Marijuana 1.0 was all about the legalization drive, the dumping of billions of dollars of cash into the industry and mouthwatering mergers and consolidations-but it was a jockeying exercise in capacity expansion. Mentioned in today's commentary includes:  OrganiGram Holdings (OTCQX:OGRMF), Curaleaf Holdings (OTCPK:CURLF), Emerald Health Therapeutics (OTCQX:EMHTF), Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. (OTCQX:CBWTF), CannTrust Holdings Inc. (OTCMKTS:CNTTF)

Marijuana 2.0 could be just as big a deal-it's about the technological tweaks that will actually make this industry profitable. It involves Big Data, AI, automation and a host of other tech tweaks that will increase profitability and open up vast new markets in key verticals.

Wall Street's top marijuana expert has predicted explosive growth for the industry eventually reaching $500 billion. Only the most efficient and competitive cannabis players will thrive under the coming Big Data and AI revolution.

And one little-known company has already developed an efficient, high-quality, low-cost automated mass production operation. Wayland Group (WAYL, MRRCF) is positioning itself to be the "Vertical Integrator of Cannabis".

The easy money in the weed industry has already been made. The real money comes in the next wave of profits from companies that are able to navigate the technological and efficiency cul-de-sacs that plague the industry.

Here are 5 Reasons why Wayland Inc. is slated to become successful

#1 Replacing Gut Feeling with True Tech

Wayland Group (WAYL, MRRCF) has partnered with Rockwell Automation to develop a connected and scalable platform that seamlessly connects its cultivation facilities for a consistent and high-yield crop.

Wayland employs Rockwell's new exclusive agriculture platform from AI Data Grow with its hardware, Automation FactoryTalk software and Ethernet/IP network connectivity to streamline communication between traditional silos such as process control functions, material handling and building automation.

The system is the industry's first large-scale integration in the medical cannabis industry and transfers Rockwell's immense expertise in life sciences to the medical cannabis industry.

Wayland's automation drive has earned it various industry accolades including the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) rating, becoming one of only 5 EU GMP-certified producers that can sell directly to the EU market.

Energy efficiency:

Utilizing FactoryTalk energy metrics, Wayland is able to optimize its carbon footprint by controlling fans, lights and other environmental specifications such as temperature, lighting, humidity, fertigation and carbon dioxide to achieve a 90 percent-plus energy efficiency rating (EER).

Lower labor costs:

Automation enables the company to replace ergonomically challenging and labor-intensive jobs with advanced operators with higher skills sets. This creates a lower headcount with higher pay grade and thus addresses a major hurdle in agriculture agronomics.

#2 Fat Profit Margins Potential in a $180-Billion Market

Wayland (WAYL, MRRCF) is now able to leverage its innovative automation machine using another clever trick-by only targeting growing regions and markets that will likely provide high returns and profits.

Regions like Argentina and Columbia where production costs are low … and markets like Switzerland, Germanyand the EU where cannabis products fetch attractive prices.

Wayland is now selling CBD at CAD$16 per gram in Europe compared to prices as low as $5.65 in Canada.

With production costs in in Argentina and Columbia as low as 5 cents per gram for CBD, there is a massive profit opportunity if South American CBD were to be sold in Canada.

#3 Differentiated Products Using Pharmaceutical Breakthroughs

Wayland (WAYL, MRRCF) has brought the best of the pharmaceutical world to the marijuana industry by integrating Vesisorb technology across its product portfolio--thus enhancing rapid absorption and predictable dosing.

Vesisorb is a patented product applied to fat-soluble formulations leading to as much as 622 percent increase in bioavailability.

CBD molecules are oily in nature and tend to clump together upon ingestion. This interferes with absorption and can lead to unpredictable effects. Vesisorb resolves that by improving dispersion of CBD molecules and ensure uniform absorption.

Wayland has also developed a range of CBD brands to cater to buyers of different ages, genders, needs and occasions. Each brand projects a unique feel and image making it easy and intuitive for customers to make their pick in a potentially confusing industry.

#4 Big Pharma and Tech Gurus

Wayland's (WAYL, MRRCF) advisory board is a Who's Who of Big Pharma and Silicon-Valley-style tech gurus-and its management team is headed by a similarly powerful line-up of pharma-tech figures from the CEO and chairman to the CFO and president. 

