Feature
Sep 1, 2025
Beyond the Buyout | The Vision Behind AIQ x Terpli
A look at how Alpine IQ’s acquisition of Terpli is reshaping cannabis retail by unifying data and reducing complexity for operators and shoppers.
Cannabis retail is crowded with technology, yet most operators still face the same problems: menus that confuse customers and tools that don’t talk to each other. That’s the context behind Alpine IQ’s acquisition of Terpli.
Together, they’re focused on simplifying the retail experience for operators who need clarity, and for shoppers who just want to find the right product without guesswork. In this FAQ, we answer the big questions retailers have about the acquisition: why it happened, what it means for the Terpli brand, and where the combined vision is headed.
The Why Behind the Acquisition
Q: How did the deal between Alpine IQ and Terpli come together?
The relationship between Alpine IQ and Terpli started years before the acquisition, built on shared vision and trust. Peter Kasper launched Terpli to solve a gap in cannabis retail data going beyond tracking purchases to understand how products actually made customers feel. To strengthen that vision, he brought on Eric Mercado early as an advisor.
That partnership laid the foundation for what followed. Terpli needed a way to not just recommend products, but to close the loop with incentives and loyalty. Alpine IQ’s platform offered exactly that: the infrastructure to reward behaviors, measure results, and turn raw data into repeat visits. The synergy between the two systems (and the trust built among the founders) set the stage for a deeper partnership.
By the time the acquisition was brought to the table, both teams already knew they worked well together. Terpli was integrated into AIQ’s APIs, the founders shared a mission to simplify retail, and there was a foundation of trust that no banker-led deal could replicate.
The acquisition simply formalized what had been building all along: two companies with complementary strengths joining forces to make the shopping experience easier for customers, and more profitable for retailers.
Pictured from left to right: Nick Paschal, Eric Mercado, JK Hullett, Brian Geddes, Peter Kasper, West Paschal
Q: What made Terpli the right kind of acquisition for Alpine IQ?
Terpli was already closely integrated with Alpine IQ before the acquisition. The platform had been built into AIQ’s APIs, offering loyalty incentives for engaging with Terpli, and retargeting segments within Alpine IQ. Because the systems were already connected, the acquisition made it possible to add value right away. For retailers, that means better insights into what’s working, and the ability to make smarter, more confident decisions.
What also made Terpli the right fit was alignment in philosophy. Both teams cared less about stacking features and more about solving real problems for operators. By working together, they could connect customer engagement with buying behavior in a way that gave retailers a clearer path to effective retention strategies.
Q: Why isn’t this just about buying tech? What made this a strategic alignment?
Because the goal was never to stack more tools on top of an already crowded tech stack. Cannabis is full of platforms that check boxes but leave operators buried in complexity. This acquisition was about doubling down on what worked and making the ecosystem stronger so retailers get solutions that actually make their jobs easier.
Shared Vision: Where We’re Going
Q: What challenges in dispensary retail are we solving together?
Most dispensary operators are overwhelmed by tech, but still face the same basic problems. One of the biggest being helping customers navigate a 300-item menu without confusion. Most tools on the market promise efficiency but actually slow things down, creating extra clicks for staff and more waiting for shoppers. Alpine IQ and Terpli are tackling that head-on by cutting out the friction and making the path from browsing to buying feel natural.
Point-of-sale systems prove the point. Despite being “core” infrastructure, they haven’t made shopping better. Waiting on labels and stickers to be applied to product before it can be sold feels the same no matter which POS a store uses. That’s why acquiring Terpli wasn’t about adding another back-office tool. It was about doubling down on AIQ’s mission to make cannabis shopping seamless, and connect people to the plant in a more intuitive way.
Q: What’s the idea behind unified data across the ecosystem?
The point of combining Terpli with Alpine IQ is to join their strengths. Terpli explains why customers choose what they do through chemistry-driven recommendations, while Alpine IQ shows how those choices translate into repeat purchases. Linking the two creates a more complete view of the customer journey that neither could provide alone.
When data lives in silos, operators are stuck guessing. Loyalty shows one thing, ecommerce another, and budtenders have their own version of the truth. Unifying Terpli and AIQ brings all the signals together: what customers browse, what they buy, and how they respond, all in one place. Instead of piecing together fragments, retailers get a clear view they can actually use to personalize future visits.
