Tag Archives: market

November 9, 2016

Election Day Results for Cannabis: California, Nevada, Massachusetts, Maine Legalize Recreational Cannabis

By Aaron G. Biros

Update: With 100% reporting (589 of 589 precincts), voters in Maine passed Question 1, legalizing recreational cannabis by a very narrow margin of 50.2% to 49.8% (378,288 in favor and 375,668 against is a margin of only 2,620 votes)

Voters in California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada passed ballot initiatives legalizing the recreational use of cannabis, creating huge new markets for the cannabis industry overnight. Voters in North Dakota, Florida, Montana and Arkansas passed ballot initiatives to legalize forms of medical cannabis. Voters by a margin of 52.2% to 47.8% rejected Arizona’s Proposition 205, which would have legalized recreational cannabis.

With 100% of the votes in for Maine’s Question 1, voters narrowly passed legalizing recreational cannabis, the polls show it won by a very slim margin, less than 3,000 votes.

New Frontier Data and Arcview Market Research released an Election Day update to their growth projections for the cannabis industry by 2020. The release projects: “The legalization of cannabis in California, Massachusetts, Nevada, Florida, Arkansas and North Dakota will result in new markets that account for $7.1 billion in sales by 2020. We project the overall U.S. cannabis market will exceed $20.9 billion by 2020.” Those numbers include overall cannabis sales and assume the markets are all fully operational by 2018.

Giadha DeCarcer, (photo credit: CNN Money) — Giadha DeCarcer, founder and CEO of New Frontier (photo credit: Frontierfinancials.com)

According to Giadha DeCarcer, founder and chief executive officer of New Frontier, there is overwhelming support for medical cannabis and a majority of Americans are in favor of legalizing recreational cannabis as well. “The ten initiatives on the ballot reflect the accelerating public debate on legal cannabis access,” says DeCarcer. “The passage of California’s adult use measure and Florida’s medical initiative expand legal access into two of the country’s most populous states.” The market potential is notably enormous in California, it currently being the 6^th largest economy in the world. “Additionally, the passage of the measure in Massachusetts opens the first adult use market in the Northeast extending the reach of legal adult use access from coast to coast,” says DeCarcer. “The passage of the measures in Arkansas and North Dakota shows that public support on this issue is not solely confined to urban, liberal markets but extends into conservative rural states as well.”

According to the release, by 2020 California could reach a total market size of $7.6B and Massachusetts could grow to $1.1B. Massachusetts being the first mover in the Northeast to legalize recreational cannabis will be watched very closely by a number of surrounding states that appeared bullish on cannabis legalization previously.

Leslie Bocskor, president and founder of Electrum Partners, believes the Election Day results will bring an influx of investing opportunities to the industry. “We are going to see a diverse approach from the irrationally exuberant to the sophisticated and experienced investor and entrepreneur getting involved, creating businesses and investing in the industry that will create innovation, jobs, wealth and tax revenue far beyond the consensus expectations,” says Bocksor. “The cannabis industry is more than one industry; it is an entire ecosystem, impacting so many verticals, such as agriculture, industrial chemicals from hemp, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and more. We see the funding of innovation that might have been absent without the velocity and heft that has come from this phenomenon,” adds Bocksor. As these newly legalized markets begin to launch, it will require a considerable amount of time to see the industry flesh out in each new state.

Donald Trump winning the presidential election and the GOP retaining control over the House and Senate could mean a lot of uncertainties for the future of the cannabis industry on a national scale. President-elect Trump has previously flip-flopped on the issue of cannabis legalization, but has said in the past he favors leaving the issue of medical use up to the states, advocating for access to medical cannabis, while recently saying he opposes regulating cannabis for adult use, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. The MPP gave him a C+ grade for his views toward cannabis.

