Benzinga’s Cannabis Capital Conference (CCC ) is considered North America’s leading cannabis investment and branding conference. More than 2, 000 people showed up for the drop 2024 generation on October 8 to 9 in Chicago for two weeks of extraordinary content, social capital efforts, and calls to get out and vote.
Javier Hasse, Benzinga’s handling director, says more than 3, 000 meetings took place through their marketing platform, and the opinions has been incredible. ” Many of these relationships are now fueling new collaborations and growth”, he commented. ” With listeners like Ross Gerber and a consumption-friendly validator that was completely Illinois-compliant, it was a strong celebration every around”.
Insider Perspective
Ultimately, spirits at the meeting were large, and the outlook toward the future was positive. We look up on some of the discussions and insight that many business leaders in attendance shared as the election is now only a few days aside.
Cansortium
Robert Beasley, the CEO of Cansortium, has attended four Benzinga occasions this year and says they are all better than the first. ” They get better and better, bigger and bigger”, he says. The level of relationships you make these is advancing constantly. I believe it is more important for me now than it was in the past. As the profile changes and the sophistication of the organizations that are present alter, you can be certain that you will meet industry contacts you want to talk to and that you wo n’t even realize you were doing so. It’s a wonderful chance”.
Regardless of who our next leader will be, Beasley predicts that the cannabis market will continue to advance regardless of how the election may affect it.
” I think we’ve turned one of the walls. That’s the cool factor about being in a border business—there will be more ends away. And right now, we’re on a good slope”, he says. Both candidates help descheduling, which everyone is hoping for, in the election with a public good vibe coming out of the election. Whether that’s going to be the secret answer or no, I have no idea”.
Speedwell Partners
Typical attendees of Benzinga’s Chicago and Florida events, Holly Malloy, co-founder and managing partner of the cannabis funding and consulting team Speedwell Partners, claims they are by far the most important events she attends.
She says,” I never get to sit in on as many panels as I’d like,” and I always prefer in-person meetings. When everyone is in one place, and that’s what I enjoy doing the most, there are so many natural sessions.
Looking ahead, Malloy does n’t predict significant change coming out of the 2024 election.
” I’d bet that family offices and retail will be more comfortable stepping into ( or back into ) the capital markets”, she commented. I do n’t think the anticipated catalysts of Florida and Schedule 3 will bring institutional capital back, though. We need regulation and senior moves to accomplish uplisting, prison and provide quality for bank, payments and capital markets. True volume and administrative participation will take longer to develop, in my opinion.
Vlasic Bioscience
This season’s Chicago occasion was Willy Vlasic’s second time attending Benzinga. Vlasic is the co-founder and CEO of Vlasic Bioscience, which sells both Vlasic Flower and Vlasic Labs CBD in Las Vegas.
Vlasic Bioscience was founded on the same principles and values that built the Vlasic Pickles company: quality, persistence and creativity. With a robust innovative history, we were curious to hear about Vlasic’s practice at Benzinga. In common, Vlasic says he attends to” travel and networking with the area, and to do it in a very professional approach with all the offer makers”.
Vlasic says he enjoys seeing users and supporting companions, not to mention networking with other Directors and making new economic connections:” A lot of my colleagues and clients are speaking on panel here.”
The panel with the best attendance at Benzinga was titled” Hemp Vs. Marijuana”. Vlasic believes that cannabis should be regulated like cannabis and that the cannabis industry should refrain from producing obscene products as a result of selling both restricted cannabis on the condition level and non-intoxicating CBD-only hemp products.
” There’s all sorts of thoughts on it. In the end, we need to control cannabis like we do cannabis, and we need to keep the potent substances in the hands of the THC industry, Vlasic states. With the current online presence and smoke shops, it’s impossible to control children’s access to it. None of those businesses are being regulated. But, you know, I do feel clearly that we need to keep the cannabis business to be non-intoxicating items like CBD, CBG, CBN”.
Glass House
Kevin Adelstein, is one of the original investors of Glass House, before the company went public. October’s Chicago event was his first time attending Benzinga, and he could n’t be more excited. It’s incredibly exciting for me because I’ve met so many people that I’ve been following and who I’ve been reading their books, and I’ve been able to shake their hands and speak with them, he said.
Regarding the emerging hemp industry, Adelstein says it’s not great for the cannabis space:” I feel it’s a negative right now because it’s unregulated. And since the plant does n’t know the difference between hemp and marijuana, I mean, we have to set up some rules for it”.
When it comes to investing in hemp, Adelstein does recognize financial opportunity. ” From a growth standpoint, it’s definitely investable, and if it was contained and controlled, I think that it’s viable as an investment because one it can be transported across different states”, he says.
Adelstein continues to be optimistic about buying cannabis. I believe that everything must alter. They will change—it’s just a matter of when”, he states. ” And of course, everyone feels that it’s on the verge now, and I do n’t want to be on the sidelines when it happens. Therefore, I keep making regular investments in the businesses I enjoy the most.
Dascoli Pharma
Dascoli Pharma was founded and led by Andrew Petronanos in Switzerland. The company was founded in 2022 following a change in Switzerland’s laws allowing greater flexibility around medical cannabis prescriptions. Soon after its launch, the company also purchased a pharmacy to further their goal and mission of making medical cannabis accessible.
Petronanos attended Benzinga for the first time in the hopes of making new financial connections, despite their current focus on raising money to fund future expansion across Switzerland.
” It’s been amazing. There’s actually a huge difference between what happens in Europe and the conversations here, because here it’s very political, large capital state regulations and the rest of it, but it’s been fascinating”, he says. ” I mean, I’ve met some friends that I’ve known for a long time. It’s great for me to exchange with the U. S. and tell them what’s happening in Switzerland and Europe”.
Event Highlights
Everyone at the Chicago conference last month appeared hopeful and optimistic about the future. With a maximum of 2, 000 attendees, it felt both small and large enough to meet someone who was both likely to be there.
Hasse claims that the Benzinga Awards were a unique event highlight, especially in honor of industry pioneers like 40 Tons. Next up, Benzinga heads to Anaheim on Nov. 12 for their California Cannabis Market Spotlight.