Wayland President Terry Fretz is a veteran pharmaceutical exec with two privately held generic pharma companies under his belt that were the fastest-growing in Canada and acquired by publicly traded multinationals.

CFO Scott Langille has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry in both Canada and the United States, holding executive positions at publicly traded pharma companies including Tribute Pharmaceuticals, and Virexx Medical Corp.

The advisory board includes everyone from Hilti Tools empire heir apparent Rudolph Hilti, Prof. Dr. Markus Backmund MD, PhD-the chair of the German Society of Addiction Medicine, and Dr. Horst Schiessl, on the supervisory board of Baader Bank AG, to Dr. Hans Dendl, former chairman of AOK Health and researcher at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Research.

#5 An Incredible Growth Rate

To fully capitalize on its growing moat, Wayland (WAYL,MRRCF) plans to rapidly ramp up production in its key markets.

From a projected 2,400 kilos of CBD in the current year, it's eyeing a run-rate of 95,000 kilos per annum by Q4 2019 in Canada alone.

Marijuana 2.0 is a tech game above all, and this little-known company has been quietly developing the tech this industry needs to turn hype into profit and to make good on the industry's desperation to expand capacity to meet demand. That's exactly what will define 2019 for pot, and the high times will be on the back of the right tech, rolling the right margins.

Other companies taking the cannabis industry to the next level: 

Auxly Cannabis Group (OTCQB:CBWTF)

Some investors are bullish on Auxly due to its rapid rate of growth. And its recent strategic partnership with Atlantic Cultivation solidifies that stance.

The $2.5 million deal gives Auxly a 50 percent equity stake in Atlantic, in addition to a right-to-purchase up to 30 percent of dried cannabis and cannabis trim at Atlantic's Newfoundland and Labrador facilities.

Hugo Alves, President and Director of Auxly commented: "This partnership with Atlantic, coupled with our premium craft producer Robinson's Cannabis in Nova Scotia and our world class innovation and extraction hub at Dosecann in PEI demonstrates Auxly's commitment to Atlantic Canada where we are building meaningful cannabis businesses that have a positive impact on the region.

Emerald Health Therapeutics (OTCQX:EMHTF) 

In 2018 alone, Emerald Health secured over 500 acres of hemp harvest for the extraction of low-cost cannabidiol, with a commitment to double that number in the coming years. With a highly experienced team in life sciences and product development, the company is taking the industry by the horns.

In addition to its production commitments, however, Emerald Health has also just received the green light from Canadian regulatory officials to sell its award-winning Endo product line of endocannabinoid-supporting nutritional products in the country.

Curaleaf Holdings (OTCPK:CURLF) 

Curaleaf is a multi-faceted U.S. cannabis company, operating dispensaries, cultivating product, marketing and more. The company also produces a wide range of cannabis products, including concentrates, edibles, tinctures, capsules, vaporizer cartridges, and dry natural marijuana.

Curaleaf's third-quarter financials shocked analysts, with Q3 revenue soaring by 289 percent. "Boasting the largest retail dispensary footprint under a single, unified brand, with now 33 locations across 10 states, Curaleaf has established itself as a leader in the burgeoning U.S. cannabis industry," CEO Joe Lusardi noted.

OrganiGram Holdings (OTCQX:OGRMF) 

OrganiGram is another Canadian holdings company looking to take the burgeoning cannabis industry by the horns. With numerous subsidiaries from which it produces and distributes recreational and medical marijuana, OrganiGram is well positioned to ride the next Green Wave into profits.

In a recent press release following Canada's landmark legalization event, the company applauded domestic partners for their efforts in managing exceptional consumer demand. "The company is also pleased to have collaborated with provinces and other jurisdictional partners across the country, supporting the successful launch of this new market," the release read.

CannTrust Holdings Inc. (OTCMKTS:CNTTF)

In September, CannTrust made history with the first approved shipment of a cannabis product to Denmark. The company shipped cannabis oils overseas in a breakthrough deal with its Danish joint venture partner, STENOCARE.

"Thanks to CannTrust's consistent quality and standardized products, we are the first in Denmark to have cannabis oil products approved for the market," noted Thomas S. Schnegelsberg, CEO of STENOCARE.