What happens when vertical farming meets cannabis? The highest quality, consistency, and yield at the lowest possible cost.​ 

Here to tell us more is Raymond Chang of Agrify, a developer of highly advanced grow solutions for the indoor agriculture marketplace.

Learn more at https://www.agrify.com 

Key Takeaways:

[1:01] An inside look at Agrify and its proprietary vertical farming solutions

[1:53] Raymond’s background as a serial entrepreneur and how he came to be CEO of Agrify

[4:17] The different components that make up Agrify’s automated cannabis grows, from vertical farmings units (VFUs) to advanced cultivation software  

[9:25] The ROI per square foot for a facility with vertical farming units versus one without

[11:45] The price range for Agrify’s vertical farming units and how they pay for themselves in less than a few months

[16:08] Agrify’s fine-tuned SaaS component and the insights growers are loving most

[19:45] Agrify University, a 3,500 square foot vertical farming facility in MA that offers extensive hands-on training for new Agrify growers

[20:27] Opportunities for cultivators to license their grow recipes to other cultivators through Agrify’s platform

[24:49] Where Raymond sees the cannabis’ grow tech and automation space heading over the next 3-5 years

Does indoor cannabis cultivation have to come with environmental drawbacks? Not anymore.

One company has found a way to minimize its emissions AND cut costs in half - all with the power of the sun. Here to tell us about it is Edward Dow of Solar Therapeutics, the first energy-independent dispensary in the world.

Learn more at https://solarthera.com 

Key Takeaways:

[2:17] An inside look at Solar Therapeutics, the world’s first energy-independent cannabis cultivation and retail facility based in Somerset, MA

[2:57] Ed’s background in engineering and what led him to become CEO of Solar Therapeutics

[5:55] Solar’s unique indoor cultivation facility, including its extensive solar arrays and centralized heating and cooling systems

[8:32] How Solar implemented its own microgrid to create a 100% self-sufficient, energy-independent facility

[10:40] How Ed was able to bootstrap what’s now a multi-million dollar operation entirely from private investors

[15:25] Solar’s collaboration with Fluence to earn over $1 million in energy efficiency rebates

[17:30] The advantages of broad-spectrum LEDs for energy costs and crop yields

[19:56] How Solar significantly offsets its costs through its heating and cooling systems

[22:36] Solar’s energy costs versus other similar vertically-integrated dispensaries

[25:15] The cannabis industry’s growing carbon footprint and what it will take for companies to implement more sustainable practices

[28:21] The best-selling products in Massachusetts and new trends to look out for

[30:12] Solar Therapeutics’ goals to become a multi-state operator, from Rhode Island to New York and beyond

While cannabis banking still has its challenges, Safe Harbor Financial is on course to make those challenges a thing of the past. Here to tell us about it is Safe Harbor CEO Sundie Seefried.

Learn more at https://shfinancial.org 

Key Takeaways:

[00:57] An inside look at Safe Harbor Financial, a fintech banking platform that provides cannabis companies a safe and 100% compliant place to bank

[1:22] Sundie’s background in the credit union industry and how she came to start Safe Harbor

[2:21] How cannabis banking has evolved over the last few years and where Sundie sees it heading

[4:46] The Safe Banking Act and what it means for cannabis banking

[7:36] Compliance challenges cannabis companies are facing right now

[9:08] What lending in cannabis banking could look like in the next few years

[14:06] How Safe Harbor Financial has grown since its inception in 2015 to manage over 500 cannabis banking accounts

[14:54] Safe Harbor’s onboarding process for new clients

[19:14] How cryptocurrency and stablecoin are changing the cannabis banking landscape

Some of California’s most sought-after cannabis flower also happens to come from one of the most sustainable companies in the US. Here to tell us about it and share a few of her secrets is Julia Jacobson of Aster Farms.

Learn more at https://www.asterfarms.com 

Key Takeaways:

[2:02] An inside look at Aster Farms, a sustainable cannabis brand based in northern California

[2:20] Julia’s background as an entrepreneur in the tech space and how she came to start Aster Farms

[3:40] Aster’s unique proprietary genetics and how they curate their popular line of flower

[7:49] The “5 phase approach” at Aster Farms and how this allows them to grow smaller, more high-quality batches

[11:29] The substantial damage Aster Farms suffered during the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire and how the company successfully rebuilt themselves

[15:48] The pros and cons of being vertically integrated in the cannabis industry

[17:33] Why Aster Farms chooses more sustainable practices despite various challenges

[22:19] Why we’re seeing an upswing in craft cannabis brands across the US and where Julia sees this sector heading over the next few years

[25:08] The challenges in scaling a sustainable, small-batch cannabis company and how Aster Farms has gone about navigating this

[27:54] How Aster Farms differentiates themselves through unique branding and marketing

[29:58] Julia’s advice on how to build unbreakable brand loyalty