Neil here.
This week, something very unusual happened: I actually picked up on some good news for the economy.
The cannabis industry, which entered the COVID-19 crisis on shaky ground at best, looks like it may be out of the woods – and, in fact, could come out the other side stronger than ever.
From my perspective, this sector was (and still is) incredibly crowded. In other words, there were so many companies on the playing field that it was nearly impossible to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Demand for many cannabis products was already lagging when 2020 began. That downturn left a great many of these companies in a bad position to weather the storm coronavirus brought on. I’ve already heard stories about cannabis startups forced to axe their workforces – and even about some that had to shut down entirely.
The silver lining is that the companies remaining have two big things going for them: One, they clearly have the grit required to make it through difficult economic times; and two, they’re suddenly looking out over a much more spacious and streamlined field. More room to play means more room to grow.
Take Leafly, for example. It’s an online platform that connects users with detailed information on cannabis strains, helps them select cannabis products that best fit their needs, and directs them to stores or dispensaries nearby.
Leafly had to lay off roughly half of its workforce in the first quarter of 2020… but just this week, an SEC filing surfaced revealing that the company successfully has raised $3.6 million.
To me, that’s a pretty good sign that the cannabis industry’s luck is changing. And it’s obvious why: Consumer demand for cannabis products has absolutely skyrocketed since quarantine began. Virtually every jurisdiction that allows some form of legal cannabis is reporting record-breaking numbers; last month, Oregon reported a whopping 45% year-over-year increase in sales.
The best part about the cannabis space is that it’s still so new. There are still countless opportunities to turn a small investment into a small fortune, if you know where to look. Just one winning deal can make you millions richer. It’s the golden age of cannabis startup investing.
From what I’ve seen, some of the subsectors with the biggest growth potential right now are those that do more than just grow and sell weed.
I’m talking about companies that dig deep into the science of cannabis – and unlock some of this plant’s secret properties to benefit humankind.
Because, you see, there’s plenty of money to be made by getting people high, alleviating pain, and helping treat illnesses on a day-by-day basis.
But what if cannabis could do more? What if this plant harbors secrets that could permanently cure some of humanity’s most troubling ailments?
One startup I was recently connected with is doing some incredible work in this exact space. They’re actually using cutting-edge molecular engineering tech to create a kind of “super-cannabinoid” – think like CBD, but packing a much more effective punch against diseases like epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and many more.
What I love about this startup is that it’s right at the convergence of two industries that are really hot right now: medtech and cannabis.
They’re currently raising up to $50 million in capital for the clinical stage of development for their best-performing molecule. But the crazy part about this raise is that it’s a Regulation A+… which means that anyone, not just accredited or high net worth investors, can participate.
Until next time,
Neil Patel
Follow @angelsandentrepreneurs
