Fundanna Inc's July 2017 deck presents a specialized equity crowdfunding portal for the cannabis industry. The core thesis relies on the 'ancillary' model—supporting businesses that do not require a marijuana license—to avoid federal regulatory friction and banking restrictions. The deck estimates a $36 billion market opportunity based on 40 million potential retail investors in cannabis-friendly states, assuming an average $900 annual investment. Notably, the deck proposes a 'SAFE-REV' investment structure, offering both equity conversion and revenue participation. While the team slide highl…
Key takeaways
- The company identifies a 'Lack of Capital' as the primary industry problem, citing a quote that institutional capital is inaccessible for U.S. cannabis entrepreneurs (Slide 2).
- Fundanna defines its niche as 'ancillary' or 'non-touch' businesses, which it claims avoids regulatory hurdles and allows for normal corporate taxation and banking (Slide 3).
- The market size calculation assumes 40 million retail investors in cannabis-friendly states with an average annual investment of $900, totaling a $36 billion industry (Slide 4).
- The investment offer utilizes a 'SAFE-REV' structure, featuring a $7 million valuation cap and an 80% discount rate for equity conversion (Slide 5).
- Revenue participation for investors includes a 3X ROI target with a 15%-20% revenue split and a 12-month moratorium (Slide 5).
- Financial projections show a growth trajectory from Year 1 to Year 3, though specific revenue figures for Year 3 are obscured by the chart design (Slide 6).
- The CTO, Magda Alexe, is credited with building the first licensed and operational intrastate equity crowdfunding portal in the U.S. (Slide 8).
- The deck explicitly mentions a Reg D - 506C offering, indicating a solicitation for accredited investors despite the focus on retail investor market size (Slide 1).
Executive Summary and Regulatory Context
Fundanna Inc's investor deck, dated July 2017, positions the company as a specialized equity crowdfunding portal for the cannabis industry. The deck is framed around a Reg D - 506C offering, as noted on the title slide. The central thesis is that while the cannabis industry is growing rapidly, it is starved for capital due to federal prohibition. Fundanna aims to solve this by connecting retail investors with 'ancillary' cannabis businesses—those that support the industry without directly touching the plant.
Slide 1: Title and Compliance
The cover slide establishes the brand identity with a green color palette and a stylized cannabis leaf logo. It clearly states the company name, Fundanna Inc, and identifies the document as an 'Investor Deck' from July 2017. Crucially, it notes the offering type as 'REG D - 506C,' which allows for general solicitation but requires all investors to be accredited. This creates a slight tension with later slides that focus heavily on the 'non-accredited' retail investor market size.
Slide 2: The Problem - Lack of Capital
Fundanna identifies the core pain point: 'Lack of Capital.' The slide uses a quote from Hadley Ford of iAnthus Capital Management to validate the claim that institutional capital is virtually non-existent for U.S. cannabis entrepreneurs. The slide argues that without a rich family or a strong balance sheet, founders are forced to bootstrap, which significantly slows industry growth. This sets the stage for a crowdfunding solution that democratizes access to capital.
Slide 3: Defining Ancillary and The 'Non-Touch' Advantage
This is a strategic slide that addresses the primary risk of cannabis investing: federal regulation. Fundanna defines its target market through a 'Regulatory TEST.' If a business requires a state cannabis license, it is excluded. By focusing on 'non-touch, ANCILLARY' businesses, Fundanna claims to offer investors several advantages: avoidance of regulatory hurdles, ability to engage in inter-state commerce, access to normal corporate taxation rates (avoiding IRS 280E), and availability of traditional banking services.
Slide 4: Market Sizing and The Non-Accredited Opportunity
Slide 4 attempts to quantify the opportunity by blending Census data with Gallup polls. It calculates that 146 million adults live in cannabis-friendly states. Referencing Gallup's finding that 55% of the population invests in traditional markets, Fundanna estimates 80 million potential investors. By assuming a 50% 'agreement rate' on cannabis and an average annual investment of $900, the deck arrives at a $36 billion industry valuation. This is a classic top-down market sizing exercise that relies heavily on the assumption that retail crowdfunding will mirror traditional stock market participation rates.
Slide 5: The Investment Offer - SAFE-REV
Fundanna introduces a proprietary or customized investment vehicle called 'SAFE-REV.' This slide outlines two 'Exit' paths for investors. Exit 1 is a standard SAFE conversion triggered by an IPO (projected in 3-5 years) with a $7 million valuation cap and an 80% discount rate. Exit 2 is a 'Revenue Participation' model targeting a 3X ROI. This involves a 15%-20% revenue split with a 12-month moratorium. The inclusion of a revenue-based return is a common tactic in industries where traditional exits (like acquisitions by public companies) are hampered by legal complexities.
Slide 6: Financial Projections
The projections slide uses a dual-axis line graph to show the growth of 'Investors' and 'Revenues' over a three-year period. The investor count starts at 19,875 in Year 1 and scales toward 79,500. Revenues follow a similar trajectory, starting at approximately $1.4 million and trending toward $5.7 million. The slide reiterates the assumption of a $900 average yearly investment per investor. However, the deck does not provide the underlying unit economics—such as the percentage fee Fundanna takes per transaction—to explain how these investor numbers translate into the stated revenue.
