Aviv Hadar

Aviv Hadar is an Israeli-American web developer, founder of an Oregon [...]-based business, and legalization advocate who has contributed to [...] policy in his state. He is the founder of Think Brilliant, and is credited with the decision to license the use of "I'm with Coco" poster to Conan O'Brien and American Express, while still maintaining the merchandising rights.

Hadar also worked for Rainn Wilson to develop SoulPancake. However, The Two became involved in a lawsuit stemming from claims that Think Brilliant was owed a share of SoulPancake as compensation. The lawsuit accused SoulPancake of hacking into Think Brilliant. Rainn, in turn, accused Hadar of developing a secret project, which he marketed to the prospective investors. The case was settled with undisclosed terms.

In 2014, Hadar became involved in the [...] legalization effort, especially the legalization of recreational use in oregon. He founded Oregrown—a [...] producer, processor and dispensary— and lobbied for the passing of Measure 91. After its passing, he joined an advisory committee to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC), charged with creating regulation for the licensing and control of the [...] trade.

Early life

Aviv Hadar was born in Tel Aviv, Israel to mother, Tsiona Bitton. He attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, where he met Hunter Neubauer. The two friends used to smoke [...] often, and would later become partners in a [...] business venture.

After high school and dropping out of college, Hadar traveled the country following the rock band Phish. He eventually ended up in Missoula, Montana, where he founded Think Brilliant, a web development firm. He met his wife Christina in Montana and they moved to her home city, Portland. The eventually moved to Bend, Oregon in 2009.

In 2010, Mike Mitchell, a Think Brilliant employee, designed and published the "I'm With Coco" campaign in support of Conan O'Brien. Hadar licensed the use of the poster to O'Brien while keeping the profitable merchandising rights.

Previously in 2008, Hadar had begun working with actor Rainn Wilson to develop a new social network, SoulPancake. In July 2010, Think Brilliant sued Wilson, for between $5.1–$11.5 million, accusing him of reneging on a promise to give Think Brilliant a share of SoulPancake as compensation for developing the network. The lawsuit also accused SoulPancake employees of hacking into Think Brilliant servers.

Wilson filed a counter-suit accusing the company of "brazen fraud and breach of trust," and demanded ownership rights of the secretly developed project, Ziphook. Wilson's counterclaim accused Hadar of secretly developing Ziphook while under exclusive contract with SoulPancake. The court documents cite messages sent by Hadar that describe the project as "." In 2011, the lawsuits were settled under undisclosed terms, following a year and a half of litigation.

In 2014, Hadar began plans to enter the legal [...] trade before the passing of Measure 91. His new company, Oregrown began as a producer of [...] for medical use. The company became heavily involved in the advocacy for legalization. Hadar and Hunter Neubauer, a co-owner of the company, became involved in the drafting of the legislation to legalize recreational use of [...] that passed in 2014; both joined an advisory committee to the OLCC which would license and control the sale of [...]. They also raised money for reelection of Earl Blumenauer, who is a proponent of legalization.

On August 11, 2015, Hadar pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, admitting to use of a drinking glass at a bar to injure another man in October 2014. On October 1, sale of [...] for recreational use by existing medical [...] dispensaries became legal and Oregrown was among the dispensaries that began doing so.

On February 11, 2016, Hadar was sentenced to 30 days in jail. The Bulletin had speculated that this could jeopardize Oregrown's chances of obtaining a license to sell recreational [...], a requirement beginning in January 1, 2017. However, Oregrown is licensed to produce, process and retail [...] in the state of Oregon.