My History
Our company operates multiple matching services, including CrowdWorks, a freelance talent platform with over 6.8 million registered users, as well as CrowdWorks Agent, Tech Direct, and CrowdLinks. In addition, we provide business support through CROWDWORKS Consulting and offer SaaS solutions such as CrowdLog, CrowdWorks AI for biz, and Human & Human.
Since our founding, we have placed great importance on building an internal culture we call CW Culture. From 2011 to 2021, our corporate mission was “Bring a smile to everyone through work.” During that time, we attracted many people who strongly resonated with that mission—people who shared the same dreams and values. The mission served as a powerful unifying force within the company.
Over time, however, the way people work has evolved. Being part of a company and working 9 to 5 is no longer the only option. Today, individuals can earn income in various ways: through subscription-based online salons, video creation and streaming, or teaching English or sports lessons online. In other words, the very definition of “work” has been redefined.
Recognizing this shift, we updated our mission in 2021 to “Talent infrastructure” We aim to build a new kind of infrastructure—centered around the internet—that connects individuals with society in innovative ways. Around the world, the internet is enabling people to connect directly with one another, forming new communities, discovering new opportunities to work, and earning rewards in entirely new ways. Our updated mission has resonated strongly with many in this new era.
As individuals increasingly define their own lifestyles and work styles, we believe technology can help them integrate work into their lives more freely. Companies that support this kind of autonomy may become the new norm in society. Our mission—“Talent infrastructure”—is not just a message to society, but also a commitment to our employees. To foster alignment with this mission and our values, we hold a monthly Culture Book session for all new employees. In these sessions, we explain the reasons behind our mission, how our vision was shaped, and the origin of each element of our culture. This initiative ensures that CW Culture is deeply understood and shared throughout the company.
The Present
Looking ahead, companies will increasingly need to recognize and embrace diverse values. It will become more meaningful than ever to foster attractive communities and to invest in the development of talent. In the past, it was common for employees to share similar values and for senior members to train junior members through on-the-job learning. While today’s focus on community and education may appear similar on the surface, these efforts now require much greater intentionality and focus. Even within Japan, diversity is growing—and that means we can no longer assume that everyone shares the same values or expectations, even among Japanese colleagues. We are deeply aware of the need to rethink how we build communities and approach talent development in ways that are aligned with the realities of a more diverse society.
That is why one of our highest priorities today is to establish CrowdWorks as a leader in talent development. We are constantly exploring ways to help individuals find meaning in their work and develop their skills, through structured teaching. Of course, teaching itself must evolve. The methods that may have worked in Japan’s era of rapid economic growth no longer apply in today’s complex and fast-changing world. We are experimenting with different ways to nurture talent—from how new employees connect with others from the moment they join, to how we create meaningful opportunities for growth.
We also believe that AI will play a central role in the future of talent development. Our vision—“Creating a future where people and technology are in harmony and contributing to the happiness of individuals and the development of society”—reflects our belief that AI must be part of the foundation for that future.
In the past, humans and technology existed separately. Today, AI is beginning to take on roles that were once solely human. At CrowdWorks, we embrace change and see it as an opportunity to transform our internal processes. One of our key initiatives is PPP (Personal Purpose Pitch)—a productivity knowledge-sharing contest where individuals present how their personal purpose connects to the productivity improvements they’ve achieved. We have now reoriented PPP around AI, encouraging team members to reflect on how AI contributes to their work and to share those insights. We then organize and share these PPP case studies across the company.
For the Future
Since our founding in 2011, we’ve experienced numerous shifts in the marketplace—and we take pride in being a company that thrives through change. Looking back, the period from 2011 to 2014 was marked by strong demand for writing-related work, which helped attract a large user base to our platform. Soon after, the engineering market began to take off, with many companies actively seeking engineering talent. This wave worked in our favor and fueled our growth, eventually leading to our public listing in 2014. From around 2016 to 2018, video production surged in popularity, followed by the rise of AI. At each stage, our team came together with unity and purpose, enabling us to respond quickly and flexibly to the evolving talent landscape. That ability to adapt to the needs of each era is what has brought us to where we are today.
Looking ahead, guided by our vision—“Creating a future where people and technology are in harmony and contributing to the happiness of individuals and the development of society”—we aim to evolve beyond the freelance market and become a comprehensive DX (Digital Transformation) consulting firm. One area we’re particularly focused on is the democratization of consulting. Traditionally, consulting services have been provided mainly to large enterprises by major consulting firms. However, we believe the real need for DX consulting in Japan lies with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Many of these companies are facing challenges in adopting and utilizing SaaS tools and AI technologies effectively. We’re committed to bringing DX consulting to these businesses. We believe that doing so can become a powerful driver for revitalizing Japan’s economy—and we intend to be part of that transformation.