| Date | Title | Description |
| 02.02.2021 | 10 predictions for 2021 in cannabis | In our wrap-up for 2020, we highlighted much of the progress we saw in the cannabis sector in the past year. We believe that 2021 is shaping up to be the most significant year yet for the global cannabis sector. A Democrat sweep in the U.S.... |
| 16.12.2020 | 2020 Cannabis Predictions Scorecard | There was no way we could have envisioned what 2020 had in store for us when we made these predictions last year. The pandemic touched every industry, and although cannabis fared well, our predictions did not. Our hope for splashy acquisiti... |
| 08.12.2020 | What can we expect from cannabis 3.0? | In the last few years, cannabis 2.0 has become shorthand for the introduction of derivative cannabis products to recreational markets. This includes products that go beyond dried flower, including edibles, beverages, vapes, and tinctures. B... |
| 30.11.2020 | Cannabis Entrepreneurship 101: How to compliantly market cannabis in Canada | A 2020 Brightfield Group study paints a bleak picture of the prospect of cannabis marketing in Canada: of the 3,000 people polled, two out of five respondents said they recognized Canopy Growth’s Tweed brand, while 17 other brands had less ... |
| 23.11.2020 | Unravelling the venture capital timeline | Many of the largest venture capital firms are structured as limited partnerships with funds that are not available to retail investors. Investors in limited partnerships, typically strategic investors, high net worth individuals and family ... |
| 12.11.2020 | Cannabis Entrepreneurship 101: Understanding the rules of CPG brand growth in the context of cannabis | Since legalization in Canada, cannabis has quickly emerged as an entirely new consumer packaged goods (CPG) category. It initially seemed as though it would be an extension of the alcohol and beverage industry when it was first announced th... |
| 03.11.2020 | Cannabis Entrepreneurship 101: How will your business make money? | Before you bring in investors, you should have a plan for how your cannabis start-up will make money. The first step in developing that strategy starts with creating a business model, the essence of any solid business plan. |
| 28.10.2020 | TerrAscend setting up for success in New Jersey | On November 3, 2020, U.S. citizens went to the polls. While in many states, that meant choosing between a Democrat or Republican ticket, in New Jersey it also meant deciding the fate of a recreational cannabis market. Specifically, voters w... |
| 26.10.2020 | Where are they now: Headset guiding the industry as cannabis data leader | Retail cannabis operators often base business decisions on timely information or risk falling behind their competitors. Headset helps companies eliminate guesswork through market intelligence and data, with insights into consumer behavior s... |
| 21.10.2020 | Three things cannabis can teach agriculture | Agriculture is at a crossroads. On one hand, it must adapt quickly to feed a growing global population with limited resources and an ongoing climate crisis. But agricultural innovation has slowed, and consumer trust in agricultural science ... |
| 20.10.2020 | Where are they now: High Beauty’s two brands filling shelves across North America | Canopy Rivers approached the cannabis beauty sector in pursuit of a strong brand with widespread distribution. High Beauty’s products are formulated with cannabis sativa seed oil, meaning they are exempt from restrictions that apply to prod... |
| 19.10.2020 | Cannabis Entrepreneurship 101: How well do you know your costs? | A key part of any solid cannabis business plan is a thorough and thoughtful examination of costs. Mismanagement or failure to account for costs upfront can be a fatal mistake for any cannabis start-up, and is often the reason why so many go... |
| 14.10.2020 | Where are they now: ZeaKal’s PhotoSeed trials drawing attention in agtech sector | ZeaKal is tackling one of the toughest challenges in agriculture: sustainably increasing the value of the world’s major crops. Its PhotoSeed™ technology is the first seed trait to optimize how plants fix energy: enabling crops to harvest mo... |
| 28.09.2020 | How LeafLink International simplifies cannabis wholesale ordering in Canada | As more cannabis brands come to the Canadian market, companies will need to ensure that their stock lines up with consumer demands. But the fragmented nature of the Canadian market—where each province has its own set of cannabis retail regu... |
| 21.09.2020 | Cannabis Entrepreneurship 101: How well do you know your consumer? | Before legalization in Canada, the cannabis industry generally struggled to conceptualize its audience. There were many initial assumptions about its anticipated customers. |
| 21.09.2020 | Cannabis Insights You Should Know in 2020 | Consumers have many options to choose from in the legal cannabis market. In the U.S., brands have generally been given more room to express themselves, and appear to be building more brand loyalty. In Canada, marketing is more restricted. A... |