On The O’Reilly Factor in February 2016, Trump told the conservative political commentator that he supports medical cannabis while opposing the recreational use. “I’m in favor of it [access to medical cannabis] a hundred percent. But what you are talking about [recreational use], perhaps not. It’s causing a lot of problems out there [in Colorado],” says Trump. It is still unclear at this time exactly what Trump’s policy will be for the now 28 states that have some form of legal cannabis.

aaronsmithncia — Aaron Smith, executive director of NCIA

Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), appeared optimistic regarding the outcomes of Election Day. “More than 16 million voters, including in two of the three most populated states in the nation, chose legal, regulated cannabis programs that promote safety, boost the economy, help sick patients and address social injustices,” says Smith. In the press release, the NCIA spelled out their priorities for congressional action on cannabis policy: Opening up bank access for state-compliant cannabis businesses, ending the effects of federal tax code Section 280E on cannabis businesses and removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act via descheduling. “Last night’s results send a simple message – the tipping point has come,” says Smith.

October 5, 2016

Colorado Rule Changes Increase Costs for Edibles Producers

By Aaron G. Biros

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Cannabis processors and dispensaries in Colorado were hit with new rule changes over the weekend, going into effect on October 1^st. The rule changes affect those producing edibles and dispensaries that sell retail and medical cannabis products.

The universal symbol required on all cannabis products in Colorado

As of October 1^st, all cannabis edibles must be marked with the universal THC symbol, according to a bulletin posted by the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED). Both medical and retail cannabis products require labeling that includes a potency statement and a contaminant testing statement.

The rules also set “sales equivalency requirements” which essentially means a resident or non-resident at least 21 years of age can purchase up to one ounce of cannabis flower or up to 80 ten-milligram servings of THC or 8 grams of concentrate, according to the MED. The packaging must also include: “Contains Marijuana. Keep out of the reach of children.”

The universal symbol printed on products from Love's Oven. — The universal symbol printed on products from Love’s Oven.

It seems that cannabis edible manufacturers have two clear choices for complying with the new rule requiring the THC symbol: They can use a mold to imprint the symbol on their product or they can use edible ink. Peggy Moore, board chair of the Cannabis Business Alliance and owner of Love’s Oven, a Denver-based manufacturer of cannabis baked goods, uses edible ink to mark each individual serving. The printer uses similar technology and ink used to print on m&m’s, according to Moore. “Baked goods are difficult to find a solution for marking them because they are a porous product, not smooth.” Complying with the new rules almost certainly means added costs for processors and edibles producers.

Moore said she updated all of their labels to include the appropriate information in compliance with the rules. “In terms of regulatory compliance, there have been some disparities for labeling and testing requirements between medical and retail cannabis products, however they are coming into alignment now,” says Moore. “The testing statement rule has been in place for some time on the retail side, but now we are seeing this aligned with both medical and retail markets.” This new rule change could be seen as a baby step in making the different markets’ regulations more consistent.

September 21, 2016

Cannabusiness Sustainability

Dear Cannabusiness Community

By Olivia L. Dubreuil, Esq., Brett Giddings

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Dear Cannabusiness Community,

You may have read our two recent articles. We received so much positive feedback that Aaron Biros (editor-in-chief of Cannabis Industry Journal) has invited us to continue with our own column at CannabisIndustryJournal.com. We are very happy to launch this column, and we thought we would take this opportunity to introduce our project, our vision and ourselves so you can understand where we are coming from when you read this series of articles.

Brett and I both have a background in business sustainability and corporate responsibility. We both have backgrounds in management consulting, with a specific expertise in sustainability issues along the supply chain. We have been working together for almost nine months now on sustainability issues in the Bay Area. In May, we started to get interested in sustainability in the cannabis industry and before we knew it we were diving deep into research relating to the environmental, social and ethical impacts of the legal cannabis industry. It was actually difficult to find a lot of information, as the reign of prohibition still very much influences what is available.

In June, we attended the National Cannabis Industry Association’s conference in Oakland to open up the conversation with cannabis industry players and to find out about people’s attitudes and approach to sustainability. The results were overwhelmingly positive. Not only were we encouraged to launch a project, but also excited to discover that many of the speakers presenting at the conference referenced sustainability in one way or another when they talked about environmental impact awareness, social justice, ethics or about staying competitive when “big business” enters the market.

What started out as a side project quickly became the center of focus this summer when we decided to incorporate Project Polaris, a California non-profit, to deliver sustainability knowledge and expertise to the cannabis industry.

