A‑LIGN: Tampa’s Cyber Compliance Unicorn
By Zack Huhn – Estimated Time to Read: 5 minutes
Tampa is quickly becoming a cybersecurity hotbed, and at its forefront is A‑LIGN, a tech-enabled compliance firm headquartered right here in Tampa, Florida. Since its founding in 2009, A‑LIGN has built a reputation for audit excellence, supported by proprietary automation tools, and today—thanks to a game-changing investment—they’ve officially entered unicorn territory. Let’s dive in.
1. From 2009 Startup to Industry Leader
Founded in 2009 by Scott Price, A‑LIGN delivers compliance audits across SOC 1/2, ISO, HITRUST, PCI, FedRAMP, CMMC, and more .
They’ve served over 5,700 clients and completed more than 31,000 audits to date, establishing themselves as a top issuer of SOC 2 and one of the top three FedRAMP assessors .
The company has sustained remarkable growth, boasting over 50% compound annual growth over 15 years .
2. The Funding Breakthrough
On July 8, 2025, A‑LIGN announced a strategic majority-stake investment led by Hg, a London-based private equity firm known for scaling software and service businesses .
The deal values A‑LIGN at over $1 billion, officially marking the company as a Tampa-based unicorn .
HgCapital Trust plc, a key arm of Hg, contributed approximately £48 million as part of its investment stack .
Hg takes over the majority stake from Warburg Pincus, who first invested in 2021 (after previously raising $54.5 million total from FTV Capital and Warburg Pincus in earlier rounds) .
3. What This Means for Tampa & ETA
Global Ambition: With Hg’s backing, A‑LIGN is poised to accelerate global expansion, leveraging Hg’s data and AI expertise to deepen their service capabilities .
Tampa’s Cyber Boom: A‑LIGN joins the ranks of regional cybersecurity giants like ReliaQuest and KnowBe4—signaling that Tampa Bay is cultivating a thriving cyber economy .
ETA Synergy: ETA’s mission to catalyze local tech innovation aligns seamlessly with A‑LIGN’s trajectory—this funding validates the Tampa tech ecosystem and signals strong future opportunities for collaboration, talent development, and economic growth.
4. Quotes from the DeaL
“This new partnership comes at the perfect time as we enter our next phase of growth.”
– Scott Price, CEO, A‑LIGN
“We have been particularly impressed by their unwavering commitment to quality… This combination has created a sustainable source of competitive differentiation.”
– Hector Guinness & Joris van Gool, Partners at Hg
5. What’s Next for A‑LIGN
Expect expansion into new service lines, such as AI-focused assessments and hybrid compliance offerings.
With Hg’s global footprint, A‑LIGN could unlock new international markets, especially in Europe leveraging Hg’s base.
Continued investment in proprietary tooling, likely boosting their efficiency in audits and compliance automation.
Closing Thoughts
A‑LIGN’s leap to unicorn status underscores Tampa’s emergence as a cybersecurity nucleus. For ETA, this is more than a headline—it’s evidence of the region’s capacity to grow high-impact, globally competitive tech companies. It strengthens the narrative that talent, tech, and investment in Tampa Bay fuel meaningful innovation.
If you’d like help exploring collaboration opportunities with A‑LIGN—or mapping how ETA can further support Tampa’s dynamic cyber sector—I’d be happy to discuss next steps.