Q: What does this partnership mean for the Terpli product?
Terpli is now defined as Alpine IQ’s AI Sales Agent for cannabis. It’s the part of the stack built to guide customers to the right product with confidence. The Terpli brand isn’t going away—it will remain the cannabis-facing version of the AI Sales Agent, while the broader framework expands into other industries over time.
From a product standpoint, the goal isn’t to wall off operators or lock them into a closed system. Terpli will continue to work alongside other platforms, giving retailers the flexibility to choose what fits best for their business. The difference is that when Terpli runs inside the AIQ stack, the value is compounded. Retailers can track results with more accuracy and act on insights that actually drive growth. Terpli keeps its own identity, but the partnership gives it more muscle.
The long-term opportunity is powered by chemistry data. Terpli was built on terpene and cannabinoid profiles from the start, with Peter literally collecting COAs by hand before most brands made them available. Today, with adoption across 20+ states and stronger testing standards in markets like Nevada and Maryland, that dataset is far richer. The acquisition accelerates how that data gets put to work turning raw chemistry into AI-driven recommendations that personalize shopping and strengthen retention.
This partnership sets the stage for meaningful improvements that put more control in the hands of retailers. As Terpli becomes part of the AIQ stack, operators will be able to shape the experience to fit their needs—from branding to compliance to how recommendations trigger action across the platform:
Update the look and feel of their Terpli widget to match their brand
Customize question flows based on state regulations or store needs
View real-time Terpli analytics inside the AIQ dashboard
Launch AIQ Loops directly from Terpli product recommendations
With development moving quickly, the next step is making sure these updates land smoothly and start driving results right away.
Looking Ahead
Q: How is support & innovation changing with a bigger team?
The immediate focus is on making life easier for both retailers and consumers. Over the next three to six months, the priority is improving control by giving retailers better tools to manage their virtual budtender, customize their Terpli experience, and even handle onboarding themselves. These are areas where operators have asked for more flexibility, and those improvements are already in motion.
With Terpli now backed by Alpine IQ’s team and infrastructure, the support model evolves, too. Retailers gain quicker access to feature updates, faster resolution paths, and more visibility into what's coming next. As new capabilities roll out, support teams will be ready to help operators take full advantage of them, without adding friction to daily workflows.
With the right foundation in place, the priority shifts to delivering tools that work harder with less effort.
Cannabis retail doesn’t need more tools that complicate operations. It needs solutions that make shopping easier for customers and provide useful data to retailers. That’s why Alpine IQ and Terpli came together.
This partnership keeps what already works and strengthens it with more data and support. Terpli remains the AI Sales Agent that guides purchases and builds loyalty, now backed by Alpine IQ’s full ecosystem.
The path forward is focused: better insights for operators, more confident choices for customers, and stronger long-term retention. Together, we’re building the most practical stack in cannabis (and this is only the start!).
Cannabis retail is crowded with technology, yet most operators still face the same problems: menus that confuse customers and tools that don’t talk to each other. That’s the context behind Alpine IQ’s acquisition of Terpli.
Together, they’re focused on simplifying the retail experience for operators who need clarity, and for shoppers who just want to find the right product without guesswork. In this FAQ, we answer the big questions retailers have about the acquisition: why it happened, what it means for the Terpli brand, and where the combined vision is headed.
The Why Behind the Acquisition
Q: How did the deal between Alpine IQ and Terpli come together?
The relationship between Alpine IQ and Terpli started years before the acquisition, built on shared vision and trust. Peter Kasper launched Terpli to solve a gap in cannabis retail data going beyond tracking purchases to understand how products actually made customers feel. To strengthen that vision, he brought on Eric Mercado early as an advisor.
That partnership laid the foundation for what followed. Terpli needed a way to not just recommend products, but to close the loop with incentives and loyalty. Alpine IQ’s platform offered exactly that: the infrastructure to reward behaviors, measure results, and turn raw data into repeat visits. The synergy between the two systems (and the trust built among the founders) set the stage for a deeper partnership.
