A SMALL software firm has landed two contracts in the US and attracted interest from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, with a little help from the region’s most successful IT entrepreneur.

Washington’s OnePoint Systems has won two deals, worth close to a combined £190,000, with manufacturing companies in Florida and New York.

It also says it has received strong interest from a further eight US firms and has had enquiries from Down Under and Asia.

The company makes software as part of a touchscreen system that allows factory staff monitor the smooth running of manufacturing plants.

Earlier this year it won an nebusiness competition to spend a day with one of the founders of FTSE 100 software empire Sage, Graham Wylie.

During the day, Wylie helped OnePoint’s young founder John Bartlett develop a forward-thinking strategy which included tips on how to improve the way the company pitches to potential customers.

And the Newcastle tycoon’s advice has clearly paid off as the firm has now achieved its ambitions to enter the US market by signing its first commercial deals there since opening an American satellite office last year.

The group has signed three-year deals with Florida-based Mac Paper Converters – which employs around 300 people – and a New York manufacturing firm that has asked not to be named for commercial reasons.