospective, approximately 5X2.5-kilometer annular magnetic anomaly is interpreted to represent an altered monzonite intrusion and surrounding hornfels.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the road accessible Kitimat Copper-Gold Property, spanning 2,954 hectares within the Skeena Mining Division of northwestern British Columbia located northwest of the deep-water port community of Kitimat, British Columbia. The property benefits from exceptional infrastructure, being within 10 km of tidewater, 1.5 km of rail, and 6 km of high-voltage hydroelectric transmission lines. Exploration on the Kitimat property dates to the late 1960s, with the most significant historical work conducted by Decade Resources Ltd. (2010), which completed 16 diamond drill holes totaling 4,437.5 meters in the Jeannette Cu-Au Zone, and drill intersection highlights of 0.54% Cu and 1.03 g/t Au over 117.07 m in Hole J-7 from 1.52 m, 0.55% Cu and 1.00 g/t Au over 103.65m in Hole J-1 from 9.15 m, 0.45% Cu and 0.80 g/t Au over 107.01m in Hole J-2 from 6.10 m, and 0.33% Cu and 0.41 g/t Au over 112.20m in Hole J-8 from 11.89 m.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the past-producing, road accessible Auxer Gold Mine, spanning 1,087 hectares located in Bonner County, Idaho, USA. This orogenic gold opportunity is positioned along one of the region’s most significant structural corridors located within the prolific Hope Fault system. Historical exploration has demonstrated exceptional gold grades, with the 1936 Platts report documenting up to 21.0 g/t Au in surface samples and underground workings showing consistent mineralization over 4.3-meter widths averaging 9.42 g/t Au at an 18-meter depth.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the Nekash Copper-Gold Project, a porphyry exploration opportunity located in Lemhi County, Idaho, USA, along the prolific Idaho-Montana porphyry copper belt that hosts world-class systems such as Butte and CUMO. The project is fully road-accessible via maintained U.S. highways and forest service roads and consists of 70 unpatented federal lode claims covering 585 hectares.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the road accessible Stellar Property, spanning 5,389-hectares in British Columbia’s Bulkley Porphyry Belt contiguous to the Stars Property.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the Thane Project located in the Quesnel Terrane of Northern British Columbia spanning over 20,658 hectares with 10 priority targets identified demonstrating significant copper and precious metal mineralization potential.

Copper Quest has an earn-in option of up to 80% and joint-venture agreement on the road accessible Rip Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Project, spanning 4,700-hectares located in the Bulkley Porphyry Belt in central British Columbia.

Sponsored publication on behalf of the issuer

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Copper Quest Exploration Inc. (CSE: CQX; OTCQB: IMIMF; FRA: 3MX) (“Copper Quest” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it plans to advance several of its properties in 2026 starting with drilling on the Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project (the “Project” or “RIP”) in early May. Copper Quest has signed a Drilling Services Agreement with APEX Diamond Drilling Ltd. out of Smithers, BC, and has commenced preparations for drilling a minimum of 2,000 meters. The RIP Project is in the Stikine region of British Columbia, situated approximately 33 km northeast of Imperial Metals Corporation’s past producing Huckleberry copper-molybdenum (“Cu-Mo”) mine and Surge Copper’s advanced stage Ox/Seal/Berg projects, and 30 km southeast of Vizsla Copper Corp’s Poplar copper-gold Project. Imperial Metals Corporation is exploring Huckleberry and its surrounding claims for additional Cu-Mo resources.

Copper Quest planned 2026 Exploration:

• Early-May to mid-June – minimum 2,000 meters drilling at Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project.
• Mid-May to early-July - induced polarization (“IP”) survey on the STARS Copper-Molybdenum Property to be followed by the Company’s inaugural drilling campaign.
• Late-May to late-June - refurbishment of the access road for the past-producing Alpine Gold mine followed by reopening of the underground workings and assessment of the stockpile of run-of-mine material at site.
• Mid-July to early-September – drilling on the Alpine Property to confirm and expand upon historical resource estimates.
• Early-August to early-September - induced polarization (“IP”) survey on the Kitimat Copper-Gold Project to be followed by the Company’s inaugural drilling campaign. Permitting is expected to be completed by late summer based on the BC Government’s new guidelines.
• September to October - STARS Copper-Molybdenum Property inaugural drilling campaign.

Highlights of the Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project:

• First phase drill testing at Rip has confirmed that largely covered geophysical targets define a multi-phase Cu-Mo mineralized porphyry system.
  • Zones of anomalous Cu-Mo mineralization are hosted in porphyritic intrusions and associated vein stockwork. Drill Intersection highlights include (*Table 1):
  • 0.102% CuEq over 126.6 m* in drill hole RP24-001 from 21.4 m
  • Including 0.268% CuEq over 24.6 m* from 21.4 m
  • 0.112% CuEq over 114.3 m* in drill hole RP24-002 from 33.6 m
• The northern, approximately 1 X 1 kilometre (“km”), annular geophysical anomalies remain largely untested, while the southern anomaly of similar size has yet to be drill tested.
• most assays from the 2024 drill campaign are anomalous in Cu-Mo and the presence of intense quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration and strongly developed vein sets resembling D veins indicates the presence of a significant porphyry system that has only been partially tested.
• The Rip represents an opportunity for the Company to drill an untested but known multi-phase Cu-Mo porphyry system in the Bulkley Valley that is one of BC’s most prospective areas for porphyry exploration and discovery.

Brian Thurston, CEO of Copper Quest, stated*, “Copper Quest staff and contractors are excited to be getting an early start to what we anticipate will be a busy field season. We aim to advance several of our key properties, beginning with a drill program at RIP that will fulfill the terms for our acquisition of a 60% interest in this high-potential asset. Phase One drilling in 2024 demonstrated that a blind, multi-phase Cu-Mo mineralized porphyry system is responsible for at least one of the two compelling geophysical ‘bullseye’ targets outlined on the property. While the 2024 program successfully validated the target concept, most of the northern target and all of the southern target remain untested by drilling. It is a rare opportunity to get to explore road-accessible, validated porphyry targets in British Columbia that have seen so little previous drilling, particularly within an established porphyry district such as the Bulkley Valley. Copper Quest has assembled a dominant land position in the Bulkley Porphyry Belt, including the STARS, RIP and Stellar properties, providing shareholders with a district-scale copper porphyry exploration and discovery opportunity.”*

APEX Diamond Drilling Ltd. out of Smithers, BC, has been contracted for this second phase drill program comprising a minimum of 2,000 metres. The project will be run out of Houston, BC, located approximately 60 km north of the Rip property. The drilling will target both the northern and untested southern anomalies defined by Copper Quest’s geophysical surveys, airborne magnetics and 3D IP, detailed by the Company in its July 31, 2024, press release. The geophysical surveys define two porphyry Cu-Mo mineralized centres (Figure 1). The northernmost centre coincides with outcropping porphyry Cu-Mo mineralization and comprises a coincident magnetic/resistivity high, surrounded by a large “doughnut” shaped chargeability high (>35 mV/V) with a diameter of approximately 1 km. The second potential porphyry Cu-Mo centre is situated approximately 1.1 km to the south, comprising a similar magnetic high surrounded by a “doughnut” shaped chargeability high (>35 mV/V). This southern potential porphyry centre is entirely covered by overburden with a diameter of approximately 850 metres.