By the time the acquisition was brought to the table, both teams already knew they worked well together. Terpli was integrated into AIQ’s APIs, the founders shared a mission to simplify retail, and there was a foundation of trust that no banker-led deal could replicate.
The acquisition simply formalized what had been building all along: two companies with complementary strengths joining forces to make the shopping experience easier for customers, and more profitable for retailers.
Pictured from left to right: Nick Paschal, Eric Mercado, JK Hullett, Brian Geddes, Peter Kasper, West Paschal
Q: What made Terpli the right kind of acquisition for Alpine IQ?
Terpli was already closely integrated with Alpine IQ before the acquisition. The platform had been built into AIQ’s APIs, offering loyalty incentives for engaging with Terpli, and retargeting segments within Alpine IQ. Because the systems were already connected, the acquisition made it possible to add value right away. For retailers, that means better insights into what’s working, and the ability to make smarter, more confident decisions.
What also made Terpli the right fit was alignment in philosophy. Both teams cared less about stacking features and more about solving real problems for operators. By working together, they could connect customer engagement with buying behavior in a way that gave retailers a clearer path to effective retention strategies.
Q: Why isn’t this just about buying tech? What made this a strategic alignment?
Because the goal was never to stack more tools on top of an already crowded tech stack. Cannabis is full of platforms that check boxes but leave operators buried in complexity. This acquisition was about doubling down on what worked and making the ecosystem stronger so retailers get solutions that actually make their jobs easier.
Shared Vision: Where We’re Going
Q: What challenges in dispensary retail are we solving together?
Most dispensary operators are overwhelmed by tech, but still face the same basic problems. One of the biggest being helping customers navigate a 300-item menu without confusion. Most tools on the market promise efficiency but actually slow things down, creating extra clicks for staff and more waiting for shoppers. Alpine IQ and Terpli are tackling that head-on by cutting out the friction and making the path from browsing to buying feel natural.
Point-of-sale systems prove the point. Despite being “core” infrastructure, they haven’t made shopping better. Waiting on labels and stickers to be applied to product before it can be sold feels the same no matter which POS a store uses. That’s why acquiring Terpli wasn’t about adding another back-office tool. It was about doubling down on AIQ’s mission to make cannabis shopping seamless, and connect people to the plant in a more intuitive way.
Q: What’s the idea behind unified data across the ecosystem?
The point of combining Terpli with Alpine IQ is to join their strengths. Terpli explains why customers choose what they do through chemistry-driven recommendations, while Alpine IQ shows how those choices translate into repeat purchases. Linking the two creates a more complete view of the customer journey that neither could provide alone.
When data lives in silos, operators are stuck guessing. Loyalty shows one thing, ecommerce another, and budtenders have their own version of the truth. Unifying Terpli and AIQ brings all the signals together: what customers browse, what they buy, and how they respond, all in one place. Instead of piecing together fragments, retailers get a clear view they can actually use to personalize future visits.
Q: What does this partnership mean for the Terpli product?
Terpli is now defined as Alpine IQ’s AI Sales Agent for cannabis. It’s the part of the stack built to guide customers to the right product with confidence. The Terpli brand isn’t going away—it will remain the cannabis-facing version of the AI Sales Agent, while the broader framework expands into other industries over time.
From a product standpoint, the goal isn’t to wall off operators or lock them into a closed system. Terpli will continue to work alongside other platforms, giving retailers the flexibility to choose what fits best for their business. The difference is that when Terpli runs inside the AIQ stack, the value is compounded. Retailers can track results with more accuracy and act on insights that actually drive growth. Terpli keeps its own identity, but the partnership gives it more muscle.
The long-term opportunity is powered by chemistry data. Terpli was built on terpene and cannabinoid profiles from the start, with Peter literally collecting COAs by hand before most brands made them available. Today, with adoption across 20+ states and stronger testing standards in markets like Nevada and Maryland, that dataset is far richer. The acquisition accelerates how that data gets put to work turning raw chemistry into AI-driven recommendations that personalize shopping and strengthen retention.
