nebenan.de is Germany’s leading local social network that digitally connects real neighborhoods. Led by CEO Philipp Witzmann and COO Benita Krahforst, the platform promotes exchange, mutual help, and local engagement. It emphasizes respectful interaction, data protection, and a sustainable business model to strengthen communities and reduce loneliness. The founders remain strategically involved, while the team works on continuous development.
About nebenan.de
nebenan.de is currently managed by an experienced leadership team responsible for the strategic and operational development of the platform.
Since July 1, 2023, Philipp Witzmann has been CEO and Managing Director of nebenan.de, complemented since the end of 2025 by Benita Krahforst, who as COO (formerly CFO) is also part of the management. Together, they are responsible for the company’s operational leadership.
The management is further supported by an expanded C-level team:
Since 2025, Marena von Amende has been Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), responsible for revenue strategy and expanding business areas. In January 2026, Adam Mullen took over as Chief Technology & Product Officer (CTPO), overseeing the technical and product development of the platform.
The founders of nebenan.de remain connected to the company as shareholders but are no longer operationally involved. Co-founder Christian Vollmann additionally serves as Chairman of the Supervisory Board and strategically supports nebenan.de in this role.
nebenan.de is also supported by a dedicated team that works daily to further develop the platform, operate it, and enable vibrant neighborhoods.
Image: Benita Krahforst (COO) and Philipp Witzmann (CEO), Management of nebenan.de
Our Mission
nebenan.de is Germany’s most relevant local social network for neighbors.
Our mission is to create digital spaces that enable genuine closeness—local, responsible, and sustainably viable. We see ourselves as a bridge between digital exchange and real-life interaction in the neighborhood.
Our Role in Society
At a time when global platforms often promote distance, polarization, and anonymity, nebenan.de consciously focuses on the local. We demonstrate how digital networks can rebuild cohesion: where people live, meet, and take responsibility for each other.
nebenan.de is not a news platform but a digital infrastructure for neighborhood: for exchange, coordination, mutual help, and joint engagement on site.
Our Impact
Through nebenan.de, real connections are created daily:
Neighbors get to know each other, help one another in everyday life, organize initiatives, support each other in crises, and actively shape their neighborhood.
In this way, nebenan.de helps reduce loneliness, break down anonymity, and sustainably strengthen local communities. We measure and transparently document our impact, including in the annual Impact Report.
What Drives Us
We believe that strong neighborhoods are a central social pillar of our society.
Digital technologies realize their greatest value when they bring people together in real life, connecting rather than replacing.
This conviction shapes our daily actions and the ongoing development of the platform.
What We Stand For
nebenan.de is a protected space for neighborhood and respectful exchange.
We rely on clear rules, a respectful tone, and responsible moderation. Protecting personal data and maintaining a fair, sustainable business model are fundamental to us.
This consciously differentiates us from global social networks, whose mechanisms often focus on reach and attention rather than relationships and responsibility.
What Emerges on nebenan.de
Every day, thousands of small and large stories from the neighborhood emerge on nebenan.de:
People help each other, organize support, respond together to crises, or implement projects for their neighborhood.
These stories show what is possible when digital platforms are designed locally.
Many of these we share in our online magazine—representing the many encounters that happen daily on nebenan.de.