UpWork, a platform that connects companies with freelancers, announced two acquisitions to help build a new -free business -focused company that could expand its reach.
The San Francisco-based company announced that it has acquired Bubty, a workforce management platform, and has signed a final agreement to acquire ascene, a global compliance and EOR (employer for record), prior to its revenue call on the second quarter of August 6.
UpWork will integrate these two companies into its existing business business to create an independent unit under Umbrellen in Upwork.
The move is significant because it allows Upwork to offer access to talent in addition to the independent contractor working power that is known for – essentially allows the company to compete in new areas of the company’s staffing market. The new device will support contract types, including Agent for Record, Employer for Record and Personnel Enlargement.
Upwork President and CEO Hayden Brown told TechCrunch that the timing was right to launch this new business -focused business because Upwork’s existing corporate customers have increasingly asked for access to these talent pools.
“Most of the providers that exist today force their customers to choose between flexibility and compliance or speed and scale or have a digital tool versus having something that is actually robust and for the company,” Brown said. “And with this new capacity we refuse to compromise. We give our customers all the benefits they have been looking for and we have heard loudly and clearly that they want this unambiguous solution.”
Brown said Upwork’s existing business business amounts to about $ 100 million of the company’s total $ 750 million in annual revenue.
TechCrunch -event
San Francisco
|
27-29. October 2025
Upwork decided to make the business business an independent device because companies have very different needs regarding compliance and software integrations than the small and medium -sized companies Upwork’s most important business work.
Keeping them apart allows for better external branding and better internal focus, Brown said.
UpWork monitored more than 100 potential companies to acquire to build this business, Brown said. The company landed on Bubty and Ascen not only for what they bring separately, but also for how they worked together – piloted companies both individually and together.
“We saw through the power of these pilots, where the impact of their technology was and how easy it was to basically snap together what each of them offers, along with our existing offer to deliver something very new and innovative on the market,” Brown added.
Details of branding and full deals from the new Free Business need to be revealed later this year.