Investor Judges
Investor Pitch Competition
|
Moderator
|
Daniel Sax, Founder & President, Sensi Properties
|
|
|
|
Daniel is a visionary leader in the Canadian cannabis industry, with strong market knowledge and a deep network across Canada and the US, who sees where the puck is going, not just where it is. He is a very experienced real estate professional with 11 years in the acquisition, development, asset management, workout, and finance of real estate across all asset classes. He has actively participated in over $5B of real estate deals across Canada, the US, and Germany. His ability to bridge the two industries and visualize cannabis real estate as a new sub-asset class of real estate has given him unique subject matter expertise in this novel field, earning him the trust of industry colleagues and peers, as well as speaking roles as numerous conferences. He has additional experience in venture capital, angel investment and entrepreneurial ventures, and is an advisor to two blockchain companies. Daniel has a Masters in Real Estate from Cornell University, and a BA in Economics from Dalhousie University.
About Sensi Properties is a cannabis real estate investment and finance company based in Toronto.
|
Dr. David Cunic , CEO, UCS Advisors
|
David M. Cunic is an entrepreneur who specializes in Investor Relations Advisory services. "Dr. David", as most people know him as, has raised capital, expanded several companies, and has employed over 300+ people. He has been in the medical field for 18+ years, has been a business owner for 19+ years, and has been in the cannabis industry for 10+ years. Some people have called him the "triple headed dragon" due to his diversity and experience. Over the past 16 years, Dr. David has started over 10+ companies, in both the public and private sector, and has successfully sold many of them. His efforts in business operations and human resources won him the prestigious Alfred Sloan Award for Workplace Programs and Flexibility. David has assisted many companies in securing millions of dollars for his clients ranging from the cannabis, hemp, energy, medical, water, and the beverage industry. He has served on numerous boards as an advisor and trusted source of information. Dr. David also performs presentations and speaks at conferences on a variety of topics in both the medical sector and cannabis industry.
|
Evan Eneman, Managing Director, Sands Lane Capital
|
Evan Eneman is an LA-based entrepreneur, investor and advisor specializing in the cannabis and hemp industries. He is the founder and managing partner of Sands Lane Capital, a purpose-driven venture investment platform. Sands Lane Capital invests in the growth of early stage consumer cannabis and hemp brands as well as supportive enablement services. In addition to Sands Lane Capital, he is the founder and CEO of Fiorello, a brand incubator and creative and public relations agency that works with early-stage, high growth cannabis and hemp businesses. Previous to Fiorello and Sands Lane Capital, Evan founded and serves as the vice chairman of a professional services platform called ELLO, in partnership with top 100 accounting and advisory firm MGO. At that time, Evan saw a gap in the ability of cannabis organizations to establish and operate proper infrastructure to ensure effective governance and rapid growth. As CEO of the MGO | ELLO Platform, Evan led the national cannabis practice through the end of 2019, helping the firm become a market leader in tax, accounting, assurance and advisory services to the cannabis and hemp industries. The practice has since expanded to include the boutique investment banking platform ELLO Capital, which focuses on capital formation and strategic advisory services inclusive of mergers and acquisitions. Evan started his career in cannabis and hemp by launching one of the first institutional cannabis venture firms, Casa Verde Capital. Prior to his work in cannabis and hemp, Eneman served as a director at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP for 12 years between New York and Los Angeles, advising clients on strategy, operations, technology, governance, risk, cyber-security and privacy. His clients included marquee brands and leading Fortune 100 companies in media, technology, financial services and the intersection of all three. Evan’s early career was diverse with leadership roles in an array of categories including music, entertainment, and hospitality, where he developed and oversaw operations and production processes for boutique creative firms in New York and Los Angeles. Throughout his career, Eneman remains committed to helping others. While at PwC, he was selected as the Southern California market delegate for Project Belize, an international development leadership program focused on financial literacy and environmental sustainability. He has since served as an executive team member at Minds Matter of Los Angeles, and is now launching Sands Lane Foundation, a new vehicle intended to address social and economic issues and injustices. Evan is the president emeritus of the Wharton Club of Southern California and co-founder and board member of the Wharton Alumni Angel Network. He is also a board member of the Cannabis Beverage Association and a member of the Wharton Alumni Cannabis Club. He spends most of his waking hours loving his daughter Olivia, his wife Meredith and their labradoodle Quincy.
|
Frank Cid, Founder, CrowdChayne
|
Frank Cid is the founder of CrowdChayne. He has worked in investment banking for over 25 years completing a wide variety of middle market capital formation and advisory transactions in numerous industries. These involve both privately held and publicly traded companies. Mr. Cid is sector agnostic when it comes to raising capital. He works with pre-revenue startups as well as nano-cap, and micro-cap publicly listed companies.Mr. Cid has helped to fund hundreds of companies from the start-up stage and has a working knowledge of taking a company from the early seed stages all the may to an exit whether that be a buy out or an IPO.
