https://startups.co.uk/news/the-future-of-freelancing/
London-based start-up Workfree has successfully secured $400,000 in pre-seed funding, paving the way for its unique vision of community-led freelancing.
In a world where freelance talent is flourishing, with 50% of Gen Z already engaging in freelancing, businesses are increasingly recognising the value of flexible workforces.
A staggering 70% of tech leaders believe that freelancers bring unmatched agility to companies seeking to scale up or down.
However, the vetting, hiring, and payment processes for freelancers have proven to be costly and slow, impeding the growth of both companies and freelance professionals.
Workfree, as an all-in-one platform powered by its user community, is here to address these challenges.
Shaking up the freelance game
Workfree is a platform designed to streamline freelance hiring, management, and payments. At the start of this month, it announced the completion of a $400,000 pre-seed funding round.
With a commitment to zero commissions for freelance talent and a network of community-vetted freelancers, the start-up is on a mission to empower more than one million freelancers and flexible workforces globally.
The goal is a frictionless freelancing experience for both talent and clients, free from unreliable vetting, protracted onboarding procedures, high acquisition fees, and complex contracts. By removing these barriers between talent and companies, the platform aims to enhance the work experience for all parties involved.
Workfree aims to disrupt and change the freelance market through several key strategies:
Zero commissions: Workfree eliminates the traditional model of charging high commissions to freelancers, ensuring that freelance talent retains more of their earnings.
Community vetting: the platform relies on a community-vetted talent network, enhancing trust and quality assurance within the freelance marketplace.
Equitable ownership: Workfree is introducing a unique “Co-Founding Community” where freelancers, community advisors, and non-institutional investors collectively own 25% of the company, ensuring freelancers have a stake in the platform’s success.
Streamlined processes: the platform automates hiring, management, and payments, reducing the time and complexity associated with freelancing, and providing a centralised environment for both freelancers and clients.
Incentives for skill development: Workfree plans to offer benefits, including educational courses, health and insurance benefits, and lifestyle perks, to support freelancers’ skill development and career advancement.
Putting freelancers first: the co-founding community
With the recent injection of funding, Workfree plans to grow its platform to support over 10,000 freelancers and 100 paying clients by the end of 2024, with a particular focus on talent communities, digital agencies, and tech companies.
To kickstart this growth, Workfree has allocated 25% of the company for its unique “co-founding community.”
Starting in September, the start-up will reward 1,000 pre-vetted freelancers with a fair share of Workfree ownership. By welcoming this exclusive community on board, Workfree aims to accelerate the growth of its vetted talent pool, capturing the voice of freelancers and building an outstanding platform for both talent and clients.
Disrupting the conventional freelance marketplace model
With projections indicating that freelancers will outnumber full-time employees by 2030, Workfree recognises the pivotal role that freelancers play in a company’s growth.
Having personally experienced the challenges faced by freelance professionals, co-founders Amy Choi, Jonnie Cartmill, and Yury Kusik are determined to disrupt the traditional freelance marketplace model by eliminating unfair commissions, offering freelancers valuable benefits, and collaborating closely with the freelance community.
“Six years ago, my freelance journey began when I sought flexibility as a parent,” Choi explains. “Traditional 9-5 work no longer worked for me. I needed the flexibility and freedom to integrate my work and life (we call this ‘Work Free Life‘).
“I entered freelancing through communities and referrals, witnessing the challenges on large freelance marketplace platforms – unfair commissions, zero benefits, and a race to the bottom culture. I felt freelancers and companies deserved more.
Workfree started as a simple tool to support freelance growth and has expanded rapidly to empower companies, communities, and talent around the world. We want to give power back to freelancers, and let our users share in the success of a platform that is built, used, and owned by them.”
If you’re a freelancer and would like more information, visit workfree.io.
