The cannabis industry is home to an astonishing array of business niches. From health and wellness to cultivation, medical research to lighting and HVAC, regulation to activism, ancillary products to beauty. The cannabis industry is ever-expanding in areas for professional development. Every single day the business, regulations, and science behind cannabis are changing. To keep up with best practices, top tech, and to ultimately reach consumers and patients, it’s important to attend the top cannabis events where leaders come to share their knowledge. Here are some of the best Cannabis Conferences and their niches within the market.
Related: Free Guide: How to Maximize ROI at a Cannabis Event
Top Cannabis Events to Attend
1. Women Grow Leadership Summit: Women in Cannabis Business
From early on in the wave of cannabis legalization, women have had a strong influence within the industry. The impact of women in cannabis comes from both entrepreneurs and consumers alike, and may even affect the alcohol industry due to shifts in preference.
The mission of Women Grow Leadership Summit is to support, connect, educate, and empower women in the cannabis industry. With topics such as “Restoring Indigenous Women’s Economies: The Intersection of Power, Politics, and Humanity” it’s obvious that women bring care and insight that is desperately needed in the industry.
2. 5th Native American Cannabis & Hemp Conference: Indigenous tribes
One of the very few conferences focused on indigenous tribes in the United States is the Native American Cannabis & Hemp Conference. Now in its 5th year, this conference brings tribal leaders, indigenous men and women entering into the industry, and cannabis industry professionals to the table. The overall mission is to improve access to information and opportunities for North American tribes.
For millennia, indigenous tribes have utilized cannabis as a textile and medicinal remedy. It’s crucial that cannabis professionals not only acknowledge this historical truth but intentionally work together to pave the way for indigenous people to have a voice and place in the market. This conference is a great asset in bringing together the right people to ensure that happens.
3. Arcview: For capital-raising start-ups and accredited investors
The Arcview Investor Network contains an impressive line up of over 600 accredited investors who are actively investing in cannabis startups across the industry. At Arcview summits, investors and entrepreneurs have the opportunity to network, discuss partnerships, and have a front seat to exclusive pitches from the latest up-and-coming startups.
More than 200 companies have raised at least $240 million in capital as a result of their participation in Arcview, and it continues to be one of the industry’s top tier organizations for qualified investors.
4. MJ BizCon: For cannabis business professionals & best business practices
If you’re looking for an industry conference to learn the best practices of cannabis business, the latest industry news, and innovations in technology MJ BizCon is leading the way.
MJ BizCon is specially formatted for business executives, lead cultivators, extractors, and innovators to discover and discuss the leading industry innovations. This conference comes from the same bright minds behind MJBizDaily and MJBizConNEXT.
5. New West Summit: Cannabis Technology
Every day, new technology is emerging to further advance how we understand and cultivate cannabis. The New West Summit aims to bring the industry’s leading innovators in the technology, science, cultivation, investment, and media spaces to network and push these categories forward.
With topics like What’s new in technology, design, and performance in vaping to the future of cannabis cryptocurrency, professionals in the cannabis tech space have a front-row seat to emerging innovations that could be integral to their success.
6. Hall of Flowers: Retailers looking for new vendors
One of the most important aspects of running a successful dispensary is catering to what your customers want. Thankfully, Hall of Flowers, a new B2B trade show, has been created specifically to facilitate the trade of premium licensed cannabis products between brands and retailers.
With products from every category, retailers have the opportunity to pick from the best products on the market to build relationships, curate their menu, and stock their shelves. This conference has drawn big-name speakers from outside the industry like Gary Vaynerchuk and Chelsea Handler.
7. The Emerald Cup & The Cannabis Cup: Cannabis brands and consumers
Although the majority of the conferences being held in the cannabis space are educational summits for professionals within the industry, these two expos are more like a collision of cannabis culture, cultivators, and consumers.
With a reputation as “the Olympics of weed”, The Emerald Cup, now owned by Civilized, brings the best of the best organic outdoor cannabis cultivators to compete for the best bud in the business. With a heavy emphasis on culture, music, consumption, and exploring new products, crowds of cannabis enthusiasts from all walks of life (and celebrities) come to attend.
The Cannabis Cup, which is basically like the cannabis Coachella, is a giant carnival that combines consumption, prize categories, and music. More aligned with the past stereotypes of cannabis consumers, this crowd may not be best for Grandma or those looking for a health and wellness approach.
8. CannaGrow Expo: Cultivation, Lighting, HVAC, Indoor/Outdoor
In their own words, the CannaGrow Expo is “the ultimate weekend dedicated to the art & science of growing cannabis”. With a heavy emphasis on technique and technology, the CannaGrow Expo hosts over 35 educational sessions focused on cultivation tactics.
From discussions on root health, organic crops, lighting, supply-chain operations, compliance, and maintaining environmental parameters for success, this conference takes a deep dive into cultivation in a way that other conferences don’t.
9. NCIA – CA Cannabis Business Conference: Owners, Operators, Professionals
The National Cannabis Industry Association hosts the California Cannabis Business Conference or #CACannaBizCon. This conference focuses on all aspects of the California cannabis market, supply chain, emerging business, and regulatory practices.
They divide educational topics into 6 sectors:
1. Distribution, retail, & delivery
2. Cultivation & manufacturing
3. Emerging topics
4. Local licensing
5. Industry & political forecasting
6. The future is now
NCIA is the only National cannabis trade association and works fervently to lobby for cannabis reform making it one of the most valuable organizations in the cannabis industry.
10. CannMed: Medical, Science, technology, cultivation
The medical, scientific, and research initiatives regarding cannabis are by far the most important niches of the industry. Unfortunately, very few conferences focus primarily on these topics. CannMed brings together the world’s top medical cannabis physicians to present their latest findings on the efficacy of treating a myriad of conditions with cannabis.
Additional conversations on the docket involve standardization of laboratory and testing practices, cultivation practices, regulatory guidelines, administering cannabis as medicine, a review of published clinical studies, and much more. Conferences like this are crucial in broadening the reach of medical practitioners and the pursuit of utilizing cannabis as medicine. Not only does it benefit patients, but it supports cultivators, brands, and product initiatives aimed at health and wellness.
11. CannaCon: Business Professionals
CannaCon is our hometown favorite! But this cannabis business event has grown from its flagship annual event in Seattle, to shows in Michigan, Massachusetts, and Oklahoma. This event brings together leading professionals, pioneers, technologists, investors, and entrepreneurs.
Learn about the CBD market landscape to how to protect your cannabis intellectual property, debt financing for your cannabis business, and medical cannabis access for veterans.
12. RAD Expo: For Retailers & Dispensaries
The RAD Expo is an annual event based in Portland, Oregon. We’re happy to have our Founder & CEO Jared Mirsky speaking there this year and are proud to exhibit!
This event is unique because it focuses on the retailer. From CBD and hemp companies, interior design, food and drink, security, merchandising, technology, displays, accounting, lighting, and more. Beyond finding vendors, retailers can hear from retail experts who can help them take their business to the next level.
As the cannabis industry expands, professionals are being welcomed from industries far and wide, and one of the best ways to make the transition is to network at an event that bridges the gap. With conferences in every niche to choose from, the educational value and opportunities to network could have a huge impact on your career. To find out what to pack for a cannabis events, head here.