Slides 7-8: The Team and Technical Expertise
The team is presented across two slides. Slide 7 provides a high-level overview of the leadership, including the CEO, COO, CBDO, CTO, and advisors. Slide 8 dives deeper into the credentials of Magda Alexe (CTO) and Curt Sahakian (Partnerships). Magda’s profile is particularly strong for a crowdfunding platform, noting her 20+ years of experience and her role in building the first licensed intrastate equity crowdfunding portal in the U.S. This provides necessary technical credibility for a platform-based business model.
Slide 9: The Disclaimer
The final slide in the provided set is a dense legal disclaimer. It emphasizes that the presentation is for informational purposes, contains trade secrets, and does not constitute an offer to sell securities. It explicitly mentions that any actual offering would be made through a Confidential Private Placement Memorandum (PPM). This is a standard but essential inclusion for a Reg D 506C offering.
What Works in This Deck
Regulatory De-risking: The clear distinction between 'plant-touching' and 'ancillary' businesses is the deck's strongest point. It addresses the 'elephant in the room' for cannabis investors—federal illegality—by carving out a niche that operates within traditional legal and banking frameworks.
Innovative Deal Structure: The 'SAFE-REV' model is a clever way to attract investors who might be skeptical of a long-term equity exit in a volatile industry. By offering revenue participation alongside equity upside, the company provides a clearer path to liquidity.
Relevant Technical Experience: Highlighting the CTO's specific experience in building crowdfunding portals is a major trust signal. In a 'fintech' play, the ability to actually build and license the platform is more important than general industry enthusiasm.
What Is Missing or Weak
Traction Data: The deck is entirely forward-looking. There is no mention of how many companies are currently on the platform, how much capital has been raised to date, or the size of the current user base. For a 2017 deck, investors would expect to see at least a beta version or a pipeline of deals.
Unit Economics: While the deck projects revenue, it doesn't explain the 'how.' Does Fundanna take a 5% fee? 10%? Do they charge listing fees to the companies? Without knowing the take-rate, the revenue projections are just arbitrary lines on a graph.
Marketing and Acquisition Strategy: The market sizing assumes 40 million people will invest, but it doesn't explain how Fundanna will reach them. The cost to acquire a retail investor (CAC) vs. their lifetime value (LTV) is a critical metric for any crowdfunding portal that is completely absent here.
Lessons for Founders
Define Your Sandbox: If you are in a high-risk industry, follow Fundanna's lead by explicitly defining the boundaries of your business that make it 'safe' or 'investable.' Using a 'Regulatory Test' slide is an excellent way to pre-empt investor objections.
Hybrid Returns: In sectors where M&A is slow, consider hybrid instruments like revenue-sharing. It shows you are thinking about investor liquidity in ways other than just 'waiting for an IPO.'
Lead with Specific Experience: Don't just list titles. If your CTO has built a similar platform before, that should be a headline, not a footnote. Fundanna correctly identified that Magda's specific history with crowdfunding portals was their most valuable team asset.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the 'SAFE-REV' structure mentioned in the deck?
- The SAFE-REV is a hybrid investment vehicle proposed by Fundanna on Slide 5. It combines a standard Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) with revenue participation. For equity, it features a $7 million valuation cap and an 80% discount rate. For revenue, it targets a 3X ROI with a 15-20% revenue split after a 12-month moratorium, giving investors two potential paths to a return.
- How does Fundanna define an 'ancillary' cannabis business?
- According to Slide 3, Fundanna uses a 'Regulatory TEST': if a company requires a license from a Medical Marijuana or Cannabis Regulator, it is not ancillary. Ancillary businesses are 'non-touch' entities that provide services to the industry without handling the plant, which allows them to access traditional banking and avoid 280E taxation issues.
- What are the projected revenues for the company?
- Slide 6 provides a visual projection of revenues and investor growth. Year 1 revenue is positioned near the $1,425,000 mark, while Year 2 appears to approach $2,850,000. The chart trends upward toward $5,700,000 by Year 3, though the specific data points are presented as a linear trend line rather than a detailed accounting table.
- Who are the key members of the Fundanna team?
- The team includes Vincent (CEO), Florence (COO), Brian (CBDO), Magda Alexe (CTO), and Curt Sahakian (Partnerships). Slide 8 highlights Magda's 20+ years of experience as a software architect and her role in building the first U.S. intrastate equity crowdfunding portal. Curt is noted as an experienced senior corporate legal counsel.
- What is the stated market opportunity for cannabis crowdfunding?
- Slide 4 calculates a potential market of 80 million investors in cannabis-friendly states based on Census and Gallup data. By assuming 50% of those people agree with cannabis use and invest an average of $900 per year, Fundanna arrives at a $36 billion total addressable industry for retail equity crowdfunding.
