Marijuana Business Magazine

134 • Marijuana Business Magazine • November / December 2017 C anadian companies looking to enter California’s marijuana market next year will find plenty of oppor- tunities – and a fair share of challenges. As California patches together the regulatory framework for the launch of its MJ market in 2018, some medi- cal cannabis businesses in Canada are already sizing up the market and devis- ing plans of attack. One CEO waiting on California’s doorstep is John Prentice, CEO of Ontario-based Ample Organics, a seed-to-sale software company. He believes some of the most compelling opportunities involve the areas of retail, distribution, production and technology. “Every aspect of the industry that we’re seeing present in Canada is going Considerations for cannabis businesses north of the border that are looking to strike gold in California to need to be replicated in California,” he said. Marijuana Business Magazine talked with Canadian cannabis companies for some insights into what entrepre- neurs and investors up north should consider as they weigh the California opportunity. Study the Market Dynamics Companies will need to make sure they tailor their strategy to California’s unique market dynamics and regulatory frameworks, which will vary substan- tially from city to city.The industry also will be markedly different in general than the one in Canada, as many differ- ent types of licenses will be available for plant-touching companies. “It’s going to be larger than the Canadian market over the next five or 10 years, but how you actually grab value is a big question,” said Matt Bot- tomley, a research analyst at Canaccord Genuity, an investment banking and C alifornia D reamin' by Matt Lamers John Prentice FROM CANADA CAP¬TAL¬Z¬NG