Business

How Cannabis Investment is Spreading Across the Globe

Published

6 years ago

October 3, 2019

Investment in cannabis has no borders, and cannabis companies like World High Life PLC (NEX: LIFE), GreenStar Biosciences Corp. (CSE: GSTR) and Veritas Farms Inc. (OTC: VFRMD) prove it

As the cannabis business develops, investors are establishing new frontiers and expand to new markets. These include the U.S., Europe and South American countries, such as Colombia that recently hosted the first medical cannabis investment summit in Latin America.

The Cannabis Summit that took place on September 12-13 in Bogota, seeked to raise investments of 20-40 million dollars and invited 150 investors and 70 businessmen.

This is not the first time that multimillion-dollar medical cannabis businesses have been made in Colombia. Just in March this year, an analysis was published about how this industry moves in the country. The analysis presented Plantmedco, a national company that attracted the attention of foreign investors, who were willing to inject a juicy capital close to US$40 million.

Hence, the estimate of 20 or 40 million dollars that were expected to be raised in investment during the summit in Bogota is not something new. What is news is that investors The Arcview Group and Muisca Capital Group presented the event as the first medical cannabis investment summit in Latin America, the “Cannabiz Latino Hub – Impact Investment Summit & B2B Expo”.

Thus, Bogotá consolidates itself as the first city in Latin America to hold such a summit. According to Muisca Capital Group CEO Carol Ortega, this translates into an opportunity for the region to consolidate a venture capital community that will help propel Latin legal cannabis companies to the next level, allowing them to compete internationally.

Figures managed by Muisca Capital Group show that by 2028 this industry is expected to reach 13 billion dollars, and that by 2019 its growth in the world market will increase by 38%.

“The positive socio economic impact that the legal cannabis industry is bringing to Latin America is undeniable and we are pleased to help the region move forward by connecting global capital with business opportunities,” said Troy Dayton, CEO of investor group The Arcview Group.

Data collected by El Espectador, according to advanced talks with companies immersed in this business, show that the medical cannabis industry can generate jobs where the lowest paid employee receives about $1,200,000 per month. Added to the above, it is estimated that a single hectare of cultivation can generate between US$3 and US$8 million.

Investments in Europe

Latin America is not the only region targeted by cannabis investors. Some companies decided to target Europe, as it is another market with a huge potential, estimated to be worth 58 billion euro by 2029.

An investment company World High Live PLC (NEX: LIFE) recently made news in the UK by announcing the proposal to acquire all shares of Love Hemp in a deal valued at 9 million GBP. Love Hemp is the British CBD leader. The company has their products available at over 1,200 retailers in the country, on top of the agreements they have with big network stores like Boots, Sainsbury’s, Tesco or Superdrug.

World High Life wants to be a part of the CBD and medicinal cannabis business developing in Europe. With Love Hemp, they are planning to enter Germany in 2020 and expand further from there, adding other promising cannabis companies to their portfolio.

The U.S. market is investors’ target

Even the U.S. is a market with an unfulfilled potential for investments in cannabis. Canadian companies, such as GreenStar Biosciences Corp. (CSE: GSTR), are executing the plan to enter the American market through the acquisition or partnership agreements with local cannabis enterprises. GreenStar has even made it their core business strategy, to build a diverse portfolio of top, most promising North American companies touching on every aspect of the product life cycle.

Cowlitz is a Washington state-based producer and distributor of cannabis products for recreational use, and a tenant partner company of GreenStar. They are a leader in their state, as no other company produces cannabis with high quality, high THC level and at affordable prices. Cowlitz regularly records a quarterly revenue of $4 million and at the end of last year reported a revenue of $14.6 million.

Washington state is one of the 13 U.S. states where trading recreational cannabis is legal. Another one where marijuana business is blooming is Colorado which attracts a lot of investment. Veritas Farms Inc. (OTC: VFRMD) has their corporate headquarters in Lauderdale, Florida, but decided to base a 140-acre industrial hemp farm and manufacturing facility in Pueblo, Colorado. The company produces eight categories of high quality hemp oil products. Their focus on honesty, transparency and proven quality pays off and brings tremendous results. Veritas Farms, which was established in 2015, generated more than $2.9 million in total revenue in the second quarter of 2019, that is a 500% increase year on year. Their gross profits skyrocketed by almost 800% to $1,523,413.