About CrowdChayne is a functional, user-friendly crowdfunding platform where companies can showcase to potential investors. Investors provide the funding. Businesses get the support. Together, we will grow the financial communities and economies, powering new industries, and creating new jobs.
|
John Nemanic, Partner, Green Coast Capital
|
John is a partner in Green Coast Capital International S.A. Green Coast is an international investor providing flexible and innovative financing to the small-cap and micro-cap marketplace in a variety of sectors. Our team consists of experts in capital markets making quick decisions to provide growth capital to issuers.
John is a serial entrepreneur and investor. As co-founder, Chairman and CEO, he exited 3 very successful Internet start ups. In 2006, Hostopia raised 29.2 million (TSX:H), then sold to Deluxe Communications for $124 Million USD. Tucows was sold to the Steinmetz Group for $45 Million April 1999. Tucows current market cap. is over $600 Million. Internet Direct was merged with Look Communications in 1999 with a deemed value of $560 Million John's current interests are medical cannabis, cultivation, hemp and CBD start ups, with a focus on Colombia. He is married to Sandra Carrillo MD a leading expert in Cannabis for clinical applications, and was appointed as "Clinical professor in charge of the scientific program for cannabis research and education", Faculty of Medicine, University of Panama. John manages Panamanian and Colombian based businesses. He is a former member of EO Panama and has extensive contacts within Panama. He also is a former member of EO Toronto (1995) and YPO Toronto (1999). He is actively seeking high-return opportunities to invest in and serve as a director for high-quality cannabis oriented firms. If you are seeking a highly experienced operator, a dynamic leader who understands the growth cycles of start-ups, and how to develop exit strategies please contact John Nemanic. About Green Coast Capital International S.A is a private international investment firm focused on investing in small- and micro-cap publicly traded growth companies. We provide flexible debt and equity structured investments across several international markets. We seek to invest in high growth and distressed situations. Green Coast Capital International S.A allocates capital across all industries in four core strategies: discounted equity, convertible debt, convertible preferred equity, and undervalued open market opportunities. We only manage our own capital giving us the ability to make timely and qualified investment decisions.
|
Josh Kincaid, Capital Markets Analyst, The Talking Hedge
|
In a galaxy far far away, Josh was a Securities Risk Analyst managing a $650 million fund in the Investment Banking Industry with proven success in finance, compliance, and operations within a highly regulated industry. He’s experienced the Financial Industry’s stringent regulatory environment and survived a myriad of regulatory changes in the Cannabis Industry.
Yet remains informed of potential changes that could impact the industry, to best leverage his client’s resources and maximize success. Josh has been connecting individuals and businesses within all facets of the supply chain since his internship at the World Trade Center. He keeps a finger on the pulse of the industry utilizing technology and data from HeadSet, New Frontier Data and the Cannabis Alliance, remaining informed by analyzing economic market reactions over the last 6 years. In his spare time, he produces a cannabis business podcast called The Talking Hedge. Josh is an advisor, as well as a Capital Market Analyst, Director of Finance and contract CFO for companies throughout North America. He has a degree in International Business Management from Western Washington University and a Masters in Finance from City University of Seattle and intends to leverage his resources and expertise to drive the Cannabis Industry further. About SuperChronics is a boutique advisory firm that focuses on cannabis finance, data analytics, risk management, and compliance with an emphasis on strategic partnerships, M&As and international expansion.
|
Joyce Cenali, Partner & Chief Operating Officer, Big Rock
|
Joyce leads operations at Big Rock Partners, a strategic advisory firm serving investors and companies at the intersection of food, hospitality and cannabis. A long time craft cannabis cultivator, she co-founded an Emerald Cup winning operation, and served as co-chair for Women Grow, Sonoma. She is an advisor for various female founders of early stage companies that are innovating in cannabis, and an Advisory Board member for the Access & Innovation Project with a mission to advance a modern regulatory model that unites capitalism with inclusion. She was recognized by San Francisco Business Times as a Most Influential Woman in Bay Area Business for 2020.
