oDesk

oDesk was an online freelancing platform that connected businesses with remote workers around the world. Founded in 2003, it allowed clients to post projects and hire freelancers for short-term or long-term engagements with work conducted remotely.

Freelancers built profiles, submitted proposals, and completed work in areas such as software development, design, writing, marketing, and administrative support. The site offered tools for project management, secure payments, and escrow-style protection. For hourly engagements, oDesk provided an automated time-tracking feature and a work diary to monitor activity, while milestone payments and fixed-price contracts were also supported. Ratings and feedback from previous clients helped buyers assess freelancer reliability, and freelancers could assess clients in turn.

In 2014, Elance, another major freelancing platform, acquired oDesk. The combined organization adopted the Upwork brand in 2015, continuing to operate the marketplace under that name.

oDesk's evolution contributed to the growth of the gig economy by enabling distributed teams and remote work across numerous industries and job categories.