Interested in cannabis tech? Here are 8 new buds in the local cannabis industry

With cannabis’ legal status shifting all the time, it’s only natural that cannabis tech has followed close behind (and no, it’s not just Elon Musk on Twitter).

In the DMV, it’s an industry that’s still relatively new but certainly worth following. That’s particularly true in the healthcare hub of Maryland, which legalized medicinal use in 2017. Business is booming (or…blooming?), and tech is right beside it to keep the industry on track. As it turns out, tech and nature do have some common ground.

As for the purposes of this article, we’ll just state the obvious: It’s 4/20, so here’s a breakdown of the various cannabis tech companies in and around the DMV:

Brytemap

Hunt Valley, Maryland-based Brytemap is a cannabis business software company for cultivators and retailers to run their companies. Companies can automate their processes, track data, simplify regulatory compliance and more.

Nabis

Nabis, a wholesale platform for dispensaries that covers 100% of retailers in California, is technically headquartered in San Francisco, California. But its cofounders, Vince Ning and Jun Lee, actually have local ties: Both graduated from Langley High School in McLean, Virginia, before heading to the West Coast to build careers as software engineers and founders.

New Frontier Data

Founder Giada DeCarcer created New Frontier in 2014 to provide data and analytics for the burgeoning legal cannabis industry. Headquartered in DC, the company aims to predict market shifts and provide actionable data for cannabis professionals to inform both policy changes and commercial activity.

Outlaw Technology

Outlaw Technology, based in Severna Park, Maryland, is a data capture software company for radio-frequency identification tags and barcodes. It helps growers and processors automate data from plants and packaging in the “seed-to-sale” pipeline, as well as assists in lowering harvest and inventory times.

Releaf

Hyattsville, Maryland’s Releaf app is designed to be a matchmaker and data-collecting service. Users can track what kind and how much marijuana they’re consuming, as well as how it made them feel, so they can better understand what strains and methods work best for them.

Solvent

This fintech company is developing banking functions and merchant services that are specifically designed for cannabis businesses. Its tools incorporate newer technology like machine learning and blockchain. The company started out in Annapolis, Maryland before moving to Colorado, according to its website, but we know you never forget your local roots.

Trackwell

Trackwell, led by Baltimore, Maryland founder Mike Brenner, acts as a digital “budtender” for users. Using a journal function, the app keeps track of a user’s experience with cannabis products before eventually learning their personal preferences and recommending products.

Veriheal

This DC healthtech startup is a connection platform for medical cannabis users. Patients seeking medical cards can connect with local doctors and find a dispensary once approved. Founders Joshua Green and Samuel Adetunji are former Fortune 500 employees who worked in sales.