Big Rock
Big Rock is a San Francisco-based boutique strategic advisory and investment firm providing growth capital and advisory services to early-stage cannabis, food, and hospitality companies in California, anchored by its owned Sonoma Hills Farm cultivation operation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Big Rock does
Big Rock is a San Francisco-based strategic advisory and investment firm operating at the intersection of cannabis, food, and hospitality. Formally established in 2019 with portfolio activity dating back to 2009, the firm provides growth capital, strategic advisory, and network access to early-stage operators in regulated and adjacent consumer categories. Its core products are advisory mandates, direct equity investments, and ecosystem programs (such as the Capital Connection program co-run with Burns & Levinson and the Plant Magic consumer brand co-founded with Teresa Piro in 2020). Underlying operating assets include full ownership of Sonoma Hills Farm, a licensed cannabis cultivation site in Sonoma County.
The firm monetizes through two primary vectors: (i) advisory and consulting fees sourced from cannabis and consumer-brand clients, and (ii) investment returns from a portfolio that spans cannabis (Cannacraft, Henry's Original, Vertosa, Kikoko, Garden Society, Sava, Node Labs), food and hospitality (Tacolicious, Lazy Bear, Spruce), and the in-house Sonoma Hills Farm operation. Customers are early-stage cannabis operators, institutional and individual cannabis investors, and California-based food and hospitality brands; the firm is led by Founding Partner and COO Joyce Cenali. Go-to-market is relationship-driven, leveraging events, co-hosted investor programs, and cross-portfolio introductions rather than a scaled sales motion.
Operating scale is deliberately small — 1-10 employees per public profile — and there is no disclosed revenue, AUM, or external funding total, consistent with a boutique advisory and venture platform rather than an institutional asset manager. The strategic emphasis is on thematic specialization (regulated cannabis plus premium food/hospitality) and direct operating involvement through Sonoma Hills Farm, which distinguishes the firm from purely passive cannabis-focused funds.
Big Rock firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big Rock
- Legal name
- Big Rock, LLC
- Website
- https://big-rock.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Big Rock is a San Francisco-based boutique strategic advisory and investment firm providing growth capital and advisory services to early-stage cannabis, food, and hospitality companies in California, anchored by its owned Sonoma Hills Farm cultivation operation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big Rock industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Strategic Advisory & Investment Services
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity (FSANACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Industry-Specialist Buyout (Sector-Focused) (FSANABAE)
Keywords
Where Big Rock is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Big Rock business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Strategic Advisory Services: Provides strategic advisory services to cannabis companies and investors, including business development, licensing, partner integrations, and operational consulting.
- Investment Returns: Returns through equity investments in portfolio companies including Cannacraft, Henry's Original, Vertosa, Kikoko, Garden Society, Sava, and Sonoma Hills Farm. Operates own cultivation facility in Sonoma County.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Big Rock product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big Rock Partners is a strategic advisory and investment firm that provides growth capital, strategic consulting, business development support, licensing and partner integration guidance, and network access to early-stage companies at the intersection of cannabis, food, and hospitality. The firm invests directly in portfolio companies (including Cannacraft, Henry's Original, Vertosa, Kikoko, Garden Society, Sava) and also owns and operates Sonoma Hills Farm, a craft cannabis cultivation facility in Sonoma County.
Product overview
Big Rock Partners is a San Francisco-based strategic advisory and investment firm focused on the intersection of cannabis, food, and hospitality. Rather than a unified software product, the firm offers strategic advisory services and investment management to support cannabis companies from formation through growth. The firm also owns and operates Sonoma Hills Farm, a craft cannabis cultivation facility in Sonoma County. Their portfolio network includes numerous cannabis brands, hospitality companies, and media entities. The firm hosts industry events and maintains an extensive network of portfolio companies and partners in the cannabis ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Big Rock
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Big Rock technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Big Rock partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- VertosacoreStrategic partnership with Vertosa for co-hosted events focusing on cannabis investments and minority founders. Austin Stevenson, Chief Innovation Officer of Vertosa, co-hosted events with Big Rock.
- Last Prisoner ProjectminorSocial impact partnership supporting criminal justice reform in cannabis. Big Rock co-hosted events featuring Last Prisoner Project fundraising.
