Swap Language, a Danish-based enterprise language training provider has recently raised $2.15 million (€2 million) in a seed round co-led by Amsterdam-based Mediahuis Ventures and Helsinki-based Sparkmind. vc. With the financing, the company intends to grow into the German market, where first pilots are already underway, add more languages, and begin constructing its vision of a full-fledged AI teacher capable of replacing humans in teaching speaking and writing abilities.
Co-founded by Nichlas Walsted, and Allan Hermansen, Swap Language aims to tackle the problem by helping international employees integrate and feel an increased sense of belonging within their organization and in their new home. The platform uses a combination of engaging video content, AI-generated exercises, and real-life online speaking lessons to help international employees reach fluency in and outside the workplace.
Swap Language’s freshly announced second-generation platform, built on a multi-tenant architecture, is the market’s first freemium enterprise language teaching platform. It enables companies to enrol overseas employees in their language learning community, providing them direct access to hundreds of free on-demand language sessions and quizzes and the opportunity to practice with local colleagues.
Speaking about the company, Co-founder & CEO of Swap Language, Nichlas Walsted, said:
Highly skilled international employees are ambitious and work for the highest paced, demanding enterprises. They need flexible, engaging solutions and use the newest technology to help them develop language skills that they can apply both in their jobs and while settling in their new host country. While the B2C market has some amazing players like Duolingo, the B2B language training market is old and dominated by traditional language schools.
The startup believes there is a better and more enjoyable way to achieve. It focuses on making Language learning more flexible, entertaining, and context-based so international employees can learn Danish.
Tea Elezi, EdTech Lead at Mediahuis Ventures, added:
We are proud to support Swap Language on their mission to make Language learning within organizations more inclusive, efficient, and adaptable, ultimately fostering a global community where Language is no longer a barrier but a bridge to success. Swap Language addresses a critical need for international employees to feel a sense of belonging within organizations. Still, it also does so with a practical blended approach that combines human interaction with cutting-edge AI, which is key to accelerating language acquisition in a manner that’s both efficient and deeply engaging. The company’s vision is to fully automate language learning, ushering in a new era of flexibility and accessibility. By harnessing the power of AI teachers, Swap Language is poised to revolutionize how people acquire language skills, empowering them to connect and integrate seamlessly into their professional and social environments.
Vesa Laakso, Founding Partner of Sparkmind.vc, commented:
We’re excited about truly transformative educational technologies. Swap Language caught our attention because of its mission-driven founding team and solutions crafted with a deep understanding of global workforce challenges. Their thought-out content and innovative approach to merging the virtual and real worlds of language acquisition sets a new standard for enterprise language training. We believe that their unique vision for fostering genuine human connections through Language will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of international workplaces. It’s an investment in a company and a brighter, interconnected global community.
