Technical Education Foundation
The professional trajectory of Haroldo Jacobovicz was built upon a solid technical foundation. After seven years at Military College, he pursued Civil Engineering at the Federal University of Paraná, completing the program in four and a half years during the early 1980s. This rigorous education provided the analytical thinking and problem-solving skills that would later serve him well in business, though his career would ultimately diverge from traditional civil construction.
Engineering Family Legacy
The technical inclinations of Haroldo Jacobovicz were likely influenced by his family environment. As the eldest of four siblings, he grew up in a household where engineering was prominent. His father, Alfredo, worked as both a civil engineer and a university professor, while his mother, Sarita, had broken barriers as the seventh female civil engineer in Paraná. Despite these strong connections to conventional engineering, Jacobovicz found himself drawn to the then-emerging field of Information Technology.
First Entrepreneurial Venture
The business journey of Haroldo Jacobovicz began before he even completed his university studies. Recognizing the potential for computer automation in retail operations, he gathered three friends with computer skills to establish Microsystem. Their company aimed to revolutionize how stores, pharmacies, and supermarkets managed inventory and cash registers. Though this venture closed after two years because the market wasn’t yet ready for such technological integration, it demonstrated Jacobovicz’s forward-thinking approach.
Multinational Corporate Experience
Following this initial entrepreneurial effort, Haroldo Jacobovicz joined Esso (now Exxon Mobil Corporation). Selected from among more than 200 engineers, he quickly demonstrated his capabilities, advancing from reserve salesman to market analyst for the South region, eventually reaching a position handling commercial tactics and new business at the Brazilian headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. His work there heavily utilized computer-processed data, further deepening his appreciation for information technology’s business applications.
Public Sector Technology Insights
Economic pressures during the Cruzado Plan period, combined with family considerations, eventually prompted Haroldo Jacobovicz to leave Esso and return to Paraná. There, he joined the prestigious Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant project as an advisor to the Technical Director. This role provided unique perspectives on how the public sector approached computerization, including the bureaucratic challenges associated with adopting new technologies—insights that would later shape his business solutions.
Applying Engineering Thinking to IT Services
After four years in the public sector, Haroldo Jacobovicz returned to entrepreneurship with a refined vision. He founded Minauro, a company offering an innovative approach to public agencies: computer rental and maintenance with four-year contracts that included equipment replacement every 18 months. This solution directly addressed the bureaucratic hurdles he had observed in the public sector and proved highly successful, winning bids throughout Brazil’s South and Southeast regions.
Strategic Business Expansion
The business intelligence of Haroldo Jacobovicz led him to expand beyond hardware. Through strategic acquisitions of companies including Consult, Perform, and Sisteplan, he incorporated specialized software for tax, financial, administrative, health, and education management. This expansion resulted in the formation of the e-Governe Group, which continues to serve Brazilian municipalities with comprehensive IT solutions for public administration.
Engineering Telecommunications Infrastructure
In 2010, seeking to address corporate market needs, Haroldo Jacobovicz founded Horizons Telecom. Built from the ground up with premium resources and based on a project originally conceived by Renato Guerreiro (the first president of Anatel), the company quickly established itself in the corporate telecommunications niche. The engineering principles of reliability, efficiency, and performance were evident in how Horizons Telecom developed its infrastructure. Within a decade, it became a reference in its market segment before being acquired by a major investment group in early 2021.
Engineering Virtual Computing Solutions
Following his telecommunications success, Haroldo Jacobovicz launched Arlequim Technologies in 2021. This startup focuses on computer virtualization, offering solutions that enhance the performance of existing equipment to match state-of-the-art machines. The service applies engineering principles to optimize computing resources, targeting corporate, public sector, and retail markets—particularly gamers—providing cost-effective alternatives to hardware replacement.
The Engineer’s Approach to Business
Throughout his career, Haroldo Jacobovicz has applied engineering methodologies to business challenges. His approach typically involves systematic analysis of problems, identification of inefficiencies, and development of optimized solutions. This engineering mindset, combined with his foresight regarding technological trends, has enabled him to identify opportunities and develop successful business models across multiple sectors.
The professional journey of Haroldo Jacobovicz demonstrates how an engineering background can provide valuable perspective even when applied outside traditional engineering fields. His ability to see potential applications for emerging technologies and to develop practical implementation strategies has resulted in multiple successful businesses that have improved operations for organizations and individuals throughout Brazil.