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Merida Capital Holdings

North America, New York, United States, New York

Description

Merida Capital Holdings is a prominent private equity firm headquartered in New York City, dedicated to responsible investing across the rapidly evolving cannabis ecosystem. Established in 2016, the firm has positioned itself as a leading institutional investor in the legal cannabis industry, focusing on companies that demonstrate strong fundamentals, innovative technologies, and sustainable growth potential. Merida's investment philosophy emphasizes long-term value creation by partnering with experienced management teams and providing strategic capital to scale operations and expand market reach.

The firm's investment strategy is comprehensive, targeting various segments of the cannabis supply chain. This includes investments in cultivation, processing, manufacturing, distribution, retail, and ancillary technology and service providers. Merida typically invests in growth-stage companies, seeking businesses with defensible competitive advantages and a clear path to profitability. Their approach involves active portfolio management, leveraging their deep industry expertise and extensive network to support their portfolio companies' operational and strategic development.

Merida Capital Holdings has demonstrated significant fundraising success, underscoring investor confidence in their specialized focus and investment acumen. Their Merida Capital Partners IV fund closed in 2021 with $150 million in commitments, further solidifying their capacity to deploy substantial capital. Building on this momentum, Merida Capital Partners V successfully closed in 2023, securing $225 million in commitments. Cumulatively, the firm has raised over $500 million across its various funds, enabling them to make meaningful investments and drive consolidation and innovation within the cannabis sector.

With a robust capital base and a clear vision, Merida Capital Holdings continues to be a pivotal player in shaping the future of the legal cannabis market. Their commitment to responsible investing, combined with their strategic deployment of capital, positions them to capitalize on the industry's significant growth trajectory and support the development of a mature and sustainable cannabis economy.

Investor Profile

Merida Capital Holdings has backed more than 45 startups, with 1 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 22 rounds, about 49% of its total and boasts 12 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Series Unknown, Post Ipo Equity, Series A rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States, Canada, Italy.
  • Strong thematic focus on Cannabis, Biotechnology, E-Commerce.
  • Led 1 rounds in the past year.
  • Typical check size: $5M – $25M.

Stage Focus

  • Series Unknown (18%)
  • Post Ipo Equity (18%)
  • Series A (16%)
  • Seed (13%)
  • Series B (11%)
  • Undisclosed (11%)
  • Convertible Note (7%)
  • Series C (4%)
  • Pre Seed (2%)

Country Focus

  • United States (87%)
  • Canada (9%)
  • Italy (2%)
  • United Kingdom (2%)

Industry Focus

  • Cannabis
  • Biotechnology
  • E-commerce
  • Agriculture
  • Software
  • Information Technology
  • Medical
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail
  • Consumer Goods
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Merida Capital Holdings frequently co-invest with?

FV
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 1
Delta Emerald Ventures
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 3
Meaningful Partners
North America, California, United States, El Segundo
Co-Investments: 1
Navy Capital
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 2
Entourage Effect Capital
North America, Texas, United States, Dallas
Co-Investments: 2
Beehouse
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 1
Gotham Green Partners
North America, California, United States, Santa Monica
Co-Investments: 2
Alumni Ventures
North America, New Hampshire, United States, Manchester
Co-Investments: 1
JW Asset Management
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 2
WC
North America, California, United States, Palo Alto
Co-Investments: 2

Which angels does Merida Capital Holdings often collaborate with?

AH
North America, California, United States, Los Angeles
Shared Deals: 1
AW
North America, Colorado, United States, Boulder
Shared Deals: 1
JC
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 1
MD
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 1
Merlin Kauffman
North America, NA - Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, San Juan
Shared Deals: 1
AS
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 1
SJ
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by Merida Capital Holdings?

TrueGreen

Wilmington, Delaware, United States

TrueGreen is an information technology consulting company that offers smart packaging management and inventory control management services.

CannabisConsultingInformation TechnologyManagement Consulting
Series AMay 7, 2025
Happy Cabbage Analytics

San Francisco, California, United States

Happy Cabbage Analytics provides a data analytics and insights platform for the cannabis industry.

AnalyticsCannabisInformation TechnologySoftware
Series UnknownNov 14, 2022
Phylos

Portland, Oregon, United States

Phylos is a crop science company reimagining molecular genetics in the production of hemp and cannabis.

AgricultureBiotechnologyCannabis
Series UnknownFeb 1, 2022
Amount Raised: $7,600,000
Pilgrim Soul

Los Angeles, California, United States

Pilgrim Soul is a mission driven cannabis brand focused on optimizing human creative performance to gain a competitive edge.

CannabisE-CommerceShipping
SeedJan 11, 2022
Amount Raised: $2,000,000
Cellibre

San Diego, California, United States

Cellibre turns cells into specialized, sustainable factories for the manufacture of globally significant products at scale.

BiotechnologyManufacturingSustainability
Series AOct 13, 2021
Amount Raised: $11,500,000
MainStem

Seattle, Washington, United States

MainStem is a leading cannabis e-commerce technology company.

CannabisE-CommerceInformation ServicesInformation TechnologyMarketplace
Series CAug 30, 2021
Amount Raised: $5,000,000
Brytemap

Hunt Valley, Maryland, United States

Brytemap develops seed-to-sale cannabis compliance software for the marijuana industry.

Information TechnologySaaSSoftware
Series AJul 1, 2021
Simplifya

Denver, Colorado, United States

Denver-based compliance software company .

CannabisComplianceConsultingInformation TechnologyMobileMobile AppsSaaSSoftware
Series BJun 18, 2021
Amount Raised: $6,000,000
Bast Fibre Technologies

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Bast Fibre Technologies is a fiber engineering firm that develops IP protected enhancements for a wide variety of nonwoven applications.

ConsumerIndustrialWholesale
Series AMay 20, 2021
Amount Raised: $7,046,136
Petalfast

Irvine, North Ayrshire, United Kingdom

Petalfast is a sales and marketing agency for the cannabis industry.

AdvertisingMarketing
Series AMay 19, 2021
Amount Raised: $2,800,000