Cannabis culture has always been about community. Sharing favorite strains with friends, helping patients access the medicine they need, or even advancing sustainable practices through hemp — all promote the notion of putting people and the planet first.

Dip Devices is one company on a mission to improve our world one dab at a time. Makers of innovative direct-to-extract vaporizers, Dip Devices puts accessibility and social impact at the forefront of everything they do. Intending to make concentrates more approachable while simultaneously giving back to a variety of non-profits, the brand has been a consistent role model for others in the industry in their quest to repair the world.

This ethos has always been the priority for CEO Mike Bologna and his business partners. After forming cannabis-centric strategic consulting firm Green Lion Partners with long-time friend Jeff Zucker in 2015, the pair immediately set out to make a difference.

“In every venture we have had, social equity and social change are driven into every decision we make,” Bologna told Cannabis & Tech Today.

The mission kicked into high gear when the partners were introduced to the original Dip Devices vape two years later. Previously skeptical about the cannabis hardware space, the portable electronic nectar collector changed how the duo consumed the plant. Finding the method far more convenient than other modalities and recognizing a real need in the market, Bologna and Zucker (along with fellow partner Jeff Dayton) set about bringing the technology to the masses while doing plenty of good along the way.

“This is a tool that can potentially change people’s lives for the better,” Bologna said, noting that traditional dabbing with a blowtorch is both intimidating and physically challenging for many people. 

“One of the major goals of our company is to make concentrates more accessible to the average consumer.”

With Bologna at the helm, the team transformed the business, redesigning the OG dipstick vape and the company’s culture. It’s a rebrand that completely changed the trajectory of Dip Devices forever. 

“We said, ‘if we’re committing to this mechanism of consumption, we also need to commit to being a better hardware company — period.’”

Controlled and Consistent Concentrate Consumption

When the flagship Dipper hit the scene in 2017, it revolutionized the way people thought about concentrates. The two-in-one honey straw and loadable vape pen allowed consumers to forget the torch and enjoy dabbing in a way that was never possible before. 

A button on the side of the device heats an exposed coil. Users then lightly touch it to the surface of their favorite oil and inhale through the mouthpiece on the other end of the Dipper, resulting in a smooth and silky hit that is more predictable and precise than other dabbing methods. An integrated quartz atomizer bucket turns the device into a powerful and portable vaporizer for dabbers on the go.

The team worked meticulously to ensure its debut device was not only functional but built to last. “Five years later, we have people using their first Dippers,” said Bologna proudly. “That generally doesn’t happen in the hardware cycle, so I think folks have been pretty happy with their purchases.”

Wanting to take the convenience factor one step further, designers quickly began working on the next Dip Devices offering. Seeing the industry’s evolution, the brand set out to create a multi-functional tool that could satisfy any desire.

The EVRI is a versatile consumption solution, featuring a 900-mAh battery that connects magnetically to a wide array of attachments. The slick gadget has a vapor tip much like its predecessor, but can also accommodate 510-thread cartridges, e-juice pods, and even flower.

“Cannabis is a beautifully dynamic plant. There are a lot of ways people enjoy consuming, and we wanted to give them a single, super reliable battery platform with a bunch of different options,” Bologna explained.

Rounding out the catalog are the Little Dipper, a miniature version of the flagship device (minus the quartz bucket), and the Lunar, a loadable wax pen that combines the company’s patented airflow technology with the convenience of a fill-and-go vape. And while all of the products made by Dip Devices have become revered in the space, it’s the chance to make a difference that people truly love.

Dabbing for a Cause

Staying true to its social justice roots, Dip Devices donates a percentage of sales to a variety of non-profits close to the hearts of the internal team as well as fans of the brand. The company lets customers decide how their purchase will impact the world by offering their products in different colors, each one aligning with a specific cause. 

So far, Dip Devices has partnered with organizations championing racial justice, drug policy reform, LGBTQIA+ rights, ocean conservation, hunger relief, blood donation, reforestation, and more. The brand hopes to continue adding advocacy groups to their give-back program, encouraging people to reach out with ideas. Their latest SKU, a purple Lunar, saw its cause voted on by social media with followers electing Fireweed Collective mental health education provider as the product’s beneficiary.

For Bologna, the reward is two-fold: worthy non-profits get access to much-needed funds while consumers gain education on important issues.

“It’s really made a difference in how people feel when purchasing devices from us and has positively generated awareness and donations to a range of causes we care about,” he said. 

Dip Devices: Stewards of the Industry

With several handy products in its catalog and a growing list of initiatives to support, Dip Devices is showing no signs of slowing down. The company is in the process of adopting more sustainable components and packaging in its supply chain while simultaneously working on the next iteration of its beloved technology. 

Dip Devices personifies the phrase “pay it forward” while consistently striving to lead by example, hoping to raise the bar for other hardware companies and the industry as a whole.

“We have a chance to stand out and be a role model in this space, and to educate, even if not through the sale of devices,” Bologna said. “Above all else, that’s what we aim to achieve.”