First glance:
- Industry professionals and companies alike are using cutting-edge technology to leverage their cannabis businesses and transform how cannabis is manufactured, sold and consumed.
- With automation, reduced costs, improved tracking and analytics, phone apps, etc, the industry is able to create a more tailored and pleasant shopping experience for customers, which wasn’t previously possible.
- New technologies in the cannabis industry are not only creating technological breakthroughs, but also scientific breakthroughs.
- Both cannabis production and consumption are faced with many challenges and rely on the utilization of new technologies for a more profitable, streamlined, efficient and safer industry.
For any business, staying ahead of the curve is essential for success. In the cannabis industry, this means embracing new technology to improve productivity and sales.
Without advancements in cannabis tech, businesses in the industry would struggle to keep up with the ever-growing demand. Thankfully, plenty of cannabis tech startups and solutions can help companies streamline their operations.
Technologies That Help Grow and Streamline Your Cannabis Business
1. Automation
One of the most significant benefits of technology in cannabis is automation. Automated systems can help with tasks such as watering plants, monitoring temperature and humidity, and even harvesting. As a result, automation can help improve efficiency and reduce costs, making it a valuable tool for cannabis businesses.
Outside of farming practices, automation tech in the cannabis industry is being used for point of sale, order management, and delivery systems. By automating these processes, businesses can save time and money while improving customer satisfaction.
2. Tracking and Analytics
In the cannabis industry, tracking and analytics are essential for success. With so many states legalizing cannabis in some form, it’s necessary to be able to track sales and production data. This information can help businesses make decisions about where to allocate their resources, what products to produce, and how to price their products.
3. Online Sales
With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting large parts of the country and the world, the need for technologies that allow for online sales is more important than ever. Cannabis businesses can use online sales platforms to reach more customers and sell their products to a broader audience.
Online sales platforms also offer businesses the ability to track data about their customers. This information can improve marketing efforts and create a more personalized customer experience.
4. Drones
Drones are becoming an increasingly important part of the cannabis industry. They can be used for mapping out grow operations, delivering products to customers, and even monitoring crops. Drones offer businesses a way to improve efficiency and accuracy while reducing costs.
5. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is another technology that is starting to make an impact in the cannabis industry. AI can be used for customer service, product recommendation, and inventory management tasks.
6. Cannabis-specific Apps
A growing number of cannabis-specific apps can help with everything from cultivation to consumption. In addition, these apps can provide valuable information and resources and help cannabis businesses stay connected with their customers.
7. Networking
It isn’t just sales, growing, and marketing that is affected by advancements in cannabis tech. It is also the ability for cannabis entrepreneurs to network with each other through various events, meetups, and summits. These events offer a way for entrepreneurs to learn from each other, share ideas, and form partnerships.
8. Safety and Efficacy
With so little research on the effects of cannabis, safety is a top concern for many people. Therefore, technologies that help ensure the safety and efficacy of cannabis products are essential. This includes things such as labeling, packaging, and tracking.
Additionally, new advancements in cannabis technologies allow for better extraction and testing methods that can improve the quality of cannabis products. In the case of cannabis alternatives to traditional flower, technologies such as nanoencapsulation are being used to enhance the bioavailability of cannabinoids.
9. Research and Development
As the cannabis industry continues to grow, so does the need for research and development. This includes fundamental research on the effects of cannabis and clinical trials for specific applications of cannabis. Cannabis technology can help with all aspects of research and development, from data collection to product testing.
By doing more testing on the hundreds of cannabinoid compounds that can be created and extracted from cannabis plants, researchers may be able to find better consumption methods that require less cannabis for medical results.
Additionally, advancements in cannabis research may provide healthier ways of consuming cannabis products instead of smoking or vaping it. While smoking cannabis is the most popular way to consume it, many studies show that smoking any substance is not the healthiest.
10. Potency and Strain Quality
With the ability to sequence genomes, cannabis businesses now have the ability to determine the potency and strain quality of their products. This information can be used to create better products and target specific markets. Additionally, it can be used to improve the breeding of new strains.
Newer technologies in greenhouses that use LED lighting are being used to help growers improve the quality of their strains. In addition, by mimicking the natural sunlight spectrum, these greenhouses can help increase the potency and flavor of cannabis strains.
11. Enforcement of the Law
It isn’t just about using technology to make cannabis stronger, safer, and more accessible. Cannabis tech can also ensure that laws and regulations designed to keep the general population safe are also being adhered to.
Much like police officers will administer breathalyzer tests at DUI checkpoints, cannabis enforcement officers can use various technologies to test for the presence of THC in drivers. This helps to keep the roads safe for everyone.
12. Cost Reduction
As with any industry, advancements in cannabis technology can lead to cost reductions. This is especially true for things such as energy usage, production costs, and delivery costs. Technologies such as LED lighting and automated cultivation systems can help reduce the cost of cannabis production. These savings can be passed onto the consumer, making cannabis a more accessible medical or recreational supplement for everyone across the USA.
The Future of Cannabis Tech
As we progress further into the future, new cannabis technologies are bound to emerge. Some of these technologies may include blockchain technology for cannabis-specific transactions or new methods of extracting cannabinoids that could lead to stronger and more efficient products.
The future looks bright for cannabis technology, and it is sure to play a huge role in the growth and advancement of the cannabis industry. With the growing demand and acceptance of cannabis, it is clear that cannabis and the subsequent technologies will continue to play an important role in society.