Our thinking is as follows:

Thinking about sustainability, means thinking strategically about business. As we forge a new and upcoming industry, let’s seize the opportunity to make it a sustainability-focused one! Let’s create generally accepted industry principles that fosters a positive image of the industry and teaches newcomers about best environmental and social practices. Let’s create a voluntary and industry-led socially responsible code of conduct for cannabis business owners and suppliers, helping the regulators, as they will be drafting all of the future regulations of the legalized cannabis market. Let’s do more research on the market and the consumer. Let’s develop clean and green alternatives to dirty processes or practices. Let’s elevate the discussion and create a model industry, one where short-term, large-scale, quality-lowering corporate interests are kept at bay.

With this vision in mind, we created Project Polaris because we believe that this is a real opportunity for the industry to be a role model for other industries (and educate legislators as well as drive public opinion in those states that are still under prohibition laws). We believe there is a real economic opportunity for those businesses that understand how to embed sustainability properly within their business model. Because we know that sustainability influences legislators in a positive way because it sheds a positive light on businesses.

In the upcoming months, we will continue to research and report on sustainability-related issues facing the cannabis industry, such as packaging, edibles, “organic” in cannabis, butane extraction versus CO2 extraction and so on. We also welcome questions from our readers. If you have a question, please post it in the comments section below.

We will also take this opportunity to call out to cannabis industry organizations, cannabis businesses, or cannabis related services and product suppliers to get in touch with us if they wish to find out how to integrate sustainability more concretely into their action plan. We are not planning on doing this alone, we are seeking partners to join us on this journey, and we want to partner with you on your journey to Cannabusiness Sustainability.

PS: We still have one seat open for the board of directors and would love to hear from you if you are interested!

August 23, 2016

Quality From Canada

Hold on for Rec! Canada’s New ACMPR Program

By Tegan Adams

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Earlier this month, Health Canada, in a press release, gave a glimpse as to what the new Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) might look like. On August 11^th, they announced the new set of regulations would go into effect on August 24^th this week. Information presented was not shocking. Most Canadians had hoped and suspected that the announcement would include a provision for growing cannabis at home – and it did exactly that.

Essentially, the ACMPR expands accessibility of cannabis from our highly regulated 34 licensed producers (LPs) to include those authorized by their health care practitioner to access cannabis. Anyone with the appropriate medical documentation can now grow for him or herself at home, or designate a grower to do so for them. Health Canada also stipulated in the press release that “Storefronts selling marijuana [sic], commonly known as ‘dispensaries’ and ’compassion clubs’ are not authorized to sell cannabis for medical or any other purposes.” The regulatory body went on to add: “These operations are illegally supplied and provide products that are unregulated and may be unsafe. Illegal storefront distribution and sale of cannabis in Canada are subject to law enforcement action.”

There were a few curve balls in the announcement, including a statement issued that suggests commercial producers may be the only ones authorized to distribute seeds or plants to those growing for themselves or on behalf of another. It is unclear how the plant and seed sourcing aspect will be regulated and/or how that statement may impact LPs over individual producers. Restriction of strain availability and additional costs are examples of potential implications to individuals[1]. LPs therefore remain in control of the types of cannabis available on the market. It is unclear if this regulatory aspect will mean they can restrict access to strains they have on hand, or not, especially if they are popular for sales.

When the first glimpse of the ACMPR was released, we saw many LPs stock drop in price across the board, in some cases greater than 10%. It is not anticipated however that the ACMPR will cause any long-term negative effects on LPs stock price or profitability. The ACMPR was put in place merely to satisfy a court ruling on a deadline. The deadline was inconvenient, occurring around 9 months before the regulations governing recreational sales are meant to go in effect. It meant that Health Canada employees had to dedicate time to finding a Band-Aid solution up until recreational sales instead of focussing on recreational regulatory framework itself.

Recreational regulations are scheduled for release in 2017, and it is unclear when exactly they will begin. As they do begin to unfold it is projected that the production and sale of cannabis will remain highly regulated. LPs will remain the consistent quality source of supply. There have been multiple distribution models in discussion, including co-op retail ownership, pharmacy dispensary and liquor board models. While yes, those with medical documentation anticipate still being able to produce at home; it is unlikely this allowance will have any effect on the overall sales of LPs as the market unfolds. Alcohol and wine are good examples to compare the regulatory model to. While sure, any of us can do home brewing, odds are we would still like to purchase beer from commercial breweries. In both Vancouver and Toronto, property is very expensive. Higher percentages of the population are starting to live in apartments, condos and smaller homes. Many people working full time are not interested in growing their own cannabis and would prefer the variety of the marketplace. There are many reasons individuals will continue to purchase from LPs. As competition rises in the marketplace, so will efficiencies in production as producers become more familiar with growing practices. Canada is anticipating a drop in retail prices to be much more affordable than existing “black markets.” Cannabis will become commonplace on shopping corners and it will be a product that most will be able to afford.

