John Torrens, president of Vertical Bioscience, is the kickoff speaker for a Fireside Chat series this academic year sponsored by the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars at SU Libraries. The first event will be Friday, September 6, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the LaunchPad, first floor of Bird Library. Founder and president of multiple companies in health care and education, professor of entrepreneurship at Syracuse University, mentor and coach to student start-ups, business advisor and public speaker, Torrens is president of a biotech startup that is a division of a vertically integrated cannabis company, Vertical.
Vertical is one of the only professionally managed, and fully vertically integrated cannabis companies in the state of California that have been granted municipal permits and temporary state licenses to legally cultivate, extract, and distribute cannabis and related products. The group introduces an entirely new perspective on the global cannabis market, according to its CrunchBase profile, with operations in AZ, CA and KY, combined with strategic partnerships in OH, and additional plans for expansion to other states, to take advantage of the legalization and normalization of cannabis globally. Vertical is led by an executive team of entrepreneurs and business leaders from the alcohol beverage, agriculture, CPG, distribution, entertainment, food, healthcare and medical industries.
Vertical’s operations include planning, permitting, development and operation of cultivation, extraction, manufacturing and distribution. They have world class capabilities in product development, co-packing, branding, marketing, distribution and legal compliance. Founded in 2014, and based in the Greater Los Angeles area, the company has raised about $58 million in funding, according to CrunchBase.
Torrens is an experienced entrepreneur who has founded multiple companies, and is equally skilled at selling and buying small businesses.. He earned a Ph.D. in business administration while growing a start-up company. He is a frequently invited speaker and instructor at entrepreneurship conferences, and highly engaged in programs offered by the institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). Deeply involved in entrepreneurship ecosystem both on campus and internationally, he was recognized as Outstanding Entrepreneurship Educator in 2012.
Fireside Chats will be every other Friday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the LaunchPad. Events are open to the community. Check the schedule for the 2019-2020 academic year here: https://launchpad.syr.edu/events/