While unwilling to disclose investors, Shuman says GAI has several ties to the Bay Area, including some well-known collective operators and Silicon Valley corporate executives. She calls them closet investors. "There's still too much of a public stigma, but the tide is changing," Shuman says.
GAI's acquisition strategy revolves around social media and outreach. "We are planning a series of symposia to get an information exchange going between like-minded people," she says. "At the same time, we will be executing on other elements of our strategy to bring the right people, products and technologies together—like building the 'Facebook' around cannabis.
"We see signs of growth in cannabis-related social-media, traditional and online advertising, ancillary business services that serve this niche—there is really a lot out there to keep us busy while the legal barriers fall."
Although not specifically mentioned as an acquisition target, one company that may be in the crosshairs of GAI is SearchCore (formerly General Cannabis), parent of Weedmaps.com. The OTCQX-traded stock has a $62.5M market cap and a growing appetite for its cannabis club search directory. With Weedmaps.com's introduction of videos and Groupon-like "Daily Deals" feature, the company is quickly becoming the portal of choice for cannabis patients and collectives alike.
News 
Market Data 
Discover 
