Chicago US
The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is considered the most important investor and M&A conference in the US cannabis industry. From May 5-7, 2026, the financial community gathers at the Marriott Marquis Chicago for three days filled with panels, one-on-one meetings, and deal-making. Unlike traditional consumer trade shows, the focus here is not on the consumer but on balance sheets, growth strategies, and public markets.
Invited are CEOs of publicly traded multi-state operators, institutional investors, analysts, fund managers, banking and legal advisors. Sessions cover capital raising in a challenging environment, valuations, cross-border deals between the US and Canada, as well as the role of safe banking and rescheduling issues at the federal level. Participants can book individual meetings with company executives.
For German investors and entrepreneurs with international ambitions, the conference offers a compact insight into how the North American cannabis industry works from a capital markets perspective. Chicago is located in the heart of the US and is easily accessible with numerous direct flights from Europe. If you're planning fundraising or partnerships, you'll find one of the most concentrated marketplace events of the year here. Status: April 2026.