Upwork: A Brief History

Origins and Launch

Upwork, originally known as Elance-oDesk, started its journey back in 1999. The story of Upwork is a merger tale in which two independent platforms, Elance and oDesk, each with their own unique freelancing model, came together to form one single entity.

The Progression Timeline

• 1999: Elance was launched.
• 2003: oDesk was founded.
• 2013: The two platforms merged, retaining the name Elance-oDesk.
• 2015: Elance-oDesk was rebranded as Upwork.

Today, Upwork is globally recognized as one of the largest freelancing platforms.
It allows businesses and independent professionals to connect and collaborate remotely.