I recently had the opportunity to judge the Chronic Cup in San Francisco. The Shark Tank–ish event awarded $10K to the cannabis startup with the best pitch.
Together the contestants represented the many faces of the industry. There were the former Airbnb employees pitching security software, a second-generation Chinese-American pitching cannabis-infused chili oil, a lupus survivor pitching a chain of dispensaries aimed at empowering the community.
The passion of the presenters was palpable, and the energy in the packed room was giddy—and that was before we started smoking. It was a similar vibe to some of the dot-com events I attended in the late ’90s. Everyone was optimistic about the future and thrilled to be involved in an industry they believe has a positive impact on society.
Five years ago,…
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Green Entrepreneur (Digital) - 1 Issue, Spring 2019