- Burns & LevinsoncoreLegal and financial advisory partnership for cannabis industry conferences. Co-hosted Burns & Levinson Capital Connection program matching emerging cannabis companies with investors.
- Epperly | ElamminorLegal advisory partnership for cannabis industry webinars covering international market opportunities and regulatory challenges.
- NCIA (National Cannabis Industry Association)minorTrade association membership and advocacy partnership for cannabis industry standards and policy.
- Oaksterdam UniversityminorEducational partnership supporting cannabis industry training and workforce development.
- Green Haus by One HausminorEvent sponsorship for cannabis industry events, providing talent search services for cannabis operations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Big Rock competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Salveo Capital: Cannabis-focused private equity firm with a similar thesis of backing compliant operators and consumer brands. Comparable as a dedicated cannabis capital allocator, though more retail- and operator-heavy than Big Rock's brand-tilted book.
- Casa Verde Capital: Cannabis-focused venture capital firm investing in early- and growth-stage ancillary and plant-touching brands. Highly comparable to Big Rock in sector focus, stage, and LP composition, though Casa Verde is more institutional and US-wide rather than Bay Area-anchored.
- Merida Capital Holdings: Cannabis and cannabis-adjacent private equity firm deploying growth capital into operators and brands. Directly comparable multi-stage strategy targeting the same emerging-brand segment as Big Rock.
- Poseidon Asset Management: Early cannabis-focused investment manager running long-only and credit strategies across public and private operators. Comparable in dedicated cannabis mandate; differs in being more market-facing/public-equity-weighted rather than direct private deals.
- Privateer Holdings: Pioneer cannabis-focused private equity and operating firm with portfolio brands across cultivation, retail, and infused products. Comparable to Big Rock as a sector-specialist cannabis investor, but at significantly larger scale.
Others
- Hilco Streambank: Intellectual property and asset valuation advisor active in cannabis bankruptcies and IP sales. Adjacent to Big Rock as a financial intermediary serving cannabis operators; not a direct capital allocator.
- Cannabis Control Commission (regulator-adjacent: CCTT / METRC): California Department of Cannabis Control — included only as the closest ecosystem counterparty shaping Big Rock's regulatory environment; included for completeness as a relevant counterpart rather than as a true peer.
Emerging players
- Phyto Partners: Cannabis technology and brand-focused venture fund. Overlapping deal type (early-stage cannabis operators) but more tech-tilted than Big Rock's hospitality/cannabis crossover.
- Tolt Advisory: Cannabis strategy and advisory firm helping operators with capital, M&A, and operating support. Comparable in advisory-plus-investment profile; more boutique consulting than Big Rock's family-office investment model.
Broad incumbents
- PlumpJack Group: Northern California lifestyle and hospitality management company with restaurants, retail, and wine. Listed within Big Rock's extended family; comparable as a California hospitality portfolio operator, though much larger and not cannabis-tilted.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Big Rock social profiles
Digital presenceBig Rock financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big Rock leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Big Rock funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big Rock M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments27 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Big Rock
What does Big Rock do?
Big Rock Partners is a strategic advisory and investment firm that provides growth capital, strategic consulting, business development support, licensing and partner integration guidance, and network access to early-stage companies at the intersection of cannabis, food, and hospitality. The firm invests directly in portfolio companies (including Cannacraft, Henry's Original, Vertosa, Kikoko, Garden Society, Sava) and also owns and operates Sonoma Hills Farm, a craft cannabis cultivation facility in Sonoma County.
Is Big Rock a public or private company?
Big Rock is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Big Rock founded?
Big Rock was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Big Rock based?
Big Rock is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Big Rock make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Strategic Advisory Services are the primary driver. The others are investment Returns.
Who are Big Rock's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Salveo Capital, Casa Verde Capital, Merida Capital Holdings, Poseidon Asset Management and Privateer Holdings. Others are Hilco Streambank and Cannabis Control Commission (regulator-adjacent: CCTT / METRC). Emerging players are Phyto Partners and Tolt Advisory. PlumpJack Group is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Big Rock have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big Rock.
What industry is Big Rock in?
Big Rock's product category is Strategic Advisory & Investment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANACAO, Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity, with a secondary code of FSANABAE, Industry-Specialist Buyout (Sector-Focused). Its SIC code is 6282.