OZOP Energy Solutions, Inc. Highlights Boardroom Feature on Ballislife HYDRO Investor Egypt Dean

WARWICK, NY, Aug. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OZOP Energy Solutions, Inc. (OTC: OZSC) today commented on new insights into the investment thesis behind Egypt Dean's seven-figure strategic investment in Ballislife HYDRO Sports Drink, following an in-depth interview published by Boardroom. The feature explores how Dean evaluated the opportunity, the importance he placed on the product and management team, and the process that ultimately led him to invest in Ballislife Drink Inc., a joint venture between Varon Corp.'s U.S. subsidiary, Varon USA, and Ballislife, Inc. OZOP Energy Solutions, Inc. and Varon Corp. are currently completing customary pre-closing conditions in connection with the previously announced transaction.

Published August 13 under the headline “How Egypt Dean Turned Childhood Royalties into a Seven-Figure Sports Drink Investment,” the Boardroom interview provides a closer look at Dean's approach to investing and the factors behind his decision to make Ballislife HYDRO his first major sports-business investment. Boardroom, co-founded by NBA superstar Kevin Durant and entrepreneur Rich Kleiman, focuses on the intersection of sports, business and culture.

Boardroom reports that Dean first discovered Ballislife HYDRO while competing at the Ballislife All-American Camp. After experiencing the product firsthand, he and his father, entrepreneur and producer Swizz Beatz, looked more deeply into the business as Dean evaluated potential investments. The article details Dean's interest in HYDRO's nutritional profile, his personal connection with the product and the importance he placed on understanding the people behind the business before ultimately making his investment.

Among Dean's comments to Boardroom about what matters when evaluating an investment:

“When you love something it’s just much better.”

Later, discussing his role as an investor and the opportunity surrounding Ballislife, Dean said:

“It’s a really big opportunity for me to be an investor in this huge platform.”

The interview also provides insight into the diligence behind Dean's investment. Dean discusses the importance of trust, management following through on its commitments and conducting multiple follow-up meetings before committing capital. He explained to Boardroom that investing in a company means placing trust in the organization and the people responsible for growing it, providing additional perspective on the process that preceded his investment in Ballislife Drink.

Read the full Boardroom feature:
https://boardroom.tv/egypt-dean-ballislife-hydro-interview/

“What stands out to me about the Boardroom interview is that Egypt talks about the decision from the perspective of an investor, not simply as someone associated with the brand,” said Benjamin Schubert, Chief Executive Officer of Varon Corp. “He talks about doing the work, understanding the product, evaluating the people behind the business and making sure there is real trust before committing capital. For a 15-year-old investor to approach the opportunity with that level of discipline and then choose Ballislife HYDRO is something we are extremely proud of.”

“Coverage from a platform like Boardroom reaches a very different audience and tells another important part of the Varon story,” said Lior Srulovicz, President and Chief Financial Officer of Varon Corp. “This isn't simply coverage of an athlete or a beverage. It's a sports-business publication examining why an investor chose to put significant capital behind Ballislife HYDRO after conducting due diligence.”

The Company previously announced Dean's seven-figure strategic investment in Ballislife Drink Inc. in June 2026.

About Ballislife Drink, Inc.
Ballislife Drink, Inc., formed in December 2025, is a joint venture between Varon USA and Ballislife, Inc. focused on developing and commercializing performance-driven beverages at the intersection of sports, media and basketball culture. Its flagship product, Ballislife HYDRO, is a non-carbonated, caffeine-free sports hydration drink formulated with electrolytes, B vitamins, beet root, L-theanine and beta-alanine to support hydration, endurance, focus and recovery. The company combines Ballislife's deeply established basketball ecosystem with Varon USA's beverage development, operational and distribution capabilities to build a culturally relevant performance brand at scale. Ballislife HYDRO's growth strategy integrates long-term NBA athlete partnerships and expanding retail distribution with Ballislife's media, live events, creating a differentiated platform for consumer engagement and brand growth.

