In the ever-evolving cannabis industry, one company is puffing its way to the top as a real heavyweight. Meet Active, a vape company that’s gone from a tiny side project to a $100 million revenue-generating powerhouse. Founded by Alex Quan, Active has become a key player in both the vape hardware and cannabis markets, proving that sometimes the best ideas are born from a little bit of necessity and a lot of creativity.
Back in November 2018, Quan launched a new vape cartridge as part of his extract company, Sunrown. Originally just an attempt to stand out in a crowded marketplace, it quickly blew up, generating a whopping $1.6 million in revenue within just six weeks. This success was a real eye-opener for Quan, who, at that moment, realized he could turn his venture into something much more significant. This was the seed that would grow into Active, which now controls about 20% of the vape hardware market.
Active’s journey hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows, however. Frame it more like a series of wild rollercoaster rides. Over the years, the company faced numerous challenges, including a tumultuous fallout with a business partner and an intense patent infringement case initiated by one of China’s biggest vape manufacturers. With a mix of grit and determination, Quan navigated these legal hurdles, spending tens of millions in the process, but he didn’t let it slow his growth. Today, Active proudly stands as a market leader, selling its products to major players in the cannabis industry, like True Leave and Cure Leaf, and generating an impressive annual revenue of around $100 million.
For those who follow the cannabis market, it’s worth noting that vapes are the second-best-selling product category, raking in about $6 billion in sales in 2024. Flower still reigns supreme, pulling in an estimated $9 billion, but vapes are riding a wave of popularity. Quan’s success story is stitched with personal tenacity. Once a college dropout, he ventured into California’s cannabis scene long before recreational marijuana was legal, helping to develop land for growers in the infamous Humbult region. After a lucrative exit from that venture, he made the leap into cannabis production with Sunrown, which has now become a robust player in its own right.
Amazingly, Quan juggles both Active and Sunrown, the latter pulling in around $20 million in revenue annually. Despite facing the heat of litigation and market challenges, this entrepreneurial spirit seems unbreakable. With factories in Shenzhen and Indonesia and around 700 employees, Active is not just surviving but thriving, winning big clients left and right and even launching innovative products, like a two-gram THC oil cartridge for Jeter. It’s safe to say that while the cannabis industry can be unpredictable, Alex Quan and Active are definitely rolling with the punches and emerging stronger with every challenge faced.
In a nutshell, the story of Active stands as an inspiration, highlighting how creativity, resilience, and a dash of entrepreneurial flair can turn a small idea into a billion-dollar business. So, as the cannabis market continues to bloom, keep an eye on companies like Active, whose journey proves that hard work and adaptability can lead to big rewards—even in a world filled with legal hurdles and fierce competition.
