Learn From Parliament's George Clinton And Nat Geo's Jason Silva At This Cannabis Tech Event

Just like cannabis businesses, stocks, publications and strains, weed-related events are multiplying at an unprecedented space. The problem is that, since the legal marijuana industry is still nascent, expert speakers do not abound. Consequently, almost every conference, summit, gathering, symposium, seminar and convention features more or less the same keynotes.

This is not to say that the usual speakers are not great, because they are. But, once you’ve heard them a few times, you typically won’t get much new information from them.

Against this reality, the New West Summit is pretty different, not only due to the fact that it’s focused on cannabis-related technology, but also because of the speakers it has and will feature. Past presenters have included Sir Richard Branson and Susan Bennett, voice of Apple Inc. AAPL’s Siri.

In the upcoming third edition of the New West Summit, which will take place in Oakland, California, between Oct. 13 and 15, inclusive, attendees will hear from Parliament-Funkadelic’s George Clinton; Jason Silva, host of Nat Geo’s Brain Games; famed cannabis activist and entrepreneur Steve DeAngelo; NBA Hall-of-Famer Ricky Barry; and more than 100 other speakers.

“The New West Summit differentiates itself by pushing the agenda of technology and science, and how that will shape the future of the cannabis industry,” Jim McAlpine, executive director of the New West Summit and founder of the 420 Games told Benzinga. “There’s millions of shows out there, and I feel like so many of them are just the same everywhere.”

In an attempt to set itself apart from the bunch, the New West Summit strives to put graduate-level lecturers on stage. “This event is about the future of the cannabis industry from a lens of technology and science,” he reiterated. “We strive to get speakers from outside the cannabis space, who are global tech disruptors and really have them speak from an angle of the philosophy of how to be a disruptive thinker.

“I look at this, not as a cannabis event, but as a technology event, first. It just so happens to focus on the cannabis industry,” McAlpine added.

The New West Summit 3.0 will also add an investment component to educate people on the opportunities that exist in the space. Attendees will be able to witness a Shark Tank-style pitch session, panels from venture capitalists and mentors, and even several large public companies like Canopy Growth Corp WEED TWMJF and Aurora Cannabis Inc ACB ACBFF.

Check out the full schedule, speakers and ticket prices following this link.

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Image Credit: Javier Hasse