Zip Run, the first social equity company to create a cannabis delivery platform, announced the completion of a $2.3 million seed funding round led by Mollitiam Capital. Zip Run is on track to become the first adult-use cannabis delivery company in Boston.
“This raise accelerates the product development of our consumer-friendly e-commerce platform and advances our mission of helping social equity companies gain ownership in the cannabis industry,” said Gabe Vieira, CEO and co-founder of Zip Run. “Mollitiam Capital has deep experience in cannabis delivery and saw the value in our team, proprietary software, and first to market community leadership. They also share our commitment to supporting communities in Massachusetts and beyond who have been disproportionately affected by marijuana prohibition and enforcement.”
Zip Run is completing the final approvals for adult-use delivery of cannabis in Boston, making the startup the first licensed delivery service in the city limits. The company will hold both marijuana courier and marijuana delivery operator licenses in Massachusetts – only available to social equity applicants in the state. With both licenses, Zip Run can pick up and deliver through dispensary partners and buy wholesale products from cultivators for delivery through its Boston warehouse opening this summer.
Zip Run is currently preparing for its pickup launch, allowing customers to place orders via the Zip Run website with an opportunity to earn credit toward deliveries in the future. Berkshire Roots, the award-winning Pittsfield, Massachusetts-based cannabis cultivator and dispensary operator, is Zip Run’s first retail partner offering a full menu of products from its East Boston store. Pre-verification via Zip Run will be available for Massachusetts cannabis consumers beginning April 20, with pickup set to launch days later.
Zip Run’s proprietary e-commerce platform is a one-stop-shop that integrates with retailers’ inventory systems and provides a seamless experience for consumers to order products directly from the Zip Run website. The best-in-class technology also provides Zip Run with a meaningful way to connect like-minded dispensaries and social equity entrepreneurs through delivery services and partnerships. Social equity members will be eligible to license Zip Run’s technology services at reduced rates to support delivery within Massachusetts or expand to other states.
The four co-founders of Zip Run are a young, diverse team of entrepreneurs, developers, and business leaders who share a vision for bringing purpose to cannabis and giving back to the community: Chief Growth Officer Elis Omoroghomwan; Chief Technology Officer Michael Gordon; Chief Operations Officer Christian Nicholson; and Vieira, who grew up in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston and holds Zip Run’s social equity membership.
Mollitiam Capital is a U.S.-focused cannabis private equity fund founded by industry veterans Ross Bevevino and Tyson Macdonald.
