Cannabis Unlocked

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!

In the latest episode of Cannabis Unlocked, we interview Joe Hodas - the Chief Marketing Officer of Wana Brands. This conversation comes a few weeks after the landmark announcement in which Canopy Growth purchased the option to buy Wana Brands following US federal legalization. 

In this conversation, we discuss brand loyalty in cannabis as it relates to form factors like edibles, flower and vapes. We further dive into the Canopy Growth acquisition and how the transaction will benefit both parties. From there, we discuss Wana's future growth plans and Joe's expectations for the evolving competitive landscape in cannabis edibles. Please enjoy!

In the latest episode of Cannabis Unlocked, we interview Scott Jordan - the Founder of Alternative Finance Network. In this conversation, we discuss the evolution of direct lending to cannabis borrowers over the past eight years. We further dive into the capital markets evolution for direct lenders and how the cost of capital for borrowers has evolved over time. From there, we discuss the target borrowers for Alt Finance Network's loans, and what type of interest rates they should expect to pay in the market today. Please enjoy!

In the latest episode of Cannabis Unlocked, we interviewed attorneys Bob Hoban and Brent Johnson of Clark Hill (recently acquired their firm Hoban Law Group). In this conversation, we discuss the evolution of the regulatory landscape in cannabis over the past 13 years. We further dive into the transaction process by which Hoban Law Group was acquired by Clark Hill, and what this means for future M&A in the cannabis space. From there, we discuss the outlook for cannabis legalization at both the state and federal level. Please enjoy!

In the latest episode of Cannabis Unlocked, we interviewed the Head of Government Relations at Canopy Growth Corporation, David Culver. David has decades of experience working on Capital Hill, and has been working in the cannabis industry on behalf of Canopy for just about 3 years now. Prior to the cannabis industry, David worked for Distilled Spirits Counsel in government relations. In this episode we explore the history of cannabis legalization, the Cannabis Administration Opportunity Act and how David interprets the bill and his views on federal legalization in the US. 

In the latest episode of Cannabis Unlocked, we've assembled an all-star panel of cannabis venture capital and debt capital investors. The panel includes venture capital panelists Serge Sherman (Managing Director at Tuatara Capital) and Ross Desmarais (Principal at Intrinsic Capital Partners). Additionally, we are joined by credit fund investors Heather La Freniere (Founder at LAGO Innovation Fund) and Jonathon Goldrath (Partner at FocusGrowth Asset Management).  

Along with host Jordan Youkilis (Founding Partner at KEY Investment Partners), the five discuss the importance of backing strong management teams and lessons learned from the ups and downs of cannabis capital markets. Further, they discuss valuations in cannabis today, what the current landscape looks like amongst institutional investors, and how we expect regulatory change to impact the industry moving forward. Please enjoy.