In summary, the 2024 mag, IP and drill program successfully resolved the original Rip anomaly into two separate porphyry systems and demonstrated that the northern target contains multiple intrusive phases and long intervals of low-grade Cu-Mo mineralization. This northern target has been partly defined as a 600m wide subvertical cylindrical mineralized zone between a magnetic barren core and a chargeable pyrite halo. The northern target has only been tested by three diamond drill holes (two by Copper Quest in 2024, one historical in 1975). The southern geophysical target is equivalent in size to the northern anomaly and has no diamond drill testing.

https://preview.redd.it/vlqa3zef0kwg1.png?width=1426&format=png&auto=webp&s=a571af4fa595d7493c4468175c7fde568cad3d11

Figure 1: RIP Chargeability and Magnetic Survey Results

Technical Details of 2024 Exploration and Drill Program

Copper Quest drilled 1033 metres in two holes in 2024 at the Rip Cu-Mo porphyry project. The Rip project is interpreted as a highly underexplored porphyry Cu-Mo system that is predominantly covered by overburden. A small outcrop area contains variably altered porphyritic intrusions which cut strongly hornfelsed Hazelton Group volcano-sedimentary rocks. Porphyritic intrusions and hornfelsed country rock are both host to porphyry style stockwork, including magnetite-chalcopyrite and quartz-chalcopyrite-molybdenite veins. Historical exploration drilling on the project included shallow, predominantly percussion holes targeting a large IP anomaly; within the IP anomaly, the holes intersected predominantly quartz-sericite-pyrite altered lithologies (including altered porphyritic intrusions) with anomalous Cu-Mo mineralization. Multiple holes failed to reach bedrock.

An airborne magnetic survey flown in 2024 revealed for the first time two separate circular magnetic highs within the historical chargeability high, suggesting that Rip contains two porphyry centers. The southern mag high is significantly larger than the northern one but does not crop out. Following the airborne mag survey, a 3D-DCIP induced polarization and resistivity survey was completed over the Rip target in 2024. The new IP survey resolved the original 1980 chargeability anomaly into two chargeability “donuts” around the two separate magnetic highs, the classic “pyrite halo” signature of porphyry systems, providing more evidence for the interpretation that Rip contains two adjacent porphyry systems.

Two drill holes were completed on the northern geophysical target from a single setup, both intersecting anomalous to low-grade Cu-Mo porphyry mineralization from surface, and at depths >400m in RP24-001 (Figure 2). Mineralization in both holes is hosted in three distinct phases of porphyritic intrusions with potassic to phyllic alteration and multistage veining (e.g., magnetite-chalcopyrite; quartz-chalcopyrite-molybdenite, pyrite-chalcopyrite with sericite haloes).

Table 1. Summary of assay results*

https://preview.redd.it/3dljuoyg0kwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=0f2f5b0c7094cab5de0d270cac0347d9d877cf2f

Notes on Table 1*: CuEq values are length-weighted averages calculated using metal prices of US$5.50/lb Cu, US$25.00/lb Mo, US$4,500/oz Au and US$70/oz Ag, with assumed metallurgical recoveries based on average reported recoveries from five regional porphyry deposits. See footnote * below for details.*

RP24-001 drilled eastwards towards the core of the geophysical anomaly, targeting the magnetic high within the high chargeability ring. Between upper and lower mineralized zones lies a central barren zone of strongly magnetic crowded porphyry (148-284m), major quartz pods and segregations (284-334m) and unidirectional solidification textures (“USTs”) (369-374m). These coincide with the magnetic high and are interpreted to comprise a central magmatic cupola near the magmatic-hydrothermal transition.

RP24-002 drilled westwards away from the core of the geophysical anomaly, targeting the strongest portion of the high chargeability ring. Below an upper zone of weak Cu-Mo mineralization, the lower portions of the hole intersected strong to intense sericite-pyrite alteration with D-style veins but negligible Cu-Mo. This abundant pyrite alteration explains the chargeability ring and is interpreted to be a portion of the pyrite halo of the northern target.

Drill hole locations

Table 2: 2024 drill hole locations (NAD83 Zone 10)

https://preview.redd.it/aztjqffi0kwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=95cdd6a394451d69e51cf7f1e76c1ab2b476e41e

https://preview.redd.it/n6bi6q8l0kwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=17338c811d7c8cfdb6ddb8ae8dd62d5a6469fa56

Figure 2 – Plan view of 2024 drilling, overlain on northern geophysical target. (Data from drill hole A75-1 is included from historical sources that have not been verified by Copper Quest)

https://preview.redd.it/qf96wv0q0kwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=8c118b97d2e96c699d8053758cc38e241319338d

Figure 3: Cross section across the northern target (looking north), showing chargeability and CuEq drill intercepts.

Copper Quest Option Agreement and Claims Acquisition

In December 2023, the Company announced its option agreement with ArcWest Exploration Inc. (“ArcWest”) to acquire up to an 80% interest in the Rip Cu-Mo Project. Copper Quest can earn the first 60% tier of its interest in the project by completing staged exploration work totalling C$2.0 million and direct payment of C$100,000 and annual share payments over four years until the end of 2027.  In 2024 ArcWest and Copper Quest added five additional claims to the option agreement, acquired by staking, more than doubling the initial 2,308.81 ha road accessible property to its current 4,770.65 ha.

Notes:

* Detailed CuEq Methodology: Copper equivalent (“CuEq”) values represent length-weighted averages of selected contiguous assay intervals with values continuously greater than 500 ppm CuEq, with allowance for inclusion of single-sample gaps below 500 ppm CuEq. These intervals are intended to illustrate the extent and continuity of the mineralizing system and are not necessarily indicative of economic grades. CuEq calculations incorporate assumed metallurgical recoveries based on average publicly reported recoveries from five regional porphyry deposits: Huckleberry, Poplar, Seel, Ox and Berg. Average recoveries used were 91.2% Cu, 85.8% Mo, 73.1% Au and 70.1% Ag, normalized to copper. CuEq (%) = Cu (%) + 0.000428 × Mo (ppm) + 0.957 × Au (g/t) + 0.01425 × Ag (g/t). Metal price assumptions were US$5.50/lb Cu, US$25.00/lb Mo, US$4,500/oz Au and US$70/oz Ag. Recovery references include Christensen et al. (2011) Huckleberry Mine Technical Report; Ashton and Robb (2021) Poplar Project Technical Report; Stacey and Grey (2022) Seel metallurgical testwork disclosure; Boyce and Giroux (2014) Ox metallurgical study; and Murray et al. (2023) Berg PEA Technical Report.

Qualified Person

Brian Thurston, P.Geo., the Company’s President, CEO and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.

About Copper

Copper is an essential industrial metal at the heart of the global energy transition and modern infrastructure. It plays a critical role in electrification, renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, data centers, and smart technologies. With global demand rising and new supply challenged by declining grades, complex permitting, and underinvestment, the copper market faces persistent deficits and growing geopolitical scrutiny. Recent U.S. policy announcements, including import tariffs and initiatives to secure domestic and allied supply chains, underscore copper’s strategic importance and the need for resilient, localized resource exploration, development, production and processing capacity.

About Copper Quest Exploration Inc.

