Johannes Kirchmair and Thomas Wurm

EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Class of 2022, Austria
Johannes Kirchmair and Thomas Wurm, Co-Founders and CEOs of Single Use Support GmbH

Johannes and Thomas invented a way to transport medicine without wasting a drop.

Johannes Kirchmair and Thomas Wurm launched Single Use Support GmbH in 2015, pioneering a method for the safe and sterile production and transportation of medicine around the world: frozen in slim single-use bags instead of bulky bottles. Working in the biopharma industry, Johannes would see shipments of vital medicines thrown away because of faulty containers, contamination or handling issues. He often discussed the problem with his friend Thomas, who has a background in industrial engineering. Together, they designed a more efficient, sustainable solution.

The duo identified single-use technologies as more flexible, scalable and cost-effective than traditional production and storage methods. Their innovations also have advantages from a sustainability perspective. Not only can Single Use Support’s plastics be recycled, but they also alleviate the enormous amounts of water, energy and chemicals used with stainless steel equipment.

The firm now counts large pharmaceutical companies in Europe, Asia and the US among its customers. The company is also helping in the fight against COVID-19, supporting vaccine manufacturers in production and supply. 

For these two visionary entrepreneurs, the real value of their innovation is providing access to cheaper medicine for those most in need. As they see it, “No product loss for our customers means lower production costs, so lower costs for therapies.”

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