11 Mar 2019 Spotlight on NextLeaf

Describe your company and its product.

Our patented extraction process yields a premium cannabis distillate that is easy to dose, and ready to develop into infused products for the next generation of cannabis consumer.

Through a combination of extraction, refinement, and purification steps finely tuned for each client, based on both the quality of input biomass, and the desired end products, we create a distillate suitable for formulation in a variety of consumption methods including topicals, edibles, oils, and concentrates.

What year did your company start?

2016

Which city (or cities) are you located?

Vancouver, BC

Describe your company culture in three words.

Innovative, agile, and performance driven.

How do you celebrate company or employee wins? 

Positive reinforcement, praise, and team building exercises.

What is the problem that you are trying to solve? 

We turn previously unusable plant material, such as leaf and flower trimmings, into highly desirable concentrates. For licensed cannabis cultivators who prefer to focus on production, rather than processing.

What is your biggest milestone to date?

Receiving the first issued US patent to a Canadian company, for the extraction and purification of cannabinoids.

What is your biggest challenge? 

Scaling with the growth of the industry.

What is your motto?

Surround yourself with great people and everything will fall into place.

How are you making an impact?

Innovation around extraction and purification technologies that allow for standardization in the manufacturing of medical cannabis products.

What is your hope for the future of tech in BC? 

Continued innovation, and local funding via BC based ecosystem.

Lightning Round with Paul Pedersen, CEO of NextLeaf

What excites you about your job? 

Working in a fast moving industry. Setting up for future growth.

What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome? 

Navigating the early stage investment world.

If you can give advice to your 20-year-old self, what would you say? 

Don’t be afraid to learn, gain experience and find good mentors.

What are your pet peeves?

Lack of integrity. Overpromising, and underdelivering.

Words of wisdom to other tech CEOs or founders?

Surround yourself with good people.

Favourite city you visited?

Austin, Texas.

What is your formula for success?

Educate yourself, and seek out the experts. Surround yourself with good people, setting the foundation for relationship building and longevity.

Name one book that everyone should read.

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

How do you decompress? 

Swimming or watching football.

Favourite movie?

Die Hard with a Vengeance.