Mike Tyson's newest cannabis endeavor, Tyson 2.0, will bring a wide range of cannabis products to ... [+]
Cannabis has played a profound role in Mike Tyson’s life, and now, the legendary boxer and cultural icon is re-entering the cannabis space with a new company that will offer Tyson-approved weed products across the U.S.
“I’ve never felt as healthy in my life, I’ve never felt as clear in my life,” says Tyson, crediting cannabis with major improvements to his mental and physical well-being, and proudly noting that there’s also never been a time he’s taken so few pills.
The heavyweight champion has gained a reputation for his love for the plant and says his new company will bring a range of choices to consumers who have an appreciation for his ingenuity—and his taste in cannabis.
This Isn’t Tyson’s First Rodeo
The positive changes in Tyson’s life spurred on by cannabis and psychedelics have been reflected in his multitude of professional endeavors, including the 2018 launch of Tyson Ranch, a 40-acre cannabis ranch in California. In 2019, the serial entrepreneur and celebrity businessman kicked off his podcast, Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson, where he interviews athletes, celebrities, and comedians while puffing on his favourite products. It currently has over 40 million listens.
The new company, Tyson 2.0, will be a step up from Iron Mike’s first cannabis brand, offering a wider array of products including everything from his personal favourite, flower, to concentrates, edibles, beverages, and pre-rolls. He’ll serve as the company’s chief brand officer (and likely, its chief product tester).
Psychedelics Advisory Role Leads to Business Opportunity
Earlier this month, Tyson opened up about the equally important role psychedelics have played in his life, specifically over the last five years, helping him bring an end to years of on-and-off substance abuse and what were once regular run-ins with the law.
“I tried 5-MeO-DMT, the God molecule, and my whole life changed,” says Tyson, recalling the pivotal experience in his latest interview. “I lost 100 pounds. I started fighting people again, at 55. Everything started to change from a business perspective, from a health perspective, and from an ideology perspective as far as the clearness of my thinking. I didn’t know I could feel this good at 55.”
Tyson also recently announced his new role as an advisor to and investor in Wesana Health, a biotech company founded by former NHL enforcer Daniel Carcillo that is working on developing psilocybin treatment for traumatic brain injury. It was through the association with Wesana that Tyson was introduced to Chad Bronstein, the company’s co-founder and executive chairman, as well as the CEO and founder of cannabis tech firm Fyllo.
Bronstein, no stranger to building partnerships and go-to-market strategies, saw potential in establishing a company that brought Tyson’s love for cannabis to life in a brand offered in more than just a handful of states.
‘Mike Brings Out A Nostalgia In People’
To bring the products to market, Tyson 2.0 is partnering with Columbia Care Inc., one of the country’s largest cultivators, manufacturers, and distributors of cannabis, which will sell the line of products through its dispensaries and at the wholesale level to other retailers.
Tyson 2.0 will include everything from flower to edibles and beverages to concentrates.
“I got to know Mike as an entrepreneur and investor, and it was clear to me that his relationship with cannabis was a critical component in his own life. We saw an opportunity to create Tyson 2.0 and develop brands and products nationally,” says Bronstein, who notes that with Columbia Care Inc. as a partner, more Americans will have access to Tyson’s offerings.
Bronstein will serve as chairman of Tyson 2.0, while Adam Wilks, the CEO at retailer One Plant as well as cannabis pubco Captor Capital, will serve as CEO. So far, the company has raised $7 million in seed round funding, which will be used to ink cultivation agreements, develop in-house strains, and build a sales team.
The legendary boxer says companies like Wesana and Tyson 2.0 are helping to create “a new perspective” around cannabis and psychedelics, and he’s confident the two organizations “are here to stay.”
According to Bronstein, there is plenty of investor overlap between Wesana, Fyllo, and Tyson’s new company, with “some of the biggest cannabis and psychedelics investors helping to deliver Tyson 2.0 to market.” Tyson 2.0 products will also be marketed through the Fyllo platform, and Bronstein predicts they will be popular among consumers.
“Mike brings out a nostalgia in people, and he’s been an advocate for a long time,” says Bronstein. “He is and knows cannabis, and I think when people see Tyson 2.0, it’s something they’ll want to consume because of that.”
“Consumers want high-quality products that their favorite celebrities use first-hand,” adds Wilks. “Tyson 2.0 will do just that.”
