Upwork and the Scaling of Remote Freelance Marketplaces (2010-2020)

1. Remote freelancing platforms mature pre-merger

   Jan 1, 2010Labels: Elance, oDesk

   • Upwork background
   • Merger release

2. oDesk and Elance sign merger agreement

   Dec 18, 2013Labels: oDesk, Elance

   • Merger release
   • Bloomberg

3. Merger closes; combined firm integrates operations

   Mar 1, 2014Labels: Elance-oDesk, integration

   • TechCrunch
   • Merger release

4. Freelancing in America study raises visibility

   Sep 1, 2014Labels: Freelancers Union, Freelancing in

   • FU blog
   • EPI critique

5. Elance-oDesk raises $30M to expand platform

   Nov 25, 2014Labels: Elance-oDesk, Benchmark

   • TechCrunch
   • Merger release

6. Company rebrands from Elance-oDesk to Upwork

   May 5, 2015Labels: Upwork, rebrand

   • TechCrunch
   • Forbes

7. Upwork promotes faster online collaboration features

   May 5, 2015Labels: Upwork, collaboration tools

   • TechCrunch
   • Forbes

8. Company shifts focus toward enterprise customers

   Dec 1, 2015Labels: Upwork, enterprise

   • TechCrunch
   • 2020 Impact

9. Upwork publishes skills-demand signals for freelancers

   Feb 6, 2017Labels: Upwork, skills report

   • FU blog
   • Upwork background

10. Upwork files S-1 ahead of initial public offering

    Sep 6, 2018Labels: Upwork, SEC filing

    • SEC filing
    • Upwork background

11. Upwork begins trading on Nasdaq as UPWK

    Oct 3, 2018Labels: Upwork, Nasdaq

    • Upwork press
    • CNBC

12. Freelancing in America 2018 updates U.S. workforce estimates

    Oct 31, 2018Labels: Upwork, Freelancing in

    • Upwork FIA
    • EPI critique

13. Upwork reports 2018 marketplace growth after IPO

    Feb 28, 2019Labels: Upwork, GSV

    • Upwork results
    • Upwork press

14. Upwork reports $2.087B GSV for 2019

    Feb 26, 2020Labels: Upwork, GSV

    • Upwork 2019
    • Upwork 2018

15. COVID-19 era accelerates demand for remote work arrangements

    Mar 11, 2020Labels: COVID-19, remote work

    • 2020 Impact
    • Upwork 2019

16. Upwork ends decade scaling phase with a larger marketplace base

    Dec 31, 2020Labels: Upwork, decade summary

    • Upwork 2019
    • Upwork IPO