This partnership sets the stage for meaningful improvements that put more control in the hands of retailers. As Terpli becomes part of the AIQ stack, operators will be able to shape the experience to fit their needs—from branding to compliance to how recommendations trigger action across the platform:
Update the look and feel of their Terpli widget to match their brand
Customize question flows based on state regulations or store needs
View real-time Terpli analytics inside the AIQ dashboard
Launch AIQ Loops directly from Terpli product recommendations
With development moving quickly, the next step is making sure these updates land smoothly and start driving results right away.
Looking Ahead
Q: How is support & innovation changing with a bigger team?
The immediate focus is on making life easier for both retailers and consumers. Over the next three to six months, the priority is improving control by giving retailers better tools to manage their virtual budtender, customize their Terpli experience, and even handle onboarding themselves. These are areas where operators have asked for more flexibility, and those improvements are already in motion.
With Terpli now backed by Alpine IQ’s team and infrastructure, the support model evolves, too. Retailers gain quicker access to feature updates, faster resolution paths, and more visibility into what's coming next. As new capabilities roll out, support teams will be ready to help operators take full advantage of them, without adding friction to daily workflows.
With the right foundation in place, the priority shifts to delivering tools that work harder with less effort.
Cannabis retail doesn’t need more tools that complicate operations. It needs solutions that make shopping easier for customers and provide useful data to retailers. That’s why Alpine IQ and Terpli came together.
This partnership keeps what already works and strengthens it with more data and support. Terpli remains the AI Sales Agent that guides purchases and builds loyalty, now backed by Alpine IQ’s full ecosystem.
The path forward is focused: better insights for operators, more confident choices for customers, and stronger long-term retention. Together, we’re building the most practical stack in cannabis (and this is only the start!).
Cannabis retail is crowded with technology, yet most operators still face the same problems: menus that confuse customers and tools that don’t talk to each other. That’s the context behind Alpine IQ’s acquisition of Terpli.
Together, they’re focused on simplifying the retail experience for operators who need clarity, and for shoppers who just want to find the right product without guesswork. In this FAQ, we answer the big questions retailers have about the acquisition: why it happened, what it means for the Terpli brand, and where the combined vision is headed.
The Why Behind the Acquisition
Q: How did the deal between Alpine IQ and Terpli come together?
The relationship between Alpine IQ and Terpli started years before the acquisition, built on shared vision and trust. Peter Kasper launched Terpli to solve a gap in cannabis retail data going beyond tracking purchases to understand how products actually made customers feel. To strengthen that vision, he brought on Eric Mercado early as an advisor.
That partnership laid the foundation for what followed. Terpli needed a way to not just recommend products, but to close the loop with incentives and loyalty. Alpine IQ’s platform offered exactly that: the infrastructure to reward behaviors, measure results, and turn raw data into repeat visits. The synergy between the two systems (and the trust built among the founders) set the stage for a deeper partnership.
By the time the acquisition was brought to the table, both teams already knew they worked well together. Terpli was integrated into AIQ’s APIs, the founders shared a mission to simplify retail, and there was a foundation of trust that no banker-led deal could replicate.
The acquisition simply formalized what had been building all along: two companies with complementary strengths joining forces to make the shopping experience easier for customers, and more profitable for retailers.
Pictured from left to right: Nick Paschal, Eric Mercado, JK Hullett, Brian Geddes, Peter Kasper, West Paschal
Q: What made Terpli the right kind of acquisition for Alpine IQ?
Terpli was already closely integrated with Alpine IQ before the acquisition. The platform had been built into AIQ’s APIs, offering loyalty incentives for engaging with Terpli, and retargeting segments within Alpine IQ. Because the systems were already connected, the acquisition made it possible to add value right away. For retailers, that means better insights into what’s working, and the ability to make smarter, more confident decisions.
What also made Terpli the right fit was alignment in philosophy. Both teams cared less about stacking features and more about solving real problems for operators. By working together, they could connect customer engagement with buying behavior in a way that gave retailers a clearer path to effective retention strategies.
Q: Why isn’t this just about buying tech? What made this a strategic alignment?
Because the goal was never to stack more tools on top of an already crowded tech stack. Cannabis is full of platforms that check boxes but leave operators buried in complexity. This acquisition was about doubling down on what worked and making the ecosystem stronger so retailers get solutions that actually make their jobs easier.
Shared Vision: Where We’re Going
Q: What challenges in dispensary retail are we solving together?
