Just as there's Yelp for foodies, there's Leafly for people on the hunt for pot. With the drug now mostly legal in two US states and 21 states accepting the use of medical marijuana, Leafly is one startup like many others that's getting the jump on the relaxing state laws.
Leafly describes itself as the "world's largest cannabis strain resource," as it features over 50,000 different kinds of marijuana, plus over 20,000 dispensary reviews. Since it's difficult to know where to start, on a daily basis Leafly highlights one of its thousands of strains on its home page, showing off its reviews and ratings. As well, users can search for a particular strain in reverse by looking up its attributes, effects or recommended medical uses. When you join Leafly, there's also the option to filter the strains by your favorites, as well as ones you have and have not yet reviewed.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Marijuana Review Websites
- The development of websites that allow users to review and browse various strains of marijuana presents an opportunity for businesses to expand into this growing market.
- Cannabis Analytics
- The growing availability of data on marijuana strains and usage provides opportunities for companies to develop analytical tools and insights related to the cannabis industry.
- Personalized Cannabis Recommendations
- The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to suggest personalized cannabis strains based on user preferences represents a potential disruptive innovation opportunity in the market.
Where This Applies
- Cannabis Retail
- Websites like Leafly present an opportunity for cannabis dispensaries to showcase their products and engage with potential customers.
- Software and Analytics
- The development of analytical tools and insights related to the cannabis industry presents opportunities for companies specializing in data analysis and software development.
- Artificial Intelligence
- The potential use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to suggest personalized cannabis strains based on user preferences represents an opportunity for companies specializing in AI technologies.
