THE CULT
Cannabis + Tech + Culture
Planned for Summer 2027 — Black Hills, South Dakota
“CULT” = Cultivation. Three days of keynotes, pitch competitions, breakout tracks, live podcasts, and bonfires under the Black Hills sky. Not a religion — a movement.
3 Days That Change Everything
An immersive experience from campus tours to Badlands sunsets.
Day 1: Initiation
Arrive, explore, connect
Registration + Campus Tours
Check in at the Grow Campus. Tour the 15-acre headquarters, coworking spaces, and THE OP cafe.
Welcome Reception at THE OP
Coffee, cannabis-infused beverages (where legal), and introductions at our on-campus cafe.
Opening Speech by Luke Alvarez
The BHC origin story: from one person and AI to 13 companies. Why the Black Hills. Why now.
The Cult Dinner
Local restaurants host themed dinners across Custer. Rotating menus, local ingredients, curated experiences.
Brewery Takeover + Bonfire
Networking under the stars on the Grow Campus. Live music. S'mores. The Black Hills sky like you've never seen it.
Day 2: Cultivation
Learn, compete, celebrate
Breakfast + Merch Booth Opens
JOIN THE CULT hoodies, hats, and gear. Fuel up for the biggest day of programming.
Keynote: AI Company Partner
A major AI partner reveals what is possible when AI meets cannabis operations at scale.
Breakout Tracks
Cannabis Track (compliance, cultivation, retail ops) / AI Track (automation, analytics, Sage) / Education Track (Seed Academy, workforce)
K-12 Student Showcase
Seed Academy students present real projects: apps they built, businesses they started, problems they solved.
Startup Pitch Competition
$25,000 grand prize. Seed Labs cohort and outside founders pitch to a panel of investors and operators.
'Replicate The Cult' Workshop
A playbook for other communities: how to run this convention in your own town. Templates, tools, licensing.
Political Panel: Rural Development
State legislators, county commissioners, and economic development leaders on policy that actually works.
VIP Dinner + Live Podcast
Exclusive VIP dinner followed by a live recording of The Session podcast with surprise guests.
Day 3: Harvest
Invest, close, explore
Breakfast + Networking
Final morning connections. Exchange cards, close deals, cement partnerships.
Investor Office Hours
One-on-one sessions with visiting VCs and angel investors. By appointment — booked during Day 2.
Closing Ceremony: 'Go Cultivate'
The send-off. Takeaways, commitments, and a charge to bring what you learned back home.
Farewell Lunch
On-campus lunch under the Black Hills sky. Group photos. Goodbyes that feel like 'see you next year.'
Optional: Badlands Guided Tour
A curated van tour through Badlands National Park. Because you came this far — see the landscape that inspired it all.
We Own the Campus
THE CULT is hosted on BHC's 15-acre Grow Campus in Custer, South Dakota. No venue rental. Internal catering from THE OP cafe. Internal media production from Outpost Media. Internal merch design and printing.
When you own the venue, the kitchen, and the production studio, your margins are unlike any other convention in the industry.
Revenue Projections
Year 1 (2027)
500-750 attendees
$350K
$250K profit
Year 3 (2029)
1,500-2,000 attendees
$800K
$600K profit
Year 5 (2031)
3,000-5,000 attendees
$1.5M
$1.1M profit
JOIN THE CULT
Merch-forward branding. Every attendee becomes a walking billboard.
“JOIN THE CULT” hoodies are the iconic merch play. Tongue-in-cheek branding that makes people ask questions. CULT = Cultivation, not religion. The merch starts conversations. The conversations bring people to the next event.
Sponsorship Tiers
Align your brand with the first cannabis tech convention in the Northern Plains.
- "Presented by [Company]" on all materials
- Main stage branding and signage
- VIP access for 10 attendees
- Premium booth location
- All media and content inclusion
- Keynote introduction opportunity
- Session naming rights
- VIP access for 6 attendees
- Premium booth space
- Program listing and logo
- Media mentions
- Standard booth space
- Event signage
- Program listing and logo
- 2 VIP passes
- Standard booth space
- Program listing and logo
- 2 general admission passes
- Logo on event materials
- Special offers listing
- 2 general admission passes
Planned Ticket Tiers
Planned pricing. Sales open in 2027.
- All sessions access
- Expo floor
- Culture Summit
- Welcome kit
- Bonfire night
- Everything in General
- Priority seating
- Speaker meet-and-greet
- VIP lounge
- Exclusive VIP dinner
- Live podcast recording
- 10x10 booth space
- 2 VIP passes
- Brand placement
- Lead scanning
- Post-event analytics
Why the Black Hills?
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally generates $800M+ in economic impact every year, proving this region can host world-class events. No cannabis convention exists in SD, WY, MT, or ID. THE CULT is the first.
Join the Waitlist
Be the first to know when tickets go on sale.