What if one simple decision could help you effortlessly increase revenue while optimizing compliance, easing inventory management, and enhancing the customer experience? This is not a hypothetical. It’s the primary reason for Cova Software’s accelerated growth and why the industry has taken notice of the company’s products and services. In fact, Cova’s point of sale (POS) platform has received multiple awards, including a 2024 Emjay for Best Cannabis Retail Tech.
“If I had to describe Cova in three words, I would say simple, efficient, and affordable,” said Rodney Carter Jr., co-founder of Trends in New York.
Clients and awards presenters also frequently use words like “integrity” and “passion” to describe the Cova team. There’s a reason for that, according to Vice President of Marketing Faai Steuer. Instead of focusing on quick profit, “we genuinely care about our customers’ success,” she said. “We believe that when they succeed, we succeed too.”
For Cova, a cornerstone of integrity is planning for the future, both financially and within partnerships.
“We prioritize doing what’s right for cannabis retailers, not just for our investors,” Steuer said. “This allows us to take a long-term approach to building products, processes, and infrastructure that truly serve the needs of our customers and the industry.”
Cova has experienced rapid growth in a few short years and now claims among the largest market shares in the cannabis retail solutions category. Steuer attributes the company’s rise, in part, to a policy of “listening and learning.” After speaking with more than 1,000 retailers across the United States, the Cova team realized very few stores were satisfied with the point of sale system they were using.
“Many systems were created by companies rooted in cannabis tech, focusing on what worked in the industry five years ago—but retail has evolved,” Steuer said. “Cannabis consumers today are far more sophisticated, expecting a seamless shopping experience comparable to mainstream retail. Cova stands out because of our deep expertise in retail technology.”
Another component integral to Cova’s success is its team. According to Steuer, every member values integrity and is passionate about seeing cannabis businesses flourish. Because the company’s culture places great value on both acquiring and sharing knowledge, the team collaborates with experts in multiple industry sectors to create educational materials including comprehensive guides, white papers, and webinars. They also host free seminars, help customers implement best business practices, and analyze successful retailers, then share their findings to help operators avoid common pitfalls.
Despite its large industry presence and reputation for rapid response to clients, Cova has maintained a small staff with a startup mentality. Steuer said customers appreciate the intimacy, immediacy, and personal touch the team brings to every relationship.
“At Cova, we prioritize hiring people who align with our company culture before even assessing their technical skills,” she said. “Our team takes immense pride in seeing our customers succeed and feels a genuine sense of accomplishment in contributing to their growth. They consistently go the extra mile to solve problems — even when the issue isn’t directly related to Cova — because they’re deeply invested in our customers’ success.”
She also said Cova frequently advises new clients before they’ve even received their licenses, setting the stage for enduring “organic business partnerships.” After the newly minted retailer opens their shop, the Cova team continues to engage to ensure the store operates seamlessly at the point of sale and beyond.
“Within my first or second call with Ryan from Cova, he walked us through the whole process, told us what to expect, and I felt immediately that he really got us,” said Maggie Marble, co-founder of Monster House Dispensary in New Mexico. “When I saw the demo and the options, it just made it so much easier for us as a new dispensary.”
And that commitment to customer service remains for years to come, whether the business remains a beloved neighborhood shop or grows into a multistate operator. Cova’s POS platform is built with scalability in mind, so opening new locations is easy as businesses expand.
“After the doors open, our commitment doesn’t stop,” Steuer said. “We help reduce costs, minimize friction for consumers, and optimize processes. Additionally, we continuously enhance our platform with new features designed to increase revenue, improve customer loyalty, and support long-term growth.
“Our advanced reporting provides retailers with clear, easily accessible data to refine their strategies and operational tactics,” she added. “With actionable insights — such as when and what to stock — retailers can make smarter decisions to optimize inventory and boost profitability.”
The company’s extensive list of partner integrations moves the platform beyond point of sale territory and helps retailers streamline workflows.
“For example, our seamless integration with KayaPush, a workforce management system, enables businesses to schedule staff based on peak times and automate payroll, ensuring efficiency and cost savings,” Steuer said.
But none of the integrations would matter if not for what may be Cova’s most standout feature: reliability. Since its founding in 2016, the company’s systems have never suffered an outage. That’s a significant plus for retailers, especially during high-volume periods when downtime can lead to significant losses in revenue and reputation as well as compliance headaches.
Customers appreciate the peace of mind.
“Knowing that Cova has a stronger track record and system redundancies than other POS systems made me feel a little more secure,” said Wei Hu, co-founder of New York’s Lenox Hill Cannabis Co. “Having a fully operational system that refuses to go down has been tremendous.”
According to Steuer, “Cova has maintained a flawless track record of 100-percent uptime, even during the busiest days like 4/20. We remain committed to this reliability and continue to invest in our technology to ensure we scale seamlessly alongside our customers’ growth.”