The company's land holdings comprise 8 projects that span over 46,000 hectares in great mining jurisdictions of Canada and the USA. Copper Quest is committed to building shareholder value through acquisitions, discovery-driven exploration, and responsible development of its North American portfolio of assets. The Company’s common shares are principally listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol “CQX”. For more information on Copper Quest, please visit the Company’s website at www.copper.quest.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the past-producing Alpine Gold Mine located approximately 20 kilometers northeast of the City of Nelson British Columbia, spanning 4,611.49 hectares with a 2018 National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects historical inferred resource of 268,000 tonnes, estimated using a cut-off grade of 5.0 g/t Au and an average grade of 16.52 g/t Au, that represents an inferred resource of 142,000 oz of gold* (*McCuaig & Giroux, March 6, 2018, NI43-101 Technical Report for the Alpine Property, BC, Canada. Further drilling is necessary by the Company to upgrade/verify the estimate. The QP has not done sufficient work to make the resource current and the Company is not treating the estimate as current.). Apart from the Alpine Mine itself the property hosts 4 other less explored significant vein systems including the past-producing King Solomon vein workings, the Black Prince and the Cold Blow veins system, and the Gold Crown vein system. *The Company has not yet completed sufficient work to verify the 2018 historic inferred resource results.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the road accessible Stars Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Property, spanning 9,693 hectares in central British Columbia’s Bulkley Porphyry Belt with Tana Zone discovery drill intersection highlights of 0.466% Cu over 195.07m in drill hole DD18SS004 from 23.47m, 0.200% Cu over 396.67m in drill hole DD18SS010 from 29.37m, and 0.205% Cu over 207.27m in drill hole DD18SS015 from 163.98m. This highly prospective, approximately 5X2.5-kilometer annular magnetic anomaly is interpreted to represent an altered monzonite intrusion and surrounding hornfels.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the road accessible Kitimat Copper-Gold Property, spanning 2,954 hectares within the Skeena Mining Division of northwestern British Columbia located northwest of the deep-water port community of Kitimat, British Columbia. The property benefits from exceptional infrastructure, being within 10 km of tidewater, 1.5 km of rail, and 6 km of high-voltage hydroelectric transmission lines. Exploration on the Kitimat property dates to the late 1960s, with the most significant historical work conducted by Decade Resources Ltd. (2010), which completed 16 diamond drill holes totaling 4,437.5 meters in the Jeannette Cu-Au Zone, and drill intersection highlights of 0.54% Cu and 1.03 g/t Au over 117.07 m in Hole J-7 from 1.52 m, 0.55% Cu and 1.00 g/t Au over 103.65m in Hole J-1 from 9.15 m, 0.45% Cu and 0.80 g/t Au over 107.01m in Hole J-2 from 6.10 m, and 0.33% Cu and 0.41 g/t Au over 112.20m in Hole J-8 from 11.89 m.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the past-producing, road accessible Auxer Gold Mine, spanning 1,087 hectares located in Bonner County, Idaho, USA. This orogenic gold opportunity is positioned along one of the region’s most significant structural corridors located within the prolific Hope Fault system. Historical exploration has demonstrated exceptional gold grades, with the 1936 Platts report documenting up to 21.0 g/t Au in surface samples and underground workings showing consistent mineralization over 4.3-meter widths averaging 9.42 g/t Au at an 18-meter depth.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the Nekash Copper-Gold Project, a porphyry exploration opportunity located in Lemhi County, Idaho, USA, along the prolific Idaho-Montana porphyry copper belt that hosts world-class systems such as Butte and CUMO. The project is fully road-accessible via maintained U.S. highways and forest service roads and consists of 70 unpatented federal lode claims covering 585 hectares.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the road accessible Stellar Property, spanning 5,389-hectares in British Columbia’s Bulkley Porphyry Belt contiguous to the Stars Property.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the Thane Project located in the Quesnel Terrane of Northern British Columbia spanning over 20,658 hectares with 10 priority targets identified demonstrating significant copper and precious metal mineralization potential.

Copper Quest has an earn-in option of up to 80% and joint-venture agreement on the road accessible Rip Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Project, spanning 4,700-hectares located in the Bulkley Porphyry Belt in central British Columbia.

Sponsored publication on behalf of the issuer

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Copper Quest Exploration Inc. (CSE: CQX; OTCQB: IMIMF; FRA: 3MX) (“Copper Quest” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it plans to advance several of its properties in 2026 starting with drilling on the Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project (the “Project” or “RIP”) in early May. Copper Quest has signed a Drilling Services Agreement with APEX Diamond Drilling Ltd. out of Smithers, BC, and has commenced preparations for drilling a minimum of 2,000 meters. The RIP Project is in the Stikine region of British Columbia, situated approximately 33 km northeast of Imperial Metals Corporation’s past producing Huckleberry copper-molybdenum (“Cu-Mo”) mine and Surge Copper’s advanced stage Ox/Seal/Berg projects, and 30 km southeast of Vizsla Copper Corp’s Poplar copper-gold Project. Imperial Metals Corporation is exploring Huckleberry and its surrounding claims for additional Cu-Mo resources.

Copper Quest planned 2026 Exploration:

• Early-May to mid-June – minimum 2,000 meters drilling at Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project.
• Mid-May to early-July - induced polarization (“IP”) survey on the STARS Copper-Molybdenum Property to be followed by the Company’s inaugural drilling campaign.
• Late-May to late-June - refurbishment of the access road for the past-producing Alpine Gold mine followed by reopening of the underground workings and assessment of the stockpile of run-of-mine material at site.
• Mid-July to early-September – drilling on the Alpine Property to confirm and expand upon historical resource estimates.
• Early-August to early-September - induced polarization (“IP”) survey on the Kitimat Copper-Gold Project to be followed by the Company’s inaugural drilling campaign. Permitting is expected to be completed by late summer based on the BC Government’s new guidelines.
• September to October - STARS Copper-Molybdenum Property inaugural drilling campaign.

Highlights of the Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project:

• First phase drill testing at Rip has confirmed that largely covered geophysical targets define a multi-phase Cu-Mo mineralized porphyry system.
  • Zones of anomalous Cu-Mo mineralization are hosted in porphyritic intrusions and associated vein stockwork. Drill Intersection highlights include (*Table 1):
  • 0.102% CuEq over 126.6 m* in drill hole RP24-001 from 21.4 m
  • Including 0.268% CuEq over 24.6 m* from 21.4 m
  • 0.112% CuEq over 114.3 m* in drill hole RP24-002 from 33.6 m
• The northern, approximately 1 X 1 kilometre (“km”), annular geophysical anomalies remain largely untested, while the southern anomaly of similar size has yet to be drill tested.
• most assays from the 2024 drill campaign are anomalous in Cu-Mo and the presence of intense quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration and strongly developed vein sets resembling D veins indicates the presence of a significant porphyry system that has only been partially tested.
• The Rip represents an opportunity for the Company to drill an untested but known multi-phase Cu-Mo porphyry system in the Bulkley Valley that is one of BC’s most prospective areas for porphyry exploration and discovery.

Brian Thurston, CEO of Copper Quest, stated*, “Copper Quest staff and contractors are excited to be getting an early start to what we anticipate will be a busy field season. We aim to advance several of our key properties, beginning with a drill program at RIP that will fulfill the terms for our acquisition of a 60% interest in this high-potential asset. Phase One drilling in 2024 demonstrated that a blind, multi-phase Cu-Mo mineralized porphyry system is responsible for at least one of the two compelling geophysical ‘bullseye’ targets outlined on the property. While the 2024 program successfully validated the target concept, most of the northern target and all of the southern target remain untested by drilling. It is a rare opportunity to get to explore road-accessible, validated porphyry targets in British Columbia that have seen so little previous drilling, particularly within an established porphyry district such as the Bulkley Valley. Copper Quest has assembled a dominant land position in the Bulkley Porphyry Belt, including the STARS, RIP and Stellar properties, providing shareholders with a district-scale copper porphyry exploration and discovery opportunity.”*

APEX Diamond Drilling Ltd. out of Smithers, BC, has been contracted for this second phase drill program comprising a minimum of 2,000 metres. The project will be run out of Houston, BC, located approximately 60 km north of the Rip property. The drilling will target both the northern and untested southern anomalies defined by Copper Quest’s geophysical surveys, airborne magnetics and 3D IP, detailed by the Company in its July 31, 2024, press release. The geophysical surveys define two porphyry Cu-Mo mineralized centres (Figure 1). The northernmost centre coincides with outcropping porphyry Cu-Mo mineralization and comprises a coincident magnetic/resistivity high, surrounded by a large “doughnut” shaped chargeability high (>35 mV/V) with a diameter of approximately 1 km. The second potential porphyry Cu-Mo centre is situated approximately 1.1 km to the south, comprising a similar magnetic high surrounded by a “doughnut” shaped chargeability high (>35 mV/V). This southern potential porphyry centre is entirely covered by overburden with a diameter of approximately 850 metres.

