Steve Kelly is a smart guy – in every sense of the word.

His company doesn’t just design and install the latest smart home technology but uses the pulling power of celebrity clients to reach hundreds of thousands of people.

From champion athletes to soap stars.

Working closely with homeowners, architects, designers and developers Poole-based Harbour Automation delivers technology solutions for marine and residential projects across Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, London and beyond.

It’s a big – and growing – market.

From arriving home to find a well-lit house, the shades drawn and the perfect temperature to your own cinema or TV room with surround sound and a whopping 150 inch – or 3.81 metre – screen.

Steve, 39, said: “Home technology has really taken off in recent years but it was the pandemic, and everyone staying at home, that really took our business to new heights.

“There’s no need for separate apps to control the shades, thermostat and a light bulb.

“You can replace them all with one that manages and controls all of these devices together.

“You can prepare the house on your way home by setting the temperature, closing the shades, and bringing up the lights – all seamlessly controlled from your phone or tablet while away from home.

“We put the power of home control where it makes sense.

“The handheld remote while watching TV, on a lighting keypad for when you’re running out the door or turning in for bed.

“A touchscreen while you’re cooking so you can see who is at the door and let them in or even by voice as you enter with your hands full.”

Steve graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in electronic and electrical engineering (communications systems) in 2000.

After working for Bang & Olufsen for three years he freelanced as an audio visual engineer before joining a smart home technology specialist as a Director, ultimately becoming MD.

Harbour Automation was incorporated in 2019.

Annual sales are expected to hit £600,000 this year, a ten-fold increase in the space of three years.

The company, which has a seven-strong team, has been particularly successful at winning business from high-profile clients.

They include former European, Commonwealth Games and World champion sprinter Iwan Thomas and soap star Jacqueline Jossa.

The actress is best known for playing Lauren Branning in EastEnders from 2010 to 2018 and also winning the 19th series of the ITV series I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2019.

Steve’s company installed a cinema room at the £1.2m Essex home of Jacqueline, pictured with a Harbour Automation baseball cap, and her celebrity husband, Dan Osborne, formerly of The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE).

The delighted couple subsequently shared an image of the room with the 536,000 followers of their ‘homewiththeosbornes’ Instagram account.

The post attracted more than 3,000 likes as well as coverage in celebrity publications.

Harbour Automation, itself, has more than 54,000 followers on Instagram.

Steve said: “We do offer our services to celebrity clients and it works well for us.

“Posts on their social media can reach hundreds of thousands of people and bring our services to a huge audience.

“You could call it smart marketing from a smart home technology specialist!”

• harbourautomation.co.uk