BOULDER, Colo. – August 20, 2019— CanopyBoulder, a seed-stage investment fund and business accelerator for companies developing ancillary and hemp/CBD products and services for the legal cannabis industry, is pleased to announce the application portal is now open for its 2020 cohort. This year, the company is moving to only one cohort per year, increasing the amount available for investment and adding hemp/CBD consumer products to its portfolio. 

CanopyBoulder will accept 10 companies for its only 13-week business accelerator program of the year, which offers non-THC touching cannabis startups $20,000 in seed funding for 6-9.5% equity, with an additional $100,000 option. The team’s model prioritizes connecting its portfolio companies with experienced mentors, industry professionals, accelerator alumni, and a broad investor network.

The firm is interested in early-stage technology-based companies that are developing solutions within the following sectors of the cannabis market: Agriculture Technology, Back Office Software Platforms, Certification & Standardization, Consumer Education, Data & Analytics, Digital & Social Media, Energy & Water Technology, Extraction & Processing Technology, Consumption Technology, Healthcare Technology Platforms, Packaging and Payments & Banking and Hemp/CBD Consumer Products.

“We’re encouraged by the cannabis industry’s sustained growth, and as the space develops further our team will continue to support the advancement of innovative services and tools,” said Patrick Rea, co-founder and CEO of CanopyBoulder. “These startups graduate from the cohort and hit the ground running, leaving lasting impacts on the cannabis industry moving forward.”

 CanopyBoulder recently announced the graduation of its Summer 2019 cohort, which included the following startups:

• Abaca gives cannabis businesses compliant bank accounts, electronic payments, and other financial services through its FinTech-powered banking platform.
• anna is the first AI-powered cannabis dispensary kiosk, and is designed to facilitate faster, reliable, and more efficient retail transactions – benefitting both dispensary owners and consumers.
• Azara Solutions, Inc. provides web tools that streamline operations, hold staff accountable, and permeate regulations.
• Bello by Designed Technology works to improve the public perception of cannabis consumers by cleaning and simplifying the consumption process.
• Buddle empowers cannabis businesses to navigate the complex legal and regulatory landscape with the help of law experts in order to maximize potential and stay lean.
• Demeter streamlines the communication between brands and influencers by facilitating omni-channel giveaways to generate awareness for cannabis brands.
• Enabled Label offers modern origin certification for supply chains. Its technology provides batch-level origin and quality verification in real time.
• Green Genomix is a biotech company that provides personalized cannabis recommendations through DNA testing.
• L.A. Cannabis News / CN Media compiles daily news, feature stories, job and events boards, and business directories for the greater Los Angeles area.
• The Grove Spaces is defining the retail platform for cannabis consumption venues around the world through hosting a variety of businesses in a beautifully designed space that acts as a cultural hub for the surrounding areas.

After weeks of intensive pitch practice, business model refinement, and miles logged meeting investors around the country, the cohort graduation culminated in CanopyBoulder’s bi-yearly Demo Day and JumpStart Conference.

Companies interested in applying for the program can submit an online application at: https://canopyboulder.com/apply.

About CanopyBoulder

CanopyBoulder is a seed-stage, mentorship-driven, business accelerator created in partnership with The ArcView Group for companies developing ancillary products and services for the legal cannabis industry. Companies are handpicked by the selection committee to receive up to $80,000 in capital and participate in an intensive 16-week accelerator program. CanopyBoulder advisors and mentors work closely with each company, helping define business models, refine unique selling propositions, and focus marketing and fundraising activities. For more information, please visit www.canopyboulder.com. 

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Media Contact:

North 6^th Agency for CanopyBoulder
Robert Vanisko
canopy@n6a.com
212.334.9753 ext. 112