August 17, 2016

Sustainability for the Cannabis Industry, Part II: The New Cannabis Consumer

By Olivia L. Dubreuil, Esq., Brett Giddings

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Most readers ought to be well aware that the cannabis industry is rapidly growing. The Arcview Group, an Oakland-based investor network, estimates the retail and wholesale cannabis market will reach $22.8 billion by 2020. That number represents a lot of people consuming cannabis in many different ways.

The average cannabis consumer is changing. A new range of social groups is consuming cannabis-based products. From yoga diehards, to middle-aged men and women, veterans that have ‘tried everything else’ and young professionals looking for a different way to relax, the market is broadening.

This new segment of cannabis consumers are often not looking to get high- they are looking for anti-inflammatories, relaxants and ways of dealing with chronic pains and stress. For these health and wellness seekers, the last thing they want is a product dosed with pesticides, insecticides or butane residues. We can expect to see these consumers to follow broader consumption trends- specifically when it comes to a product like cannabis that people are inevitably placing in or on their bodies.

These consumers come with new sets of expectations, similar to those when they buy fruit, vegetables, coffee or chocolate. They are increasingly curious about the contents of the products they purchase- they are a large part of the reason that the sales of organic produce has ‘ballooned’. They are asking questions like: Does the product contain pesticides? Has the product been cultivated in a way that minimizes negative environmental impacts? How do we know that the supply chain quality controls are rigorous enough to ensure no one has tampered with the product? Who is growing and picking this product and how are those people being treated?

When a curious consumer enters a modern American supermarket, they are guided by a range of messages relating to the contents and supply chain that was part of making each product. Organic, non-GMO, pesticide-free, fair trade, free-range and locally produced are some of the common criteria. The more credible labels are supported by codes and procedures in which the whole supply chain is audited, monitored and approved by the certifying body according to certain standards- for example the USDA certifies organic foods.

Being a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law, cannabis is probably not going to receive USDA organic certification any time soon. However there are organizations out there that are committed to increasing the availability of cannabis grown with organic practices. Certifying bodies like Certified Kind and the Organic Cannabis Growers Society are gaining popularity among growers who see the market evolving in that direction. At the same time, businesses such as Delicious Fog (an ‘organic-focussed’ delivery service in Santa Clara County) and Harvest (an ‘organic’ dispensary in San Francisco)- are specializing in the sale of these ‘organic’ cannabis products.

Just like any sustainability issue- ensuring your cannabis product comes from a well-managed supply chain cannot be a last minute add-on. Whether a business is small, large, mature or emerging, developing a strategic approach to the diverse spread of sustainability challenges is critical.

As a cannabis business what can you do to appeal to the new cannabis consumer?

July 27, 2016

Soapbox

Sustainability for the Cannabis Industry: Part I

By Olivia L. Dubreuil, Esq., Brett Giddings

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The cannabis industry is an unusual creature. It is so new and fluid that nothing in its space is yet crystallized. Product types, brand names, generally accepted processes and procedures are all still being invented and tested. Consumer market segments are defining themselves as the progression of legalization advances through the states. Seniors, children, veterans, women, and professionals of all backgrounds are feeling the health and wellness benefits of the flower that is slowly losing the negative stigma inherited from the so-called war on drugs. The potential is enormous. Money is already flooding to the lucky entrepreneurs with enough foresight to work in the space, and corporate business leaders from many other traditional sectors are slowly, but steadily flocking to the market.