Looking at the success of their products, the company is in the process of expanding their billboard and large poster campaign to five new cities: Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Denver, and Colorado Springs. The campaign will last three months, until December 29.

As the medicinal and recreational cannabis markets grow in North America, South America and Europe, it becomes clear that we are witnessing the emergence of a new global industry. It will be interesting to see how the companies that took first steps into becoming world key cannabis players, succeed.

Business

Derik Fay and the Quiet Rise of a Fintech Dynasty: How a Relentless Visionary is Redefining the Future of Payments

Published

6 hours ago

October 17, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Long before the headlines, before the Forbes features, and well before he became a respected fixture in boardrooms across the country, Derik Fay was a kid from Westerly, Rhode Island with little more than grit and audacity. Now, with a strategic footprint spanning more than 40 companies—including holdings in media, construction, real estate, pharma, fitness, and fintech—Fay’s influence is as diversified as it is deliberate. And his most recent move may be his boldest yet: the acquisition and co-ownership of Tycoon Payments, a fintech venture poised to disrupt an industry built on middlemen and outdated rules.

Where many entrepreneurs chase headlines, Fay chases legacy.

Rebuilding the Foundation of Fintech

In the saturated space of payment processors, Fay didn’t just want another transactional brand. He saw a broken system—one that labeled too many businesses as “high-risk,” denied them access, and overcharged them into silence. Tycoon Payments, under his stewardship, is rewriting that narrative from the ground up.

Instead of the all-too-common “fake processor” model, where companies act as brokers rather than actual underwriters, Tycoon Payments is being engineered to own the rails—integrating direct banking partnerships, custom risk modeling, and flexible support for underserved industries.

“Disruption isn’t about being loud,” Fay said in a private strategy session with advisors. “It’s about fixing what’s been ignored for too long. I don’t chase waves—I build the coastline.”

Quiet Power, Strategic Depth

Now 46 years old, Fay has evolved from scrappy gym owner to an empire builder, founding 3F Management as a private equity and venture vehicle to scale fast-growth businesses with staying power. His portfolio includes names like Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships, BIGG Pharma, Results Roofing, FayMs Films, and SalonPlex—but also dozens of companies that never make headlines. That’s by design.

Where others seek followers, Fay builds founders. Where most celebrate their exits, Fay reinvests in people.

While he often deflects conversations around his personal wealth, analysts estimate his net worth to exceed $100 million, with some placing it comfortably over $250 million, based on exits, real estate holdings, and the trajectory of his current ventures.

Yet unlike others in his tax bracket, Fay still answers cold DMs. He mentors rising entrepreneurs without cameras rolling. And he shows up—not just with capital, but with conviction.

A Mogul Grounded in Real Life

Outside of business, Fay remains committed to his role as a father and partner. He shares two daughters, Sophia Elena Fay and Isabella Roslyn Fay, and has been in a relationship with Shandra Phillips since 2021. He’s known for keeping his personal life private, but those close to him speak of a man who brings the same intention to parenting as he does to scaling multimillion-dollar ventures—focused, present, and consistent.

His physical stature—standing at 6′1″—matches his professional gravitas, but what’s more striking is his ability to operate with both discipline and empathy. Fay’s reputation among founders and CEOs is not just one of capital deployment, but emotional intelligence. As one partner noted, “He’s the kind of guy who will break down your pitch—and rebuild your belief in yourself in the same breath.”

The Tycoon Blueprint

The playbook Fay is writing at Tycoon Payments doesn’t just threaten incumbents—it reinvents the infrastructure. This isn’t another “fintech startup” with a flashy brand and no backend. It’s a strategically positioned venture with real underwriting power, cross-border ambitions, and a founder who understands how to scale quietly until the entire industry has to take notice.

In an age where so many entrepreneurs rely on noise and virality to build influence, Fay remains a master of what can only be called elite stealth. He doesn’t need the spotlight. But his impact casts a long shadow.

Conclusion: The Empire Expands

From Rhode Island beginnings to venture boardrooms, from gym owner to fintech force, Derik Fay continues to build not just businesses—but a blueprint. One rooted in resilience, innovation, and long-term infrastructure.

Tycoon Payments may be the latest chess piece. But the game he’s playing is bigger than one move. It’s a long game of strategic leverage, intentional legacy, and generational wealth.

And Fay is not just playing it. He’s redefining the rules.