Grown In

What Grown In does

Grown In is a Chicago-based media, convening, and advisory platform serving the cannabis and hemp industry, founded in 2020 by Brad Spirrison. The company publishes independent analysis and reporting on cannabis, hemp, policy, and market developments with a Midwest focus, operating a content-rich website built on Ghost CMS, an email subscription list, and flagship in-person events including the Midwest Cannabis Forum, Cannabis Congress, and Harvest Exchange. Its primary products are the Grown In publication, the flagship convenings, the "Middle Ground" facilitation methodology, and paid advisory services delivered to operators, investors, regulators, financial and professional services firms, life sciences organizations, and research institutions.

The business model combines three revenue streams: professional services revenue from strategic advisory engagements and event convening targeting enterprise and government buyers, and recurring subscription revenue from research and analysis publications. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and follows a contact-based, bespoke engagement model. Grown to In is privately held, founder-led, and bootstrapped, with no disclosed institutional funding, parent company, or acquisition activity. Its distribution is hybrid, spanning direct enterprise sales for advisory, in-person regional events, and a global self-serve digital platform for research content. The company has built a network of strategic alliances with civic and academic institutions including 1871 Chicago, World Business Chicago, the Discovery Partners Institute (University of Illinois System), and the UIC Cannabis Research Institute, which collectively reinforce its positioning as a neutral convener in a politically and commercially complex industry.

Name

Grown In

Legal name

Grown In

Website

https://grownin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Grown In is a Chicago-based media, convening, and advisory platform founded in 2020 by Brad Spirrison, serving cannabis and hemp operators, investors, regulators, financial firms, and research institutions across the Midwest through independent journalism, flagship events, and strategic advisory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Advisory Services: Grown In provides strategic advisory services to organizations navigating entry into or expansion within regulated cannabis and hemp markets, helping operators, investors, regulators, institutions, and industry partners understand complex issues, build alignment, and move decisions forward.
2. Event Convening: Grown In generates revenue through convening events including the Midwest Cannabis Forum, educational programming, and executive briefings, bringing together stakeholders across government, industry, research, financial services, and community sectors.
3. Research and Analysis Publications: Grown In publishes analysis and reports on market developments, policy, regulation, and industry dynamics in the cannabis and hemp sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Grown In operates a B2B media, convening, and advisory platform for the cannabis and hemp industry. It publishes independent analysis and editorial coverage on cannabis, hemp, policy, and market developments; convenes flagship in-person working sessions including the Midwest Cannabis Forum, Harvest Exchange, and Cannabis Congress; and provides strategic advisory services to operators, investors, regulators, institutions, and industry partners navigating regulated cannabis and hemp markets.

Product overview

Grown In is a Chicago-based media, convening, and advisory platform for the cannabis and hemp industry. The core offering consists of the Grown In publication (editorial analysis and reporting on market developments, policy, and industry dynamics), the Midwest Cannabis Forum (flagship annual convening), the Harvest Exchange with Cannabis Congress (policy-focused gatherings), and The Middle Ground facilitation methodology. Advisory services round out the offering, helping organizations navigate entry into or expansion within regulated cannabis markets. The platform operates at the intersection of journalism, research, convening, and advisory services, serving operators, investors, regulators, institutions, and industry partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grown In Publication The primary publication providing independent analysis, reporting, and editorial coverage on cannabis, hemp, policy, regulation, research, and market developments for operators, investors, regulators, and institutional readers in the industry.
• Midwest Cannabis Forum A flagship in-person industry convening bringing together leaders from cannabis, hemp, beverage, research, regulation, and commerce sectors for working sessions designed to surface insights and identify practical next steps for the Midwest cannabis ecosystem.
• Harvest Exchange A convening and exchange-format event designed to bring together private, government, education, medical, and cultural sectors to shape frameworks for cannabis normalization, commercialization, and standardization.
• Chicago Cannabis Congress A policy-focused convening held as part of the Harvest Exchange, bringing together leaders to shape frameworks for cannabis normalization, commercialization, and standardization.
• Strategic Advisory Services Strategic advisory services helping operators, investors, regulators, institutions, and industry partners understand complex issues, build alignment, and move decisions forward in regulated cannabis and hemp markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Convene leaders from across sectors for strategic alignment and policy development

