In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Julia Germaine (Operating Partner at KreditForce) and KEY Founding Partner Jordan Youkilis discuss cannabis delivery and the legal, cashless payment platform developed by Julia and the team at KreditForce.  The two discuss evolving consumer purchasing trends as more states permit delivery of cannabis. From there, we discuss payment processing restrictions and how the team was able to develop a compliant solution that runs on its own rails. Next, we discuss the Massachusetts market and what attractive the team to that market for the proof of concept. Please enjoy!

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Courtney Davis (Executive Director of Marijuana Matters) and KEY Founding Partner Jordan Youkilis discuss social equity legislation in the cannabis industry.  The two discuss Courtney's career background and how she got involved in cannabis social equity. From there, we discuss the history of the War on Drugs (which Courtney explains was truly a War on People) and the collateral consequences of that failed policy - particularly for communities of color. From there, we discuss the various legislative reforms passed at state and local levels, and why these social equity reforms have unfortunately lagged behind laws focused on developing the business of cannabis. We then discuss the specific initiatives Courtney and the Marijuana Matters team are employing to rectify these injustices, and how individuals and/or businesses can support these initiatives. Please enjoy!

In the latest episode of Cannabis Unlocked, join Cathy Iannuzzelli as she discusses the payments industry in cannabis. In the episode, Cathy and Jordan discuss Cathy's career path and how the massive opportunity in cannabis convinced her to leave consulting. Cathy discusses the issues facing payment processing in cannabis today, and why the dispensaries running cashless ATM models currently may need to find other solutions in the near-term. From there, we discuss how KindTap allows consumers to easily and legally use credit to make purchases in-store and for delivery with the click of the button. Finally, we dive into the SAFE Banking Act and how its potential passage could impact the payment processing landscape.

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Jeff Harris and KEY Founding Partner Jordan Youkilis discuss marketing software & services in the cannabis industry.  The two discuss the challenges faced by retailers and brands in marketing to end customers today. From there, we discuss the recently announced SPAC acquisition of Springbig by TCAC. Jeff and Jordan then discuss Springbig's 2022 growth initiatives and expectations for the evolving competitive landscape amongst canna-tech players. Please enjoy!

In this special episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Ben Ross and KEY Founding Partner Jordan Youkilis discuss the past, present & future of psychedelics. Ben shares his story - from successfully exiting his software startup to focusing on plant medicine. They further discuss the different types of psychedelic substances and where each stands within the regulatory approval process. They further discuss the distinctions between drug vs. medicine and illegal vs. legal substances. They later discuss the recent history of psychedelics since the 1960s, as well as the more ancient, ceremonial traditions of plant medicine across the world. Finally, they discuss how we can ensure these medicines are treated respectfully as big pharma looks to enter the legal industry. Please enjoy!

In the latest episode of Cannabis Unlocked, we interview Andrew Lobo, CEO of Kin Slips. In this conversation, we discuss the Andrew's career background and how he decided to move from institutional finance into cannabis operations. We further dive into the evolving landscape for cannabis brands, and why the Kin Slips team saw an opportunity in sublingual strips. Please enjoy!

In the latest episode of Cannabis Unlocked, we interview Tim Seymour of CNBC's Fast Money. Tim is also founder and Chief Investment Officer of Seymour Asset Management (SAM). SAM provides both asset management and wealth management services for its clients. Tim is also the Portfolio Manager of the Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF ticker: $CNBS. In this episode, we discuss the capital markets landscape and some of the recent legislative developments, including SAFE Banking, the MORE Act and Nancy Mace's republican approach to legalization. We further dive into sectors of focus for Tim's investment strategy. From there, we discuss the cannabis markets and expectations for the evolving competitive landscape amongst MSOs and Canadian LPs. Please enjoy!

In the latest episode of Cannabis Unlocked, we interview Ross Bevevino - the Co-Founder of Mollitiam Capital. In this conversation, we discuss the capital markets landscape and how FDIC coverage and SAFE Banking will impact access to capital in the future. We further dive into sectors of focus for Mollitiam's investment strategy. From there, we discuss the cannabis SPAC markets and expectations for the evolving competitive landscape amongst MSOs. Please enjoy!

Kelly Nielsen, Vice President of Insights & Analytics at leading cannabinoid market intelligence firm BDSA joins Pete Karabas of KEY Investment Partners to discuss BDSA's recent update of their global cannabis market forecast, a five-year rolling global forecast by country, state, province, channel, and category. Cannabis sales for 2021 were near $31 billion, an increase of 41% over 2020 sales. Furthermore, BDSA forecasts global cannabis sales to grow from $30.6 billion in 2021 to $62.1 billion in 2026, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 15%.

In the latest episode of Cannabis Unlocked, we interview David Kivitz - the Chief Executive Officer of XS Financial. This conversation comes a few weeks after KEY Investment Partners and other investors participated in a $43.5mn financing round for the business.

In this conversation, we discuss the financing gap for equipment in cannabis. We further dive into the recent financing round and how the XS will leverage this capital to fuel additional growth. From there, we discuss the evolving regulatory landscape in cannabis and David's expectations for the development of the MSO competitive landscape. Please enjoy!