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Kush Marketplace operates an online B2B platform connecting licensed cannabis producers, processors, and retailers for wholesale transactions, based in Tampa, Florida. It facilitates wholesale cannabis products like raw materials, CBD gummies, and grow equipment, serving over 65,000 registered buyers and sellers with nearly 30,000 active product listings. The platform generates revenue through subscription-based memberships for sellers and is expanding beyond traditional cannabis businesses to include restaurants, grocers, and convenience stores for beverages, edibles, and topicals. John Lynch was recently appointed CEO, and the company secured funding led by MacDonald Ventures, chaired by Steve MacDonald, to fuel national expansion. Kush Marketplace was founded in 2014 by Chase Nobles and Matthew Clise. Its business model centers on subscription-based membership for sellers on the online marketplace, generates revenue through transactions on its B2B network.
Kush Marketplace has raised $5.7M across 3 funding rounds.
Kush Marketplace has raised $5.7M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Kush Marketplace has raised $5.7M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Kush Marketplace's investors include Florida Funders, LAUNCH, Signia Venture Partners, WillowWorks, Kurt Bilafer, Rahul Doshi.
Kush Marketplace has raised $5.7M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in August 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2022 | $2M Seed | — | Florida Funders, LAUNCH, Signia Venture Partners, Willowworks, Kurt Bilafer, Rahul Doshi | Announced |
| Aug 1, 2018 | $3M Seed | — | Florida Funders, LAUNCH, Signia Venture Partners, Willowworks, Kurt Bilafer, Rahul Doshi | Announced |
| Sep 1, 2017 | $700K Seed | — | Florida Funders, LAUNCH, Signia Venture Partners, Willowworks, Kurt Bilafer, Rahul Doshi | Announced |
Kush Marketplace (operating as Kush.com) is a B2B technology platform that connects licensed producers, processors, and retailers in the legal hemp and cannabis industries through a managed wholesale marketplace.[1][2][3] It streamlines large-scale transactions, procurement, and business development, while offering free tools like market forecasting, pricing indexes, education, and business support to help brands scale efficiently.[1][2][3] Serving thousands of verified buyers and sellers, it levels the playing field for operations of all sizes in a fragmented market.[1][2]
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the company has raised $4.27 million in unattributed VC funding from investors like MacDonald Ventures and employs around 17-26 people.[1][3] Its growth is tied to the expanding legal cannabis sector, with competitors including Leaf Trade and Dutchie.[3]
Kush Marketplace emerged in 2014 amid the early legalization of hemp and cannabis markets in the U.S., addressing inefficiencies in wholesale raw material trading between licensed farms and manufacturers.[3][5] Co-founder and President/Chief Product Officer Chase Nobles leads the team, though full founder details are limited in available records.[1] The platform quickly built a curated network of vetted participants, gaining traction by facilitating direct, large-volume deals in a nascent industry lacking streamlined supply chains.[1][2][3] Pivotal early moves included integrating market data tools and expanding to support both hemp and cannabis, capitalizing on regulatory shifts like the 2018 Farm Bill.[1][3]
Kush Marketplace rides the wave of cannabis industry digitization, fueled by U.S. state-level legalization and federal hemp reforms, creating a $20B+ wholesale market projected to grow rapidly.[1][3] Timing aligns with post-2018 demand for compliant B2B infrastructure amid supply chain bottlenecks and regulatory complexity.[2][3] Favorable forces include rising THC/CBD product demand and tech adoption in agribusiness, where platforms like Kush reduce intermediaries.[3][5] It influences the ecosystem by standardizing data-driven pricing and forecasting, aiding startup brands' growth and fostering a more mature, efficient legal cannabis supply network.[1][2]
Kush Marketplace is poised for expansion as global legalization accelerates and B2B cannabis tech matures, potentially deepening AI-driven forecasting or international reach.[3] Trends like vertical integration and data analytics will shape its path, with opportunities in adjacent sectors like psychedelics or agtech.[1][2] Its influence could grow by powering more scalable ecosystems, solidifying its role as a foundational bridge in a thriving legal hemp and cannabis wholesale market—much like how it started by connecting fragmented players for collective success.[1][3]
