The Benzinga Cannabis Conference begins next week in Chicago

Thousands of cannabis entrepreneurs and activists are expected to descend on Chicago for the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference next week.

The two-day event begins September 13 at the Palmer House Hilton, where attendees will have the opportunity to network and hear a who’s who of keynote speakers.

It’s the 15th edition of the cannabis conference that Benzinga, a financial media company, calls the best cannabis conference in the world and a summit where “stars are made and real business is done”.

The outlet says that a recent cannabis conference “was exactly where the team at Trulieve Cannabis met the team at Harvest Health & Recreation, which ultimately led to a $2.1 billion acquisition.”

“In this modern gathering, you’ll have the opportunity to meet some of the top cannabis stars at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, where you’ll meet with executives from top companies and gain invaluable insight from the world’s top cannabis companies – investors, entrepreneurs, social justice leaders , women who have taken the industry by storm, and many more,” the outlet said in an announcement earlier this summer.

“In its 15th edition, the CCC is where countless companies, from large to small to startups, have met investors who have backed them with tens of millions of dollars. Be there at the numerous lectures, fireside chats and exclusive interviews. Enjoy friendly access to companies representing more than 90% of the cannabis industry’s market cap in one place.”

Courtesy of Benzinga

Benzinga offers three different ticket packages for the conference. For $797.00, attendees can purchase a general admission ticket that grants them two-day admission to conference content, two-day admission to the exhibit hall, and access to cocktail receptions.

A VIP pass will cost you just under $1,300, but you get the following: “Conference VIP lounge access; Access to the VIP area at the after party; Special invitations to dinners and parties; express check-in; VIP name tag; reserved seats; 2-day entry to the conference content tracks; 2-day admission to the exhibition hall; Access to cocktail receptions both days; Access to the Conference Networking App.”

A third option, the Investor Pass, is “for institutional and accredited investors” and costs just under $300.

Those in attendance will have the opportunity to hear from several cannabis industry luminaries: Charlie Bachtell, CEO of Cresco Labs, LLC; Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve Cannabis Corp.; Chris Beals, CEO of WeedMaps; Wendy Berger, Board Member Green Thumb Industries; Boris Jordan, CEO of Curaleaf; and Michael DeGiglio, CEO of Village Farms.

Additionally, the conference will be highlighted by dozens of other notable speakers, including Vic Mensa, who recently launched Chicago’s first black-owned cannabis brand, 93 Boyz; NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, founder of Michigan-based cannabis company Primiv; boxing legend Mike Tyson, co-founder of cannabis company Tyson 2.0; and former professional wrestler Ric Flair, involved in Tyson 2.0.

Three members of the US House of Representatives will also speak at the conference: Rep. Marie Newman (D-IL); Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA); and Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH).

The conference will also have a special focus on social justice.

“Through our Cannabis Capital Conference series, we strive to advance the social justice conversation through panel discussions featuring organizations fighting inequality in the cannabis industry, individuals adversely affected by the War on Drugs, and policymakers who are doing so Putting the spotlight on prosecution leaders to write legislation to reverse the effects of the ban,” said Benzinga. “Furthermore, Benzinga has committed to donating a percentage of all event ticket sales to the Last Prisoner Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform. We are also proud to offer discounted conference tickets to marijuana business owners who have received state certification for their social justice initiatives.”