Most dispensary operators are overwhelmed by tech, but still face the same basic problems. One of the biggest being helping customers navigate a 300-item menu without confusion. Most tools on the market promise efficiency but actually slow things down, creating extra clicks for staff and more waiting for shoppers. Alpine IQ and Terpli are tackling that head-on by cutting out the friction and making the path from browsing to buying feel natural.
Point-of-sale systems prove the point. Despite being “core” infrastructure, they haven’t made shopping better. Waiting on labels and stickers to be applied to product before it can be sold feels the same no matter which POS a store uses. That’s why acquiring Terpli wasn’t about adding another back-office tool. It was about doubling down on AIQ’s mission to make cannabis shopping seamless, and connect people to the plant in a more intuitive way.
Q: What’s the idea behind unified data across the ecosystem?
The point of combining Terpli with Alpine IQ is to join their strengths. Terpli explains why customers choose what they do through chemistry-driven recommendations, while Alpine IQ shows how those choices translate into repeat purchases. Linking the two creates a more complete view of the customer journey that neither could provide alone.
When data lives in silos, operators are stuck guessing. Loyalty shows one thing, ecommerce another, and budtenders have their own version of the truth. Unifying Terpli and AIQ brings all the signals together: what customers browse, what they buy, and how they respond, all in one place. Instead of piecing together fragments, retailers get a clear view they can actually use to personalize future visits.
Q: What does this partnership mean for the Terpli product?
Terpli is now defined as Alpine IQ’s AI Sales Agent for cannabis. It’s the part of the stack built to guide customers to the right product with confidence. The Terpli brand isn’t going away—it will remain the cannabis-facing version of the AI Sales Agent, while the broader framework expands into other industries over time.
From a product standpoint, the goal isn’t to wall off operators or lock them into a closed system. Terpli will continue to work alongside other platforms, giving retailers the flexibility to choose what fits best for their business. The difference is that when Terpli runs inside the AIQ stack, the value is compounded. Retailers can track results with more accuracy and act on insights that actually drive growth. Terpli keeps its own identity, but the partnership gives it more muscle.
The long-term opportunity is powered by chemistry data. Terpli was built on terpene and cannabinoid profiles from the start, with Peter literally collecting COAs by hand before most brands made them available. Today, with adoption across 20+ states and stronger testing standards in markets like Nevada and Maryland, that dataset is far richer. The acquisition accelerates how that data gets put to work turning raw chemistry into AI-driven recommendations that personalize shopping and strengthen retention.
This partnership sets the stage for meaningful improvements that put more control in the hands of retailers. As Terpli becomes part of the AIQ stack, operators will be able to shape the experience to fit their needs—from branding to compliance to how recommendations trigger action across the platform:
Update the look and feel of their Terpli widget to match their brand
Customize question flows based on state regulations or store needs
View real-time Terpli analytics inside the AIQ dashboard
Launch AIQ Loops directly from Terpli product recommendations
With development moving quickly, the next step is making sure these updates land smoothly and start driving results right away.
Looking Ahead
Q: How is support & innovation changing with a bigger team?
The immediate focus is on making life easier for both retailers and consumers. Over the next three to six months, the priority is improving control by giving retailers better tools to manage their virtual budtender, customize their Terpli experience, and even handle onboarding themselves. These are areas where operators have asked for more flexibility, and those improvements are already in motion.
With Terpli now backed by Alpine IQ’s team and infrastructure, the support model evolves, too. Retailers gain quicker access to feature updates, faster resolution paths, and more visibility into what's coming next. As new capabilities roll out, support teams will be ready to help operators take full advantage of them, without adding friction to daily workflows.
With the right foundation in place, the priority shifts to delivering tools that work harder with less effort.
Cannabis retail doesn’t need more tools that complicate operations. It needs solutions that make shopping easier for customers and provide useful data to retailers. That’s why Alpine IQ and Terpli came together.
This partnership keeps what already works and strengthens it with more data and support. Terpli remains the AI Sales Agent that guides purchases and builds loyalty, now backed by Alpine IQ’s full ecosystem.
The path forward is focused: better insights for operators, more confident choices for customers, and stronger long-term retention. Together, we’re building the most practical stack in cannabis (and this is only the start!).
