Nanogen, a cannabis technology company providing customized nano-emulsions for infused products, is rebranding under a new name, Vertosa. 

The new name embodies Vertosa’s best-in-class products, service and scientific expertise while paving the way for long-term vision and growth. To support the brand’s rapid expansion, five new leaders representing top talent in tech, food and beverage, cosmetics, health and cannabis fields, are joining the Vertosa team.

“We created the name ‘Vertosa’ to more accurately reflect who we are and the promise we deliver,” said Vertosa CEO Ben Larson, who also co-founded cannabis startup accelerator Gateway. “First, VERT speaks to both green and truth – in line with our roots in cannabis and dedication to being the best partners to our customers. OSA, Spanish for the female bear, portrays our strength and proud California roots, with an important nod to the power of the female cannabis plant.”

Based in Oakland, Vertosa engineers solutions customized for partners in the food, beverage, health and beauty spaces. Vertosa creates homogenous and stable infused cannabis products that maximize bioavailability, clarity and taste. With patent-pending formulas that are built to scale, Vertosa seamlessly integrates infused products into existing manufacturing processes. Vertosa supplies partners ranging from start-ups to industry giants with the tools they need to reach the mainstream.

“Our infusions do so much more than mix oil with water,” said Harold Han, founder and CSO of Vertosa. “We have the science to customize everything, from taste, mouth feel, turbidity and color to potency, bioavailability and stability in various pasteurization conditions and packaging. We’re constantly making breakthroughs with our technology, and with a strong foundation in infused beverages, we are forging ahead to new products and partnerships.”

Concurring with the company’s rebrand, Vertosa has added five new members to its team:

• Sysamone Phaphon, Head of Growth: Prior to joining Vertosa, Phaphon spearheaded Growth & Partnerships for Better Inc, which helps patients retrieve reimbursements from insurance payors for out-of-network claims. She also founded the agency FilmHero, where she worked with award-winning filmmakers to help magnify their films’ social impact. She is a leader and passionate advocate for diversity and women working in tech and has executed over 50 different diversity and inclusion events through major partnerships with tech companies like Google, Yelp and Twilio.
• Matthew Hawley, Head of Finance: Hawley is a seasoned finance and operations executive with more than a decade of experience leading in multiple functional areas across the construction, technology and SaaS sectors. Previously, Hawley was vice president of finance for Springshot, a cloud software company that helps organizations reduce costs and maximize efficiency.
• Crystal Chen, Production Manager: Chen brings a wealth of knowledge to the Vertosa team. Her education and work experience span food science, pharmacology and cosmetics. She most recently was a cosmetics formulation chemist for the popular natural cosmetics company, 100% Pure, where she sourced and worked with the purest, healthiest products while consistently educating the public on its importance.
• Nikki Shahossini, Quality & Regulatory Manager: Shahossini is the former regulatory affairs echnologist for Albertsons Companies, one of the largest food and drug retailers in the U.S., and previously served as a quality assurance technician for Nutiva, which specializes in superfoods and hemp products. Shahossini also began her career on the food testing lab side of the business.
• Paulo Sobral, Senior Account Executive: Sobral brings valuable experience across CPG, cannabis and tech: he is a former sales manager for the San Francisco-based Bloom Farms and most recently worked as a senior account executive for ZeroCater, a software company and leading provider of corporate food programs. He also managed key accounts at Pepsi for nearly six years.

“While our initial phase of building the company focused on product development and direct relationship building with our amazing customers, our new hires will drive sophistication, efficiency, and scalability of our operations as we prepare for rapid growth,” Larson said. “It was a benchmark year - exceeding our own expectations, and now with our expanded team, unrivaled technology and partners that match our vision, Vertosa will play a major role in the future of cannabis.”

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