Cannabis Industry Council

What Cannabis Industry Council does

The Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) is a UK-registered membership organisation (legal entity: Canindcou Ltd., company number 13437025) operating as the principal trade body for the country's regulated cannabis sector. Founded in 2021 and headquartered at 64 Nile Street, London, it represents more than 100 member organisations across at least 15 verticals including licensed producers, prescription cannabis clinics and dispensaries, CBD and hemp manufacturers and distributors, agriculture, banking and investment, insurance, law, infrastructure and technology, media and PR, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, patient advocacy groups, research bodies, and political/parliamentary groups. Its stated mission is to provide the sector with a single unified voice before Government, regulators, and policymakers, and to advance evidence-based policy, public education, patient access to medical cannabis, and the sustainable growth of the CBD and hemp markets.

CIC's product surface is organised around membership as the core offering, with a layered stack of supporting services. Core membership delivers advocacy, working groups, industry intelligence, networking, and direct regulatory engagement. On top of this, CIC runs a recurring events programme (CIC Socials networking events 5–6 times per year, CIC MasterClasses 3–4 times per year, plus the annual Cannabis Industry Awards dinner), a content portfolio (CIC Podcast, webinars/virtual roundtables, research and thought leadership reports, publications and guidance covering housing, employment, and marketing), and a monetisable sponsorship and advertising offering across social channels, newsletter, events, and the podcast. The organisation also operates an International Observer programme for non-UK entities seeking engagement with the UK market and, in January 2024, signed the Armed Forces Covenant.

The business model is dual-stream. Primary revenue comes from annual membership subscriptions across differentiated tiers, billed on a recurring annual basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed but varies by organisation type and size. Secondary revenue comes from sponsorship and advertising packages spanning events, webinars, podcasts, social media, newsletter placements, and research thought leadership. Distribution is direct and domestic (website membership portal plus field engagement at industry events), with leadership provided by CEO Mike Morgan-Giles, Co-Chairs Jamie Bartley and Dr Callie Seaman, and a Board expanded in June 2026 with Non-Executive Directors David Skinner and Chris Hayes.

Name

Cannabis Industry Council

Legal name

Canindcou Ltd.

Website

https://cicouncil.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) is the UK trade body for the regulated cannabis sector, representing 100+ member organisations across licensed producers, clinics, dispensaries, CBD/hemp manufacturers, law, banking, and patient groups, delivering advocacy, events, awards, and content services under a membership-plus-sponsorship revenue model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: CIC generates revenue through annual membership fees from organisations across the UK cannabis ecosystem, including manufacturers, distributors, clinics, pharmacies, patient organisations, research bodies, professional services, and CBD and hemp businesses.
2. Sponsorship & Advertising: CIC offers sponsorship and advertising packages including event sponsorship (CIC Socials, MasterClasses), webinar partnerships, podcast sponsorships, social media promotion, newsletter and email placements, and research thought leadership sponsorship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) is a UK-based membership organisation and trade body representing over 100 member organisations across the cannabis, CBD, and hemp sectors. It delivers industry advocacy, policy representation with Government and regulators, networking events, working groups, publications and guidance, and an annual awards programme. Membership is open to organisations operating from the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, with an International Observer programme for non-UK organisations.

Product overview

The Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) is a membership-based trade body for the UK's regulated cannabis sector, offering a unified portfolio of membership services alongside event, content, and sponsorship products. The core offering is CIC Membership, which provides advocacy, networking, and industry representation. Supporting products include Publications & Guidance, CIC Socials (5-6 events/year), CIC MasterClasses (3-4 events/year), a CIC Podcast, the annual Cannabis Industry Awards, Webinars & Virtual Roundtables, Research & Thought Leadership Reports, Newsletter & Email Campaigns, and Social Media Promotion packages. The organisation functions as an industry association rather than a technology platform, and its products are primarily membership-based services and sponsorship/advertising opportunities rather than a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CIC Membership Annual membership programme providing UK cannabis-sector organisations with advocacy representation, policy engagement with Government and regulators, working groups, industry intelligence, networking access, and member resources. Tiered by organisation type and size.
• International Observer Programme Observer programme for organisations outside the United Kingdom seeking to engage with the UK cannabis industry, monitor regulatory developments, and access CIC's industry intelligence and networking without full domestic membership.
• CIC Publications and Guidance Range of resources and guidance documents for the UK cannabis sector covering housing, employment, marketing, and industry best practices, including practical, legal, and strategic support for cannabis-industry professionals.
• CIC Socials Events Informal in-person networking events held approximately every other month (5–6 per year) bringing together founders, executives, investors, regulators, and service providers across the UK cannabis industry.
• CIC MasterClasses Quarterly expert-led educational sessions (3–4 per year) covering regulation, compliance, investment, scientific research, communications, and international markets for the UK cannabis sector.
• Cannabis Industry Awards Annual awards dinner recognising individuals and organisations for outstanding contributions across categories including Unsung Hero, Doctor of the Year, Social Impact, Pharmacist of the Year, Science, Sustainability, Customer Service, and Industry Leader.
• Sponsorship and Advertising Packages Paid sponsorship and advertising opportunities across CIC Socials, MasterClasses, the Cannabis Industry Awards, webinars and virtual roundtables, the CIC Podcast, newsletters and email campaigns, research and thought-leadership reports, and social media channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Represents over 100 member organisations across the UK cannabis ecosystem

