3 Interesting Emerging Growth Stock Ideas From the 2024 Think Equity Conference

The 2024 Think Equity Conference is in the books, bringing with it a wide array of ideas for investors across the AI/ Big Data, biotechnology, metals and mining, oil and gas, and technology spaces. Every year, the conference aims to uncover opportunities that others can’t see.

Here are three interesting and potential emerging growth ideas from the 2024 Think Equity Conference.

Cel-Sci

CEL-SCI Corp (NYSE:) focuses on research and development aimed at improving the treatment of cancer and autoimmune and infectious diseases. The company is developing an investigational immunotherapy to potentially treat certain types of advanced head and neck cancers.

Cel-Sci’s Multikine works with the body’s natural immune system to help it battle cancer. The drug may also be the first in a new class of cancer immunotherapy treatments, as it is the first investigational combination immunotherapy believed to have both active and passive immune properties.

Cel-Sci is initially targeting Multikine as a neoadjuvant therapy for patients with advanced primary, not-yet-treated squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, which accounts for approximately 90% of all head and neck cancers. The Food and Drug Administration has granted Multikine orphan-drug status for neoadjuvant therapy in patients with that type of cancer.

The drug wrapped up a Phase 3 clinical trial in 2020 after having received approval from 24 regulatory agencies around the globe, including the U.S., Canada and the U.K. The trial indicated that Multikine had a statistically significant five-year survival benefit in patients who received surgery and radiotherapy, accounting for about 40% of the study population.

The five-year survival period occurred with no safety issues surfacing, which is uncommon with cancer drugs. Additionally, the Multikine treatment arm had an absolute 14.1% advantage over the control group. The Phase 3 trial was the largest study ever conducted on head and neck cancer.

Cel-Sci recently renewed its collaboration with Ergomed (LON:ERGO) in preparation for a confirmatory FDA registration study of MultiKine in head and neck cancer.

NetSol Technologies

NetSol Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:) has developed a unified platform powered by artificial intelligence called Transcend, which aims to go beyond the limits of auto and asset retail and finance. The company lists some big names among its customers: BYD (SZ:), DoorDash (NASDAQ:), Volvo (OTC:), Mini, AutoNation (NYSE:), Peterbilt, Chase, BMW (ETR:), Yamaha, Nissan (OTC:) and others.

NetSol helps companies future-proof their operations and gain an edge over their competitors using state-of-the-art technology and services. The company instituted an AI division in 2019 with the goal of utilizing the technology to revolutionize how institutions navigate the market’s complexities.

NetSol offers omnichannel transformation for a company’s digital sales funnel, supporting deals that close in mere minutes. Dealers enjoy greater profitability and efficiency, while consumers are placed at the center of the transaction.

NetSol also offers bespoke portals to help customers reinforce their brand identity while enhancing satisfaction. The company’s AI-powered digital lease and loan origination software supports the entire process seamlessly, from application to loan approval.

Through next-gen loans and lease-serving solutions, NetSol uses AI to streamline the management and servicing of loans and leases, enabling customers to easily control their loan and lease portfolio using AI. It also utilizes AI for its wholesale finance offering, which enables customers to automate their wholesale finance and floor planning operations.

U.S. Antimony

United States Antimony Corporation (NYSE:) operates an antimony smelter and precious metals plant and holds two patented mill sites. The company produces antimony oxide, sodium antimonate, antimony metal and precious metals. Although it holds a small share of the global market for these metals, U.S. Antimony touts itself as the only “significant” U.S. producer of antimony products, with China holding the lion’s share of the market.

Antimony oxide is widely used with halogen for flame-retardant systems applied to plastics, rubber, fiberglass, textile goods, paint, paper and coatings. This fine, white powder is also used in paint as a color fastener and as a catalyst in the production of polyester resins for fibers and film and the production of polyethylene phthalate in plastic bottles. Antimony oxide is also used in fluorescent light bulbs and porcelain.

Sodium antimonate is used as a flame retardant and a fining agent for the glass used in cathode ray tubes. U.S. Antimony also sells metal used for storage batteries, bearings and ordinance.

Zoomcar Holdings

Zoomcar Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:) is the leading car-sharing company in emerging markets, with more than 25,000 cars and over 10 million users on its platform in India, Egypt and Indonesia. It’s also the largest car-sharing marketplace in India. Waze and Moovit co-founder Uri Levine currently serves in a strategic advisory role for Zoomcar.

The company allows hosts to easily and safely share their cars while they’re not driving them — earning passive income in the process. To book a rental, Zoomcar’s guests simply log onto the platform, select the date and time of their rental, and choose the type of car they want to rent.

Zoomcar operates in more than 45 cities in the three countries it serves and employs over 250 people.

Investing in emerging growth stocks

One reason many investors turn to emerging growth stocks is because of the potential for great reward. Any growth that comes is on top of a much smaller base than that of mega-caps, which means much greater growth is possible in smaller companies.

For example, those who invested $1,000 in ServiceNow (NYSE:) at its initial public offering in 2012 would have $38,000 today. However, with the possibility of great rewards often comes significant risk, as everyone wants to think they have uncovered the next Google (NASDAQ:) (GOOGL) or Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:) (META). Thus, investors should always do their due diligence before investing in any stock, idea or theme.