Whilst the majority of these shares are not at all investable and could be a quick way to lose a lot of money, every so often a few pop up which I believe are worth getting better acquainted with.

Here are three penny stocks to watch:

Avz Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ)

This mineral exploration company's shares are currently priced at 9.2 cents, but could have significant upside ahead of them in the future in my opinion. Earlier this year the company acquired the Manono lithium project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Early drilling results have shown the presence of high-grade lithium mineralisation, hinting that the company may have a world class asset on its hands. Whilst it is a little too soon for an investment in my opinion, it certainly is one to watch.

Collaborate Corporation Ltd (ASX: CL8)

The shares of this operator of peer-to-peer and online marketplaces are currently priced at 2.7 cents after a 40% gain this year. The main catalyst for this gain has been the strong growth of its DriveMyCar peer-to-peer car rental business. So far this year the DriveMyCar business has delivered extremely high levels of rental transaction value and net rental days realised. With strategic partners such as Aon, Uber and RACV, Collaborate could be worth keeping an eye on.

Primary Opinion Ltd (ASX: POP)

After reinventing itself several times, Primary Opinion's only asset now is its 42% ownership of celebrity chef Maggie Beer's product range. This week the company announced the arrival of former Bellamy's Australia Ltd (ASX: BAL) CEO Laura McBain as its managing director. Only time will tell whether or not McBain can recreate the early success of Bellamy's at Primary Opinion, but I feel it is worth adding its shares to your watchlist to find out. Its shares are currently priced at 3.3 cents.

The post Should you buy these 3 ASX penny stocks? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Whilst the majority of investors will no doubt be familiar with tech companies like Aconex Ltd (ASX: ACX) and XERO FPO NZX (ASX: XRO), they may not be as familiar with the three tech companies listed below.

Here's why I believe these exciting companies are worth keeping a close eye on:

Big Un Ltd (ASX: BIG)

This video technology company's shares have gained an incredible 393% so far this year and it's not hard to understand why. Strong demand for its video subscription products means that management expects cash receipts growth in excess of 400% this year to over $21 million. As well as this, the company recently announced plans to acquire the hospitality vertical from The Intermedia Group. This acquisition is expected to provide the company with a direct relationship with over 65,000 Australian businesses including the likes of Mantra Group Ltd (ASX: MTR), Diageo, Hilton, and Marriott.

Collaborate Corporation Ltd (ASX: CL8)

The shares of this operator of peer-to-peer and online marketplaces has been another big mover, rising over 60% since the turn of the year. The catalyst for this gain has been the strong growth of its DriveMyCar peer-to-peer car rental business. In May the business delivered its third consecutive record monthly result, with rental transaction value increasing 98% over the prior corresponding period to $273,890. Furthermore, net rental days realised increased 106% year-on-year to 7,698 days. Collaborate's strategic partners include the likes of Aon, Uber and RACV.

Xtek Ltd (ASX: XTE)

Xtek is a defence technology company and the primary contractor in the $100 million LAND 129 Phase 4 program for the supply of drones to the Australian army. As well as this, the company has been working with the US government to leverage its XTclave technology to create lighter and more effective helmets and bullet proof plates. The company recently raised $3 million through a significantly oversubscribed placement to institutional and sophisticated investors. These funds will be used for its XTclave commercialisation, XTatlas technology development, and also to allow it to pursue more and larger contracts in the future.

The post 3 exciting tech shares flying under the radar appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.