About Ballislife Inc.
Founded in 2005, Ballislife is a leading digital media and lifestyle brand dedicated to the culture of basketball at every level of the game. Based in Southern California, the company has grown from a grassroots "mixtape" platform into a trusted authority in high school and grassroots basketball coverage, amplifying the stories of emerging talent and the communities that shape the sport. Ballislife reaches millions of fans worldwide through premium video, editorial content and nationally recognized live events. Its content has generated hundreds of millions of views across platforms and has been featured by major outlets including The New York Times and on broadcasts such as ESPN's SportsCenter. Ballislife is home to the long-standing FAB 50 National Team Rankings and produces marquee events including the Ballislife All-American Game, Ballislife Jr. All-American Camp and the Nesquik Creator Court. Through storytelling, competition and community engagement, Ballislife continues to influence and elevate the next generation of basketball culture.

About Varon Corp
Varon Corp (Varon) is the holding Company of its’ wholly owned subsidiaries Varon Wellness, Varon USA and Varon Spirits. Varon through Varon Wellness and Varon USA develops and operates brands across hydration, energy, recovery and sports- nutrition categories. Through Varon Spirits, the Company offers a limited premium spirits business that provides brand optionality and experiential reach.

About Varon Wellness
Varon Wellness operates established, high-velocity functional and performance beverage brands with proven, repeat consumer demand and meaningful national retail presence in Canada, with a focused mandate across functional wellness, performance, and sports hydration. The division includes Canadian distribution rights to Bucked Up, a recognized, culturally relevant performance energy and protein brand with deeply established traction in fitness, athletic, and performance-driven communities. Bucked Up (https://www.buckedup.com/; https://ca.buckedup.com/) is a sports nutrition and lifestyle brand focused on helping all athletes and individuals achieve their health and fitness goals. Offering over 500 different products ranging from supplements and energy drinks to apparel and accessories, Bucked Up is committed to providing customers with the best products available. Dedicated to using high-quality ingredients and non-proprietary blends, Bucked Up's pre-workout is the #1 best-selling product in its class. The brand's products are now offered in over 75,000 stores worldwide.

Varon Wellness also owns a 60% equity ownership in Vitagua, utilizing Varon’s proprietary, zero-sugar sparkling vitamin water brand purpose-built for modern, health-conscious consumers at scale. The division operates under Varon’s Elevated Wellness approach, prioritizing flavor-first, consumer-led formulations that deliver meaningful, credible functional benefits, supported by disciplined execution, operational rigor, and scalable commercialization across expanding channels.

About Varon USA
Varon USA builds truly healthy, performance-driven functional beverages, not “better for you” alternatives. Combining cultural relevance at scale, best-in-class marketing infrastructure, and products that taste exceptional while delivering real, measurable health benefits, Varon USA represents the Company’s primary growth engine in the United States.

The division is focused on operating and partnership platforms supporting functional wellness, performance, and sports hydration brands that are deeply embedded within high-engagement, culture-defining ecosystems. The division includes Ballislife Drink, Inc., a joint venture in which Varon USA holds approximately 35% ownership interest, featuring Ballislife Functional Sports Drink, and is aligned with Ballislife, one of the largest and most influential basketball media platforms globally. Varon USA is also aligned with SG Revive, a functional wellness beverage developed in partnership with ASA Entertainment, a leader in youth culture and sports media.

Collectively, these platforms reach tens of millions of highly loyal, deeply engaged consumers annually through dominant digital media channels, large-scale live events, broadcast exposure, and expansive youth initiatives, enabling Varon to systematically convert authentic cultural engagement into repeat consumer demand, while maintaining discipline, scalability, and long-term brand equity across a rapidly expanding national footprint.

About Varon Spirits
Varon Spirits is a boutique importer and agency representing a select roster of premium spirits brands. The business focuses on curating and distributing distinctive spirits rooted in heritage, craftsmanship, and cultural relevance, including ultra-premium tequilas, vodkas, and select rare offerings. Varon Spirits operates under a focused, capital-light model aligned with the Company’s broader lifestyle-driven beverage strategy.

About Ozop Energy Solutions.
Ozop Energy Solutions (Ozop Energy Solutions (http://ozopenergy.com/) is the parent company that oversees a wide variety of products in the renewable energy sector. Our strategy focuses on capturing a share of the rapidly growing renewable energy market as a provider of assets and infrastructure needed to store energy.

This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s public filings which can be found at www.sec.gov

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