| 14.09.2020 | Cannabis Entrepreneurship 101: How to focus your business idea | The first step to starting a business is figuring out whether there’s even a need for what you’re hoping to sell. Post-legalization, the first cannabis start-ups benefited simply by being on the market the earliest. Moving forward, any savv... |
| 27.08.2020 | Portfolio Highlight: TerrAscend announces strong Q2 2020 financial results, expands U.S. operations | Canopy Rivers portfolio company TerrAscend Corp. (TerrAscend) reported its second quarter results last week. The results made headlines in the cannabis sector and capped off a period in which TerrAscend had made several announcements as it ... |
| 26.08.2020 | How to pitch your cannabis start-up in 10 slides | Perfecting your pitch can be essential to securing funding for your cannabis business. The best tool for this is a pitch deck that concisely communicates the problem you are trying to solve and the value your product or service adds. |
| 30.07.2020 | Social equity program aims to undo legalization’s paradox: NCIA | Individuals who hold or have applied for social equity licences—offered by certain U.S. states to communities negatively impacted by cannabis criminalization—qualify for a new opportunity that may broaden their network and help shape public... |
| 28.07.2020 | Unlocking the big pharma opportunity in cannabis
What does big pharma need before entering the cannabis sector? | Large pharmaceutical companies have only just dipped their toes in the cannabis industry. Within five to ten years, though, we think they may make a sizable splash. Our expectations for big pharma follow the wave theory, our framework outli... |
| 22.07.2020 | The cannabis venture capital roadmap to value creation | Simply put, our goal is to create value for our shareholders. That value creation may come in any number of forms: above-market yields from our royalty and debt positions, dividends or other distributions from our equity investments, or mon... |
| 16.07.2020 | 4 ways cannabis companies can advance diversity and inclusion in (and beyond) their organizations
1. Identify shortcomings by consulting employees, customers, and stakeholders
2. Re-examine existing... | The cannabis industry is unequal in many ways. Racially targeted arrests for marijuana possession still occur in every state and minorities are sparsely represented among senior leadership roles. High licensing fees and reduced access to ca... |
| 15.07.2020 | Three U.S. cannabis market insights for summer 2020
1. “Essential” designation a reflection of public opinion
2. While state-level policies progress, federal policy may lag into 2021
3. The U.S. ma... | Heading into a November election, there are few cannabis-related issues that have achieved bipartisan momentum at the state or federal levels in the U.S. In both blue and red states, lawmakers have continued to enact frameworks for cannabis... |
| 13.07.2020 | Three Canadian cannabis market insights for summer 2020 | The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the playing field for Canada’s legal cannabis industry. As new retail stores continue to open in Ontario, cannabis stores were designated as essential businesses. At the federal level, cannabis firms have l... |
| 29.06.2020 | Inside retail cannabis during a pandemic | Across Canada and legal U.S. markets, regulators have flirted with whether recreational cannabis stores—many of them start-ups—are essential businesses. Retailers have had to fight for this classification, proving to regulators that they ca... |
| 26.06.2020 | Cannabis Hardware: Industry Vertical Infographic | |
| 26.06.2020 | Cannabis Software and Data: Industry Vertical Infographic | |
| 18.06.2020 | Dutchie: How one start-up went from launch to dominating cannabis online ordering in 18 months | Some of the greatest entrepreneurs have embraced life experience and flexibility in building their successful ventures. They may have worked for another company and found a pain point that required a new solution, or they may have run throu... |
| 12.06.2020 | Cannabis Wellness Products: Industry Vertical Infographic | |
| 08.06.2020 | Cannabis Consumer Products and Accessories: Industry Vertical Infographic | |
| 21.05.2020 | New women in weed conference aims to “wake up” legal pot sector | There are already way, way too many cannabis industry conferences. |
| 21.05.2020 | How cannabis venture capital is evolving with COVID-19 | Recently we published an infographic highlighting trends in cannabis venture capital during the first three months of 2020. The impacts of COVID-19 were already starting to show, with PitchBook data showing both the number of deals and over... |
| 21.05.2020 | Costly, but critical: five painful truths about cannabis insurance | Insurance is a complicated subject at the best of times. Add the evolving patchwork of insurance-related regulations in legal cannabis markets around the world and the subject becomes downright stressful. |
| 14.05.2020 | How this cannabis start-up survived the COVID-19 supply chain collapse | Frank Qin and David Byer started Mary AG in 2017 with the goal of producing a mass-market indoor cannabis growing cabinet. Their previous hardware experience - having both worked for bike sharing startup Vanhawks - helped them build a suppl... |