About Big Rock Partners is a San Francisco based strategic advisory and investment firm serving companies and investors. Focused on the intersection of cannabis, food and hospitality, we have supported many of the Bay Area’s leading brands, from company formation through to strategic growth capital. Their portfolio includes Sonoma Hills Farm, PharmaCann, Cannacraft, Henry’s Original, Chef’s Feed, Tacolicious, Souvla, Lazy Bear, Che Fico, Vertosa, Node Labs, Kikoko, Garden Society, and Sava, to name a few.
|
Morgan Paxhia, Managing Director & Chief Investor, Poseidon
|
Morgan Paxhia is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Poseidon, one of the longest running funds in the cannabis industry. With over ten years experience in investing and finance, Morgan has developed a deep understanding of individual company analysis, portfolio construction, and risk mitigation. Since 2012, he has dedicated his investment focus primarily to the cannabis industry. Given the limited amount of information in this emerging vertical, the lack of institutional research, and relative industry immaturity, Morgan embraces an active approach of working closely with companies. He utilizes a “boots on the ground” methodology to better understand individual companies and the industry. Through his extensive travel across the US and Canada, reviewing hundreds of business plans and overseeing several existing cannabis investments, Morgan has developed Poseidon’s investment methodology tailored specific to the business of cannabis. Poseidon’s proprietary process is driven by the time spent in the industry and the considerable data collected over the last several years. He has created frameworks for analysis depending on sub-sector, company stage, and participation across the capital spectrum through our database of contacts, valuations, metrics, and other relevant factors.
Morgan started his investment career at UBS Financial Services working in a Wealth Management/ Investment Banking hybrid training program. The training brought a wide range of first hand experience working through several facets of the organization, including advisory teams managing assets for high net worth individuals and municipal bonds trading. Following UBS, Morgan transitioned to a Providence-based Registered Investment Advisor as an Investment Consultant. During that time, he worked under the partners of the firm doing fundamental portfolio management. Morgan graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics in 2005. About Poseidon Asset Management Poseidon was founded by siblings Emily & Morgan Paxhia in 2013, making their first fund one of the longest running dedicated cannabis investment funds, with over $85 million in Assets Under Management and an IRR of 53% net of fees as of December 31, 2019. On March 31, 2020, the Poseidon team closed the fundraise for its Fund Two, a Venture Capital strategy, bringing total Assets Under Management to $145 million. The Poseidon team has focused on a diversified strategy covering a range of company stages and industry sub-sectors across the capital spectrum.
|
Sheri Orlowitz, Founding Partner, Artemis Holdings Group
|
Sheri L. Orlowitz’s 30-plus-year experience as an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, turn-around expert, board director, corporate leader, attorney and former federal prosecutor make her uniquely qualified not only to lead companies in the cannabis industry, but to advise regulators and provide strategic investment advice. Few can match her track record of success.
Sheri has acquired and led a dozen very different companies, some acquired from Kodak, Tyco International, and Applied Magnetics, employing over a thousand people and raising $100 million in the process. She has invested in seed and venture capital companies for over 20 years, including a payments company acquired by PayPal. After careful analysis, she made her first cannabis company investment in MJ Freeway and subsequently raised the capital needed to fill out its Series C round. Since investing in Akerna in 2018 she has invested in 4 other cannabis companies and is currently investing through Artemis. As the founder of Artemis Holdings Group LLC, Sheri has assembled a team of creative professionals with decades of experience dealing with all stages of the life-cycle of a business, including acquisitions, divestitures, restructuring and growth. With an eye towards using her experience to guide growing companies, Sheri sits on several boards including, Aeon Botanika, Invest Sou Sou and AgTools. Sheri’s commitment to social justice led her 25 years ago to found a non-profit to address human trafficking and sexual abuse and her involvement with the Marijuana Policy Project, the leading public policy advocacy group for the cannabis industry. Sheri’s experience, integrity and vision will help her develop the cannabis industry in a way that restores justice and increases prosperity for people and companies involved. About We are venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, lawyers, consultants, financiers, scientists, and board directors of public and private companies. We are a bridge to the future of the cannabis industry while being mindful of the past. We bring best-in-class companies to you. Artemis differs from other private investment firms in that our founder, with two decades of operational experience, is committed to investing for the long haul; Artemis acquires and invests to build and hold. This strategy results in a unique perspective on value. Our investment philosophy is simple: a business will grow and flourish when it (rather than short term financial engineering), is the focus of the venture and is the beneficiary of prudently increased resources and expertise, all focused on fostering growth, increasing competitive advantage and creating value over the long term. We are not tied to one acquisition model– we are flexible, our preference is to acquire all or a majority interest but are able to adjust to a variety of circumstances that result in a minority interest or debt financing. We are particularly interested in small or niche market businesses, including companies in the nutraceutical, manufacturing, aviation, IT, industrial, biomedical and life sciences sectors, in all of which we have either the direct operational experience or close connections, or both, to provide our acquisitions with resources, expertise and avenues for growth. Mission We believe that a thriving cannabis industry benefits the health and wellness of humanity. We invest in exceptional teams that have the vision and, with our support, ability to create truly great companies.
