Wayne Smallman has been researching, building and innovating digital solutions for over two decades. He founded Octane Interactive back in 1999, a company built on the principle that technology should make business processes more efficient, not more complicated. Since taking some time away from the business, he’s written a whitepaper, launched a new startup and rediscovered Sheffield’s tech community. We caught up with Wayne to find out more about his founder journey, and why now is the time to revive Octane Interactive.
Building on success and solid foundations
“I always think of momentum,” Wayne explains. “Coming out of a period away from Octane, I didn’t want to start from scratch. I wanted to pick up the thread and get things moving again.”
After a personal hiatus from Octane, Wayne spent some time working in employment to recalibrate and rebuild, but his heart was always with running his own business. That passion drew him back to self-employment, and he’s in the process of ramping up Octane again, focused on helping SMEs unlock efficiency through better workflows and smarter systems.
A key project during this transition was Wayne’s White Paper, which explored the hidden costs of inefficient workflows and how they drain profits. “Writing the White Paper was like thinking aloud on a much bigger scale,” he says. “It helped me revisit what I was doing and reframe it. My aim has always been to support SMEs – the backbone of the UK economy – by turning the chaos of daily operations into something manageable and actionable.”
Central to Octane’s approach is its unique way of working with clients. Wayne doesn’t just develop software; he immerses himself in the business from day one, engaging with both management and employees to ensure the solutions fit their workflows. “If you get people involved in the process, they become stakeholders,” he explains. “That’s when the magic happens – when ideas from the people doing the work drive how the software develops.”
Reconnecting with community
Wayne’s involvement with Sheffield Digital has been pivotal in his return to entrepreneurship. Long before officially joining, he was attending events like Geek Brekky to reconnect with the local tech scene. “It was fantastic to see familiar faces and be reminded of what I loved about having my own business,” he says. “Sheffield Digital has given me a network, access to knowledge, and a community I can rely on.”
Building on this momentum, Wayne has also launched a new startup: Under Cloud, described as “an operating system for knowledge synthesis.” Inspired by his work with Octane and the challenges faced by knowledge workers, students, and journalists, Under Cloud is designed to make sense of fragmented information, building connections, and turning it into actionable knowledge.
“The idea came to me in the early noughties when I was having to decide between two popular programming languages: PHP and ASP – but there was nothing available that allowed me to connect notes with research.” Wayne explains. “I began building Under Cloud around this time. It’s about understanding how knowledge connects and how we can use that to make better decisions.”
Earlier this year, Wayne accessed mentoring through Tech SY, and was connected to Lorenzo Gordon – an experienced entrepreneur in the digital tech industries. With his help, Wayne has been able to build out the product-market fit of Under Cloud.
For Wayne, both Octane and Under Cloud are based on a simple philosophy: technology should be a tool to empower, not complicate. With the right support from Sheffield Digital, local mentors, and the wider tech ecosystem, he’s turning that philosophy into practical solutions for businesses across Sheffield and beyond – and we’re delighted to have him back in the community!
Find out more about Octane Interactive on the website and understand more about Wayne’s approach by reading his White Paper: How the Hidden Costs of Inefficient Workflows Drain SME Profits – and How to Fix Them.