| 12.05.2020 | Dynaleo looks to take bite out of Canada’s cannabis edibles market | Canada’s cannabis 2.0 market was still heating up in January when our team touched down in chilly Alberta. We were headed to Nisku, a small hamlet on the outskirts of Edmonton, and the home of Dynaleo’s 27,000 square foot manufacturing faci... |
| 30.04.2020 | Germany: Entry points for cannabis entrepreneurs | The first question aspiring entrepreneurs usually ask Nick Pateras about the German cannabis market is whether the largest pot sector in Europe is really as complicated as it appears. |
| 26.04.2020 | Infographic: Cannabis venture capital highlights from January-March 2020 | A lot happened in cannabis between January and March 2020. That’s why the team at Canopy Rivers dove into data powered by PitchBook to examine some key trends at the intersection of venture capital and cannabis. |
| 23.04.2020 | Why more women smoke weed than the data suggests | Jenna Valleriani was getting her hair cut when her hairdresser confided that she uses cannabis, but despite being legal, she still keeps her consumption a closely-guarded secret. |
| 23.04.2020 | What a cannabis degree offers entrepreneurs | David Lehmpuhl is the dean of science and mathematics at Colorado State University Pueblo. In his own words below, lightly edited for length and clarity, Prof. Lehmpuhl explains what led to the new cannabis degree program, what type of stud... |
| 22.04.2020 | Entrepreneurs be warned: sustainable cannabis packaging claims lack evidence | Every time a cannabis producer asks Mark Finkelstein about “environmentally friendly” packaging options, the VP of sales at Cannasupplies - among the largest packaging-focused players in the cannabis space - always poses a qualifying questi... |
| 22.04.2020 | Why the 0.3% THC limit for U.S. hemp might stop you from starting a CBD business | When Ernest Small published a paper on the differences between cannabis and hemp nearly half a century ago, he had no idea his findings would one day become the bane of the entire United States hemp industry. |
| 21.04.2020 | Get funded: 5 cannabis fundraising tips from Poseidon Asset Management | Emily Paxhia is co-founder and managing partner of Poseidon Asset Management, a California-based cannabis-focused investment fund that has been operating since 2014. In her own words below, lightly edited for length and clarity, Ms. Paxhia ... |
| 21.04.2020 | Cannabis entrepreneurs bet big on pot as a global commodity | In the not-too-distant future, world cannabis production might be dominated by just a handful of countries. |
| 20.04.2020 | Recap: Market Insights from CIBC Cannabis Data Experts Call | On April 16, 2020, #BackedByRIV companies LeafLink* and Headset partnered with CIBC to present wholesale and retail cannabis market trends. The presentation focused on how cannabis sales have been impacted in the COVID-19 era, how declarati... |
| 20.04.2020 | What to do after a cannabis investor says 'no' | Jeffrey Stewart founded his vape hardware start-up Ovandi in 2017 and, like many cannabis entrepreneurs, struggled to find investors. In his own words below, lightly edited for length and clarity, he explains why ‘no’ was in some ways a bet... |
| 17.04.2020 | From wheat to weed: how an Alberta farmer found opportunity in cannabis | Serena Donovan has been farming in rural Alberta for more than a decade. In 2018 she decided to diversify beyond traditional crops like wheat, canola, durham and peas, starting a process that led to her start-up - Because You Cann - which b... |
| 17.04.2020 | Earthly Labs: helping cannabis entrepreneurs save both cash and carbon | Legalizing cannabis is helping to lower the carbon footprint of craft beer. |
| 15.04.2020 | Cannabis software: 300+ companies powering the industry | The sector-agnostic use case of many technology-driven innovations has led to software becoming the foundation in various industries. Following decades of prohibition and patchwork regulations, many established software solutions have not y... |
| 01.04.2020 | Wave theory: Where does cannabis industry go from here? | Like any new industry, the cannabis sector is dynamic. Regulations around the world seem to change constantly. Entrepreneurs set their eyes on cannabis and launch new ventures focused on capturing consumer mindshare through things like cons... |
| 27.03.2020 | Five areas cannabis businesses should focus on during a crisis | Like many businesses, the economic uncertainty spurred by COVID-19 and the resulting broad-based response are quickly creating a new reality for cannabis companies. While many businesses have had to close their doors entirely, access to can... |
| 25.03.2020 | Stable genetics and the case for cannabis seed specialists | The lack of stable genetics is a key obstacle impeding many cannabis cultivators. This is not the case in traditional crops such as corn and soy where seed development is a critical and separate component of the value chain. Yet seed develo... |
| 09.03.2020 | Cannabis Processing: Industry Vertical Infographic | |
| 09.03.2020 | Cannabis Pharmaceuticals and Biotech: Industry Vertical Infographic | |
| 09.03.2020 | Cannabis Production (Cultivation): Industry Vertical Infographic | |
