UNSW Startup AssuranceLab Acquired by Sensiba

Pictured: Co-founders Paul, Erica & Nick

Sydney-based compliance tech startup AssuranceLab, co-founded by Paul Wenham, Erika Villanueva, and Nick Lew Ton, has been acquired by US professional services firm Sensiba, marking an exciting milestone for the company and a big win for the UNSW Founders community.

The company, which helps tech-forward businesses streamline compliance through AI-powered SOC 2 and ISO 27001 audits, has officially become Sensiba Australia as part of the acquisition. While terms of the deal were not disclosed, AssuranceLab confirmed that co-founders Paul and Nick will step into senior leadership roles at Sensiba as Partners of the firm, with Nick Lew Ton also becoming the Chief Growth Officer, and Paul Wenham the Chief Innovation Officer.

From Pre-Accelerator to 10x—and now global

AssuranceLab first engaged with UNSW Founders through the Pre-Accelerator UNSW Founders Pre-Accelerator before joining the 10x Accelerator program in 2021. 10x Accelerator

Since then, they’ve grown into a global business working with over 1,000 technology companies, with a team of 60 employees across 9 countries, and working with customers in more than 30 countries.

“We’re thrilled to join forces with Sensiba. This allows us to continue building the future of tech-enabled assurance, while staying true to the values and innovation our customers know us for,” said Paul Wenham, AssuranceLab’s co-CEO and co-founder. “It’s a big moment for us, and one we’re proud to share with the UNSW Founders network that backed us early and helped shape our direction.”

A smart match

Sensiba, a 40-year-old Silicon Valley firm, is integrating AssuranceLab’s automation-first approach into its broader service offerings. This union positions Sensiba as a top-three global provider of SOC 2 security compliance, while expanding its capabilities across 15+ adjacent frameworks, including security, privacy, responsible AI, ESG, and more.

“AssuranceLab's technology-forward approach and entrepreneurial spirit will be critical in how we serve clients and compete in global markets,” said John Sensiba, Managing Partner at Sensiba. “As we first talked about coming together, we quickly realized we shared the same values, client service philosophies, and a vision for driving the future of accounting and audits.”

A founder-first success story

UNSW’s Director of Entrepreneurship, David Burt, congratulated the team:

“AssuranceLab is a perfect example of what happens when great founders are supported with venture philanthropy at the right time. Paul, Erika and Nick have shown the kind of persistence and precision it takes to build a truly scalable startup in a highly regulated space. We’re proud to have backed them, and the financial returns and experience generated by their work directly enabled us to support the next generation of UNSW’s entrepreneurs.”

AssuranceLab’s founding team will head to the US in late July to formally join Sensiba’s leadership team and integrate the business, further solidifying their presence in the global compliance market.

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