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Upwork Launches Lifted: Reinvention or Repositioning?

From The Desk Of Tony Buffum

On August 19, 2025, Upwork Inc. unveiled Lifted, a wholly owned subsidiary aimed at servicing enterprise customers with a comprehensive suite of contingent workforce solutions. This signals a strategic shift from selling enterprise offerings within its broader marketplace to segregating them into a dedicated business unit. On one hand, it’s encouraging. They’ve signaled they’re not walking away from enterprise, but rather recognizing the need to package solutions differently. On the other, the move may be more reflective of shareholder optics than mission-aligned transformation. After repeated strategic pivots, one wonders whether this is positioning Lifted as a cleaner, enterprise-ready asset that’s ripe for acquisition, rather than truly doubling down on client-centric innovation.

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