Akerna Announces Addition to World’s Largest Marijuana Exchange Traded Fund

DENVER, Oct. 02, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Nasdaq: KERN), a leading cannabis compliance technology provider and developer of the cannabis industry’s first seed-to-sale enterprise resource planning (ERP) software technology (MJ Platform®), today announced its addition to the holdings of the world’s largest suite of cannabis exchange traded funds, including the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index ETF ("HMMJ":TSX), and the Horizons US Marijuana Index ETF ("HMUS":NEO). Combined, the two report net assets of more than $630 million.

Jason Assad, Akerna’s newly named Director of Investor Relations stated, “We are pleased to have been added to the world’s largest marijuana ETF, in the company of other fellow leaders and innovators in the cannabis industry. Inclusion introduces Akerna to a broader set of investors as we seek to further the development of the world’s most transparent and accountable supply chain company, building atop recent growth.”

The Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index ETF provides exposure to North American, publicly listed cannabis companies with connects to life sciences, while the US Marijuana Index ETF focuses solely on companies with significant business activity in the U.S. cannabis or hemp market. The Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index’s top five positions include Canopy Growth Corp., Aurora Cannabis Inc., Cronos Group Inc., Tilray Inc. and GW Pharmaceuticals PLC. The Horizons US Marijuana Index ETF’s top five positions are Harvest Health & Rec Inc. Subordinate Vtg, Cresco Labs Inc. Sub Vtg, Charlottes Web Holdings Inc., Curaleaf Holdings Inc. Subordinate Vtg, and Green Thumb Industries Inc. Sub Vtg.

The Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index ETF is an index (or passively managed) ETF, which is designed to provide exposure to the performance of a basket of North American publicly listed life sciences companies with significant business activities in the marijuana industry. The North American Marijuana Index selects from a current universe of companies that have operations that may include one or more of biopharmaceuticals, medical manufacturing, distribution, bioproducts and other ancillary businesses related to the marijuana industry. For more information:

Horizons US Marijuana Index ETF is designed to provide exposure to the performance of a basket of publicly listed companies having significant business activities in, or significant exposure to, the marijuana or hemp industries in the United States. Constituents of this index are selected from Canadian and U.S. exchanges. For more information:

About Akerna Corp.

Akerna (Nasdaq: KERN) is a regulatory compliance technology company in the cannabis space. The cornerstones of Akerna’s service offerings are MJ Platform® and Leaf Data Systems®, which are highly-versatile platforms that provide clients and government entities with a central data management system for tracking regulated cannabis products—from seed to product to shelf to customer—through the complete supply chain. Since establishment in 2010, the company has tracked approximately $16 billion in cannabis sales across 14 countries and has served clients in 29 states across the U.S. As part of its business strategy, Akerna intends to grow through targeted, strategic acquisitions that are complementary to its current business and organically by accelerating its product development efforts. Akerna is based in Denver. More information is available online at .

About Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc.

Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc. is an innovative financial services company and offers one of the largest suites of exchange traded funds in Canada. The Horizons ETFs product family includes a broadly diversified range of solutions for investors of all experience levels to meet their investment objectives in a variety of market conditions. Horizons ETFs has more than $10 billion of assets under management and 90 ETFs listed on major Canadian stock exchanges. For more information:

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this release and in any accompanying statements by management are “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside Akerna’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes (including, without limitation, the results of Akerna’s contracts, strategic initiatives and business plans as described herein) to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include (i) Akerna’s ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of being a public company, (ii) competition, (iii) Akerna’s ability to grow and manage growth profitably, (iv) Akerna’s ability to maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain its management and key employees, (v) costs related to being a public company, (vi) changes in applicable laws or regulations, (vii) Akerna’s ability to identify and integrate acquisitions and achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in connection with acquired businesses, (viii) and other risks and uncertainties disclosed from time to time in Akerna’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including those under “Risk Factors” therein.  Actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially, and potentially adversely, from any projections and forward-looking statements and the assumptions on which those vary from forward-looking statements are based. There can be no assurance that the data contained herein is reflective of future performance to any degree. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a predictor of future performance as projected financial and other information, are based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to various significant risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond Akerna’s control. All information herein speaks only as of the date hereof, in the case of information about Akerna, or the date of such information, in the case of information from persons other than Akerna. Akerna undertakes no duty to update or revise the information contained herein. Forecasts and estimates regarding Akerna’s industry and end markets are based on sources believed to be reliable, however there can be no assurance these forecasts and estimates will prove accurate in whole or in part.

Akerna Media Contact

Jeannette Horton / Kimberly Brock

Investor Contact

Jason Assad

Akerna Investor Relations



(678) 570-6791