Octopull
Octopull Limited is a Nottingham, UK-based sole-practitioner software development consultancy, founded in 2003 and operated by Alan Griffiths. It serves organisations seeking expertise in C++, Java, Agile methods, and software design patterns, and maintains the arglib open-source C++ library.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersNottingham, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Octopull does
Octopull Limited is a Nottingham, UK-based private limited company, founded in 2003, that operates as an independent software development consultancy. The firm is effectively a sole practice run by founder Alan Griffiths, who holds a BSc in Mathematics and positions the business as supplying expertise in software development processes, technologies, and programming languages to organisations that want an effective approach to creating and maintaining software. Core technical specialisations are C++ and Java, with particular depth in exception safety patterns, implementation hiding idioms (Cheshire Cat/Pimpl), dependency inversion, and design patterns for combining multiple frameworks.
The company's technical footprint centres on the arglib open-source C++ library, which provides smart pointer implementations (counted_ptr, uncounted_ptr, grin_ptr, deep_copy_ptr, body_part_ptr), observer pattern support, and utilities supporting the Pimpl idiom and reference-counting challenges including circular references. Octopull's thought leadership is documented through a body of articles published in ACCU journals Overload and C Vu (spanning 1999 to 2004) covering Agile adoption, version control with CVS, exception safety in C++ and Java, JUnit, and design patterns, supplemented by conference presentations at JaCC 1999 and the ACCU Spring Conferences in 2001, 2002, and 2003.
Commercially, Octopull generates revenue through professional services consulting engagements delivered directly by Alan Griffiths under a sales-led go-to-market. No pricing, customer references, partnerships, patents, or funding are disclosed. The website also hosts Bridge lessons derived from materials used at the Nottingham University Bridge club in the early 1990s, indicating a minor content diversification beyond the core software consulting practice. The firm has no disclosed external investors, no parent company, and no subsidiaries.
Octopull firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Octopull
- Legal name
- Octopull Limited
- Website
- https://octopull.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Octopull Limited is a Nottingham, UK-based sole-practitioner software development consultancy, founded in 2003 and operated by Alan Griffiths. It serves organisations seeking expertise in C++, Java, Agile methods, and software design patterns, and maintains the arglib open-source C++ library.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Octopull industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Software Development Consulting
- NAICS
- Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Software Engineering & Application Development Training (Languages, Frameworks, Testing) (BPAEANAI)
Keywords
Where Octopull is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nottingham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Octopull business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Independent Consulting Services: Alan Griffiths provides consulting expertise in software development to organisations through Octopull Limited. Services include advising on effective approaches to creating and maintaining software.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Octopull product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Octopull Limited provides independent software development consulting services to organisations seeking effective approaches to creating and maintaining software. Led by founder Alan Griffiths, the firm delivers expertise across C++ and Java programming, Agile methodologies, exception safety techniques, and design patterns, and also maintains arglib, an open-source C++ utility library containing smart pointer implementations.
Product overview
Octopull Limited is a software development consulting company operated by Alan Griffiths. The company offers two main offerings: software development consulting services and arglib, an open-source C++ utility library. The arglib library includes smart pointer implementations (counted_ptr, uncounted_ptr, grin_ptr, deep_copy_ptr, body_part_ptr) and supporting utilities for C++ development, particularly focused on memory management and implementation hiding patterns.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Software Development Consulting Independent consulting services providing expertise in software development for organisations that want an effective approach to creating and maintaining software. Led by Alan Griffiths with expertise in various development processes, technologies, and programming languages including C++ and Java.
- arglib C++ Library A C++ library containing useful code including smart pointers (counted_ptr, uncounted_ptr, grin_ptr, deep_copy_ptr, body_part_ptr, auto_ptr), observer pattern support, iterator proxies, and deep copy utilities. The library supports the Cheshire Cat/Pimpl idiom and is provided as open source.
Companies that use Octopull
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Octopull technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Octopull partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Octopull competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Thoughtbot: Software design and development consultancy providing custom application building and advisory services. Comparable to Octopull as a consultancy whose core business is delivering senior software-development consulting engagements to client organizations.
- Industrial Logic: Provides software engineering training, coaching, and consulting with deep focus on Agile practices and technical craftsmanship. Directly comparable to Octopull in combining software-engineering enablement services with senior advisory work in C++/Java-style ecosystems.
- Atomic Object: Custom software development consultancy delivering end-to-end project work for product teams. Comparable to Octopull in offering bespoke software-development consulting as its core service line to organizations seeking engineering expertise.
- Xebia: Global IT consultancy and training firm offering software development, Agile transformation, and enablement services, especially strong in the Java ecosystem. Comparable to Octopull in pairing hands-on software development consulting with formal training services on languages and frameworks.
- Construx Software: Software-development capability improvement consultancy led by Steve McConnell, offering assessments, training, and consulting on engineering practices. Comparable to Octopull in delivering software-engineering training and enablement to enterprise development teams.
- Pivotal Labs: Software development consultancy (now part of VMware Tanzu) historically known for pair-programming and extreme-programming practices with deep Agile expertise. Comparable to Octopull in delivering senior software-development consulting engagements with strong emphasis on Agile methodologies.
Broad incumbents
- Thoughtworks: Global technology consultancy providing custom software development, digital transformation, and strategy services across many industries. A broader incumbent versus Octopull, but shares the same core value proposition of delivering expert software development consulting.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Octopull social profiles
Digital presenceOctopull financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Octopull leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Octopull funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Octopull M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Octopull
What does Octopull do?
Octopull Limited provides independent software development consulting services to organisations seeking effective approaches to creating and maintaining software. Led by founder Alan Griffiths, the firm delivers expertise across C++ and Java programming, Agile methodologies, exception safety techniques, and design patterns, and also maintains arglib, an open-source C++ utility library containing smart pointer implementations.
Is Octopull a public or private company?
Octopull is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Octopull founded?
Octopull was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Octopull based?
Octopull is headquartered in Nottingham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Octopull make money?
One revenue line is on record: independent Consulting Services.
Who are Octopull's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Thoughtbot, Industrial Logic, Atomic Object, Xebia, Construx Software and Pivotal Labs. Thoughtworks is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Octopull have an API?
No public API is recorded for Octopull.
What industry is Octopull in?
Octopull's product category is Software Development Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEANAI, Software Engineering & Application Development Training (Languages, Frameworks, Testing). Its NAICS code is 541511 and its SIC code is 7371.