| 06.03.2020 | Lessons untapped: what cannabis can learn from alcohol | Many hope that maturation is around the corner after 2019 was a year of growing pains for the cannabis industry. There appears to be some positive momentum, as certain markets around the world evaluate frameworks for legalizing cannabis. As... |
| 20.02.2020 | Hot Topicals: 100+ cannabis cosmetics brands | The global cosmetics market is a vast, competitive landscape with an expected market value of US$805.6 billion by 2023. With categories spanning skincare, makeup, fragrances, hair care, bath and shower, cosmetics brands compete for shelf sp... |
| 16.01.2020 | Cannabis Agriculture and Food Sciences: Industry Vertical Infographic | |
| 15.01.2020 | 115+ cannabis start-ups disrupting the beverage menu | Cannabis drinks are upending the beverage industry. Alcohol-free beverages are growing in popularity and alcohol giants like Constellation Brands and Molson Coors have entered the cannabis space. The result? Cannabis-infused drinks are a ra... |
| 06.01.2020 | 10 Predictions for 2020 in Cannabis | A couple weeks ago, I shared the results of my 2019 predictions for the cannabis industry. While I didn’t make these public last year, I’m ready to share this year’s predictions. And why not? The way I see it, there’s a lot to look forward ... |
| 20.12.2019 | The CBD investment opportunity: four trends to watch | One of Google’s hottest search terms in the back half of 2019, CBD has shifted from an anecdotal remedy to a pharmaceutical and widely distributed consumer product. As a venture capital firm specializing in cannabis, we look at investment i... |
| 28.11.2019 | Tech venture capital is keeping a close watch on cannabis – here are four reasons why | It’s an exciting time to raise private capital in the cannabis industry. We’ve seen that the stigma is dissipating, general partners (GPs) are opening up to cannabis investments, and tech venture firms are jumping in. 2018 was a record year... |
| 21.11.2019 | Quick Take: Understanding the House Judiciary Committee’s Passage of the MORE Act | The House Judiciary Committee in the U.S. passed the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement ("MORE") Act in a 24-10 vote on Wednesday. If passed, the MORE Act would decriminalize cannabis at the federal level. |
| 24.10.2019 | Infographic: Cannabis Venture Capital Highlights from July-October 2019 | A lot has happened in cannabis since July 2019. That’s why the team at Canopy Rivers decided to dive deep into data powered by PitchBook to examine some big trends at the intersection of venture capital and cannabis. With the Cannabis Ventu... |
| 15.09.2019 | How to understand RIV Capital’s financials | At RIV Capital, our objective is making investments that generate returns in the form of dividends, capital appreciation, interest, rent, and royalties. As a result, we currently do not report financial metrics that are typical of Canadian ... |
| 11.09.2019 | Canopy Rivers' Growth Plan | The cannabis industry is blossoming as producers, manufacturers, and companies across the value chain embrace opportunities in both the recreational and medical markets. Disruption in the sector is a question of when, not if, as existing co... |
| 21.08.2019 | Five cannabis podcasts recommended by a venture capitalist | Keeping your finger on the pulse of the ever-evolving cannabis industry is difficult, but not impossible. While reading articles and reports are important, podcasts are a great way to digest news and topic-focused stories during your daily ... |
| 16.08.2019 | Letter to Shareholders (2018-2019) | At Canopy Rivers, we are committed to making the cannabis industry stronger, faster, better, and smarter by accelerating the success of the companies we invest in. As a venture capital firm specializing in cannabis, we are looking for the n... |
| 14.08.2019 | The Elephant in the Dispensary: Why Cannabis Beverage Isn’t Big Business…Yet | Over the last 24 months, there has been a lot of buzz around the entry of large alcohol into the cannabis industry. The largest of those deals was Constellation’s US$4B investment in Canopy Growth, with a path to control the company through... |
| 21.06.2019 | How BioLumic switches on the growing power of ultraviolet light for cannabis producers | Growers around the world face mounting pressure to produce more cannabis. But increasing yield isn’t easy. Cannabis seed companies and farmers must confront escalating operational costs, climate variability, ongoing regulatory changes, and ... |
| 12.06.2019 | How ZeaKal’s trait technology plans to supercharge hemp growth | Relative to traditional crops (such as rice, corn, soy, etc.), cannabis and hemp cultivation is still in its infancy – lacking sophistication and research due to decades of widespread prohibition. Faced with the looming threat of crop failu... |
| 16.04.2019 | How High Beauty brings cannabis cosmetics to new highs | Cannabis-derived products are creating a buzz in the beauty industry, making their way onto shelves and into shopping carts. The global beauty industry could boast a value of over US$800 billion by 2023, and the market for legal cannabis co... |
