Good High-deas: Meet the 2023 Cannatank Pitch Contest Finalists
This year, more than 50 aspiring canna-business owners submitted business ideas in hopes of being selected as a 2023 NCF Cannatank Finalist and winning $1,000, 1:1 meetings with industry leaders, and VIP access at NCF.
The NCF committee reviewed the ideas (a few times over!), and after much consideration we are excited to share the names of the 4 individuals advancing to the final pitch round taking place at 4pm in the Culture Pavilion at NCF and receiving upgrades to enjoy the VIP experience on the day of the festival.
Upling Medical Cannabis Delivery App
Submitted by: Colin Fraser
Upling LLC is a high-speed Medical Cannabis delivery app that allows DC and Maryland users to purchase cannabis online from local dispensaries. Upling is the brainchild of Colin Fraser, a technological innovator who saw a gap in the market. Despite the leaps made in terms of making cannabis legal and more accessible, the industry still hasn't made many strides in the tech sector. Colin wanted to change that. "I was looking for an opportunity to get into the cannabis industry and saw a lot of potential in delivery," Colin explained. "There are a ton of dispensaries out there, but no real way to connect customers with them." Upling is filling that void. The app is sleek and easy to use. Customers simply enter their zip code and are given a list of participating dispensaries in their area. They can then view the menu, pricing, and ratings from other customers before making a selection. Once they make a purchase, Upling will send a driver to pick up the order and deliver it right to the customer's door. It's Doordash for weed.
Natural Elevation Snacks
Antonio ‘TONE’ Davis Jr
It is hard to find a snack that is delicious, free of additives, healthy and 100% organic. One of our core values of ELEVATED is transparency, with the entire line of products being locally sourced with natural organic ingredients; ranging from different grains, oats, local wild organic honey, and other delicious ELEVATING ingredients. ELEVATED products give consumers a boost of energy, focus, and stress relief, providing the necessary amounts of daily fiber and protein. ELEVATED is on a mission to provide healthier ELEVATING options for those who care about what they consume.
Herban Holistic Healthcare
Rev. Jannah Rasul
Rev. Jannah Rasul is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach specializing in cannabis and the Endocannabinoid system. She is also a certified herbalist, Master educator and practicing metaphysician. "One of the reasons I got into the health coaching field was to turn my legacy cannabis business into a legal entity," Jannah explained. "I have long used cannabis to treat my own symptoms and medical conditions and built a small community of people through the years who benefited from my cannabis infused products." In 2019, she attended a health coaching school to become licensed and took the required tests to become a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). Jannah then opened a private practice, Herban Holistic Healthcare LLC and began serving the community as a holistic health and wellness coach offering cannabis coaching services along with other offerings. "In my experience, I have found that while I am able to help people in optimizing their cannabis consumption there are hundreds of thousands of others that I am unable to reach".
The Phytos
Johnny Mumbles
The Phytos is a pot edutainment comic about a team of terpenes and cannabinoids, whose personalities and visual characteristics express the smells, tastes and effects of marijuana. The team lives in the back of a cannabis dispensary fulfilling orders by day, and fighting Inflammation and his team of maladies by night. The group is led by Homey Stasis, the personification of balance and wellbeing in the universe. Chemistry isn’t the only thing The Phytos can break down. Their capability to explain complex concepts is of great value to business interests. The Phytos project provides a venue to further general knowledge and explain innovation. Topics and technologies are naturally woven into the captivating storylines. The audience learns organically about ways to improve their experience. Everyone wins. The goal of this project is to mirror the microscopic world into our macroscopic reality so cannabis can speak for itself. The Phytos has the potential to align many aspects of the cannabis culture and industry. Along the way to this lofty goal, they hope to share plenty of laughs, knowledge, and a solid buzz.