Our Goal is to Reduce Financial Barriers to Higher Education
CHANCEN eG’s aim is to ensure that everybody has equal opportunities and access to educational institutions of their choice, enabling people to freely develop how they wish to further their education and shape their careers. We do this in partnership with the CHANCEN Community.
Our Purpose
As a cooperative, Chancen eG, believes in equal opportunity. Every human being should have the freedom during their education and when shaping their careers. Every human being should equal opportunities to access education, irrespective of their financial situation. Graduates should freely choose their career path without unnecessary financial pressure like interest rates and rigid debt repayment plans.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AUTONOMY
Vision and Mission
CHANCEN eG is a social enterprise, a community united in providing educational funding.
Our goal is to reduce the financial barriers to education. Ensuring that access to education is independent of an individual’s financial background.
Our purpose is not to maximise profit, but to rather form a community that promotes the social and economic interest of all its members. Not only do we stand by this with a solid constitution – we commit ourselves to it in our cooperative statutes, which we are legally bound to.
COOPERATIVES ARE A REMINDER TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO PURSUE BOTH ECONOMIC VIABILITY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
BAN KI-MOON, SECRETARY-GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS, 2010
ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR ALL
The idea behind CHANCEN eG
Our fair financial model – Income Share Agreements – was developed in 1995 by StudierendenGesellschaft Witten/Herdecke e.V. Over 2,000 students have already benefited from this model and have been able to access education. As former board members of StudierendenGesellschaft, the two founders of CHANCEN eG, Florian Kollewijn and Olaf Lampson, truly believe in the value of this model.
Income Share Agreements from CHANCEN eG give students and apprentices across Germany access to fair financing for their education.
The GLS Treuhand is a founding member, they add immense value to our organisation. Through an extended network in the Impact Investing World and sound knowledge in ethical and sustainable investment, we can assure all our members, investors and partners that we fulfil our mission in a socially responsible manner.
GLS TREUHAND
The GLS Treuhand has developed a culture of donation over the last 55 years. They advise and manage foundations and donors, offering them many years of experience in ethical and sustainable investment. Besides individual endowment funds, trusts and independent foundations, the GLS Treuhand also mentors new foundations that focus on education, cooperation development, health and culture.
STUDIERENDENGESELLSCHAFT
The StudierendenGesellschaft (SG), a student association, developed the Income Share Agreements in 1995 (known as Umgekehrte Generationenvertrag in German). For over 20 years its main objective has been to ensure that studying at Witten/Herdecke University should not be dependent on an individual’s financial background. The SG recently issued public bonds to refinance the organisation, thus proving that such a business model is viable for the capital market.
GLS BANK
Founded in 1974 the GLS Bank was the first bank to operate based on socio-ecological principles. Their innovative work received recognition by winning the German Sustainability Award in 2013, as the most sustainable bank of the year in Europe. Since 2010, they have also been elected annually as Bank of the Year. They create a network for Impact Investors in Germany with the annual Mission Investing Forum.
WLP GMBH
The Hamburg based auditing firm, WLP Wirtschaftsprüfergesellschaft Steuerberatergesellschaft mbH, offers services for social enterprises and conventional businesses. They link creative and pragmatic solutions to socially innovative business ideas.
Following the organisation of an international Winter School for Social Entrepreneurship, Florian Kollewijn joined StudierendenGesellschaft Witten/Herdecke from 2011 to 2013. Subsequently, he became CFO of a pan-European campaign and worked for two years as a management consultant. He studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics and Business Economics at Witten/Herdecke University.
"Equal opportunity and freedom are values that I strive for in a political and social context. Through CHANCEN eG I aim to realise these values."
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND FREEDOM ARE CRUCIAL IN REALISING POTENTIAL AND FULLY DEVELOPING INDIVIDUALS.
– CHANCEN eG, Founders
Olaf Lampson
Founder & Director, CHANCEN eG
As Senior Finance Executive of the StudierendenGesellschaft Witten/Herdecke between 2013 and 2015, Olaf Lampson issued a bond of EUR 7.5 million, supervised the digitization of administrative operations and assisted in database development. He studied Business Economics at the Witten/Herdecke University.
“With a combination of professional financing, streamlined and digitalised corporate governance as well as a social entrepreneurial spirit, problems can be solved efficiently.”
BATYA BLANKERS
Managing Director CHANCEN International gGmbH
Batya is the managing director of CHANCEN International gGmbH and drives the internationalization of CHANCEN eG. She is currently working on a pilot project in Rwanda.
Martin Hahn
Head of IT
Martin Hahn coordinates the development of internal software projects and acts as a contact person for universities for the customer portal. He studied Business Economics at the University of Witten/Herdecke and was managing partner of a developer studio before.
Stephanie Inter
Repayment & Career Support Manager
Stephanie manages repayment and is the point of contact for all repayment related issues. She has experience in sales, office management and operations and worked for many years in French and English speaking countries. Stephanie has been part of the CHANCEN eG since 2021.
Daniel H. Bahr
Lead Developer
Daniel leads the technical implementation for our Salesforce CRM and customer portal. He studied Software Engineering in Havana and has over 10 years of experience delivering end-to-end software solutions in the service industry.
Margot Liebke-Bedzitko
Bookkeeping
After studying Polish law in Thorn and business administration in Berlin, Margot gained experience in the finance departments of various companies. Most recently, she led the accounting team of a political association. Since the beginning of 2021, she has been responsible for the professionalization of accounting at CHANCEN eG.