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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, major and minor.

• Medical Cannabis Clinicians SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society is a key strategic partner for CIC, co-hosting the Cannabis Industry Awards and collaborating on industry events and initiatives to advance medical cannabis access and standards in the UK.
• Aurora MedicinecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026Aurora Medicine serves as a headline sponsor for the Cannabis Industry Awards 2026 and presents the Unsung Hero Award, demonstrating commitment to excellence within the UK medical cannabis sector.
• MediStackcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026MediStack is a headline sponsor for the Cannabis Industry Awards 2026 and co-presents the Unsung Hero Award alongside Aurora Medicine.
• British CannabismajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026British Cannabis presents the Hannah Deacon Doctor of the Year Award at the Cannabis Industry Awards, recognising outstanding healthcare professionals in medical cannabis care.
• Hilltop LeafmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026Hilltop Leaf sponsors the Contribution to Social Impact Award at the Cannabis Industry Awards, honouring individuals making significant differences to patients and communities.
• Curaleaf LaboratoriesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026Curaleaf Laboratories presents the Pharmacist of the Year Award, recognising exceptional commitment to patient care and professional excellence in the medical cannabis sector.
• ECS PharmamajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026ECS Pharma sponsors the Contribution to Science Award at the Cannabis Industry Awards, honouring individuals advancing scientific understanding of cannabis through research and evidence-based practice.
• Armed Forces CovenantminorOthers · 1 January 2024CIC has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, a commitment to supporting the UK's military community and veterans. The pledge includes promoting armed forces-friendly practices, supporting veteran employment, and advocating for access to medicines for veterans with PTSD, depression, disabilities, and chronic pain.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society: UK professional society for clinicians involved in medical cannabis prescribing. Already a strategic partner of CIC (co-hosting the Cannabis Industry Awards), it represents an adjacent constituency within the same ecosystem and a partial competitor for clinician engagement.
• Drug Science: UK independent scientific body covering drug policy including cannabis. Overlaps with CIC on evidence-based advocacy and research dissemination to UK policymakers, operating a similar convening role for researchers and clinicians in the cannabis space.
• UK Vaping Industry Association: UK trade association for the vaping sector. Highly comparable membership-organisation structure (dues, advocacy, events, working groups) and adjacent regulatory/political positioning, serving a parallel but distinct regulated consumer-products constituency.

Broad incumbents

• National Cannabis Industry Association: Largest US cannabis trade association representing cultivators, processors, retailers, and ancillary businesses. Highly comparable trade-body model — membership fees, advocacy, events, working groups — though operating in a larger and more mature US market.

Direct peers

• Cannabis Trades Association: UK-based trade association for the cannabis sector. Directly competes with CIC for UK cannabis industry representation and member dues, operating a similar membership and advocacy model in the same geographic market.
• Center for Medicinal Cannabis: UK-based organisation focused on medical cannabis research, education, and policy. Overlaps directly with CIC on UK medical cannabis advocacy and member engagement, particularly with clinicians and patient groups.
• Cannabis Council of Canada: Canadian national trade body representing licensed producers and the legal cannabis supply chain. Closely comparable in structure (membership organisation, policy advocacy, industry standards) and in serving a recently-legalised national cannabis market.

Regional players

• European Industrial Hemp Association: Europe-wide trade association representing the industrial hemp sector. Directly comparable membership-association model and a member segment (hemp manufacturers/distributors) that overlaps materially with CIC's hemp membership category, though operating at a continental rather than national level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ukcancouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cannabis-industry-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/ukcancouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 Cannabis Industry Council