This is economically encouraging. A whole new industry that creates new jobs, generates tax revenue and creates wealth. But there is a worrying scenario. In that scenario, traditional cannabis business owners and entrepreneurs are pushed out of the market as corporate competitors enter the game. In that scenario the industry grows faster than its regulatory framework, with little to no voluntary regulations, no sustainability leadership, and the industry’s practices and reputation finish in the gutter. In that scenario, federal and state regulators ramp up indiscriminate bans and phony prohibitions. In that scenario the new cannabis industry exacerbates the world’s social and environmental problems by being non-inclusive, by creating a divide within communities, by adding its own share of pollution, by pushing unhealthy and unsafe products – all for the sake of an easy buck.

That scenario is not a certainty – it does not have to see the light of day. This industry has the potential to be different. It has the unique opportunity to integrate sustainability practices from the start, to create a space where business meets mindfulness, and where corporate profits do not trump consumer health, worker welfare, community engagement or environmental preservation.

Sustainability strategy is the best risk management tool available to the cannabis businesses emerging today that hope to stay relevant in the future. A sustainable cannabis industry is one where women and minorities feel included, where the consumer recognizes and is loyal to brands and labels, where businesses are thriving while having a positive influence on their peers, a positive impact on their community and on the environment, where the race to the top breeds best practices and innovation.

Three levers can push sustainability: the consumer, the industry (and the businesses that comprise it) and the government (local, regional, national and international). Surprisingly, businesses can have a significant influence on all three. Consumers make and shape a market. What will happen when the consumer becomes aware of fossil-fuel (benzene) extraction in the age of climate change, when they request organic flowers that fits their ‘Wholefoods lifestyle’, or when they boycott non-biodegradable packaging? What will happen when a scandal breaks, linked to an avoidable health and safety accident, or when they realize people of color do not have equal opportunity in a cannabis business?

It is preposterous to think, that in this day and age – where information travels at the speed of light, some type of potentially damaging information about a product manufacturing process will not get out at some point or another (in some cases they have). There is absolutely no need to gamble with that. The solution is simple: adopt sustainable practices from the start.

The third lever is the government – we will come back to the second lever later. The cannabis industry, better than any other industry, knows how the government can make or break a business. If the government decides, like they did in Colorado, that in nine months cannabis packaging needs to be resealable and childproof, businesses will have to sit on several weeks worth of sales until they can find new suppliers, they will probably have to rethink their processes, while absorbing the costs of the packaging they had bought in advance. Worse case, they also have marketing and merchandising to rethink. All of that is costly.

However there is good news; government can be channeled, generally speaking, by doing the right thing. If an industry actively demonstrates a desire to do the right thing, and there is not an exaggerated amount of complaints (or accidents), then regulators will leave it alone. Businesses can and should invest as a group into drafting and endorsing generally accepted industry practices and organizing industry self-regulations. Those will guide governments when they draft regulations, but they could also preempt a lot of nonsensical top down rules

The second lever is the most important, and that is the business lever. Cannabis businesses can make or break this industry. Those who believe that the unsustainable practices that worked in the context of an illegal/black/grey market will work in the context of a 21st century legal industry may need a reality check. Those who continue to promote and endorse them are dangerous for the industry because they breed a climate of distrust, and they bring the industry under closer scrutiny. The cannabis industry needs businesses that display exemplary behaviors, think about their impact, and elevate the discussion as well as their peers.

Whether a business is small, large, mature or emerging, developing a strategic response to these challenges can and will create a sustainable business model. Businesses can gain robust competitive advantages over their peers, reap the rewards of having loyal customers, create thriving communities, and foster healthy natural environments by doing the right thing and embedding sustainability within their business decisions.

Tomorrow’s cannabis industry business leaders will be those that chose to be part of the solution, those that understood that sustainability was vital to their business model and took action early on.

Editor’s Note: Project Polaris is a California non-profit corporation, offering sustainability coaching and guidance to cannabis industry businesses. By becoming a member of Project Polaris, businesses have access to sustainability experts throughout the year, to set, support and carry out cost-effective, meaningful and impactful sustainability solutions.

June 24, 2016

NCIA Brings Cannabis Business Summit to Oakland

By Aaron G. Biros

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The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) with their California affiliate, California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA), hosted over 3,000 business professionals at this week’s Cannabis Business Summit in Oakland, CA. According to Aaron Smith, executive director of the NCIA, this event drew their largest-ever gathering of attendees and well over 100 sponsors on the expo floor. In an exclusive interview prior to the event, Smith expected this would be a wildly successful year. “Last year we had just over 2,000 attendees in Colorado and we are expecting over 3,000 this year in California,” says Smith. “There is tremendous interest in the California market and it is so great to be here with all of the excitement leading up to the ballot initiatives in November.”

