Deutsche Cannabis

Deutsche Cannabis AG is a German corporate investment vehicle whose present identity emerged from the transformation of F.A.M.E. AG, a Munich company originally established for film, music, and other audiovisual-media activities. The business was founded in 1999 as F.A.M.E. Film & Media Entertainment AG and became publicly traded during the late-1990s technology, media, and telecommunications boom. Its early activities included film production, music production, and the trading and rental of audiovisual products. The company invested in film projects and music-related work, but later suffered substantial losses and issued multiple profit warnings. Its boards decided in 2002 to dissolve the company, although the listed entity continued through subsequent restructuring and changes in business purpose. After disposing of its original film and music operations, F.A.M.E. was used as a corporate vehicle for investments in renewable energy. During this phase it was associated with a loan to an insolvent district-heating-network operator in Saarland and temporarily operated a solar facility in Collrunge, East Frisia. The company’s headquarters moved to Berlin. F.A.M.E. AG filed for bankruptcy in 2013, but later recovered after receiving an unexpected payment, allowing the listed shell to continue operating. The company’s strategic direction changed in 2014, when the legalization or liberalization of marijuana possession and sales in several U.S. states encouraged its owner to pursue participation in the hemp and cannabis sector. F.A.M.E. changed its corporate purpose toward investments in cannabis-related businesses and was renamed Deutsche Cannabis AG. Rather than presenting itself primarily as a consumer cannabis producer, the company operated as an investment and private-equity-style platform seeking exposure to companies involved in cannabis and hemp ventures. Its reported cannabis activities included involvement with ManhattanCannaFund LLC in Florida beginning in 2015. In 2016, Deutsche Cannabis identified a majority investment in Hamburg-based CannyPets GmbH as its first investment. CannyPets was described as a startup developing hemp-based pet food. The available reference material does not establish the full later investment portfolio, operating revenue, current management, current headquarters, or whether the company remains operational in the same form. Accordingly, Deutsche Cannabis is best characterized as a historically listed German investment company with a cannabis-focused corporate purpose, rather than as a conventional retail cannabis brand. Its corporate history also illustrates how a listed shell company moved through media production, renewable energy, and cannabis-related investment strategies over time.

Deutsche Cannabis traces its legal and corporate history to F.A.M.E. Film & Media Entertainment AG, founded in Munich in 1999. The original company described its activities broadly around the production, trading, and rental of sound, film, Internet, video, music, and other audiovisual-media products. In 2000, Munich IMA Media GmbH took over through a merger, while the company also completed an initial public offering that raised approximately DM 18.5 million. The offering occurred during the peak of the technology, media, and telecommunications investment cycle, when listed media companies were frequently used to raise capital for expansion. F.A.M.E. invested in film and music production. Projects associated with the company included the films Das Phantom, Ratten – Sie werden dich kriegen!, and Deathwatch, as well as music work involving artists such as Schandmaul and Florian Ast. These activities generated significant losses. Following repeated profit warnings, the management and supervisory boards decided in 2002 to dissolve the company. The shares were also mocked on the satirical NemWAX website, which placed them in its informal “New Market Waste” index, reflecting the company’s poor financial reputation during that period. After selling its film and music-production businesses, the company retained its listed corporate structure and pursued renewable-energy investments. It provided a loan connected with an insolvent district-heating-network operator in Saarland and temporarily operated a solar installation in Collrunge in East Frisia. During this period the headquarters moved from Munich to Berlin. In 2013, F.A.M.E. AG filed for bankruptcy. The company nevertheless resumed activity a few months later after an unexpected payment improved its position. In 2014, the company’s owner sought a new business model in response to marijuana legalization developments in several U.S. states. The corporate purpose was redirected toward participation in hemp-industry companies, and the company adopted the name Deutsche Cannabis AG. The change represented a shift from operating media and energy businesses to using the listed entity as an investment platform for cannabis-related opportunities. Deutsche Cannabis began its reported involvement with ManhattanCannaFund LLC in Florida in 2015. In 2016, it made what was described as its first investment by acquiring a majority stake in CannyPets GmbH, a Hamburg startup intended to develop hemp-based pet food. The available material does not provide enough information to document subsequent transactions, current investments, management, financial performance, or present corporate activity. Its documented history therefore ends with the early cannabis-investment phase and should not be extended beyond the supplied sources.

• 2016

  Majority investment in CannyPets

  [1]Deutsche Cannabisen.wikipedia.org

  The company reported a majority investment in Hamburg startup CannyPets GmbH, which planned to offer hemp-based pet food.

• 2015

  Involvement with ManhattanCannaFund

  [1]Deutsche Cannabisen.wikipedia.org

  Deutsche Cannabis began its reported involvement with the Florida-based cannabis subsidiary or investment vehicle ManhattanCannaFund LLC.

• 2014

  Corporate purpose redirected to cannabis and hemp investments

  [1]Deutsche Cannabisen.wikipedia.org

  The company responded to cannabis legalization developments in parts of the United States by changing its business direction and adopting the Deutsche Cannabis AG name.

• 2013

  Bankruptcy filing and recovery

  [1]Deutsche Cannabisen.wikipedia.org

  F.A.M.E. AG filed for bankruptcy but recovered several months later after receiving an unexpected payment.

• 2002

  Board decision to dissolve the company

  [1]Deutsche Cannabisen.wikipedia.org

  After losses and repeated profit warnings linked to its film and music activities, the management and supervisory boards decided to dissolve the company.

• 2000

  Merger and public offering

  [1]Deutsche Cannabisen.wikipedia.org

  Munich IMA Media GmbH took over through a merger, and the company completed an initial public offering during the late-1990s media and technology boom.

• 1999

  F.A.M.E. Film & Media Entertainment AG founded

  [1]Deutsche Cannabisen.wikipedia.org

  The Munich-based company was established to produce, trade, and rent film, music, Internet, video, and other audiovisual-media products.

A publicly traded German investment vehicle seeking exposure to cannabis- and hemp-related businesses, rather than a consumer-facing cannabis product brand.

• 2016

  Majority investment in CannyPets GmbHM&A

  Background

  Deutsche Cannabis was seeking investments connected with the hemp and cannabis economy.

  Action taken

  The company acquired a majority stake in Hamburg-based CannyPets GmbH, a startup associated with hemp-based pet food.

  Aftermath

  The transaction was described as Deutsche Cannabis’s first investment in this phase, but the available source does not document later performance or ownership developments.

  Source

• 2014

  Shift from renewable energy and media history to cannabis investmentStrategy

  Background

  Following the company’s earlier media-production losses, renewable-energy experiments, and 2013 bankruptcy filing, its owner sought a new business model amid cannabis legalization developments in several U.S. states.

  Action taken

  The corporate purpose was changed toward participation in hemp-industry companies and the listed company was renamed Deutsche Cannabis AG.

  Aftermath

  The company began presenting itself as a cannabis-focused investment vehicle and reported subsequent involvement with a Florida cannabis venture and a German hemp-based pet-food startup.

  Source

1. 1Deutsche Cannabisen.wikipedia.org