Fractional CTO & Principal Architect

Fractional CTO and Principal Architect services for complex operational software

Provolve helps SMEs, scale-ups, and operational businesses rescue, modernise, and automate business-critical systems across ERP, WMS, field service, compliance, AI workflows, and internal platforms.

25+ years experience 1000s of engineers and operatives serviced Packt published author AI-accelerated delivery
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25+

Years delivering operational software

1000s

Engineers and operatives serviced

6+

Industries from freight to HPC

ERP→AI

Full stack of operational software covered

When software becomes the bottleneck

Operational software should give the business pace. When it stops doing that, growth stalls, risk climbs, and good people spend their days working around the system instead of through it.

  • Your internal systems no longer match how the business operates.
  • Critical workflows are stuck in spreadsheets, emails, or legacy software.
  • Delivery has slowed because the architecture is fragile or unclear.
  • You need senior technical leadership, but not necessarily a permanent CTO.
  • Your product needs to move from prototype to reliable production system.
  • You want practical AI automation, not experiments that never leave the lab.
  • You are replacing, integrating, or rescuing ERP, WMS, MRP, or workflow systems.

Senior technical leadership for complex systems

Engagements are shaped around what the business needs - from strategic direction to hands-on delivery.

Fractional CTO

Senior technical leadership for founders, SMEs, and scale-ups that need clarity, direction, and delivery oversight - without the cost of a permanent hire.

Explore Fractional CTO

Systems Rescue & Modernisation

Architecture, redesign, and hands-on delivery for legacy systems, workflow bottlenecks, integrations, ERP, WMS, and internal platforms.

Explore Systems Modernisation

AI Workflow Automation

Practical AI-enabled tools, LLM workflows, internal automation, document processing, and human-in-the-loop systems - connected to real operations.

Explore AI Automation

Track record

Built on 25+ years of real operational software delivery

Not theoretical. Designed, built, and shipped across ERP, WMS, field service, AI platforms, HPC, freight operations, retail, compliance, and manufacturing.

View Case Studies
  • CTO and founder experience across software products and consulting.
  • Designed and delivered ERP, WMS, MRP, field-service, accounting, ordering, and workflow platforms.
  • Replaced legacy systems for large operational teams, serving thousands of engineers and operatives across multiple sectors.
  • Built low-code AI workflow tools using React, Rust, Python, and LLM integrations.
  • Delivered low-latency Rust software for HPC and data-centre environments.
  • Co-authored a commercial technical book on Apache OFBiz.
  • Experience across logistics, aviation freight, retail, manufacturing, field service, construction, compliance, and public sector data.
  • Active daily user of AI development tools - architecture, code, review, and testing - delivering more in less time, with higher quality.

How Provolve builds

Across the chasm on AI. Faster delivery. Higher quality. Every engagement.

Provolve is not piloting AI tools or attending workshops about them. AI-assisted development is how every engagement is executed - architecture, implementation, code review, and testing - resulting in faster delivery cycles and better output than was achievable before.

Faster delivery cycles

AI coding tools are active in every engagement - design, architecture, implementation, and review. Work that previously took weeks can be delivered in days. Client budgets go further. Projects hit timelines.

Higher quality output

AI-assisted review surfaces edge cases, security gaps, and design issues before they reach production. Code is tested more thoroughly, integration issues are caught earlier, and fewer problems emerge after launch.

Authentic integration expertise

Advice on integrating AI into your business comes from someone who uses these tools daily in real production work - not from a certification or a vendor workshop. The guidance is grounded in what actually works.

This is not a side capability - it is how Provolve delivers.

Every client engagement benefits directly from AI-driven speed, accuracy, and efficiency.

Talk about your project

Case study highlights

View all
Construction
1000s of operatives
Hooped

Construction workforce management platform

Real-time visibility of labour, compliance, and site activity for specialist contractors - replacing paperwork with a live digital system.

Flutter React iOS Android
AI Platform
FlowStudio
FlowFoundry

AI workflow platform - FlowStudio

Low-code LLM workflow platform built with React, Rust, and Python for business users and developers.

React Rust LLM
ERP / WMS
Multi-facility
Stannah

ERP/WMS/MRP platform for commercial operations

Full ERP, WMS, MRP, ordering, accounting, and product configurator across multiple facilities.

ERP DDMRP Java
Field Service
1000s served
Stannah

Field-service platform for thousands of engineers

Legacy replacement with Android app, real-time sync, and contract management across 13 branches.

Android Java 13 branches
HPC / Rust
<1ms latency
Northern Data

HPC power-curtailment software

Multithreaded, low-latency Rust software for data-centre power management with secure gRPC.

Rust Flutter gRPC
Aviation Freight
US airports
Air Menzies International

Freight operations platform

Booking, real-time pricing, warehouse tracking, and compliance tooling for US airport freight operations.

Aviation WMS Compliance
E-commerce
Award nominee
I Want One Of Those
Born Gifted

E-commerce WMS and operations systems

WMS, call centre, payment gateways, and fulfilment systems for a high-volume gifting retailer.

WMS Retail Payments

Strategic enough to lead. Hands-on enough to deliver.

Provolve works best with organisations that need senior technical judgement and practical execution. Engagements can include architecture review, product direction, technical due diligence, team leadership, rescue planning, vendor oversight, prototyping, and hands-on development.

Business first

Architecture should reflect how the business actually operates - not the other way around.

Reduce complexity

Good systems make operations easier. Modernisation should reduce risk, not create a big-bang failure.

Stay hands-on

Technical leadership is stronger when it is grounded in real architecture and code, not just slides.

AI-accelerated delivery

AI tools are used throughout every engagement - not as an experiment, but as standard practice. Clients get faster cycles, better coverage, and guidance from someone who uses these tools daily.

Few possess his level of technical expertise while also excelling in communication across all business sectors; this distinction truly sets him apart. It's this combination of skill, commitment, and communication that keeps us continually reaching out for his services.
Stannah

Marc Mudie

Head of Enterprise Applications · Stannah

Read all testimonials

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