Micro-cap semiconductor Adesto Technologies (IOTS) is a little-known company that offers investors a way to play the NexGen Internet of Things (IoT) sector – an area I am very bullish on over the long term. This $144 million company’s non-volatile memory products are integral for the connection of devices, which is key as more and more devices become linkable and start speaking to one another. IOTS went public in October 2015, and after a quick rally higher it had a rough 2016. Last year was much different, though, as the stock gained 220% from start to finish and at one point traded above $9.

I’m sure you are familiar with the rising threat of identity theft and cyber hacks, whether from personal experience (there were over 15 million identity theft cases reported in 2016) or the regular rotation of national headlines. Unfortunately, one of the realities of the NexGen technology revolution is that hackers have remained a step ahead of most companies despite their best security efforts. As technology connects more everyday devices and defense systems, the demand for innovation to fight off hackers will grow exponentially. Therefore, it shouldn't be a surprise that there is a lot of growth potential in this space.