Austin Stevenson

Austin is the Chief Innovation Officer at Vertosa. He leads all commercial activities, including technical sales, tactical marketing, and new business development. Prior to joining Vertosa, Austin leveraged his bio-tech experience building the regulatory Hemp/CBD testing program for Eurofins Scientific - a world leader in food, environment, and product testing services – where he built and designed quality testing protocols for CVS and other retailers who carry Hemp/CBD products. For over 10 years, Austin has advised start-ups, built businesses, and launched hundreds of new products in finance, technology, and cannabis CPG industries. With an undergraduate degree from Columbia University in New York City, and a Masters of Science from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom--Austin is passionate about creating impact around the world, and designing products that consumers love with Vertosa. WHY CANNABIS? The unique intersection between product innovation and public policy drives my passion to participate in the cannabis and hemp industry. For years, consumers have been limited to traditional forms of cannabis (flower and hash oil). Many consumers (including myself) have been forced to hide, and enjoy the healing properties of the plant in secrecy because of regulatory restrictions. We're now in one of the most transformative time periods in the modern age. With smartphone technologies, the world's vast knowledge database is literally at our fingertips. Science is leading new product innovation, and cannabis is legal and more accessible than ever. By combining knowledge, science, and access, we now have an opportunity to recreate the narrative, and redefine how and why cannabis is used around the world.