A set of fresh marijuana incubators and mentorship initiatives now offer support and practical training to small-scale cannabis brands and newcomers, aiming to promote equity and create opportunities for individuals affected by the consequences of the drug war. In exchange, organizers anticipate gaining advantages from local community ties and affordable labor while also inspiring employees with purpose-driven tasks.
With the decline in available capital in the marijuana sector, most operators feel compelled to accomplish more with limited resources. Oscar Carrillo, who had served four years in prison for drug sales, found it discouraging that large multistate operators (MSOs) dominated the recreational cannabis industry in New Jersey when it first opened for business in 2022.
Carrillo eventually received a social-equity license, which he perceived as validation. However, he encountered new challenges. His venture, Magic Garden Botanicals, funded through his successful telecommunications enterprise, aimed for vertical integration. Yet, obtaining suitable real estate posed a significant obstacle.
Just when Carrillo’s intentions to purchase beachfront real estate in Penns Grove, New Jersey, failed, he met Cannabiz Incubator founder Alan Trzuskoski. Trzuskoski was seeking tenants from various segments of the marijuana supply chain for his new establishment in Bridgeton, New Jersey. Inspired by his experiences in the Silicon Valley tech industry, Trzuskoski currently operates Cannabiz Incubator as a landlord offering consulting services, intending to turn the operation into an accelerator model.
Recognizing real estate as a major obstacle for startups, Trzuskoski concentrated on obtaining property in Bridgeton, an area designated for impact, and obtained permission from the local government to house up to 15 companies at the Cannabiz Incubator location. He currently rents the space to 6 tenants. His ultimate goal is to create an ecosystem of more manageable, resource-constrained businesses that can take on the market leaders.Aspiring business owners and those who have previously engaged in the markets sometimes have close relationships with the community, which allows them to customize their services.
For example, Carrillo intends to take advantage of the popularity of outlet stores in New Jersey by providing low-cost cannabis items in nonbranded packaging in a dispensary designed to resemble one.
Elsewhere, Zenbarn Farms, based in Waterbury Center, Vermont, expanded its presence by acquiring various marijuana facilities from the departing Curaleaf Holdings, focusing on regenerative farming practices to align with local preferences. With funding from the Pennywise Foundation, the founders hope to grow their incubator program to offer extensive knowledge in the whole supply chain while highlighting reciprocal benefits through worker development programs. The new owners intend to use live soil and wildflowers planted around the greenhouse’s perimeter to broaden their regenerative farming practices to cater more to local interests as farmers.
Meanwhile, in Humboldt County, Cookies, a California marijuana brand that operates Cookies University, hosts five students every summer under strict social-equity criteria. The program, led by industry veterans such as Lindsey Renner, immerses students in all aspects of the supply chain during two months, providing an alternative to entrepreneurship for those more inclined towards employment in retail, manufacturing and cultivation.
After graduation, some students stay on to work with Cookies, while others land jobs at other cannabis companies. Others go back to their old markets or carry on with their activism in areas where marijuana is still illegal.
As more people access the kind of training that the likes of Cookies University offers, industry actors such as SNDL Inc. (NASDAQ: SNDL) could have a sizeable pool of well-trained job seekers to choose from.
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