Elance
The business, the turning points, and the decisions behind them.
Some sections are still being researched2 / 4
Sections to complete：02 · 05
01 / WHAT IT BUILT
What the company did
Elance was one of the earliest online freelancing platforms, founded in 1999 by Beerud Sheth and Srini Anumolu. It connected businesses with independent contractors: clients posted descriptions of tasks and price ranges, freelancers showcased their skills and applied, and contracts specified compensation, hours, and deadlines. It became a major player in online freelancing with a diverse community of clients and freelancers worldwide.
02 / FAILURE REASONS
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.
03 / EVENT HISTORY
Events in the structured record
- Founded
Beerud Sheth and Srini Anumolu founded Elance, one of the first online freelancing marketplaces.
- Merger with oDesk
On December 18, 2013, Elance and oDesk announced their merger, creating Elance-oDesk; the two platforms initially continued operating separately.
- Rebranded as Upwork
In May 2015, Elance-oDesk rebranded as Upwork on an upgraded oDesk platform, and the Elance platform was phased out over the following years.
04 / CONTEMPORARY REBUILD ASSESSMENT
Difficulty of rebuilding this project today
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.
Overall assessment: Not completed
05 / CAUSAL CHAIN / AFTERMATH
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.