In summary, the 2024 mag, IP and drill program successfully resolved the original Rip anomaly into two separate porphyry systems and demonstrated that the northern target contains multiple intrusive phases and long intervals of low-grade Cu-Mo mineralization. This northern target has been partly defined as a 600m wide subvertical cylindrical mineralized zone between a magnetic barren core and a chargeable pyrite halo. The northern target has only been tested by three diamond drill holes (two by Copper Quest in 2024, one historical in 1975). The southern geophysical target is equivalent in size to the northern anomaly and has no diamond drill testing.

https://preview.redd.it/nz2nul08zjwg1.png?width=1426&format=png&auto=webp&s=0254b39d8875181f02ea7abdc0305bacb6e1b34a

Figure 1: RIP Chargeability and Magnetic Survey Results

Technical Details of 2024 Exploration and Drill Program

Copper Quest drilled 1033 metres in two holes in 2024 at the Rip Cu-Mo porphyry project. The Rip project is interpreted as a highly underexplored porphyry Cu-Mo system that is predominantly covered by overburden. A small outcrop area contains variably altered porphyritic intrusions which cut strongly hornfelsed Hazelton Group volcano-sedimentary rocks. Porphyritic intrusions and hornfelsed country rock are both host to porphyry style stockwork, including magnetite-chalcopyrite and quartz-chalcopyrite-molybdenite veins. Historical exploration drilling on the project included shallow, predominantly percussion holes targeting a large IP anomaly; within the IP anomaly, the holes intersected predominantly quartz-sericite-pyrite altered lithologies (including altered porphyritic intrusions) with anomalous Cu-Mo mineralization. Multiple holes failed to reach bedrock.

An airborne magnetic survey flown in 2024 revealed for the first time two separate circular magnetic highs within the historical chargeability high, suggesting that Rip contains two porphyry centers. The southern mag high is significantly larger than the northern one but does not crop out. Following the airborne mag survey, a 3D-DCIP induced polarization and resistivity survey was completed over the Rip target in 2024. The new IP survey resolved the original 1980 chargeability anomaly into two chargeability “donuts” around the two separate magnetic highs, the classic “pyrite halo” signature of porphyry systems, providing more evidence for the interpretation that Rip contains two adjacent porphyry systems.

Two drill holes were completed on the northern geophysical target from a single setup, both intersecting anomalous to low-grade Cu-Mo porphyry mineralization from surface, and at depths >400m in RP24-001 (Figure 2). Mineralization in both holes is hosted in three distinct phases of porphyritic intrusions with potassic to phyllic alteration and multistage veining (e.g., magnetite-chalcopyrite; quartz-chalcopyrite-molybdenite, pyrite-chalcopyrite with sericite haloes).

Table 1. Summary of assay results*

https://preview.redd.it/bjps4igbzjwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=a060b9c83f7a47688517941d7bfa5d663647017b

Notes on Table 1*: CuEq values are length-weighted averages calculated using metal prices of US$5.50/lb Cu, US$25.00/lb Mo, US$4,500/oz Au and US$70/oz Ag, with assumed metallurgical recoveries based on average reported recoveries from five regional porphyry deposits. See footnote * below for details.*

RP24-001 drilled eastwards towards the core of the geophysical anomaly, targeting the magnetic high within the high chargeability ring. Between upper and lower mineralized zones lies a central barren zone of strongly magnetic crowded porphyry (148-284m), major quartz pods and segregations (284-334m) and unidirectional solidification textures (“USTs”) (369-374m). These coincide with the magnetic high and are interpreted to comprise a central magmatic cupola near the magmatic-hydrothermal transition.

RP24-002 drilled westwards away from the core of the geophysical anomaly, targeting the strongest portion of the high chargeability ring. Below an upper zone of weak Cu-Mo mineralization, the lower portions of the hole intersected strong to intense sericite-pyrite alteration with D-style veins but negligible Cu-Mo. This abundant pyrite alteration explains the chargeability ring and is interpreted to be a portion of the pyrite halo of the northern target.

Drill hole locations

Table 2: 2024 drill hole locations (NAD83 Zone 10)

https://preview.redd.it/xbcdjbedzjwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=fe9dfe5a441b33924f381ad34d663d8a2fd34feb

https://preview.redd.it/pteanziezjwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=3dc4e9d3c8c1864daab03ae0cb1feed79bfbe0c5

Figure 2 – Plan view of 2024 drilling, overlain on northern geophysical target. (Data from drill hole A75-1 is included from historical sources that have not been verified by Copper Quest)

https://preview.redd.it/4hq4mqwfzjwg1.png?width=1458&format=png&auto=webp&s=b5e08580ecb35ea71e4456b77b31fc56e4be5725

Figure 3: Cross section across the northern target (looking north), showing chargeability and CuEq drill intercepts.

Copper Quest Option Agreement and Claims Acquisition

In December 2023, the Company announced its option agreement with ArcWest Exploration Inc. (“ArcWest”) to acquire up to an 80% interest in the Rip Cu-Mo Project. Copper Quest can earn the first 60% tier of its interest in the project by completing staged exploration work totalling C$2.0 million and direct payment of C$100,000 and annual share payments over four years until the end of 2027.  In 2024 ArcWest and Copper Quest added five additional claims to the option agreement, acquired by staking, more than doubling the initial 2,308.81 ha road accessible property to its current 4,770.65 ha.

Notes:

* Detailed CuEq Methodology: Copper equivalent (“CuEq”) values represent length-weighted averages of selected contiguous assay intervals with values continuously greater than 500 ppm CuEq, with allowance for inclusion of single-sample gaps below 500 ppm CuEq. These intervals are intended to illustrate the extent and continuity of the mineralizing system and are not necessarily indicative of economic grades. CuEq calculations incorporate assumed metallurgical recoveries based on average publicly reported recoveries from five regional porphyry deposits: Huckleberry, Poplar, Seel, Ox and Berg. Average recoveries used were 91.2% Cu, 85.8% Mo, 73.1% Au and 70.1% Ag, normalized to copper. CuEq (%) = Cu (%) + 0.000428 × Mo (ppm) + 0.957 × Au (g/t) + 0.01425 × Ag (g/t). Metal price assumptions were US$5.50/lb Cu, US$25.00/lb Mo, US$4,500/oz Au and US$70/oz Ag. Recovery references include Christensen et al. (2011) Huckleberry Mine Technical Report; Ashton and Robb (2021) Poplar Project Technical Report; Stacey and Grey (2022) Seel metallurgical testwork disclosure; Boyce and Giroux (2014) Ox metallurgical study; and Murray et al. (2023) Berg PEA Technical Report.

Qualified Person

Brian Thurston, P.Geo., the Company’s President, CEO and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.

About Copper

Copper is an essential industrial metal at the heart of the global energy transition and modern infrastructure. It plays a critical role in electrification, renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, data centers, and smart technologies. With global demand rising and new supply challenged by declining grades, complex permitting, and underinvestment, the copper market faces persistent deficits and growing geopolitical scrutiny. Recent U.S. policy announcements, including import tariffs and initiatives to secure domestic and allied supply chains, underscore copper’s strategic importance and the need for resilient, localized resource exploration, development, production and processing capacity.

About Copper Quest Exploration Inc.