The theme of the conference was set early on from industry progress to sustainable growth. “I am really proud that NCIA’s events always bring out the best and brightest in the industry,” says Smith. “It is mostly members of NCIA attending, which are the folks invested in the future of the industry and not just in it to make a quick buck; they are here to build a new business sector.” On Tuesday morning, Smith gave his opening remarks and introduced the first keynote delivered by Ahmed Rahim, co-founder and chief executive officer of Numi Organic Tea alongside Kayvan Khalatbari, founding partner of Denver Relief Consulting, to discuss the triple bottom line in business, emphasizing the need for social responsibility, which includes environmental stewardship, fair labor and trade laws and community integration among cannabis businesses. California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom also delivered a keynote address that was received with a standing ovation after discussing the November ballot initiative, which would legalize, regulate and tax the adult use of cannabis in the state.

businessummit — The first keynote panel of the Cannabis Business Summit

Newsom’s speech highlighted the state’s opportunity to make considerable progress in the cannabis legalization arena this November. The substance of his speech echoed that of many attendees focused on moving the industry forward sustainably. “We need to right the wrong of the failed war on drugs in America,” says Newsom. Boisterous cheers and applause followed almost every sentence as he continued to emphasize the need for social and criminal justice reform. “We are not doing this to be the next California gold rush or to make tax revenue; our purpose and focus is social justice,” adds Newsom.

Gavin Newsom, Lieutenant Governor of California, delivering the keynote

The Lieutenant Governor also mentioned the sheer massive size of California’s market opportunity and their pragmatic regulatory framework in development. “The entire retail of recreational and medical [cannabis sales] in Colorado was just shy of $1 billion last year; we are talking about our 58 counties up in the northern part of this state that produce anywhere from $9-13 billion [sic] of wholesale cannabis- it’s a game changer,” says Newsom. “We have had the benefit of seeing where other states have fallen short or struggled [in regulatory frameworks] and will present that to voters this November.” Newsom also mentioned that members of the cannabis industry need to act as stewards of the environment and protect the small farmers.

Panel discussions throughout the afternoon and following day deliberated a wide variety of topics from laboratory testing standards to the state of affairs in education, training and certification across the country. John MacKay, senior director of strategic technologies at Waters Corporation, led a panel titled Validation of Analytical Methods, Lab Certifications and Standard Methods with Cynthia Ludwig, director of technical services at the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS), Shawn Kassner, senior scientist at Neptune and Company, Inc. and David Egerton, vice president of technical services at CW Analytical Laboratories.

The panel: Validation of Analytical Methods, Lab Certifications and Standard Methods

The panel addressed many of the current problems facing the cannabis testing space. “It is a very difficult plant to work with and labs are doing their best to provide reproducible results,” says Mackay. Cynthia Ludwig emphasized the need for collaborative studies and method validation in cannabis labs. “We [AOCS] provide official, validated laboratory testing methods, but the cannabis industry really has no official methods to work with,” says Ludwig. Egerton echoed Mackay’s concerns over difficult sample preparation and the difficulty of working with cannabis in the lab. “The problem is the matrix of the cannabis sample; the matrix is a critical aspect of method validation- ensuring we find the signal through the noise,” says David. “In the absence of official methods, cannabis labs need to perform method validation in-house for each type of sample, ranging from dry flower to different types of infused products and concentrates.” In addition to those difficulties of providing robust and reproducible lab tests, the panel emphasized that there is currently no laboratory accreditation program required by California regulators.

The cannabis industry in California is still rather unregulated and lacks consistency in safety standards across the market in almost every sector. Attendees seemed to look forward to the November 8^th vote on the ballot initiative in California as a solution for the state’s current problems, hoping consumers and patients alike will find solace in a more regulated, standardized and safe market. The NCIA will be hosting a “Seed To Sale Show” focused on best practices and case studies January 31^st and February 1^st, 2017 in Denver. The next Cannabis Business Summit will be held from June 12^th to the 14^th of 2017 in Oakland, CA.