Michigan Cannabis Company Fluresh Launches Business Incubator Focused On Diversity

A Michigan-based cannabis company, Fluresh, has launched a business incubator dubbed “The Fluresh Accelerator” with a goal of forming a “more inclusive industry,” according to Patch.

Michigan's Cannabis Market: The cannabis industry in the Great Lake State has been booming, with sales reaching $104 million in February, up from the same period of 2020.

For the full year 2020, Michigan saw a total of $985 million in cannabis sales.

According to Leafly, Michigan has more cannabis workers than police officers, with the legal cannabis workforce doubling in just one year.

Nevertheless, the industry still struggles with diversity.

The Fluresh Accelerator: To answer this problem, Fluresh launched the accelerator program, choosing four Michigan-based businesses and three individuals to take part in an “educational mentorship program,” Patch reported.

The Fluresh Accelerator works with governmental agencies, community partners and educators.

The company started taking applications for the incubator program in December, and the first introduction session was held at the end of February.

The inaugural 2021 class of the Fluresh Accelerator program is diverse, with more than 80% the participants being Black, Indigenous and people of color, according to Patch.

The participants include: GanjaGirl MI, Wormies Vermicompost, Aqume Enterprises, Creative Carvings, Alvin Hills, Erica Tyler and Roberto Gonzales.

"The Fluresh team is proud to launch this unique program in the state of Michigan, whose market is experiencing incredibly rapid growth," Fluresh CEO Tom Benson told Patch.

"We're excited to be a part of this trajectory, due in part to the dedication of our nearly 200 employees operating across facilities in Grand Rapids and Adrian. That said, with this growth, comes a responsibility to the communities we operate in, and a need to take what we're learning and share it with those that wish to join our company in this competitive field."