By Michael “Sulldog” Sullivan, Hempgrid Founding Partner

So a farmer, a doctor, a scientist, and team full of dog loving geeks bump into each other in the CBD aisle….

When we talk with prospects and potential partners about Hemgrid’s mission and purpose and how we can help them grow, they tend to focus pretty intensely on our team. Why and how did this diverse bunch come together? And where are we going?

So, to answer the first question, we make it sound very strategic, which is partly true. Serendipity also plays a role. Loyal friends. Trusted colleagues. Extended network. Nuts about innovation, health, and sustainability. Our desire is to work on something with undeniable purpose.

Hempgrid felt like it “just happened,” but in reality, it is decades in the making.

At our core, we believe that cannabis is the most transformative technology on the planet. We know that anyone who has really studied the plant is already in the same camp. Anyone who hasn’t – get ready. If you care about restoring the environment and benefitting the human condition worldwide, then linking to Hempgrid is exactly the right move for you.

We’ve amassed a team that harnesses seasoned hemp cultivation and processing expertise, agronomists and agricultural engineers, supply chain experts, financial and legal expertise and proven market development expertise. And we focus on one thing: creating or strengthening a domestic supply chain for hemp grown for both industrial applications and for cannabanoid extraction.

Oh yeah, and a few of us are former IBM digital transformation execs who lobbied our way onto this team.

Huh? What do digital technologies have to do with hemp? Everything. We think of cannabis as more technology than plant. Viewed that way, everything we learned developing Big Green Innovations and Smarter Cities relates directly to this new green field dreams.

Earlier this year, IBM came out earlier this year claiming that the 2020’s would be the decade of Quantum computing. I called a few of my former wonderful colleagues and said not so fast…and made a couple wagers. Stay tuned and see how the battle between Quantum and Hemp plays out. Who knows – maybe we’ll even make the two work together one day.

Heady stuff, but blending technology with science - and we have a bunch of scientists on our team – will accelerate the plant’s impact on the environment and the economy. Hempgrid seeks to unite thinkers and doers reduce risk, accelerate growth, and build resiliency in the supply chain

The uber challenge we see, and are addressing, is the very fragmented and disaggregated value chain present across our economy. Sure, farmers jumped to cultivate hemp in many states. They seized the moment. And many soon confronted a jarring reality: in its infancy, the industry didn’t offer reliable information exchange, a marketplace for mutually beneficial relationships or best practices to lean on and mature.

This is an exciting moment in history to drive development of a smarter bio-based economy. It’s the most excited moment in my own career, as I’m blessed once again to work with some of the smartest, most passionate and purpose-driven teams on the planet.

It will take time to pull all the pieces together to create value. It will take resilient people who break down silos and create new win-wins. It’s going to take energy It’s going to require openness and candor.

But rest assured: this global village we envision will sink megatons of carbon, cleaning our soil, water and air. It’s going to be a thrill. It’s going to be thrill working with all of you listening and hearing your calling. Join us.

Wait. Back to the opening line. How does being a dog lover fit into the Hemgrid narrative? We’ll leave you to ponder that…until next time!