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 1871 ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrown In convened entrepreneurs, regulators, researchers, investors, and community leaders at 1871, Chicago's prominent technology and innovation hub, during the early days of Illinois cannabis legalization to support the development of the regulated market.
• Discovery Partners Institute (University of Illinois System)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrown In collaborated with the Discovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois System, to convene stakeholders around cannabis policy, research, and industry development in Illinois and the Midwest.
• World Business ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrown In partnered with World Business Chicago to convene business leaders, regulators, and industry participants around cannabis industry development and its integration with Chicago's broader economic ecosystem.
• Cannabis Research Institute (University of Illinois Chicago)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrown In has covered and engaged with the Cannabis Research Institute at UIC, launched with support from Illinois Department of Human Services and Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office, as a key research platform for Chicago's cannabis ecosystem.
• Sarabande ChicagominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for the Chicago Cannabis Congress event on October 8, part of the Grown In Harvest Exchange, hosted at Sarabande Chicago in Avondale.
• Salvage OneminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for the Midwest Cannabis Forum on May 28, hosted at Salvage One, an old Chicago industrial venue that hosted the first Midwest Cannabis Forum bringing together licensed cannabis operators, hemp beverage people, bankers, lawyers, researchers, and industry stakeholders.
• Baird & Warner ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy real estate firm that has shown commitment to cannabis industry engagement, representing institutional entry into the cannabis ecosystem and normalization through legacy institutions deciding the industry is real enough to serve.
• Green Thumb IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago-based multistate cannabis operator discussed extensively in Grown In coverage as a major player in the Midwest market, operating both state-licensed cannabis and hemp-derived THC beverage channels, headquartered in Chicago.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Politico: Politico is a major policy and government affairs publication covering federal and state legislation, including cannabis policy. It is comparable to Grown In as a stakeholder convener and policy analysis platform, but operates at much broader scope and scale.

Emerging players

• Leafly: Leafly is a consumer-facing cannabis information platform with news, strain data, and dispensary listings, and has expanded into industry news and reports. It is comparable to Grown In as a content-led cannabis platform, but with a consumer rather than B2B focus.
• The Cannigma: The Cannigma is a cannabis science, education, and policy publication aimed at consumers, healthcare professionals, and industry stakeholders. It overlaps with Grown In's research and educational programming for life sciences and healthcare audiences.

Regional players

• Crain's Chicago Business: Crain's Chicago Business is the dominant regional business publication covering Chicago's economy, including extensive coverage of cannabis industry development in Illinois. It overlaps with Grown In on Chicago-focused business reporting but is broader in scope and not cannabis-specialized.

Direct peers

• MJBizDaily (MJBiz): MJBizDaily is the leading B2B cannabis industry media and events brand, operating MJBizCon and producing news, analysis, and research for cannabis operators, investors, and ancillary businesses. Like Grown In, it monetizes through journalism, research, and convening, but at significantly larger national scale.
• Benzinga Cannabis: Benzinga operates a cannabis vertical covering stocks, policy, and industry analysis targeted at retail and institutional investors. It mirrors Grown In's role translating cannabis industry developments into actionable insight for financial audiences.
• Cannabis Business Times: Cannabis Business Times is a trade publication covering cultivation, retail, and regulatory issues for licensed cannabis operators, and runs the Cannabis Conference. It overlaps directly with Grown In's editorial and event coverage of the operator community.
• Marijuana Moment: Marijuana Moment is a policy-focused cannabis news outlet that tracks federal and state legislation, regulation, and rescheduling developments. It is comparable to Grown In's policy analysis function and convening around cannabis reform, with a stronger national policy focus versus Grown In's regional Midwest lens.
• Green Market Report: Green Market Report is a financial news outlet covering cannabis equities, capital markets, and industry M&A. It is comparable to Grown In's research and analysis layer serving financial and professional services firms evaluating cannabis exposure.

Others

• Green Thumb Industries: Green Thumb Industries is a Chicago-based multi-state cannabis operator that Grown In covers extensively as a flagship Midwest MSO. While not a peer in media, it is a recurring subject of Grown In's editorial coverage and a partner in convenings, making it an ecosystem reference comparable to the operators Grown In serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tweetgrownin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grown In