text: Snoop Dogg, world-renowned entertainment icon and unofficial representative of all things weed, has been investing in tech products and platforms for the past year or so, with a particular focus on the cannabis industry. But today, Snoop is entering the tech sphere in a whole new way, with the launch of his very own platform called Merry Jane. 
   
   At its core, Merry Jane is a lifestyle media site with cannabis at the center. Loaded with both video content and editorial content, the site will serve as an information hub for everyone interested in pot, whether it be the n00b or the seasoned smoker. 
   
   [gallery ids="1213163,1213160,1213161,1213164,1213174,1213169"] 
   
   While announcing Merry Jane on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt, Snoop said that the site will provide users with “all they need to know” about pot, and be the encyclopedia of the cannabis world. 
   
   The site will have its own show series, each of which focusing on different aspects of pot as it relates to lifestyle. 
   
   This ranges from a cooking show, where folks can learn how to make amazing edibles (or food that pairs well with cannabis consumption), to ‘Deflowered’ (which is a show that focuses on peoples’ “first time” doing something), all the way to exclusive celebrity interviews. Snoop noted that the site will be enlisting celebrities that are “down with the team” including Seth Rogen and Miley Cyrus. 
   
   But beyond that, Merry Jane will also take a hard editorial look at the business and politics of the cannabis industry, breaking news about legalization, policy, and industry growth. 
   
   And that’s just the start of it. 
   
   Merry Jane also connects to its own database around various strains of cannabis, created by a Merry Jane editorial team, letting users learn more about the strain that might be right for them, and then connecting that reader/user with a local dispensary where they can procure said herbal supplement. 
   
   But unlike other platforms that help inform the reader about different types of greenery, Merry Jane makes it super easy to search for what you’re looking for, whether it’s a wax, edible, or flower. Users can search by type of cannabis, flavors, symptoms, and more, with high-res rotating imagery for every product listed. 
   
   Pre-launch, Snoop and Chung curated dispensaries to put on the platform, but eventually dispensaries will be able to log in to the back end and upload their own menus, update them, and maintain control over their own digital storefront via Merry Jane. 
   
   When asked about the business plan for the site, MJ cofounder Ted Chung said that “advertising is definitely part of the plan,” but noted that the most important thing is providing the marijuana business with a definitive destination for brands and retail locations to create a strong presence. In terms of user acquisition, Chung said that the demand is already there, and expects the site to surpass its competitors within 6 months. 
   
   Snoop also said that Merry Jane will be the door to bring people out of the closet. “There are so many people in the closet, and we are giving them an opportunity to come out of the closet and just admit they like to smoke. I’m a smoker, my name is Snoop Dogg, and I’m a stoner.” 
   
   Merry Jane is launching at today’s Disrupt SF 2015 conference, with a limited amount of beta testers receiving invites today. Over the next few weeks, the platform will open up to the general public. ||||| What do Snoop Dogg and Jared Leto have in common? If you answered "they both make music" then technically you're right, but that wasn't what we were getting at. 
   
   The other thing they share is that they both have invested millions in Reddit, and have contributed to the site's recent $50 million intake from an A-list of investors, according to The Independent. 
   
   But Jared Leto and Snoop Dogg aren't the only stars who are looking for new channels to make money. Many other stars have their hands in founding start-ups and new business. Stars such as… 
   
   NEWS: Jared Leto's Ripped Up Shirt Might Cost More Than Your TV 
   
   Jessica Alba 
   
   
   
   In 2012, the Sin City star decided that she wanted to start a company that sold toxin-free household goods. So, she got together with her business partner and they created The Honest Company. 
   
   Justin Bieber 
   
   
   
   The only thing Justin Bieber loves more than Justin Bieber is photos of Justin Bieber. So it makes sense that he would be a principle investor – to the tune of $1.1 million – in the up and coming social media photo –sharing site Shots. 
   
   Venus Williams 
   
   
   
   The tennis star, who once ranked No. 1 in the world, has had one of the most successful careers in the sport she loves. But that doesn’t mean she wants to stifle her love of interior design. So the sports icon started V Starr Interiors, of which she is currently the CEO. Her company, based out of Florida, has designed the homes of many major athletes and even television talk show sets. 
   
   VIDEO: 9 Celebs Who Launched Their Own Brand of Booze 
   
   Ashton Kutcher 
   
   
   
   The new dad and Two And A Half Men star has basically invested in everything, all the time, ever, in one way or another. Currently, he's been focusing on his viral-news site A+ (which is basically Buzzfeed except… well, no. It's Buzzfeed.) 
   
   Akon 
   
   
   
   This Konvicted rapper revealed that he owns a diamond mine in Africa. A diamond mine. Like, a hole in the ground out of which diamonds are pulled by people who wish they didn’t have to pull diamonds out of a hole in the ground. At first, Akon responded to criticism of his diamond mine ownership and its role in conflict diamond trading by arguing, "I don't believe in conflict diamonds. That's just a movie." He's since changed his mind. 
   
   PHOTOS: Movie Star Restaurateurs 
   
   Kevin Smith 
   
   
   
   Aside from directing some of the most beloved cult comedies in the last 20 years, Smith also runs one of the biggest podcasting networks on the internet. 
   
   Kevin Kostner 
   
   
   
   The Waterworld star seems to have taken the environmental message behind his 1995 post-apocalyptic action adventure film very seriously. Kostner bought a company called Ocean Therapy Solutions, which built machines that could separate oil from water, for $24 million. When the BP oil spill occurred, the government and BP leased dozens of the machines from Kostner. 
   
   A surprising number of stars own their own booze companies as well! Check out the video below for more on the wide world of celebrity hooch! 
   
   
   
  
target: – Marijuana enthusiast Snoop Dogg launched a website yesterday, and of course it's all about weed. Merry Jane, which the rapper announced at TechCrunch Disrupt, is what TechCrunch describes as an "information hub" for all things pot; Snoop says it will be a sort of cannabis encyclopedia giving users "all they need to know." There will be shows and videos centered around the marijuana lifestyle, including a food show (cooking with cannabis or pairing meals with pot), celebrity interview videos, and a show called "Deflowered," which will feature people doing something for the first time. There will also be editorial content looking at marijuana news from legalization to pot policy to the business side and the politics of pot. And, of course, there will be a database featuring all sorts of cannabis strains so that users can decide which one is right for them and where they can find it. It sounds pretty high-tech, featuring "high-res rotating imagery for every product listed" and allowing users to search via type, flavor, or even symptom. Right now the site is in beta ("I'm givn away 420 sneak peeks a day," Snoop tweeted. "Sign up now at http://MERRYJANE.com & put 1 n the air !!") but it will be open to the public within the next few weeks. (Click to read about eight other celebrities with surprising side businesses.)