The company's land holdings comprise 8 projects that span over 46,000 hectares in great mining jurisdictions of Canada and the USA. Copper Quest is committed to building shareholder value through acquisitions, discovery-driven exploration, and responsible development of its North American portfolio of assets. The Company’s common shares are principally listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol “CQX”. For more information on Copper Quest, please visit the Company’s website at www.copper.quest.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the past-producing Alpine Gold Mine located approximately 20 kilometers northeast of the City of Nelson British Columbia, spanning 4,611.49 hectares with a 2018 National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects historical inferred resource of 268,000 tonnes, estimated using a cut-off grade of 5.0 g/t Au and an average grade of 16.52 g/t Au, that represents an inferred resource of 142,000 oz of gold* (*McCuaig & Giroux, March 6, 2018, NI43-101 Technical Report for the Alpine Property, BC, Canada. Further drilling is necessary by the Company to upgrade/verify the estimate. The QP has not done sufficient work to make the resource current and the Company is not treating the estimate as current.). Apart from the Alpine Mine itself the property hosts 4 other less explored significant vein systems including the past-producing King Solomon vein workings, the Black Prince and the Cold Blow veins system, and the Gold Crown vein system. *The Company has not yet completed sufficient work to verify the 2018 historic inferred resource results.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the road accessible Stars Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Property, spanning 9,693 hectares in central British Columbia’s Bulkley Porphyry Belt with Tana Zone discovery drill intersection highlights of 0.466% Cu over 195.07m in drill hole DD18SS004 from 23.47m, 0.200% Cu over 396.67m in drill hole DD18SS010 from 29.37m, and 0.205% Cu over 207.27m in drill hole DD18SS015 from 163.98m. This highly prospective, approximately 5X2.5-kilometer annular magnetic anomaly is interpreted to represent an altered monzonite intrusion and surrounding hornfels.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the road accessible Kitimat Copper-Gold Property, spanning 2,954 hectares within the Skeena Mining Division of northwestern British Columbia located northwest of the deep-water port community of Kitimat, British Columbia. The property benefits from exceptional infrastructure, being within 10 km of tidewater, 1.5 km of rail, and 6 km of high-voltage hydroelectric transmission lines. Exploration on the Kitimat property dates to the late 1960s, with the most significant historical work conducted by Decade Resources Ltd. (2010), which completed 16 diamond drill holes totaling 4,437.5 meters in the Jeannette Cu-Au Zone, and drill intersection highlights of 0.54% Cu and 1.03 g/t Au over 117.07 m in Hole J-7 from 1.52 m, 0.55% Cu and 1.00 g/t Au over 103.65m in Hole J-1 from 9.15 m, 0.45% Cu and 0.80 g/t Au over 107.01m in Hole J-2 from 6.10 m, and 0.33% Cu and 0.41 g/t Au over 112.20m in Hole J-8 from 11.89 m.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the past-producing, road accessible Auxer Gold Mine, spanning 1,087 hectares located in Bonner County, Idaho, USA. This orogenic gold opportunity is positioned along one of the region’s most significant structural corridors located within the prolific Hope Fault system. Historical exploration has demonstrated exceptional gold grades, with the 1936 Platts report documenting up to 21.0 g/t Au in surface samples and underground workings showing consistent mineralization over 4.3-meter widths averaging 9.42 g/t Au at an 18-meter depth.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the Nekash Copper-Gold Project, a porphyry exploration opportunity located in Lemhi County, Idaho, USA, along the prolific Idaho-Montana porphyry copper belt that hosts world-class systems such as Butte and CUMO. The project is fully road-accessible via maintained U.S. highways and forest service roads and consists of 70 unpatented federal lode claims covering 585 hectares.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the road accessible Stellar Property, spanning 5,389-hectares in British Columbia’s Bulkley Porphyry Belt contiguous to the Stars Property.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the Thane Project located in the Quesnel Terrane of Northern British Columbia spanning over 20,658 hectares with 10 priority targets identified demonstrating significant copper and precious metal mineralization potential.

Copper Quest has an earn-in option of up to 80% and joint-venture agreement on the road accessible Rip Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Project, spanning 4,700-hectares located in the Bulkley Porphyry Belt in central British Columbia.

Sponsored publication on behalf of the issuer
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / April 17, 2026 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. ("AIML" or the "Company") (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB:AIMLF)(FSE:42FB) is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced share for debt issuance with certain service providers of the Company pursuant to which the Company has issued an aggregate of 17,118,420 common shares (the "Subject Shares") at a deemed price of Cdn$0.05 per Subject Share in consideration of past services and satisfaction of outstanding indebtedness.

The Subject Shares are subject to a statutory hold period expiring on August 18, 2026.

Insiders of the Company have purchased, directly or indirectly, an aggregate of 11,848,000 Subject Shares, as a result of which the issuance is a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61- 101"). The Company is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to the exemptions contained in Sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that the Company is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the Subject Shares, insofar as it involves the related parties, exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101).

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

About AI/ML Innovations Inc.

AIML Innovations Inc. is a global technology company pioneering the use of artificial intelligence and neural networks to transform digital health. Our proprietary platforms leverage advanced signal processing and deep learning to convert complex biometric data into actionable clinical insights-supporting earlier diagnosis, personalized treatment, and more effective care. AIML's shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:AIML), the OTCQB Venture Market (AIMLF), and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (42FB).

Sponsored publication on behalf of the issuer
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / April 17, 2026 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. ("AIML" or the "Company") (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB:AIMLF)(FSE:42FB) is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced share for debt issuance with certain service providers of the Company pursuant to which the Company has issued an aggregate of 17,118,420 common shares (the "Subject Shares") at a deemed price of Cdn$0.05 per Subject Share in consideration of past services and satisfaction of outstanding indebtedness.

The Subject Shares are subject to a statutory hold period expiring on August 18, 2026.

Insiders of the Company have purchased, directly or indirectly, an aggregate of 11,848,000 Subject Shares, as a result of which the issuance is a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61- 101"). The Company is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to the exemptions contained in Sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that the Company is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the Subject Shares, insofar as it involves the related parties, exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101).

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

About AI/ML Innovations Inc.

AIML Innovations Inc. is a global technology company pioneering the use of artificial intelligence and neural networks to transform digital health. Our proprietary platforms leverage advanced signal processing and deep learning to convert complex biometric data into actionable clinical insights-supporting earlier diagnosis, personalized treatment, and more effective care. AIML's shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:AIML), the OTCQB Venture Market (AIMLF), and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (42FB).

Sponsored publication on behalf of the issuer
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / April 17, 2026 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. ("AIML" or the "Company") (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB:AIMLF)(FSE:42FB) is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced share for debt issuance with certain service providers of the Company pursuant to which the Company has issued an aggregate of 17,118,420 common shares (the "Subject Shares") at a deemed price of Cdn$0.05 per Subject Share in consideration of past services and satisfaction of outstanding indebtedness.

The Subject Shares are subject to a statutory hold period expiring on August 18, 2026.

Insiders of the Company have purchased, directly or indirectly, an aggregate of 11,848,000 Subject Shares, as a result of which the issuance is a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61- 101"). The Company is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to the exemptions contained in Sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that the Company is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the Subject Shares, insofar as it involves the related parties, exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101).

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

About AI/ML Innovations Inc.

AIML Innovations Inc. is a global technology company pioneering the use of artificial intelligence and neural networks to transform digital health. Our proprietary platforms leverage advanced signal processing and deep learning to convert complex biometric data into actionable clinical insights-supporting earlier diagnosis, personalized treatment, and more effective care. AIML's shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:AIML), the OTCQB Venture Market (AIMLF), and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (42FB).

Sponsored publication on behalf of the issuer
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / April 17, 2026 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. ("AIML" or the "Company") (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB:AIMLF)(FSE:42FB) is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced share for debt issuance with certain service providers of the Company pursuant to which the Company has issued an aggregate of 17,118,420 common shares (the "Subject Shares") at a deemed price of Cdn$0.05 per Subject Share in consideration of past services and satisfaction of outstanding indebtedness.

The Subject Shares are subject to a statutory hold period expiring on August 18, 2026.

Insiders of the Company have purchased, directly or indirectly, an aggregate of 11,848,000 Subject Shares, as a result of which the issuance is a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61- 101"). The Company is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to the exemptions contained in Sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that the Company is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the Subject Shares, insofar as it involves the related parties, exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101).

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

About AI/ML Innovations Inc.

AIML Innovations Inc. is a global technology company pioneering the use of artificial intelligence and neural networks to transform digital health. Our proprietary platforms leverage advanced signal processing and deep learning to convert complex biometric data into actionable clinical insights-supporting earlier diagnosis, personalized treatment, and more effective care. AIML's shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:AIML), the OTCQB Venture Market (AIMLF), and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (42FB).

•AI/ML Innovations closed a $950,000 private placement in late March 2026 — with insiders absorbing 58% of the raise, signaling strong internal conviction as the company accelerates its push toward commercialization.

•NeuralCloud's MaxYield™ platform is now embedded in a European cloud-based cardiac monitoring network, giving the company commercial distribution reach without the cost or complexity of building a direct European sales operation.

•A research services agreement with the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute puts MaxYield™ at the center of a peer-reviewed cardiovascular study — the kind of institutional validation that opens doors with hospital procurement teams and clinical partners.

