How A German Vape Company Revolutionized Cannabis Consumption Forever: The Inside Story Of Storz & Bickel
“The cannabis world is always growing. It’s a steady and slow process, but it never stops,” says Jürgen Bickel, managing director and co-founder of STORZ & BICKEL. For more than two decades, he has been at the forefront of innovation in vaporization, transforming the way consumers and patients experience cannabis.
From launching the Volcano in 2000, before most people even knew vaporization was possible, to the release of the VENTY, hailed as 2024’s Vaporizer of the Year at the EMJAYS, Bickel’s approach has always been methodical, science-driven and focused on the user experience. But even after years of refining vaporization technology, he insists: there’s still work to be done.
A Legacy Of Innovation: The Birth Of STORZ & BICKEL
Before vaporization became mainstream, before dry herb vapes lined dispensary shelves, there was the Volcano.
The story begins in the late 1990s with Markus Storz, a graphic designer in Germany who started experimenting with hot air extraction as an alternative to combustion. The concept was simple yet groundbreaking: heat cannabis just enough to release cannabinoids and terpenes, but not enough to burn it—eliminating harmful byproducts associated with smoking.
At the time, vaporization was almost unheard of. The idea that you could consume cannabis without combustion was revolutionary, especially for medical patients looking for a healthier alternative.
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Bickel, an engineer by trade, saw the potential in Storz’s work and joined forces with him in the early 2000s. Together, they refined the design and introduced a forced-air system that would become the hallmark of the Volcano.
“People didn’t even realize you could inhale cannabis without smoking it,” Bickel recalls. “It was a novelty. But once they tried it, they understood the benefits immediately.”
The balloon-based delivery system wasn’t just a design choice: it was a game-changer. It separated heat generation from inhalation, ensuring consistent, safe and controlled dosing. For medical marijuana users, this was particularly critical.
“Once it’s in the balloon, there’s no heat, no electricity—it’s very safe,” Bickel explains. “You can fall asleep with it, and it doesn’t matter. You can easily inhale at …