# Adam Stettner

> Adam Stettner is the San Diego-based founder and CEO of FundCanna, a specialty finance company built around a practical mismatch in legal cannabis: operators often pay for inventory and production months before revenue arrives. After a career spanning apparel operations, proprietary trading, student lending and 14 years building Reliant Funding, Stettner began studying the cannabis supply chain in 2020 and launched FundCanna in 2021. His approach combines field research, credit discipline and financing products shaped around operators’ actual cash-flow cycles.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at FundCanna
- **Organizations:** FundCanna, Reliant Funding, National Lending Associates, Student Loan Xpress / CIT Group, Schonfeld, Jones New York / Norton McNaughton, National Cannabis Industry Association, Forbes Finance Council, Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship
- **From:** New York City area, United States
- **Education:** Bachelor of Arts in Communication, University of Maryland, College Park, Finance studies / executive program, Columbia Business School Executive Education
- **Known for:** Founded and led Reliant Funding for 14 years; the company funded roughly 100,000 small businesses during his tenure., Led a Student Loan Xpress division responsible for billions of dollars in educational loan originations., Won the 2019 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award in San Diego and reached the North American finals.

## Career timeline

- **1994-2000** — Held a sales leadership role at Jones New York / Norton McNaughton, overseeing sales and distribution.
- **2000-2003** — Worked as a proprietary equity trader at Schonfeld and held Series 7, 55 and 63 licenses.
- **2004-2007** — Served as a senior vice president at Student Loan Xpress, a CIT division, building and managing a large student-lending operation.
- **2007-2009** — Co-founded and led National Lending Associates.
- **2008-2021** — Founded and served as CEO of Reliant Funding, providing capital to small and midsize American businesses.
- **2015** — Led a recapitalization of Reliant Funding with a global private equity partner.
- **2019** — Won EY Entrepreneur Of The Year in San Diego and became a North American finalist.
- **2020** — Began studying the cannabis supply chain and its financing gaps.
- **2021** — Founded FundCanna in San Diego.
- **2022** — FundCanna began originating assets on balance sheet for the cannabis industry in January.
- **2026** — FundCanna announced a senior credit facility of up to $60 million, providing $35 million at close.

## Achievements

- Founded and led Reliant Funding for 14 years; the company funded roughly 100,000 small businesses during his tenure.
- Led a Student Loan Xpress division responsible for billions of dollars in educational loan originations.
- Won the 2019 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award in San Diego and reached the North American finals.
- Led Reliant Funding through seven consecutive appearances on the Inc. 500/5000 list, as reported by the National Cannabis Industry Association.
- Serves on the National Cannabis Industry Association executive committee and advises the University of Maryland’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship.
- Built FundCanna into a lender that had deployed more than $250 million and originated more than 5,000 transactions by May 2026, according to the company’s financing announcement.
- Secured a FundCanna senior credit facility of up to $60 million in May 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — FundCanna announced a senior credit facility of up to $60 million from a global institutional investment firm, with $35 million provided at closing and broader capital of approximately $75 million after restructuring.
- **2026-02** — Published an article explaining FundCanna’s prequalification feature and how operators can consider funding options before an immediate capital need.
- **2025-08** — Published a series of essays on liquidity, strategy and policy in the cannabis market.
- **2025-01** — Featured in an in-depth mg Magazine profile about his career and FundCanna’s approach to industry-specific finance.

## Links

- Website: https://fundcanna.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamstettner/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/AdamStettner
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fundcanna/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FundCanna/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/adam-stettner
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-25