BLAZE is an intelligent system of action that moves cannabis retail beyond passive data management to proactive business improvement, powered by AI. We are the future of retail, delivering quantifiable ROI through labor efficiency, sales conversion, and predictive compliance to help operators scale and grow their business.
BLAZE’s story began with co-founder and CEO Chris Violas on a soccer field. A serious injury sidelined the division one collegiate athlete, and during his recovery, he discovered the healing power of cannabis. This sparked a bold idea, leading him to start a delivery service on California’s central coast. He quickly realized the cannabis industry desperately needed better software; existing options were clunky and fragmented, making it impossible to manage inventory, ensure compliance, and provide a good customer experience.
Chris knew this was a problem worth solving. While working at Amazon Web Services (AWS), he gained insight into how best-in-class technology and strict security standards could transform a business. In 2015, he teamed up with his AWS colleague Manh Do. Combining their tech expertise with Chris’s cannabis retail knowledge, they set a clear mission: to build an all-in-one software solution that would legitimize cannabis sales and help businesses thrive. They never looked back, and from that initial spark of an idea, a new flame was ignited, BLAZE.
Meet the innovators, engineers, and industry experts behind the BLAZE mission, all dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in regulated retail.
We constantly push the boundaries of what's possible in cannabis retail, and our history proves it. We're committed to innovation and market leadership, and our track record backs it up.
BLAZE is always innovating. Take a look at what we've been up to recently.
