Sydney-based acquirer Software Combined has completed the acquisition of Acendre from US company HireRoad, returning Australia’s leading government talent management platform to Australian ownership, and a permanent home.
Acendre is the country’s leading cloud-based platform for government recruitment and onboarding, helping agencies attract, assess, onboard and manage talent within the compliance and security frameworks the public sector requires. More than half of the top Commonwealth agencies have chosen Acendre as their platform, serving 400,000+ users and processing nearly two million resumes and hires annually. Strong loyal customer relationships span more than a decade.
Beyond government, Acendre serves organisations across state and local government, utilities and resources, any sector where structured, compliant and auditable hiring is non-negotiable.
Founded in Australia in 1997, Acendre holds IRAP certification to Protected level and ISO 27001 certification, having been independently evaluated against the Australian Government’s Information Security Manual.
Talent management in the Australian government and regulated industries demands secure infrastructure and unique workflow compliance, creating deep customer relationships and significant barriers to entry. As AI reshapes recruitment, Commonwealth agencies need platforms that can deliver AI innovation without routing sensitive hiring data offshore or compromising the auditable hiring standards the public sector requires. Acendre is uniquely positioned to meet that bar.
HireRoad has divested the ANZ business as it refocuses on its North American market. Acendre Group CEO, Liam Ackland and the existing team remain in place.
Software Combined, founded in 2020, has now completed 14 acquisitions across Australia, New Zealand and the Benelux. Each portfolio company continues to operate independently under its own leadership and brand.
“More than half of Australia’s Commonwealth agencies have chosen to run on Acendre, not by chance, but because of 25 years of consistent delivery at the highest security standards government demands. Deep product knowledge, deep relationships, and a team that genuinely cares about their mission. That kind of trust is built slowly. We understand that. We’re glad to be their permanent home.”
Evert den Hollander, CEO and Co-Founder, Software Combined
“We spent a lot of time thinking about what the right next chapter looked like, and the most important thing for us was cultural fit. Every interaction we’ve had with the Software Combined team reinforced that view, and we heard the same thing directly from our own people. One of our team described the transition as ‘we’re coming home.’ They were right. We’re returning to local leadership, long-term thinking, and a partner that understands what we’ve built. What excites me most is keeping the team together, investing in our product and our people, and delivering a permanent home, not just for Acendre, but for the customers who’ve trusted us.”
Liam Ackland, CEO, Acendre Group
ENDS
About Acendre
Acendre Group is Australia’s leading cloud-based platform for recruitment and onboarding in government and complex regulated industries. Founded in 1997, the company has spent nearly three decades building expertise in merit-based hiring, compliance and security alongside Australian government agencies. More than half of the top Commonwealth agencies run on Acendre, serving 400,000+ users and processing nearly two million transactions annually. Acendre holds IRAP certification to Protected level and ISO 27001 accreditation. In 2026, the business returned to Australian ownership as part of Software Combined’s portfolio. acendre.com
About Software Combined
Founded in 2020, Software Combined acquires and holds profitable B2B software businesses across Australia, New Zealand and the Benelux - it does not integrate or sell them. Leadership teams and cultures remain intact post-acquisition. Software Combined has completed 14 acquisitions since inception and is actively growing its portfolio. softwarecombined.com
Media contacts
Software Combined
Lisa Jackson, PR & Media
lisa@softwarecombined.com
0434 261 080
Acendre
Liam Ackland, CEO, Acendre Group
liam@acendregroup.com