Big names in corporate America have entirely stayed away from marijuana while in US state after state has legalized marijuana in one way or another. According to the federal government Marijuana, is still considered illegal. This week Microsoft is announcing a partnership, in which they are offering software that tracks marijuana plants, as the pot industry puts it right from seed to sale, and thereby breaking the corporate taboo on pot. This software is a new product in Microsoft’s cloud computing business. Some states have legalized the medical or recreational use of marijuana and with the help of this software these states can keep tab on sales and commerce of marijuana.
Till recently mainstream companies considered this too controversial. In this fall, we will find California and at least four states voting to decide whether production of marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. Government’s agreement, of Microsoft’s entry to tracking marijuana right from seed to sale suggest, that it will soon be a legitimate business. This legitimate infrastructure of this industry has been attracting good as well as bad attention and has been growing very fast. The executive director of state and local government solutions at Microsoft, Kimberly Nelson said that we do think there will be significant growth, as the industry is regulated, there will be more transactions, and we believe there will be more sophisticated requirements and tools down the road.
On Thursday, an announcement revealed Microsoft’s entry into this business, where the company announced that they were teaming up with Kind, a Los Angeles start-up, who will built the software and Microsoft company will look after the marketing side of the business. A range of products are offered by Kind which will also include ATM-style kiosks that will help in increasing marijuana sales. State and local governments that are trying to build compliance systems, will be offered software by Microsoft, who is working with Kind’s government solution division. Microsoft’s willingness to attach its name to any part of the business is a big advancement for the young and eager legalized weed industry.
