# Nico Enea

> Nico S. Enea is a co-founder, board member, and distribution lead at NUG, Inc., a state-licensed, vertically-integrated California cannabis company he helped build from the ground up starting in 2014. Operating out of Alameda and Oakland, NUG has grown into one of California's most recognized cannabis brands, represented in over 80% of the state's dispensaries, with $28M+ in annual revenue, 150 employees, and a $15M Series A round under its belt. Enea also serves as Founder and CFO of Bloom Innovations Holdings LLC, a cannabis holding company managing diverse assets including property, IP, patents, and securities.

- **Role:** Co-Founder & Board Member at NUG, Inc.
- **Organizations:** NUG, Inc., Bloom Innovations Holdings LLC
- **From:** Danville, California, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.S. Economics and Business, University of Colorado Boulder (Leeds School of Business), High School Diploma, De La Salle High School
- **Known for:** Co-founded NUG, Inc. in 2014, growing it to $28M+ in annual revenue and 150+ employees, Helped raise $15M oversubscribed Series A funding round in 2019, Built NUG's distribution network to reach over 80% of California dispensaries

## Career timeline

- **pre-2014** — Worked at Level 3 Communications
- **pre-2014** — Worked at Kershner Trading Group
- **pre-2014** — Worked at Concordia Advisors
- **pre-2014** — Served as mentor at Gateway Incubator
- **2009** — Played lacrosse (Attack, #31) for the University of Colorado Buffaloes (MCLA Division I)
- **2012** — Graduated from University of Colorado Boulder with B.S. in Economics and Business
- **2014** — Co-founded NUG, Inc., a state-licensed vertically-integrated California cannabis company
- **2014-present** — Board Member and Distribution Operations lead at NUG, Inc.
- **2019** — NUG raised oversubscribed $15M Series A funding round (originally targeting $10M)
- **2019-present** — Founder & CFO, Bloom Innovations Holdings LLC (cannabis IP, patents, real estate)
- **2020** — Advocated for California cannabis tax reform, pushing for 50% tax reduction
- **2022** — NUG opened Alameda retail dispensary at 2416 Lincoln Ave
- **2014-present** — Helped grow NUG to representation in 80%+ of California dispensaries with $28M+ annual revenue

## Achievements

- Co-founded NUG, Inc. in 2014, growing it to $28M+ in annual revenue and 150+ employees
- Helped raise $15M oversubscribed Series A funding round in 2019
- Built NUG's distribution network to reach over 80% of California dispensaries
- Helped establish NUG as operator of one of California's highest-volume cannabis extraction facilities
- Founded and serves as CFO of Bloom Innovations Holdings LLC, a diversified cannabis asset holding company
- Advocated for cannabis tax reform in California, pushing for 50% reduction in taxes and simplified licensing
- Grew NUG from a 2014 startup to a multi-location retail and manufacturing operation across Alameda, Sacramento, San Leandro, and Oakland

## Latest updates

- **2023-04** — NUG Alameda featured in California Leaf Magazine (April 2023 issue), highlighting the dispensary's design and offerings
- **2022-12** — NUG opened its Alameda retail location at 2416 Lincoln Ave on December 17, 2022
- **2020-02** — NUG expanded its executive team with new hires and internal promotions
- **2020-01** — NUG opened its greenhouses to social equity cannabis partners in Oakland
- **2019-05** — NUG closed a $15M Series A funding round, oversubscribed from original $10M target

## Links

- Website: https://nug.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nico-enea-aa050734b/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NicoSEnea
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesocialnug

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/nico-enea
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-24