DENVER, Sept. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Akerna Corp. (Nasdaq: KERN), a leading seed-to-sale regulatory compliance technology provider and developer of the cannabis industry’s first enterprise resource planning (ERP) software technology (MJ Platform®), announced today its exclusive partnership with solo sciences, inc., developer of the world’s first cryptographically-secure cannabis product authentication system. Together, they generate an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability to consumer packaged goods that drives product safety and consumer protection from counterfeit products by integrating the patented solo* tech platform with Akerna’s service offerings--MJ Platform and Leaf Data Systems.
The number of vaping-related casualties and illnesses continue to rise even weeks after the first headlines. There are now seven deaths and 380 cases in 36 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The State of California alone has reported 73 suspected cases and is the only state to record more than one death.
“Product and public safety through reliable traceability drove the creation of MJ Platform. Cannabis product tracking down to the gram level provides built-in transparency into the growing, processing, distribution and selling of cannabis products,” said Jessica Billingsley, Chief Executive Officer at Akerna. “The integration of solo sciences’ elevated tagging technology provides the first robust method for communicating everything we know about cannabis through our tracking – ingredients, nutrients, additives and more – to the consumer.
solo sciences’ goal is to protect the entire supply chain, from seed to shelf, for the brands that have spent millions crafting products and packaging to the consumers using their products. Solo sciences mission is to protect the growing population of consumers and prioritize safety in the marketplace.
Akerna’s MJ Platform and solo*CODE™: integrated innovative technology for consumers and brands, brings a consumer-facing mark designed to highlight authenticity and signify transparency.
- MJ Platform – Akerna’s seed-to-sale system, provides transparency and accountability throughout the product lifecycle, capturing every interaction with the plant or product from cultivation to sales. Visibility is now extended to customers with the integration of the solo*CODE.
- solo*CODE (a unique graphic ID or “fingerprint” for each package) – can be directly integrated into ready-for-sale products, scanned via a free mobile app available to the public to validate product authenticity and provide accurate information about the product’s life-cycle while enabling the consumers to earn rewards across retailers and give feedback directly to the brand.
- solo* mobile-first, patented tech platform – leverages the power of today’s mobile devices by allowing the solo* app to scan the proprietary solo*CODE graphic mark to create a cryptographically secure closed-loop authentication system.
Akerna’s Leaf Data Systems and solo*TAG™ – an innovative, next generation solution for state governments to securely track product and waste throughout the supply chain. Leaf Data systems track and trace software provides:
- Real-time data to cannabis cultivators, infused product producers, dispensaries and collectives; tightly integrated with solo*TAG.
- More transparency and accountability with Leaf Data’s closed loop between governments and licensees that eliminates alternate data collection sources, which reduces error, improves security and increases accountability. The advanced technology is also assigned to each plant, batch, inventory item and provides a chain-of-custody from seed-to-self for detailed transparency.
- Less cost to licensees through solo science’s patented solo*TAG, a unique digital fingerprint that eliminates the need for expensive technologies like holograms and RFID. The solo*TAG can also cost a fraction of the cost of current tagging technology, reducing some of the compliance cost burden for cannabis licensees.
- Mobile capabilities with solo*TAG being mobile-app enabled, Leaf Data is now the first mobile-enabled, seed-to-sale government traceability platform for cannabis businesses and for regulatory bodies.
Leaf Data currently supports state cannabis program operations that generate $722-million in taxes.The solution provided between Akerna Corp and solo sciences has recently been selected by the Utah Department of Health and Department of Agriculture as the tracking software used statewide for the newly approved medicinal cannabis program. As part of the deal, all Utah licensees -- retail, wholesale, cultivation and manufacturing -- will be required to use Leaf Data and solo*TAG for seed-to-sale tracking. As partners, Leaf Data and solo*TAG ensure the instant traceability of cannabis products. The move advances state regulations and ushers in a heightened level of consumer safety.
“Together with Akerna, we have simplified the work regulators and brands must do to protect consumer health because we have the ability to follow the product from creation to consumer,” said Ashesh “Alex” Shah, solo sciences’ founder and CEO. “Akerna's creation of a transparent supply chain for one of the fastest emerging markets allows us to create trust in an industry that's historically been so murky."
To date, solo sciences’ has secured partnerships with 53 cannabis brands and is expected to ship more than 9M encoded units in 2019. Over the next year, the company plans to expand its reach, partnerships and packaging operations to become the new standard for cannabis authentication.
About Akerna Corp.
Akerna (Nasdaq: KERN) is a regulatory compliance technology company in the cannabis space. The cornerstones of Akerna’s service offerings are MJ Platform® and Leaf Data Systems®, which are highly-versatile platforms that provide clients and government entities with a central data management system for tracking regulated cannabis products—from seed to product to shelf to customer—through the complete supply chain. Since establishment in 2010, the company has tracked more than $16 billion in cannabis sales across 14 countries and has served clients in 29 states across the U.S. As part of its business strategy, Akerna intends to grow through targeted, strategic acquisitions that are complementary to its current business and organically by accelerating its product development efforts. Akerna is based in Denver. More information is available online at www.akerna.com.
About solo sciences, inc
Boston-based solo sciences provides next-generation anti-counterfeiting technology fused with a direct communication system between brands and consumers via solo*, its proprietary technology offerings, comprised of solo*TAG™ for supply-chain validation, a consumer-facing solo*CODE™ cryptographically secure trust mark, solo* mobile app, patented solo*ID®, and AI-driven backend system.
The solo sciences mission is to build confidence and establish trust among consumers, while enabling retailers and distributors to close the loop with creators and producers. For more information, visit solosciences.com.
Akerna Media Contact
Jeannette Horton / Kimberly Brock
press@akerna.com
solo sciences Media Contact
Kayla Abbassi
VSC on behalf of solo sciences
kayla@vscconsulting.com