BeKoS

What BeKoS does

BeKoS (Beratungs- und Koordinationsstelle für Selbsthilfegruppen e.V.) is a registered non-profit association founded in March 1984 as a research project at the University of Oldenburg and formally incorporated on March 13, 1985. Headquartered at Lindenstraße 12a in Oldenburg, Lower Saxony, Germany, the organization operates as a counseling and coordination center for self-help groups, serving 200+ self-help groups in the Oldenburg region across verticals including addiction, chronic illness, disability, caregiving, and mental health. Its core service model combines a self-help group portal (online directory at bekos-oldenburg.de/selbsthilfegruppen), in-person counseling at its physical office, seven meeting rooms of varying sizes with accessible ground-floor facilities, funding application advisory, seminars and continuing education, and community programs such as the monthly Café Pflegetreff for caregivers.

BeKoS does not operate a commercial technology product. Its online portal is a directory and information resource, and its digital infrastructure is limited to standard web presence and ZOOM-based sign-language video chat for accessibility. The underlying technology is essentially organizational and community-based rather than software-based, with no proprietary AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or integrations disclosed.

The organization's revenue model is entirely non-commercial and subscription-free to end users. Funding flows from multiple public sources: statutory health insurance contributions under §20h SGB V, nursing care insurance and state funding under §45d SGB XI, the City of Oldenburg, the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband Niedersachsen e.V. via Lotto-Toto funds, and donations through the Förderverein (supporting association). The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth referrals through healthcare providers, social services, hospitals, and existing self-help group members, supplemented by the annual Oldenburger Selbsthilfetag event and local media coverage. Customer segments are horizontal: individuals seeking self-help groups, existing self-help groups requiring coordination support, and prospective group founders - all served free of charge within the Oldenburg geography.

Name

BeKoS

Legal name

Beratungs- und Koordinationsstelle für Selbsthilfegruppen e.V.

Website

https://bekos-oldenburg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BeKoS is a non-profit counseling and coordination center in Oldenburg, Germany, supporting 200+ self-help groups across addiction, chronic illness, disability, caregiving, and mental health through free counseling, meeting facilities, funding advisory, and community programs, funded by German public health and municipal sources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldenburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding and Donations: BeKoS operates as a non-profit association funded through multiple sources: statutory health insurance (GKV) contributions under § 20h SGB V, nursing care insurance/land funding under § 45d SGB XI, municipal funding from the City of Oldenburg, donations through the Förderverein (supporting association), and support from the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband Niedersachsen e.V. via Lotto-Toto funds.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BeKoS is a non-profit counseling and coordination center for self-help groups in Oldenburg, Germany. It counsels individuals seeking to join or found self-help groups, provides meeting rooms, assists existing groups with funding applications and administrative matters, and organizes seminars and community programs. The organization is publicly funded and offers its services free of charge to individuals and self-help groups in the region.

