Nicholas Rutkaus

Nicholas Rutkaus is an experienced professional in the cannabis and technology sectors, currently serving as the Head Grower at Claybourne Co. since December 2024 and as the Owner of Urchin Seeds since October 2021, specializing in cannabis breeding and strain discovery. Previously, Nicholas held significant roles including Director of Cultivation Operations at Talarya Brands, COO and Founding Partner at DSM Group, and Founding Partner at multiple organizations such as Leaf California and Chlorotech. Notably, during a tenure at Coinbase, Nicholas contributed to the company's user growth, helping expand its customer base from under 250,000 to over 1.3 million. Nicholas began a career in marketing and IT at Consolidated Solar Technologies and holds a BA in Mass Communication with a focus in Advertising from The University of New Mexico.