•Unlike consumer cardiac apps that classify rhythm, MaxYield™ annotates ECG waveforms beat-by-beat — identifying P waves, QRS complexes, and T waves across any device and any species, a technical depth its competitors have not matched.

•With pilots active at SickKids Hospital, the Toronto Heart Centre, and now a European monitoring platform, AIML is no longer a concept-stage company — it is in clinical environments, converting relationships into potential recurring revenue.

This article has been prepared on behalf of AIML Innovations Inc. and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell securities.

Three announcements in the final two weeks of March 2026 reveal a company with a specific and increasingly concrete strategy: embed its ECG signal-processing infrastructure into research institutions, clinical platforms, and distribution networks — and fund the runway to get there. For AI/ML Innovations Inc. (CSE:AIML / OTCQB:AIMLF), the final days of March 2026 were among the most operationally dense in the company's history. Within a span of six days, the Toronto-based AI health company announced a research partnership with one of the world's most respected cardiovascular institutes, closed a $950,000 private placement, and revealed that its Neural Cloud subsidiary had signed a reseller agreement with a European digital cardiac monitoring platform. Taken individually, each announcement reflects incremental progress. Taken together, they sketch the outline of a deliberate commercialization architecture that has been years in the making.

The Technology Underneath Everything

To understand what AIML is building toward, it helps to understand what sits at the center of every deal the company announces: MaxYield™, its proprietary ECG signal-processing engine. Unlike consumer-facing cardiac apps or rhythm classifiers embedded in wearables, MaxYield™ performs beat-by-beat annotation of full ECG waveforms — isolating and labeling P waves, QRS complexes, and T waves while extracting interval data at the beat level. The distinction matters clinically. Most incumbent platforms, including those embedded in consumer wearables from major technology companies, perform rhythm classification only — they identify what a cardiac rhythm is doing. MaxYield™ is designed to identify why the heart is producing a given signal, a fundamentally different level of signal interpretation.

The platform has been validated across human, equine, and canine cardiac morphologies — a technical proof of architectural generalization that the company argues single-species competitors cannot match. It processes signals from any device, from single-lead consumer patches to 12-lead clinical systems, and operates as a cloud-native infrastructure layer designed to integrate into existing clinical and research workflows rather than replace them. The company received a U.S. patent grant (U.S. Patent No. 12,465,266) in November 2025 covering the core ECG signal-processing architecture, with a suite of provisional filings extending protection across neural-network design, cloud-native workflows, and adaptive clinical reporting systems. That IP was developed with Wolf Greenfield & Sacks, a leading life sciences patent firm.

Built on top of MaxYield™ is a layered product stack: CardioYield™, an AI-enabled Holter report automation platform currently advancing through FDA 510(k) review; Insight360™, a wellness and performance analytics platform that is already in-market and generating revenue as of Q1 2026; and a TrueWave.Kit SDK for OEM licensing directly to device manufacturers. A pre-trained Model API — essentially a cardiac AI equivalent of what OpenAI's API provides in the language model space — is targeted for Q1 2027 beta launch.

Baker Heart: Validation at the Research Layer

On March 18th, 2026, NeuralCloud entered into a research services agreement with Dr. Kegan Moneghetti of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute to provide AI-powered ECG signal processing in support of an ongoing cardiovascular research study. Under the agreement, NeuralCloud will apply its MaxYield™ platform to existing ECG recordings supplied by the research team, supporting a study evaluating heart rate variability in healthy control subjects compared to individuals experiencing post-exertional malaise — with the goal of identifying measurable physiological differences using high-resolution ECG analytics.

Post-exertional malaise is a defining symptom of ME/CFS and Long COVID, conditions that have attracted significant research funding and clinical attention globally. NeuralCloud will convert PDF ECG traces to European Data Format and run AI-based signal processing, yielding labeled waveform components, beat-level data, and interval measurements suitable for HRV research workflows, with study findings expected to be published within the coming year.

The strategic value of this agreement is not the near-term revenue — the services are non-diagnostic and are not intended for clinical use. The value is the institutional stamp. The Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute is internationally recognized for its leadership in cardiovascular research, prevention, and digital health. WebDisclosure A peer-reviewed publication citing MaxYield™ as the signal processing backbone of a study by this institution would carry far more weight with hospital procurement teams and potential distribution partners than any press release.

"High-quality ECG signal processing is essential for uncovering subtle physiological markers in research settings," said Paul Duffy, Executive Chairman and CEO of AIML. "This engagement demonstrates how NeuralCloud's technology can support leading academic institutions by delivering consistent, reproducible ECG analytics that integrate seamlessly into established research workflows."

Dr. Moneghetti himself lent credibility to the platform directly, noting that NeuralCloud's MaxYield™ provides a structured framework for extracting ECG metrics with potential applications across cardiovascular research. Esmat Naikyar, President of NeuralCloud and Chief Product Officer at AIML, added that the engagement "highlights how MaxYield™ can support rigorous cardiovascular research using real-world ECG data."

It is worth noting that the Baker engagement is not the company's first foray into institutional research settings. The company initiated a pediatric cardiac pilot at SickKids Hospital in November 2025, benchmarked AI-powered Holter reporting at the Toronto Heart Centre in October 2025, and has an ongoing cardiac monitoring deployment at the Heartdent Center in Jamaica. The Baker agreement adds an internationally recognized research institution to a pilot and deployment roster that now spans multiple continents and clinical verticals.

The European Reseller: Commercial Distribution

On March 31st, AIML announced that Neural Cloud had entered into a reseller agreement with a European-based digital health platform specializing in cloud-based ECG and heart rate variability analytics, under which the partner will integrate and resell MaxYield™ as either a standalone capability or as part of a bundled remote cardiac monitoring solution.

The partner's identity was not publicly disclosed. The platform operates as a device-agnostic, cloud-based monitoring environment, enabling cardiologists, general practitioners, and healthcare providers to remotely track patient cardiovascular metrics in real time. Patients connect compatible ECG devices to a mobile application, allowing short ECG recordings to be transmitted securely to the cloud for instant analysis. Mediabistro This deal is structurally significant. Entering European healthcare markets independently would require AIML to navigate complex regulatory frameworks, build or hire local sales infrastructure, and establish clinical relationships from scratch. By embedding MaxYield™ into a platform that already has these relationships and that existing clinical customers, AIML effectively piggybacks on a distribution network that took years to build. The model mirrors what the company has been executing in Latin America, where it signed a distribution agreement with Intelimed in February 2026, and signals that geographic expansion through established platform partners — rather than direct sales — is a deliberate strategic posture.

Erik Suokas, COO of AIML Innovations — who joined in January 2026 following an executive search and brings prior commercial roles at Abbott Medical, St. Jude Medical, and Medtronic — framed the deal in terms of market tailwinds: "This collaboration demonstrates the growing demand for high-quality ECG signal processing within the rapidly expanding field of remote cardiac monitoring. By integrating MaxYield into innovative digital health platforms, we can help clinicians access cleaner signals and more reliable insights, ultimately supporting better patient outcomes."

Suokas's appointment itself is worth noting in this context. His prior track record includes driving approximately 275% revenue growth at Sun Nuclear through a restructured go-to-market strategy and leading 12+ acquisitions in a private equity-backed environment. His hiring was widely interpreted as a signal that AIML was transitioning from a technology development phase to one focused on commercial execution.

The Private Placement: Capital Structure and Insider Signal

On March 27th, AIML closed the first tranche of a non-brokered private placement, issuing convertible debentures in the aggregate principal amount of $950,000. The debentures bear interest at 10% per annum, mature on March 27, 2029, and are convertible into units at $0.05 per unit, with each unit comprising one common share and one warrant exercisable at $0.15 for a period of 36 months.

Insiders of the company participated directly, purchasing $550,000 of the $950,000 raised. Stock Titan That figure — 58% of the total raise — is the most materially important detail in the announcement. When the majority of a capital raise is absorbed by the people with the most visibility into actual operations, product status, and pipeline quality, it is a meaningful signal about internal conviction. The debenture structure, which allows interest to convert to equity under the same terms, also reduces cash repayment pressure during the commercialization runway.

