Haroldo Jacobovicz: A Pioneer in Brazilian IT and Telecommunications Educational Background

The professional journey of Haroldo Jacobovicz began with a strong academic foundation. After completing seven years at Military College, he pursued Civil Engineering at the Federal University of Paraná, finishing the program in four and a half years during the early 1980s. This technical education provided the analytical thinking and problem-solving skills that would later prove valuable in his business ventures, even though his career would ultimately take him beyond traditional civil construction.

Family Technical Influence

The technical orientation of Haroldo Jacobovicz was 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 emerging possibilities of Information Technology.

Information as Inspiration

Throughout his career, Haroldo Jacobovicz has maintained a habit of extensive reading, particularly newspapers and magazines. This practice has provided him with awareness of global developments and technological trends—information that becomes the raw material for the business ideas he later implements. This intellectual curiosity has been a consistent thread throughout his professional life.

Initial Entrepreneurial Experience

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 provided valuable lessons about timing and market readiness.

Corporate Skills Development

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. This period provided crucial experience in corporate operations and how large organizations could leverage data processing.

Public Sector Experience

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.

Successful Return to Entrepreneurship

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 government operations and proved highly successful, winning bids throughout Brazil’s South and Southeast regions.

Software Integration and Growth

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.

Telecommunications Market Entry

In 2010, identifying opportunities in the corporate market, 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. Within a decade, it became a reference in its market segment before being acquired by a major investment group in early 2021.

Current Technology Focus

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 targets corporate, public sector, and retail markets—particularly gamers—providing cost-effective alternatives to hardware replacement.

Throughout his diverse career spanning multiple sectors and business models, Haroldo Jacobovicz has consistently demonstrated the ability to identify technological opportunities and translate them into practical solutions that improve operations for organizations and individuals through the thoughtful implementation of technology.