Lifted, operating under the Upwork brand, runs the world's largest freelance marketplace, connecting businesses with independent talent across more than 10,000 skills. Founded in 2013 through a merger of Elance Inc. and oDesk Corp., the company rebranded to Upwork in 2015 and went public on NASDAQ in 2018. The platform has facilitated over $30 billion in transactions and serves clients ranging from Fortune 100 enterprises to individual entrepreneurs.
The company operates from headquarters in Santa Clara and San Francisco, California, with approximately 600 employees. Its core mission centres on creating opportunity across different eras of work, with particular emphasis on meeting the needs of an increasingly distributed global workforce. Upwork connects businesses seeking on-demand access to skilled talent with freelancers working remotely across the globe.
Beyond its core marketplace, Lifted has developed Uma, an AI-powered companion tool designed to help both clients and freelancers work more efficiently. The company positions itself as built for the age of artificial intelligence whilst remaining powered by people, operating across technical domains including software development, sales and marketing, customer support, and finance and accounting. In 2022, Upwork was recognised on TIME's list of the 100 Most Influential Companies.