The financial context behind this raise is not without weight. The company's most recent quarterly filings reported approximately C$429,000 in cash as of January 31, 2026, against a monthly operating burn rate of roughly C$400,000. The $950,000 raise extends that runway materially, but the company has explicitly disclosed in its public filings that it will require additional financing to continue operations. Shareholders' equity stood at approximately C$215,000 as of the same date, reflecting the accumulated losses typical of an early-stage company investing heavily ahead of revenue scale. Revenue for the nine months ended January 31, 2026, totaled C$83,058 — meaningful as early validation of platform usage, but not yet at a scale that covers operating costs.

This financial profile is consistent with early-stage AI healthcare companies at a similar inflection point, and the capital being deployed has tangibly funded real assets: a granted U.S. patent, more than 10 active clinical pilots, a 55-person team across clinical, technical, and commercial functions, and parallel regulatory submissions across three jurisdictions.

The Infrastructure Thesis

The company's strategic positioning is best understood not as a diagnostics company competing with iRhythm or Philips Cardiologs at the clinical output layer, but as an infrastructure provider operating upstream of those platforms. NeuralCloud's longer-term roadmap includes ECG annotation services (currently active and generating revenue), AI training infrastructure targeting ECG developers and hospital IT, and the planned Model API — designed to supply pre-trained ECG neural networks to the 60+ Holter manufacturers, wearable makers, and hospital IT systems that need clean, structured signal data to power their own downstream analytics.

The analogy the company draws is to cloud infrastructure — a layer that powers diagnostic tools without competing against them. Whether that positioning proves defensible at scale depends almost entirely on execution milestones over the next 12 months: pilot-to-contract conversions, CardioYield™'s FDA 510(k) outcome, the trajectory of the European and Latin American distribution agreements, and whether the Baker Heart study produces peer-reviewed findings that move the credibility needle with institutional buyers.

What the announcements of late March 2026 confirm is that AIML is no longer solely in the pilot-and-validate phase. It has academic credibility in progress, commercial distribution channels opening on two continents, fresh capital with meaningful insider participation, and a product stack that its management team — now including executives with direct cardiology commercial networks — is actively bringing to market. The distance between where the company is today and where the commercialization thesis requires it to be remains real, but the architecture being assembled is coherent, and the pieces placed in the final weeks of March were among the most consequential the company has announced.

AI/ML Innovations Inc. trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol AIML, on the OTCQB under AIMLF, and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under 42FB. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own due diligence. This article has been prepared on behalf of AIML Innovations Inc. and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell securities.

Sponsored publication on behalf of the issuer

MIAMI, FL / ACCESS Newswire / April 7, 2026 / Sekur Private Data, Inc., a leading Swiss-hosted cybersecurity, private communications, and defense communications company serving enterprise, government, and defense clients, and wholly owned subsidiary of Sekur Private Data (OTCQB:SWISF)(CSE:SKUR)(FRA:GDT0) ("Sekur" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce the appointments of the first two of several Strategic Advisory Board members.

The Board is expected to grow to other members in the coming weeks and months, to complement the various sectors Sekur is planning to offer its secure communications solutions and capabilities. The Strategic Advisory Board will first focus on Government and Federal Agencies, Law Enforcement, Intelligence Community, Defense and Special Operations sectors, reflecting the need for new capabilities to offer communications for Controlled Unclassified Information in various government sectors.

The Company is pleased to announce the following people as members of the Strategic Advisory Board.

Philip A. Oakley - Clearance Level TS/SCI

Philip Oakley is a highly decorated intelligence professional and entrepreneur, holding dual master's degrees in Strategic Intelligence and National Security from the Joint Military Intelligence College and Naval War College respectively, alongside further graduate qualifications in Education Administration. He is a Certified Intelligence Community Officer, Certified Imagery Analyst, and Certified Counterintelligence Agent - credentials that underpin a career spanning elite military intelligence, academia, and private enterprise.

His military career placed him at the highest levels of national security. Based at the Pentagon, Philip prepared and delivered intelligence briefings to the President, Vice President, Secretary of Defense, and Joint Chiefs of Staff, producing over 200 threat assessments to senior leadership. He was notably hand-picked by the Joint Staff J2 to attend the Naval War College - a rare distinction for an Army officer - where he authored a seminal paper recommending the establishment of a Homeland Defense Agency, a concept realized shortly after in the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. During a critical North Korea standoff, he developed an intelligence exchange program that increased production by over 200%, briefing General Officers and the Undersecretary of Defense directly.

Philip was assigned to duty stations including but not limited to the National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Bolling Air Force Base, US Forces Korea, and the J2 Pentagon. Among his assignments, he was leading an element that prepared the Daily Intelligence Briefings for the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and provided briefings to the President of the United States, is also a certified Intelligence Community Officer (ICO). Philip has numerous military awards including Multiple Army Accommodation Medals, Good Conduct Medals, Meritorious Service Medals, and several Defense Meritorious Service Medals.

In academia, Philip served as both Adjunct and Full-Time Professor of Strategic Intelligence at the Joint Military Intelligence College, developing curriculum for over thirty courses and mentoring dozens of graduate thesis committees. He also was personally chosen by the Commanding General of the US Army Intelligence School to shape requirements for Army-wide strategic intelligence officers.

As founder and CEO of i3 Integrative Creative Solutions, Philip has translated this extraordinary background into a thriving Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business, building sales teams that have exceeded $1.6 billion over 15 years, delivering cutting-edge technology solutions - including Palantir, IBM, and Pixia - to federal, state, and intelligence community clients.

Philip Oakley stated, "I was honored to be asked to be part of the Sekur Strategic Advisory Board. Over the last 16 years I've been part of several technology companies' sales and success in federal sales spaces with over US$1.6 billion in sales within my group of companies. Besides the technical differentiators that will greatly impact the controlled but unclassified information ("CUI") environment, Sekur has assembled an amazing team of federal experienced individuals, joining in the coming weeks. The soon-to-be announced names greatly enhance the credibility of this amazing technology. Simply put, the investment in the federal team speaks volumes about the direction this innovative company is headed in."

Kenneth D. Rogers (Ken Rogers)

Ken Rogers is a seasoned senior government and technology executive with a rare blend of experience across five U.S. federal agencies, multinationals, startups, and global NGOs. He retired in 2024 from the U.S. State Department and was awarded the prestigious Director General's Cup during the Foreign Affairs Day Celebration in 2025. This award recognizes individuals from the contemporary generation of career civil and foreign service employees who have demonstrated exceptional service and commitment and was only issued to two members in 2024.

With over 15 years at the U.S. Department of State, where he rose to serve as Deputy CIO for Business Management and Planning, IT Comptroller, and Chief Digital Strategist. In these roles he held direct budgetary responsibility of approximately US$1.3 billion while overseeing a global $3.8 billion IT portfolio spanning 85,000 personnel across more than 300 locations worldwide. He led IT strategic workforce planning, acquisitions, enterprise architecture, and portfolio management, while serving as the primary liaison between the State Department, the White House, and the Office of Management and Budget. Key achievements included implementing FITARA, developing the Department's cloud strategy, and re-engineering IT acquisition across the organisation.

Prior to his State Department tenure, Ken served as Chief Information Officer at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science & Technology Directorate, where he oversaw a $75 million IT portfolio supporting a $1.3 billion homeland security R&D organization. His remit encompassed IT investments, infrastructure, interoperability across DHS labs, DOE National Labs, and Academic Centers of Excellence, ensuring full regulatory compliance across a complex and sensitive technology environment.

Alongside his government roles, Ken served as Faculty Chair for Cyberspace Strategies at the National Defense University's College of Information and Cyberspace, educating military, civilian, and international leaders on securing and managing information technology at the enterprise level. He has also advised foreign governments on national IT governance strategies, reflecting a breadth of influence that extends well beyond domestic policy.

Ken was immediately attracted to Sekur‘s solutions set because of its ability to provide more secure communications between the Department of States and its diplomatic counterparts in over 200 countries using voice and video call, messaging and email capabilities. These tools also provide other civilian agencies with similar needed capabilities including the Department of Homeland Security's engagement with first responders' nationwide.

