Cambridge International will take a first trip into the marijuana space when it opens the doors to its Canadian Investor Conference in Vancouver this Sunday.
Marking a significant departure from Cambridge's traditional focus on small-cap mining and energy, the 2-day conference will feature companies that are active in the medical marijuana sector, including
Next Gen Metals Inc. (
CNQ: C.N,
Stock Forum),
Endexx Corp. (
OTO: EDXC,
Stock Forum), and
Verde Science Inc. (
OTCQB: VRCI,
Stock Forum).
“For us, it’s all about what the investors are looking for,’’ explained Jeremy Martin, head of Business Development with Vancouver-based Cambridge House which has been hosting investment conferences for almost 20 years. “We want to create a forum to educate investors,’’ he said.
Due to slowing investor interest in mineral exploration, Cambridge has elected to follow the money by diversifying away from mining into technology and “diversified investment opportunities,” Martin said.
“Technically, this is a new show and a rebranding of the old World Resource Investment Conference.”
Having signed up 150 exhibiting companies, Martin said he expects roughly 3,000 people to show up for the 2-day show, which begins at 8:00 a.m. Sunday, June 1, 2014.
That’s up from 120 last year.
Reflecting strong interest in the weed space, Cambridge has invited Stockhouse Content Strategist Chris Parry to moderate a panel discussion titled, Medical Marijuana: Profitable Opportunities.
“The space is misunderstood a little bit. So I think people are interested in finding out about it,’’ said Martin.
Still, he doesn’t think that marijuana companies will necessarily attract the biggest audience.
“Mining and exploration will still be a larger draw,’’ he said.
That forecast will be put to the test early Sunday when California-based newsletter writer John Kaiser offers some advice on how to recognize good and bad resource sector stories. Rick Rule, another fixture on the Cambridge circuit, will be the first speaker on Monday morning. A highly accomplished speaker and stock picker, Rule is director, President, and CEO of Sprott US Holdings Inc.
In between, Garibaldi Capital Advisors Ltd. CEO Brent Holliday will give a talk on Sunday morning titled: Investing in Technology: From Startup to Public.
Martin Murenbeeld, Chief Economist at Dundee Capital Markets will discuss the outlook for gold.
Another conference highlight is expected to be the Monday morning “PowerHuas Power Pitch Presentations by 20 companies in the tech space, including the likes of
Newnote Financial Corp. (
CNQ: C.NEU,
Stock Forum), a Vancouver-based provider of cloud hashing platforms, which permit end users to mine for Bitcoins.
The conference is being held at the Vancouver Convention Centre West.