FB pixel

Pot pioneer buys the maker of its age-verifying kiosks

Pot pioneer buys the maker of its age-verifying kiosks
 

A U.S. cannabis supplier is buying the vendor who makes biometrics-enabled vending machines.

American Green executives say they have signed a binding letter of intent to buy VendWeb, which makes vending machines with facial recognition and age verification components.

A signed deal is expected in the next couple weeks, according to release published by American Green.

The combination runs counter to a generation of business orthodoxy that advises creating flexible partnerships rather than buying a piece of the supply chain. That is particularly true here, where an ostensible crop grower plans to buy a means of distribution.

American Green, which has written its own algorithms for VendWeb machines, has worked with VendWeb for five years. That code was integrated with custom face biometrics software from Jumio.

A video demonstrating the vending machine’s operation clearly depicts the use of long-time American Green partner M2sys‘ vein biometrics scanning for identity verification, and presentation attack detection by iProov, which partnered with Jumio’s KYX platform last year.

(The company’s web site has a live feed from its growing floors where you can literally watch the grass grow.)

In February, the company said second quarter revenue reached $515,000, 20 percent higher than the preceding quarter. Executives expect second quarter of 2022 (ending December 31) revenue, to jump to $800,000.

Vending machines have been more popular outside the United States, particularly in Japan, where alcohol and cigarettes are sold from machines sometimes along with strawberry milk and other non-adult fare.

These distribution points are slowly being updated with age-verification components.

In the United States, vending machines are almost exclusively used to sell snacks, soft drinks, candy, gum and cigarettes. The country, which has never fully evolved from its puritanical roots, could leap over other nations, going straight to adult fare sold in machines with facial recognition systems for identity and age verification.

Assuming American Green closes the deal, executives sound like they are preparing to invest in age-verification vending machines, perhaps separate from its current focal point — pot.

There might be more for American Green executives to worry about than feeling burned out. Privacy should be as much of a concern with vending machines and the cannabis business as with most other businesses.

Article Topics

 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | 

Latest Biometrics News

 

Biometrics startup gets accelerator backing for Africa, Middle East expansion

Startup Vove ID has secured funding from The Baobab Network to support an expansion of its biometric KYC and AML…

 

NHIs see new funding, products and security approaches

Non-human identities (NHI) like AI agents now outnumber human users in many organizations. Companies are coming up with products to…

 

White House includes NSF research on deepfakes among threats to free speech

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has new priorities, and while some might call them great priorities – tremendous priorities,…

 

Infineon powers demo of edge biometrics for user onboarding

Edge AI and embedded systems developer embedUR unveiled a pair of solutions for computer vision and biometric onboarding made with…

 

Fintechs crucial to trust needed for financial inclusion: Rwanda Stock Exchange CEO

The growing emergence of fintechs in Africa represents major hope for the continent’s financial inclusion efforts. However, one serious problem…

 

Age assurance enforcement concerns raised as porn sites drag feet

A barking dog is alarming, but if it has no legs, it’s not scary for very long. This is particularly…

Comments

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Market Analysis

Most Viewed This Week

Featured Company

Biometrics Insight, Opinion

Digital ID In-Depth

Biometrics White Papers

Biometrics Events