BioM conducted its second Bavaria-wide company survey on the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on companies in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries in spring 2021. Compared to 2020, a decrease in concern about the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is evident among the companies surveyed, although supply bottlenecks, for example, pose new challenges for the industry.
As a cluster management organization for the Bavarian biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, one of BioM's core tasks is to provide companies with the best possible support in overcoming their challenges. In early 2020, the coronavirus pandemic entered all of our lives and changed them in many aspects.
To get a fresh snapshot of the situation within the Bavarian life science community and continue to create needs-based offerings such as our COVID-19 platform, we conducted a second company survey on the coronavirus pandemic mid-year.
Directly influencing policy
The findings from the company surveys allowed us to better assess the situation and track developments since 2020. They were also made available to policymakers at the state and federal levels as an important basis for decision-making.
BioM took the suggestions and wishes of the industry very seriously, and we are pleased that we were able to play a key role in initiating the Bavarian funding program to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, "BayTherapie2020".
In 2021, 62 executive-level participants took part in the survey. It became clear that companies' concerns about the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic are fortunately easing noticeably. Supply bottlenecks, on the other hand, have become a clear problem.
Key messages
- 79% of respondents are not concerned (at all), 21% of respondents are concerned (of which 5% are extremely or very concerned) about the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic for their company.
A decline in concern is evident here; in 2020, 50% of respondents had still indicated that they were concerned. - 38% of the companies surveyed reported an increase in sales, 33% a decrease in sales, and for 12% the decrease in sales was very significant or threatened their existence.
- 15% of the companies have applied for financial support from the federal government or the Free State of Bavaria or plan to do so; all applications were approved.
- 67% of the companies offer products or services that can be used to combat COVID-19.
- 15% of the respondents are looking for cooperation partners to develop COVID-19 relevant products/services.
The more than 110 entries on the BioM COVID-19 platform impressively demonstrate the willingness of companies in the Bavarian biotechnology cluster to cooperate. - Supply bottlenecks, organization of workflows as well as home office solutions, organization of childcare and hygiene measures in the company were perceived by the companies as the greatest challenges.
The problems caused by supply bottlenecks have increased significantly compared to the 2020 survey; while 33% of respondents named this as a challenge in 2020, the figure had already risen to 57% by 2021.
The full analysis of the survey can be found here:
BioM Company Survey COVID-19 2021
We would like to thank everyone who participated in this survey!