Product overview

BeKoS (Beratungs- und Koordinationsstelle für Selbsthilfegruppen e.V.) is a nonprofit self-help coordination and counseling center serving the Oldenburg region. Rather than a single software product, BeKoS operates a hybrid service model combining an online Selbsthilfegruppen-Portal for group management and visibility, with in-person facilities (seven group rooms), advisory services for funding applications, educational seminars, and community programs such as the Café Pflegetreff for caregivers. Their resources include published guides like the Orientierungshilfe im Pflegenotfall and Wegweiser Demenz, while their core service encompasses connecting people to existing self-help groups, supporting new group formations, and providing ongoing organizational support to over 200 active self-help groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Selbsthilfegruppen-Portal (Self-Help Groups Portal) Online directory and management portal where self-help groups maintain their listings and where individuals can search for groups by category (A-Z, addiction, care, young self-help) to find appropriate peer support.
• Gruppenräume (Meeting Rooms) Seven group rooms of varying sizes at the BeKoS center in Oldenburg, available for self-help group meetings, with accessible ground floor, kitchen facilities, and lendable media equipment.
• Selbsthilfeförderung-Beratung (Self-Help Funding Consulting) Advisory service that helps self-help groups navigate and apply for funding from statutory health insurance (§20h SGB V), nursing care insurance (§45d SGB XI), and the City of Oldenburg, including application support.
• Seminare für Selbsthilfegruppen (Self-Help Group Seminars) Continuing education seminars and workshops for self-help group members and leaders covering topics such as public relations, group facilitation, stress management, conflict resolution, and leadership training.
• Café Pflegetreff Monthly open self-help meeting for caregivers (pflegende An- und Zugehörige) held on the second Monday of each month, providing a supportive space for exchange and relaxation among caregiving relatives.
• Digitale Gruppentreffen (Digital Group Meetings) Advisory and practical support for self-help groups transitioning to or maintaining virtual meetings, enabling remote participation and accessibility for members who cannot attend in person.
• Orientierungshilfe im Pflegenotfall (Orientation Guide for Care Emergencies) PDF orientation guide co-developed with Bündnis Pflege partner organizations to help caregivers navigate sudden care situations, from acute crisis management through care-degree applications and decision-making.
• Beratung für Selbsthilfegruppen-Gründer (Counseling for Prospective Group Founders) Personalized counseling for individuals who want to establish a new self-help group, including guidance on group formation, funding options, and organizational structure.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alzheimer Gesellschaft Oldenburg e. V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on developing the 'Orientierungshilfe im Pflegenotfall' (Orientation Guide for Care Emergencies), part of the Bündnis Pflege (Care Alliance) working group on caregiving relatives.
• Demenz-Informations- und Koordinierungsstelle Oldenburg (DIKO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the working group on caregiving that developed the orientation guide for care emergencies. DIKO also publishes the 'Wegweiser Demenz' (Dementia Guide) for Oldenburg.
• Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e. V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the working group on caregiving that developed the orientation guide for care emergencies as part of the Bündnis Pflege.
• Senioren- und Pflegestützpunkt Niedersachsen (SPN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the working group on caregiving that developed the orientation guide for care emergencies. SPN also offers senior companionship training courses.
• wir.pflegen e. V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the working group on caregiving that developed the orientation guide for care emergencies as part of the Bündnis Pflege.
• Pflegefachplanung der Stadt OldenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the working group on caregiving that developed the orientation guide for care emergencies as part of the Bündnis Pflege.
• Selbsthilfe-Büro NiedersachsencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandesweite Service-, Beratungs- und Netzwerkeinrichtung für Selbsthilfe (statewide service, counseling and network facility for self-help). Organizes annual self-help celebration events and educational seminars.
• Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft Selbsthilfegruppen e. V. (DAG SHG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association representing self-help groups. Co-created the annual Bundesweiter Tag der Selbsthilfe (National Self-Help Day) with NAKOS, first held September 16, 2025.
• NAKOS (Nationale Kontakt- und Informationsstelle für Selbsthilfe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational contact and information point for self-help. Co-created the annual Bundesweiter Tag der Selbsthilfe (National Self-Help Day) with DAG SHG.
• Gustav Stresemann Institut in Niedersachsen e.V.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides seminars specifically for self-help group volunteers, including stress management, conflict resolution, and leadership training. Seminars are recognized as educational leave in Lower Saxony, NRW, and Baden-Württemberg.
• famila Einkaufsland WechloyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRetail partner that hosts the annual Oldenburger Selbsthilfetag (Self-Help Day) events, providing venue space for 15-22 self-help groups to engage with the public since 2016.
• Tumorzentrum Weser-Ems e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Gleichstellungsbüro der Stadt Oldenburg and Forum Brustkrebs to host the Brustkrebs-Informationstag (Breast Cancer Information Day) 2024 at Kulturzentrum PFL.
• Netzwerk GeHör OldenburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork for sign language and hearing that co-developed the 'Formular für Kommunikation ohne Hindernisse' (Communication Without Barriers form) with University of Oldenburg.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband Niedersachsen e.V. Lower Saxony branch of Germany's large umbrella welfare association; comparable as a broader non-profit coordinating member organizations and as a key funder of BeKoS via Lotto-Toto.
• Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen (DHS): National umbrella for addiction self-help and treatment in Germany; comparable as a coordinating/advocacy body for addiction self-help groups (one of BeKoS's largest segments: AA, NA, Freundeskreis Suchtkrankenhilfe).

Emerging players

• 7 Cups: Global digital peer-support platform offering free text-based emotional support and self-help communities — comparable as an alternative channel for psychosocial self-help that competes for the same end users digitally.

Direct peers

• NAKOS (Nationale Kontakt- und Informationsstelle zur Anregung und Unterstützung von Selbsthilfegruppen): The national contact and information point for self-help in Germany — directly comparable as a coordination/advisory body for self-help groups, and a co-creator with BeKoS of the new Bundesweiter Tag der Selbsthilfe.
• KOSKON NRW (Koordination für die Selbsthilfe-Unterstützung in NRW): State-level coordination point for self-help support in North Rhine-Westphalia; directly comparable as a publicly funded self-help coordination/advisory hub analogous to BeKoS at state scale.
• Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft Selbsthilfegruppen e.V. (DAG SHG): The national association representing self-help groups in Germany; directly comparable in mission (promoting and supporting self-help groups) and a co-creator with BeKoS of the new national self-help day.
• SEKIS Berlin (Selbsthilfe Kontakt- und Informationsstelle): Berlin's self-help contact and information point offering counseling, group directory, and meeting space — operationally near-identical to BeKoS at city level.
• Selbsthilfe-Büro Niedersachsen: Lower Saxony's statewide service, counseling and network facility for self-help — directly comparable and an explicit partner of BeKoS, operating at state vs. city level.
• KISS Hamburg (Kontakt- und Informationsstellen für Selbsthilfegruppen): Hamburg's self-help contact and information point providing counseling, group search, and funding advice — directly comparable in services and target audience to BeKoS.
• Netzwerk Selbsthilfe Bremen / Selbsthilfe Bremen-Nord: Regional self-help network in Bremen offering group-directory, counseling and coordination services — comparable in scope and service mix to BeKoS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BeKoS