California Cannabis Business & Investor Conference: IgniteIt’s Market Spotlight Comes to Anaheim Oct. 8

Following two sold-out editions in 2024 and more than 20 successful events nationwide, IgniteIt (formerly Benzinga Cannabis) is bringing its acclaimed Market Spotlight: California back to Southern California this fall. The one-day conference, set for October 8 at the Delta Hotels Anaheim Garden Grove, will gather industry leaders, investors, regulators, and entrepreneurs to address the challenges and opportunities shaping the world’s most influential cannabis market.

Market Spotlight is built around strategic networking and actionable business insights. Attendees will gain direct access to decision-makers across the supply chain, explore the impact of federal rescheduling on California operators, and leave with the tools to build smarter, leaner, and more resilient businesses.

“IgniteIt events are the most valuable networking experiences I’ve encountered in cannabis,” said Lauren Carpenter, CEO of Embarc. “The educational discussions provide actionable insights from other operators, and the relationships formed have led to strategic partnerships.”

“We’re thrilled to bring the California Cannabis Market Spotlight back to Anaheim,” said Javier Hasse, Co-Founder of IgniteIt. “With more than 20 cannabis conferences under our belt, this year we’re delivering the same high-value connections and insights people expect from our events — infused with a refreshed energy that reflects the momentum and resilience of California’s cannabis industry.”

Get your tickets here or at cannabismarketspotlight.com/

A Who’s Who of Cannabis Leadership

This year’s speaker lineup includes some of the industry’s most influential voices:

• Fiona Ma – Treasurer, State of California

• Christina Dempsey – Deputy Director of Government Affairs, California Department of Cannabis Control

• Imelda Padilla – Councilmember, City of Los Angeles

• Josh Kesselman – Founder, RAW & Publisher, High Times Magazine

• Rachel Wright – CEO & Founder, Verdant Strategies

• Chris Ball – CEO, Ball Family Farms

• Lauren Carpenter – CEO, Embarc

• Ron Gershoni – CEO, Jetty Extracts

• Jun Lee – Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Nabis

• Matt Stang – Partner, High Times

• Thomas “Dope As Yola” Araujo – Founder, Push Trees

• Kyle Jaeger – Managing Editor, Marijuana Moment

• Lisa Weser – Founder & CEO, Trailblaze

• Hirsh Jain – Founder, Ananda Strategy

• Genine Coleman – Executive Director, Origins Council

• Jazmin Aguiar – Founder & CEO, Creatrix Management Group

• Angela Pih – Founder, POINT BRAND

• Laurie Parfitt – Founder & CEO, LKP Impact Consulting

• Tak Soto – President, Stiiizy

• Kevin Hart – CEO, Green Check Verified

• And many more.

They will be joined by investors, attorneys, marketing experts, and operators from across the California cannabis ecosystem.

A Packed Agenda

The one-day program features panels, fireside chats, and case studies designed to tackle California’s most pressing cannabis challenges:

• Profit by the Pallet – Turning supply chain data into a profit center, not a cost burden.

• Second Chance at 15% – How California’s excise tax reset reshapes pricing, margins, and business survival.

• Exclusive Fireside with the Department of Cannabis Control – Direct insights from state regulators.

• Quiet Momentum – Can standout operators spark renewed investor confidence?

• Rooted and Rising – Expanding beyond California while staying true to homegrown authenticity.

• The Strategic Reset – Receiverships, distressed assets, and the future of California’s cannabis map.

• Compliance Theater? – Rethinking track-and-trace in an overcomplicated system.

• Beyond the Drop – Unlocking growth through smarter distribution partnerships.

• Efficiency Equals Survival – Strategies cultivators are using to stay lean in a compressed economy.

• Selling Without Selling Out – Building authentic brands that blend culture and profit.

• Customer at the Core – Designing cannabis businesses around consumer trust and loyalty.

• Redefining Cannabis for Los Angeles – City leaders and advocates on the future of urban cannabis policy.

The day closes with Deals Done California, a cocktail reception and private Buyers’ Dinner built for relationship-building and deal-making.

Sponsors and Partners

The event is made possible with the support of leading sponsors and trusted partners across the cannabis ecosystem:

Crowe, Dope SEO, Elevated, Eybna, Feuerstein Kulick (FK), Flowhub, Green Check Verified, Green Leaf Business Solutions, GrowGeneration, HARA Supply, Leaflink, LEEF Brands, OG Cannabis Insurance, Perfect Union / MWG Holdings, Proteus420, RX Green Technologies, Surfside, Sweed, Verdant Strategies, Weedmaps, Beard Bros Pharms, California Cannabis Industry Association, California Cannabis Operators Association, California NORML, Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, Cannabis Distributors Association, Cannabiz Media, Cannitelligence, Flowerhire, High Times, House of Ambassadors, Ian Rassman, Katan Associates International, Latinas in Cannabis, MITA, Mota Glass, Origins Council, Storz & Bickel, The Canna Boss Babes, Women Grow, and more.

About IgniteIt

IgniteIt is a cannabis-focused media and events company dedicated to creating high-value opportunities for networking, education, and growth across the industry. Its Market Spotlight series is designed to bring clarity and connection to the most important cannabis markets in the United States.

For full details on the event agenda, speakers, and registration, visit: www.cannabismarketspotlight.com

Media Contact:

IgniteIt Events
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.cannabismarketspotlight.com