Supervisory Board
The members of the Supervisory Board bring many years of professional experience with the Income Share Agreement, financial markets, ethical-sustainable investments and sustainability issues to CHANCEN eG.
Caspar-Fridolin Lorenz
Chairman of the Supervisory Board
Caspar-Fridolin Lorenz is Chairman of the Supervisory Board for the StudierendenGesellschaft as well a Business Organisation Consultant. He has many years of experience in the fair financing business model related to the Income Share Agreement.
David Reichwein
Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board
David Reichwein is a licensed lawyer and works as Legal Fellow at the Ecologic Institut. His research topics are renewable energies and International Environmental Law. Before, he worked as a lawyer at the law firms von Bredow Valentin Herz and Becker Büttner Held. After his law studies at Buccerius Law School in Hamburg and his traineeship at the Federal Ministry for Environment and the Foreign Office, he gained experience in energy and climate law as well as in sustainable development.
Niklas Becker
Supervisory Board Member
Niklas Becker works at an international bank responsible for a fonds of alternative investments. He has many years of financial and capital markets experience, at home and abroad. Together with Olaf Lampson, he developed and applied for the issuing of the bond for the SG in 2014.
Christin Paul
Supervisory Board Member
Christin Paul is a product specialist in the field of alternative investments. As a sideline, she works with her own company as a business mediator for small and medium-sized companies in conflict situations. Previously, she was the COO for a product area in Markets. Christin Paul has many years of experience in private banking, audit and risk management.
Franziska Reh
Supervisory Board Member
Franziska Reh is founder and CEO of the fintech startup Uncap. From this work, she draws, amongst other things, knowledge on avoiding colonial tendencies and western biases. Previously, she worked as a project manager and consultant focusing on sustainability and circular economy. Franziska Reh is a banker and holds a M.Sc. in Global Sustainability.
FLORIAN KOLLEWIJN
Founder & Executive Director, CHANCEN eG
Following the organisation of an international Winter School for Social Entrepreneurship, Florian Kollewijn joined StudierendenGesellschaft Witten/Herdecke from 2011 to 2013. Subsequently, he became CFO of a pan-European campaign and worked for two years as a management consultant. He studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics and Business Economics at Witten/Herdecke University.
"Equal opportunity and freedom are values that I strive for in a political and social context. Through CHANCEN eG I aim to realise these values."
Olaf Lampson
Founder & Director, CHANCEN eG
As Senior Finance Executive of the StudierendenGesellschaft Witten/Herdecke between 2013 and 2015, Olaf Lampson issued a bond of EUR 7.5 million, supervised the digitization of administrative operations and assisted in database development. He studied Business Economics at the Witten/Herdecke University.
“With a combination of professional financing, streamlined and digitalised corporate governance as well as a social entrepreneurial spirit, problems can be solved efficiently.”
BATYA BLANKERS
Managing Director CHANCEN International gGmbH
Batya is the managing director of CHANCEN International gGmbH and drives the internationalization of CHANCEN eG. She is currently working on a pilot project in Rwanda.
Martin Hahn
Head of IT
Martin Hahn coordinates the development of internal software projects and acts as a contact person for universities for the customer portal. He studied Business Economics at the University of Witten/Herdecke and was managing partner of a developer studio before.
Stephanie Inter
Repayment & Career Support Manager
Stephanie manages repayment and is the point of contact for all repayment related issues. She has experience in sales, office management and operations and worked for many years in French and English speaking countries. Stephanie has been part of the CHANCEN eG since 2021.
Daniel H. Bahr
Lead Developer
Daniel leads the technical implementation for our Salesforce CRM and customer portal. He studied Software Engineering in Havana and has over 10 years of experience delivering end-to-end software solutions in the service industry.
Margot Liebke-Bedzitko
Bookkeeping
After studying Polish law in Thorn and business administration in Berlin, Margot gained experience in the finance departments of various companies. Most recently, she led the accounting team of a political association. Since the beginning of 2021, she has been responsible for the professionalization of accounting at CHANCEN eG.
Caspar-Fridolin Lorenz
Chairman of the Supervisory Board
Caspar-Fridolin Lorenz is Chairman of the Supervisory Board for the StudierendenGesellschaft as well a Business Organisation Consultant. He has many years of experience in the fair financing business model related to the Income Share Agreement.
David Reichwein
Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board
David Reichwein is a licensed lawyer and works as Legal Fellow at the Ecologic Institut. His research topics are renewable energies and International Environmental Law. Before, he worked as a lawyer at the law firms von Bredow Valentin Herz and Becker Büttner Held. After his law studies at Buccerius Law School in Hamburg and his traineeship at the Federal Ministry for Environment and the Foreign Office, he gained experience in energy and climate law as well as in sustainable development.
Niklas Becker
Supervisory Board Member
Niklas Becker works at an international bank responsible for a fonds of alternative investments. He has many years of financial and capital markets experience, at home and abroad. Together with Olaf Lampson, he developed and applied for the issuing of the bond for the SG in 2014.
Christin Paul
Supervisory Board Member
Christin Paul is a product specialist in the field of alternative investments. As a sideline, she works with her own company as a business mediator for small and medium-sized companies in conflict situations. Previously, she was the COO for a product area in Markets. Christin Paul has many years of experience in private banking, audit and risk management.
Franziska Reh
Supervisory Board Member
Franziska Reh is founder and CEO of the fintech startup Uncap. From this work, she draws, amongst other things, knowledge on avoiding colonial tendencies and western biases. Previously, she worked as a project manager and consultant focusing on sustainability and circular economy. Franziska Reh is a banker and holds a M.Sc. in Global Sustainability.
