Marijuana Business Daily announced Wednesday that it has purchased the Emerald Conference, a science-focused convention and trade show for the cannabis industry, from Emerald Scientific.
Terms of the acquisition weren’t disclosed.
The deal underscores the growing importance of research tied to cannabis, said Chris Walsh, CEO and president of MJBizDaily, a media and events company based in Lakewood, Colorado, that puts on the cannabis industry’s largest trade show.
“When looking at where cannabis is going, we identified science as a pillar of the industry’s future,” Walsh said.
“With the legalization of hemp and inevitable changes to federal marijuana laws in the coming years, the amount of scientific research is going to balloon – as will the needs of the scientific and business communities.
Emerald Scientific, headquartered in San Luis Obispo, California, distributes scientific equipment and supplies exclusively to the cannabis industry.
The company launched the Emerald Conference in 2015 to bring together scientists, researchers, testing labs and businesses to advance cannabis science.
Marijuana Business Daily has partnered with Emerald Scientific since 2016 to produce the one-day Science Symposium, a precursor to the company’s marquee event, MJBizCon, in Las Vegas.
That partnership served as the foundation for the acquisition.
MJBizDaily said it will leverage the Emerald Conference to rapidly expand its reach into cannabis science and research.
The company plans to offer more science-related content on its media platforms and at its other events, particularly its hemp and international conferences.
As part of the deal, Emerald will continue to consult with MJBizDaily on scientific content under a multiyear partnership.
The sixth annual Emerald Conference will take place Feb. 26-29 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego and is expected to draw around 800.
The conference will focus on various scientific topics, including:
- Gene sequencing for varietals.
- The chemistry of vaping.
- Quality assurance.
