CORAL SPRINGS, Florida, May 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Hemp-based consumer products for the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and supplement industries continue to evolve as more and more states nationwide soften on restrictions for Legal & Medical Marijuana industries.  Marijuana & Cannabis Based Companies in focus today are: Algae International Group, Inc. (OTC: ALGA), Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP), Easton Pharmaceuticals (OTC: EAPH), DigiPath, Inc. (OTC: DIGP), American Green, Inc. (OTC: ERBB) and Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC: CBIS).

Three out of four new businesses fail. A simple fact. So if your dream business is more likely to be unsuccessful than successful, why even try?

The formula for launching a successful cannabis business is complex, but everyone needs to start somewhere. Usually this means raising capital, either from friends and family or outside investors. As an investor who has listened to hundreds of pitches from cannabis industry startups, I have distilled a list of seven elements I like to see in investment-ready businesses.

So what does it take to raise capital in the cannabis industry?

1. Founder, Founder, Founder

London, UK, 19 May 2015: GW Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: GWPH, AIM: GWP, “GW,” “the Company” or “the Group”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform, announced that the Company has appointed Julian Gangolli as President, North America and is also relocating its Chief Executive Officer, Justin Gover, to the United States.

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dan Humiston, founder and president of the International Cannabis Association, who represents a large demographic of hopeful entrants to the cannabis industry. While there are plenty of people across the U.S. who are looking to transition from a black market cannabis career to owning a regulated business in the legal industry, there is also much interest from people who see cannabis purely as a business opportunity and who may have never grown–or even consumed–it themselves.

In this interview, Dan talks about how he made the choice to transition from his successful career as a business owner to founding a cannabis business association, and what he predicts the future holds for the legalization movement.

A proposed bill currently in the Illinois Senate would amend the state’s Cannabis Control Act, reducing penalties for small amounts of cannabis. And the act just might be the change Illinois needs to address racial disparities in arrests and incarceration.

In Illinois, black people make up 15 percent of the population, but account for approximately 58 percent of the state’s marijuana possession arrests, according to a June 2013 report by the American Civil Liberties Union. The report also noted that black people are over 7.5 times more likely to be arrested than white people for marijuana possession.

“Revolutionary,” “history-making” and a “unique opportunity” were among the many catchphrases and adjectives repeated by the attendees of the Marijuana Investor Summit in Denver, April 20-22, 2015. However, “dog years” was the most appropriate term used to describe the cannabis sector years, considering how fast it is evolving. The metaphor of dog years could present an interesting yet positive paradox for small investors, especially those interested in long-term investments.

As the May 18 front-page article “Legal pot in the District is a boon for illegal dealers” reported, D.C. voters’ determination to legalize marijuana possession through Initiative 71 is having significant unintended consequences. Because residents can legally use and possess marijuana but can’t legally buy it, the illegal drug trade has increased and the city is missing out on the tax revenue it would receive if the sales were regulated.

Logistics Trust, Inc. has launched a subsidiary named Doobster (www.Doobster.org), a mobile application and platform (the “Doobster Platform”) that allows a consumer of legal marijuana to order products from their smart phones, tablets or computer and have the products delivered to their physical location. Doobster is launching in 15 states by empowering stakeholders at all levels with its innovative business model.

A new business accelerator is helping startups find their way in the new legal pot market. Canopy, a Boulder-based incubator for pot entrepreneurs, is the first of its kind, reports CBS News correspondent Barry Petersen.

Nearly a year and a half after recreational pot became legal in Colorado, there are now 550 retail stores, with dozens of big players, and even the business of marijuana can use a boost from some seed money.

English-born Harvard MBA graduate Roy Bingham, who worked in the banking industry, moved from Rhode Island to Boulder, Colorado, to be in the prime spot for a new venture.

He plans to analyze and sell sales data so pot shops know what's hot and what's not.

WeedHire & Students for Sensible Drug Policy Form Strategic Alliance

Partnership to Foster Education & Marijuana Career Opportunities for SSDP Members & Chapters Nationwide

Fair Lawn, NJ May 20, 2015 – WeedHire International (WDHR OTCPK) today announced a strategic alliance with Students for Sensible Drug Policy http://ssdp.org/ focused on education and providing cannabis career opportunities for both the SSDP membership & chapters nationwide.