Press Release

Burns & Levinson and Viridian Capital Advisors will co-host “The State of the Cannabis Industry Conference: Growth Opportunities for Professionals, Operators and Investors,” an invitation-only event that will focus on the role of technology in the rapidly growing multi-billion dollar cannabis industry. The second annual conference will be held on October 4, 2018 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Hilton Boston/Dedham Hotel. 

The event will feature four in-depth panel discussions and a keynote speech by Sundie Seefried, CEO/President of Partner Colorado Credit Union. Seefried designed a full scope cannabis banking program that has withstood the scrutiny of federal and state regulators and now banks in excess of a 35% market share of the Colorado cannabis industry that includes both licensed cannabis and ancillary businesses serving the industry. The author of “Navigating Safe Harbor – Cannabis Banking in Uncertain Times,” Seefried will discuss how to successfully package a cannabis banking program.

“Last year at our first annual cannabis conference, we focused on institutional investing in the cannabis space. This year, our focus is on the technological developments that are propelling much of the innovation and excitement in the cannabis industry right now,” said Frank A. Segall, co-chair of the Cannabis Business Advisory Group at Burns & Levinson. “We want to help the investment community understand how new technology solutions influence the industry, what the future looks like and where opportunities can be found,” added Scott Moskol, who co-chairs Burns’ Cannabis Business Advisory Group with Segall.

Specific panel sessions will include:

• State of the Cannabis Industry – A look at the growth of legalized marijuana in Massachusetts and elsewhere, with particular attention on federal and state law, and the evolution of the industry in light of the recent and continued influx of investors.
• Follow the Money: Analyzing Capital Flow into the Legal Cannabis Industry – A focus on the capital infusions necessary to launch, operate or invest in the cannabis space, with Viridian providing deal-data insight regarding capital raises and M&A activity.
• How Tech & Data Are Shaping the Industry – An in-depth look at the technology – from seed-to-sale software to anti-money-laundering safeguards to transaction-processing systems – that is pushing the cannabis sector further into the 21st century.
• Future of Banking in Cannabis – A review of the technology solutions that have become available to help marijuana-related businesses deal with the lack of traditional commercial banking services, how the Commonwealth accommodates the needs of the local industry, the legal and regulatory framework surrounding cannabis investing/financing and changes ahead.

Burns & Levinson is a Boston-based law firm that has been advising cannabis businesses, entrepreneurs and investors across the country for over five years. Burns helps clients navigate the complex legal and business framework that surrounds the rapidly growing marijuana industry in the U.S. The firm has unrivaled experience in cannabis business formation, licensure, legal and regulatory compliance; corporate structuring, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, fund formation, debt and equity financing; real estate acquisitions and leasing; labor and employment issues; intellectual property protection; 280E taxation issues; and cannabis litigation. Burns was the first major Boston corporate law firm to develop a cannabis business practice.

Viridian Capital Advisors (VCA) is a New York City-based financial and strategic advisory firm dedicated to the cannabis industry. Founded by a group of experienced Wall Street analysts and bankers, VCA brings capital markets expertise, sophisticated market intelligence, and strategic direction to the emerging cannabis sector. By leveraging the team’s decades of high level operating and transactional experience on Wall Street and as entrepreneurs, the firm provides comprehensive strategic and financial solutions that assist cannabis enterprises in realizing their full potential.

For more information about the conference and to register click here.