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§ Private Profile · Denver, CO, USA
Vangst is a technology company.
Vangst operates as a specialized recruitment platform and staffing agency, exclusively serving the rapidly evolving cannabis industry. The company provides a comprehensive solution for talent acquisition, connecting qualified professionals with various employment opportunities while assisting businesses in securing skilled personnel across cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and retail segments. Its technology-driven approach streamlines the hiring process for a niche market with unique regulatory and operational demands.
The company was founded by Karson Humiston in 2015, reportedly while she was graduating from St. Lawrence University. Humiston identified a significant gap in the market for a dedicated talent pipeline within the nascent legal cannabis sector. Her insight centered on the need for a professional and efficient recruiting mechanism to support the growth and legitimization of cannabis-related enterprises, addressing staffing challenges that traditional agencies often overlooked.
Vangst serves both individuals seeking career advancement and companies requiring specialized expertise within the cannabis ecosystem. Its core mission is to foster professional development and facilitate business expansion by ensuring that the right talent finds the right opportunities. The company envisions a future where the cannabis industry is robustly supported by a skilled workforce, enabling its continued innovation and maturation as a legitimate economic force.
Vangst has raised $31.5M across 3 funding rounds.
Vangst has raised $31.5M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Vangst has raised $31.5M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $19.0M Series B in January 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 13, 2022 | $19M Series B | Level ONE Fund | — | Announced |
| Jan 1, 2019 | $10M Series A | Casa Verde Capital, Lerer Hippeau | DIG Ventures, Kearny Jackson | Announced |
| Mar 21, 2018 | $2.5M Seed | Eric Hippeau | Karan Wadhera | Announced |
Vangst is a technology platform specializing in recruitment and staffing for the cannabis industry, connecting job seekers with employers through direct hires, on-demand gig work, and full-time roles.[1][2][6] It serves cannabis businesses across the US and Canada—such as Green Thumb Industries, Dutchie, and Holistic Industries—by providing vetted, W-2 compliant workers, AI-powered matching, payroll, and compliance tools to address talent shortages in a regulated sector.[2][6][7] The platform solves hiring challenges like regulatory hurdles, rapid industry growth, and the need for flexible staffing, having filled over 150,000 gigs since 2018 and partnering with 1,800+ customers.[2][6] Backed by $31.5M in funding, including a $19M Series B in 2022, Vangst demonstrates strong growth momentum amid projections of cannabis jobs tripling in the coming years.[2][3]
Vangst was founded in 2015 by Karson Humiston, who serves as CEO, with headquarters in Denver, CO, and additional offices in Santa Monica, CA, and Oakland, CA.[1][3] Humiston, described as a "force of nature" by investors, launched the platform in 2016 to build the cannabis workforce amid the industry's explosive growth, drawing on decades of recruiting expertise from the team.[1][2] Early traction came from its pioneering gig product, Vangst GIGS, introduced in 2018, which has since connected thousands to jobs; the company raised capital from prominent investors like Lerer Hippeau and Casa Verde Capital, culminating in a $19M Series B led by Level One Fund to fuel expansion.[1][2][3]
Vangst rides the cannabis industry's legalization wave, where employment is projected to grow over 100% by 2025 and create 400,000+ jobs expected to triple soon, positioning it as essential infrastructure for the fastest-growing US job sector.[2][4] Timing aligns with state-level expansions and federal reform pressures, amplifying demand for compliant HR tech amid talent wars and regulatory complexity that general platforms can't address.[1][3][6] It influences the ecosystem by powering 1,200+ leading businesses, fostering workforce development through training and partnerships, and bridging cannabis with mainstream HR tech—evident in its HR Tech expert collection inclusion—while mitigating banking/compliance risks for partners.[2][3][4]
Vangst is primed to dominate cannabis HR as legalization accelerates, leveraging its Series B momentum for new markets, training tools, and payment solutions amid tripling job growth.[2][4] Trends like AI staffing, gig economy normalization, and potential federal rescheduling will expand its total addressable market, evolving it from niche recruiter to full workforce platform with deeper enterprise integrations. Its influence could grow by standardizing compliant hiring, much like it has connected thousands to dream jobs since 2016—solidifying its role in building the industry's human capital foundation.[1][8]
Vangst has raised $31.5M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Vangst's investors include Level One Fund, Casa Verde Capital, Lerer Hippeau, Dig Ventures, Kearny Jackson, Eric Hippeau, Karan Wadhera.