What began with a personal desire to foster local connections has blossomed into Germany's largest social network for neighbors. The story of nebenan.de, operated by the social enterprise Good Hood GmbH, started in 2015 when founder Christian Vollmann, after moving with his family, felt the disconnect of an anonymous neighborhood. He envisioned a platform that could bridge this gap, a digital space to nurture real-world relationships. This idea resonated, and alongside a team of co-founders including Till Behnke, they launched an online forum for his street, which quickly proved the power of local community. This initial spark ignited a larger mission: to combat the growing societal challenges of loneliness, isolation, and resource waste by empowering neighborhoods.
From its headquarters in Berlin, nebenan.de embarked on a journey to transform anonymous urban and rural areas into vibrant, supportive communities. The platform was designed not for self-promotion, but for genuine interaction—a place where neighbors could help each other, share resources, and organize local activities. The concept quickly gained traction, expanding across Germany and into other European countries like France, Italy, and Spain. This rapid growth attracted the attention of investors, and just six months after its founding, Hubert Burda Media, through its investment arm, backed the social enterprise. By August 2020, Burda had become the majority shareholder, providing the financial and strategic support to further amplify nebenan.de's social impact. Today, with millions of verified users, the platform stands as a testament to the idea that technology can be a powerful tool for strengthening social cohesion and creating a more connected, neighborly world, one street at a time.
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