|
Skip Sanzeri, Managing Director, Multiverse Capital
|
Skip has a very strong mix of business savvy combined with over 7 years of direct cannabis industry experience. Currently he serves as a Founder and Managing Director of Multiverse Capital which is a set of cannabis venture funds for the recreational, medicinal and ancillary sector of the cannabis industry. At Multiverse Capital, Skip is head of the investment committee as well as investor relations. He raises capital for the firm and has reviewed hundreds of cannabis portfolio companies. He also as a panel moderator at various cannabis events around the nation and he manages all the fund partnerships including fund administration, legal, tax and audit, and banking.
Skip is also currently Head of Corporate Strategy for 3C consulting, the largest global cannabis consultancy in the world. He has assisted hundreds of cannabis businesses with strategic guidance, corporate governance, corporate structuring, financial model development, determining capital requirements, and investment analysis. There he participates in onboarding new cannabis clients, works with referral partnerships, provides corporate strategy to the CEO and Board, works with existing clients to assist with their cannabis operations and provides strategic guidance to current cannabis companies for investment, capital raise and structuring. Prior to 3C, Skip was the chief operating officer, then promoted to President for a cannabis sensor company. He was hired to raise capital and take the company public. He led the company through 3 rounds of capital and engineered the entire go public process including finance, legal, investor relations, public relations and more. He also handled all sales and revenue generation and built a pipeline of millions of dollars in channel distribution. He raised $7.6 in capital from 125 different investors including family offices, institutions and accredited investors. Skip is known in Silicon Valley as one of the leading technology entrepreneurs and investors. Prior to his cannabis experience, he has advised over two dozen early stage companies and has had five successful exits with the most recent being an artificial intelligence company which sold to a publicly traded company. He has held C-level, VP-level and Board positions at various technology companies. In addition, he founded and exited companies in the medical device space, systems and hardware, as well as consumer products. In one example, he served as vice-president of business development and sales for quote.com which was sold to Lycos. Skip started his career as a sales executive and sales manager for Ziff Davis publishing. At the same time, he founded a health club called Gold's Gym and was the 2nd licensee in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the next 7 years he built five more health clubs totaling over 250,000 square feet of space and over 10,000 members. He sold the entire chain to 24-hour fitness after renaming the clubs California athletic clubs. Skip holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the College of Notre Dame, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Claremont McKenna College in Southern California. There skip was also captain of the baseball team and voted an N CAA 1983 baseball All-American About Multiverse Capital™ has three cannabis venture funds covering ancillary, medicinal and recreational sectors of the legal cannabis industry. Our name, Multiverse Capital, reflects our comprehensive strategy spanning private and public global cannabis companies across all sectors of the industry. The Multiverse team offers a dynamic combination of financial and cannabis industry experience. Managing Directors Nic Easley and Skip Sanzeri have worked on nearly 500 cannabis projects in 16 countries, 34 U.S. states, and two territories. We know which fundamental issues operators face and have implemented solutions to mitigate them. We have decades of combined financial management expertise, including venture capital and private equity. Multiverse has an extensive network that provides continuous access to quality deal flow, enabling us to choose top portfolio companies. Further, we manage and advise portfolio companies via value-added services. We offer the necessary cannabis industry expertise for our investors. Additionally, our compartmentalized ancillary, medicinal, and recreational cannabis funds provide limited partners with options that fit their unique risk tolerance.
|
