INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Keep is a product designed explicitly for cannabis, and this is the first time a company centered around marijuana has won an award from
the description.Keep smart storageKeep is a discreet desktop storage device designed to keep cannabis fresh and locked away
It looks like a smart speaker with a clock, but if you engage the biometric lock, the top opens, revealing several storage containers for
With mobile alerts, a built-in scale and a hermetic seal, the device is purpose-built to be an ideal spot to store and secure weed.The
company was founded by two Canadian dads looking for a more secure way to store edibles
Their story is familiar: A friend unknowingly consumed cannabis gummies from an unmarked container
This led the founders to try to find a safe place to store cannabis items
Unable to find such a device, Ben Gliksman, a venture capital attorney with 10 years of experience, and Philip Wilkins, who previously built
and sold two companies, set out to build their own.Available in chalk white and slate black, the device is beautiful and achieves its goal
of securing cannabis without hiding
This storage container would look at home on a bedside stand or hallway table.Facial recognition keeps the device locked
If Keep is tampered with, the owner gets a smartphone notification
An airtight seal keeps things fresh and contains odors
Inside, separate containers keep things organized
At the time of writing, the Keep is available for pre-order for CAD 199.The CTA awarded Keep Labs the Innovations Award Nominee honor on
On December 4, the CTA gave the company the restrictions on exhibiting.I spoke with Keeps Lab co-founder Philip Wilkins after the company
first heard of the restrictions
At that time, in early December, the company still planned on attending and exhibiting the award
Later, the company had a change of heart.Now, Wilkins tells TechCrunch that without being able to mention or talk about cannabis, they
The company previously attempted to list its product on Kickstarter and Indiegogo, but neither platform would allow it, because of the word
Right now, 805 backers have pre-ordered the device for CAD 199
The campaign is at 77% with just under two months to go before the self-imposed deadline of March 1, 2020.Wilkins told TechCrunch the
company is in the middle of mass-producing the product and looking for additional distribution channels, as well as venture capital
investors who understand the need and cannabis space.CES, Las Vegas and cannabisCannabis and e-cigarette products are historically banned
Vape makers like Pax and Puffco and Juul have been unable to exhibit, but with the Keep Labs award, it felt like the CTA was softening its
products on the exhibit floor at CES, as the show does not have a category pertaining to that market.?Given cannabis is not a category at
Buyers, distributors and bankers alike attend the show in the hopes of adding companies and products to their portfolios
For a startup like Keep Labs, it can lead to retail distribution, financial capital and valuable industry partners
And being nominated as an Innovation Award Nominee shines a spotlight, making deals even more accessible.More than 180,000 people attended
Many companies take up private spaces throughout Las Vegas, in hotel rooms, and in other conference centers
This lets companies access the CES attendees in more private settings
However, by nature, these spaces are invite-only, which eliminates a lot of opportunities for the companies.For cannabis companies, renting
In the state of Nevada marijuana is legal to consume in private residences, but banned from consumption in parks, dispensaries and hotels
And for cannabis companies looking to make deals, there are few legal locations where they can demonstrate their products.Banned techThis
In the run-up to the 2019 show, the CTA awarded sex-tech startup Lora DiCarlo with the same award, only later to rescind it
However, other sex tech companies were on the show floor that year.Past CES shows featured sex tech companies, including a virtual reality
porn company in 2017 and a sex toy robot for men in 2018
In years past, the company launched wellness products, including a Kegel exerciser and, in 2019, when Lora DiCarlo was banned, an Apple
products based on the gender of their customers
point of pride along the aisle
being of any person, or fails to comply with these Official Rules
In the United States, the substance is legal in 11 states, with Illinois becoming the latest to allow the sale and consumption for
Public support for legal pot hit an all-time high in 2019, according to this CBS News Poll
More than 30 states have legalized it to some degree, and more will follow.Recreational cannabis is legal in Canada, where Keep Labs is
becoming a lucrative industry with broad acceptance across demographics.Someone within the CTA sees the appeal of the Keep device
By awarding it with one of its top honors, the CTA is celebrating the responsible use of cannabis
And yet, by requesting the company hide its intended purpose while exhibiting, it is seemingly forcing cannabis back into the shadows.
