Cannabis logistics platform Wayv officially launched its Dynamic Distribution network on Thursday, in an attempt to use tech to ease the many "friction points" in the complicated world of business-to-business cannabis logistics.

"[In cannabis] there is no Coca-Cola and there is no Starbucks. These are all very fragmented companies that are trying to work to solve the problems as new regulatory models, as new requirements come about," said Keith McCarty, CEO and founder of Wayv. "We saw the opportunity and the opportunity is to deliver a product faster, just in time, and to really leverage and centralize that process."

Wayv's Dynamic Delivery platform seeks to streamline cannabis logistics by uniting businesses, brands, and logistics providers within the same platform and helping them navigate the many complicated regulations that govern cannabis on the local, state, and federal levels. The data Wayv collects throughout its distribution network is key to the whole operation. McCarty said the data will help Wayv, which he called the "Switzerland ... that connects retailers to brands," continue to identify pain points in the industry, as well as providing its partners with information they can use to make strategic decisions.

"We've essentially provided a logistics solution to the entire industry, whether you're a provider, or utilizing first- and third-party distribution. So there's a smart, algorithmic method to deliver the best experience both for brands and retailers," McCarty said.

Wayv has been up and running for about a year since landing $5 million in seed funding, led by David Sacks' Craft Ventures, which boasts a portfolio that includes companies like SpaceX and Bird. Sacks and McCarty were colleagues at enterprise communication platform Yammer, which Sacks founded and Microsoft eventually acquired.

Although Wayv was Craft Ventures' first cannabis investment, it wasn't McCarty's first dabble into cannabis tech. He co-founded cannabis delivery platform Eaze to assist with business-to-consumer delivery, and said he's still one of the largest private shareholders in the company. McCarty left Eaze in 2016 and founded Wayv to address business-to-business delivery. A Silicon Valley veteran, McCarty said he thinks players from tech are uniquely suited for the cannabis industry, in part because they have faced similarly challenging circumstances ー and survived.

"It takes a certain type of person to endure all the different aspects of what this is going to become, but what you get left with are the smartest people, the hardest working people, the people with the strongest ethos," he said. "I would bet on the people that have tried and true, delivered, and endured a lot of those [ups and downs]."

Share:
More In Business
Poll: More Americans think companies benefit from legal immigration
A new poll finds U.S. adults are more likely than they were a year ago to think immigrants in the country legally benefit the economy. That comes as President Donald Trump's administration imposes new restrictions targeting legal pathways into the country. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey finds Americans are more likely than they were in March 2024 to say it’s a “major benefit” that people who come to the U.S. legally contribute to the economy and help American companies get the expertise of skilled workers. At the same time, perceptions of illegal immigration haven’t shifted meaningfully. Americans still see fewer benefits from people who come to the U.S. illegally.
Tylenol maker rebounds a day after unfounded claims about its safety
Shares of Tylenol maker Kenvue are bouncing back sharply before the opening bell a day after President Donald Trump promoted unproven and in some cases discredited ties between Tylenol, vaccines and autism. Trump told pregnant women not to use the painkiller around a dozen times during the White House news conference Monday. The drugmaker tumbled 7.5%. Shares have regained most of those losses early Tuesday in premarket trading.
Load More