Ken Rogers stated, "I am honored to be part of the Sekur leadership team and look forward to bringing this groundbreaking secure messaging and communications platform to industry and government. Sekur delivers a world-class end-to-end encrypted solution designed to ensure that sensitive documents and information are shared only with their intended audiences-privately, securely, and with confidence."

Alain Ghiai, CEO of Sekur, commented: "We are honored to welcome Philip Oakley and Kenneth Rogers to our Strategic Advisory Board. Their expertise will be instrumental in introducing Sekur's secure communications capabilities across the Defense, Intelligence Community, Law Enforcement, and Federal spaces - particularly in filling the void that exists in the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) space. We look forward to expanding the board and working toward becoming an essential provider of secure communications to all who serve the U.S. Government, domestically and globally."

Core Defense & Government Communications Solutions:
Sekur delivers mission-critical secure communications operable within and outside the Sekur network, bypassing traditional telecom infrastructure and eliminating exposure to interception, phone record hacking, and network surveillance. No Sekur solution data mines or location tracks users. All solutions are built on proprietary architecture with zero reliance on Big Tech infrastructure or open-source coding - engineered for defense, intelligence, and federal agency operational environments. Government solutions are provided with an on-premises infrastructure for data sovereignty.

SekurMail: A defense-grade encrypted email solution built for personnel operating at the highest levels of government and military command. With zero Big Tech reliance, no tracking, and proprietary encryption, it ensures mission-sensitive communications remain strictly confidential for both sender and recipient. Capabilities include SekurSend/SekurReply for secure transmission to non-Sekur users without compromising identities or content, full email delivery control, automatic data export, file transfer, custom domain support, and active countermeasures against phishing and Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks.

SekurMessenger: A hardened field-ready secure messaging platform featuring end-to-end encryption, self-destructing messages, encrypted file transfers, encrypted voice recordings, and compliance archiving. Supports cross-network secure communications capabilities with non-Sekur users via Chat-by-Invite. Each operator is assigned a unique Sekur ID for contact vetting, with no phone number required - preserving anonymity and operational security.

SekurVPN: A defense-grade VPN leveraging military-standard encryption and proprietary HeliX technology, with capabilities providing secure internet access and identity protection and obfuscation for personnel operating in sensitive, forward, or hostile environments, with zero data logging.

SekurRelay: A command-level enterprise email solution that splits an organisation's domain, enabling secure communications at the executive or command level without requiring full organizational migration - eliminating a critical barrier to large-scale defense and government deployment.

SekurVoice: A fully encrypted Voice and Video communications platform built on proprietary HeliX data transfer technology and capability, engineered to defeat telecom network tracing and resist Pegasus-style malware intrusion. Call-by-Invite capability via SMS or sekur/send email ensures controlled operator access, with each user assigned a Sekur ID for operational vetting and no phone number required - purpose-built for Controlled Unclassified Information and covert and classified-adjacent communications.

About Sekur Private Data
Sekur Private Data is a Swiss-hosted cybersecurity, defense communications, and privacy solutions provider, offering a secure suite of tools to protect governments, defense and federal agencies, businesses, and individuals from unauthorized access and cyber threats. With capabilities such as SekurMail, SekurMessenger, and SekurVPN, Sekur provides a reliable and secure means of digital communication and data storage for Controlled Unclassified Information (CIU), classified-adjacent and civilian communications use, grounded in Swiss privacy standards with on-premises infrastructure for government agencies, allowing for data sovereignty. Sekur sells its solutions through its website www.sekur.com, approved distributors and telecommunications companies globally, and through the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), Contract No. 47QTCA18D0089 serving governments, defense institutions, federal agencies, businesses, and consumers worldwide. Sekur's main sales operations are in Miami, USA.

This article has been prepared on behalf of AIML Innovations Inc. and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell securities.

• AI-driven pre-analysis could unlock 25–50% efficiency gains in Holter workflows
• Monetization tied to per-test economics ($100–$180 USD per Holter baseline)
• Expanding commercialization via Europe, LATAM, and clinical partnerships

AIML Innovations Inc. is targeting a clear bottleneck in modern cardiology: Holter monitor analysis. While demand for cardiac monitoring is continuing to grow in both the United States and Canada, the limiting factor for the industry is no longer the number of tests being performed, it is now the ability for cardiologists to process and analyze those tests. Thus, a structural inefficiency exists in the current system whereby an increase in volume does not equate to an increase in demand.

AIML’s strategy is not to replace physicians, but to assist them. Using their AI-based platform, they intend to pre-analyze Holter data, prioritize test results and enable cardiologists to review only those tests which have been identified as having potentially clinically significant findings. AIML is focusing on a throughput issue that has direct financial implications for clinics, hospitals and health care systems.

Technology & Economics: Converting Time to Money

A key component of AIML’s value proposition is the capability to process a greater number of Holter tests than currently possible without requiring additional personnel. At present, a cardiologist typically reviews and interprets 15-25 Holters per day. As a result, these bottlenecks create backlogs, delayed reports and limit the amount of money generated by clinics.

With the introduction of pre-analysis using AI, AIML facilitates work flows where existing personnel can process much higher volumes of tests. The Company illustrates various scenarios where the total throughput of staff will increase by 200% – 400%, effectively translating time saved into expanded revenue. Since each Holter test can produce $100-$180 USD (up to $300 CAD in Canada), even moderate increases in efficiency can equate to substantial incremental revenues for clinics.

Market Opportunity & Deployability

While the overall opportunity is substantial, millions of Holter tests are performed annually throughout North America. These tests are primarily used as a function of demographic changes in the population and the resultant increased use of cardiac monitoring.

In Canada alone, there are over 6,100 hospitals and thousands of cardiology clinics. The U.S. system operates at a substantially larger scale than Canada. AIML intends to target both mid-size cardiology clinics (annually processing 3,000 – 8,000 tests) and large hospital systems (annually processing 20,000 – 100,000 or more tests). Both types of facilities could experience significant incremental annual revenue ($100,000+) if efficiencies were improved.

AIML’s business model includes SaaS per report fees, per clinic licenses and enterprise contracts. Consequently, all revenue will flow directly from usage and volume growth.

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Recent Developments: Expanded Commercial Presence

AIML has recently furthered its commercialization plan by establishing relationships with several third parties. The first relationship was the establishment of a reseller agreement for its NeuralCloud platform in Europe. The second was a research partnership with the Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute. Finally, AIML has commenced efforts to expand into Latin America. Additionally, the Company closed a private placement tranche totaling approximately $950K. The proceeds from this financing round will be utilized to fund AIML’s deployments and scaling initiatives.

Collectively, these recent activities indicate a transition from an early stage position to one that involves expanding the reach of the technology into broader markets. Importantly, AIML appears to be working diligently to validate its technology in actual clinical environments.

Valuation: Early Stage Technology vs. Scalable Business Model

• Revenue model based upon Holter test volume (SaaS / per-report / enterprise contracts)
• Predictive model of recurrent revenue (ARR potential)
• Low microcap valuation relative to size and established nature of cardiology workflow market
• High upside for clinic adoption, hospital contracts and workflow integration

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Why Now: Factors Accelerating Adoption

• Increasing demand for Holter testing among aging populations
• Urgent need for efficiency tools to address cardiologist capacity constraints
• Accelerated adoption of AI technologies in healthcare diagnostic applications
• Commercialization activity (recent partnerships and geographic expansion) driving adoption

Conclusion: AI as a Throughput Amplifier

AIML is not looking to revalue Holter testing — AIML is looking to revalue how many Holter tests a given system can process. By identifying and addressing the root cause of inefficiencies in cardiology workflows, AIML is positioning its technology to meet both clinical needs and economic incentives. If AIML can successfully implement its plans to scale adoption and demonstrate tangible productivity benefits in actual clinical settings, then the proposed model clearly provides a pathway to scalable revenue generation and widespread inclusion in healthcare delivery systems.