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Welcome to another episode of the Business Leaders of America Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Joseph Pandolfino, a visionary entrepreneur, inventor, and plant biotechnology expert whose career has spanned more than two decades of innovation in the tobacco and life sciences industries.
Joseph began his entrepreneurial journey with 22nd Century Group, taking the company from just two employees to a publicly traded business on the New York Stock Exchange, achieving a market capitalization of $373 million. During his time there, he built a world-class patent portfolio and led pioneering research in very-low-nicotine tobacco products.
Today, Joseph is the founder and CEO of Cabbacis LLC, a federally-licensed tobacco product manufacturer and plant biotechnology company developing iBlend™ very-low-nicotine cigarettes and vaporizer pods. His work focuses on harm reduction and improving public health by helping smokers transition to less harmful products.
In this conversation, we discuss Joseph’s early influences, the journey of growing 22nd Century Group, the vision behind Cabbacis, the innovation of iBlend™, and the challenges of navigating highly regulated industries.
Notable Awards and Recognitions
• Founded Cabbacis LLC, a federally-licensed tobacco product manufacturer and plant biotechnology company
• Founder and first CEO of 22nd Century Group, Inc., growing the company from two employees to a publicly traded NYSE company with a market capitalization of $373 million and a portfolio of over 200 patents
• Inventor on dozens of worldwide patents and patent applications for very-low-nicotine cigarettes and vaporizer pods
• Recognized authority in plant biotechnology, nicotine and cannabinoid biosynthesis, and tobacco harm reduction
• Oversaw the creation of the lowest-nicotine-content tobacco variety ever commercialized
How to connect with Joseph Pandolfino
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-pandolfino-76237736/
• https://www.cabbacis.com/
Show Notes
[1:36] Joseph shares insights from his early life and the experiences that drew him to the tobacco and plant biotechnology industries, shaping his entrepreneurial mindset and long-term vision.
[3:37] The journey of growing 22nd Century Group from just two employees to a publicly traded company on the NYSE, highlighting the major challenges faced along the way and the strategies that helped him overcome them.
[4:51] What inspired the creation of Cabbacis and how its mission and business model differs from his earlier work at 22nd Century Group.
[6:30] The vision behind developing very-low-nicotine cigarettes and vaporizer pods, and how these innovations are designed to support harm reduction and improve public health.
[9:50] The major scientific and regulatory challenges behind developing iBlend™ and how his team worked through them to bring the innovation to market.
[12:41] How upcoming FDA nicotine regulations may reshape the tobacco market and influence consumer behavior in the years ahead.
[15:32] How listeners can learn more about Cabbacis and stay updated on the company’s latest product developments and innovations.
[16:02] Joseph offers his advice for entrepreneurs entering highly regulated or technical industries, emphasizing the importance of persistence, compliance, and long-term vision.
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