Company: Serene
Founders: Ed McIlroy, Co-Founder & CEO; London Adam Bray, Co-Founder & CPO
Hometown: London, UK
What is Serene?
Serene is an app based community where users find and share the best spots in nature that are made better with cannabis. Federal law prohibits the consumption of cannabis in public places. Sitting at home and smoking, eating or drinking cannabis products removes the enjoyment for a lot of users. Serene is a platform that will allow users to find the best spots in nature to visit whilst under the influence of cannabis. We aim to build a community that is focused entirely on ensuring people have a safe, legal and fun experience with cannabis.
What is your background? Do you have cannabis industry experience, or is this your first venture into the cannabis industry?
(Ed) This is my first experience of working in the industry. I come from a SaaS background, having worked for a young tech start-up based of Ghent, Belgium. My responsibilities focused on growing the business through sales and key partnerships. I am a self taught developer, proficient in the relative basics - my skills lie in HTML, CSS & JS. My position as CEO for Serene suits my skillset well, I will represent the face of Serene when meeting potential mentors and investors. I will take on responsibility for pitching, as well as hiring post Series-A.
(Adam) This is my first venture into the cannabis industry, however, I've studied closely the growth of the industry since 2011.
How did you find about the Canopy Accelerator, and why did you decide to apply?
We found out about Canopy whilst researching potential investors - we found Canopy Managing Director Patrick Rea online, looked him up on LinkedIn and then sent him a very quick email. The decision to apply and move over to the States was because of what is offered by Canopy. We had offers for money in the UK, but that's all that was on offer. With Canopy we get access to a vast mentor network, alumni, weekly events, support from the Canopy team and advice when seeking further investment in the future.
Where do you see an opportunity to make a difference in the cannabis industry's growth?
(Ed) My picture of the future is to leverage success with Serene to put me in a respectable position from which I can begin lobbying for the legalisation of cannabis back home in the UK. We are years behind the US and legalisation is something that currently has few pioneers really working towards legislation changes.
(Adam) Personally I see the future of cannabis use as a widely accepted practice, much like coffee or alcohol is now, and for the physical and mental medicinal benefits to be finally acknowledged, whether helping the critically ill or the recreational user. The medicinal qualities of cannabis has driven the industry out of the dark ages and I see significant progress within the next 5 years. Eventually, I see the cannabis industry as a huge consumer market but also a heavy influence on other industries, such as hemp for the oil, paper and construction industries. The obstacles for the industry include negative legislation being enforced, competition from other industries and potential risks of cannabis use, which can only be revealed from ongoing research into the plant itself as it becomes more available to study.
How do you spend your time when you're not working on your company?
I (Ed) am a huge sports fan, following a short but successful rugby career that was stopped by injury I can now only be a spectator in most sports. I do however cycle everywhere, typically on fixed gear bikes - I've already bought myself one to ride in Boulder. I'm also a keen cook, and find that spending an hour cooking after being stressed at work is a really good way to decompress.
(Adam) I enjoy an active lifestyle, including walking, running, cycling, sport and more. I'm also a big lover of good food, there's nothing I don't like or will not try! Spending quality time with friends and family is very important to me, and I particularly enjoy exploring new places and experiencing new things with them and try to instigate an adventure wherever possible. I'm fascinated by profound and existential topics and although no expert, enjoy the studies of astronomy, horology, natural science and art.
Indica or sativa?
(Ed) Hybrid
(Adam) Sativa
Like cannabis? Like the outdoors? If you live in Colorado, Serene Team hosts a CannaHike Meetup group, bringing cannabis enthusiasts together to explore the many opportunities to get outside in the Front Range area. Join the group and find your people!
