In pursuing her passion for travel and language learning, Julia Hartjes founded Language in Motion in November 2013 to provide personalized and flexible language classes with native speakers to students, travelers and professionals.

The company launched a Kickstarter campaign last week with the goal of raising $12,000 by Oct. 2 to redevelop the website and offer a free entrepreneurship course with English classes for small business owners in low-income areas who are preparing for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“Our goal is to create opportunities through language education and to increase cultural understanding,” Hartjes, a University of Wisconsin graduate, said. “After we secure the initial funding, this free program will be sustained by profit from our paid classes.”

Language in Motion classes are held in-person or via Skype. The company hires teachers who are highly educated native speakers who have worked internationally.

The company is based in Verona, Wis., with team members located in South America, Western Europe and the United States.