Haroldo Jacobovicz: Multiple Technology Enterprises Over Four Decades
Haroldo Jacobovicz studied civil engineering at the Federal University of Paraná after completing seven years at Military College, yet directed his professional activities toward information technology during the 1980s. This represented a shift from the path his education and family background might have suggested, as his parents both worked in civil engineering—his father Alfredo practiced while teaching at universities, and his mother Sarita was among the first seven women to become civil engineers in Paraná.
Born as the oldest of four children, he developed interests that diverged from traditional engineering applications. His consistent reading of newspapers and magazines about global developments informed his perspective on emerging opportunities. In 1983, before completing his degree, he joined with three colleagues who had computer expertise to create Microsystem. The company targeted retail businesses with automation solutions for inventory tracking and cash register operations, serving stores, pharmacies, and supermarkets. Market unpreparedness for such technology led to closure after two years, providing early experience with timing and adoption barriers.
Following this initial venture, Haroldo Jacobovicz secured a position at Esso after being selected from a pool of more than 200 engineering candidates through evaluations and group assessments. His career at the multinational oil distribution company progressed through several roles, beginning with reserve sales work and moving to market analysis covering southern Brazil. He eventually reached a position handling commercial tactics and new business development at the company’s Brazilian headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, where his responsibilities centered on analyzing computer-processed information. Fuel price controls under the Cruzado Plan, combined with personal considerations about family proximity, led to his transition away from the multinational.
His next position involved advising the Technical Director at Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant in Paraná. This role within a state-owned enterprise demonstrated how bureaucratic regulations surrounding permanent asset procurement created obstacles to computer technology implementation. After four years with the hydroelectric facility, Haroldo Jacobovicz returned to business ownership with accumulated insights from both corporate and public sector experiences.
He created Minauro to provide computer equipment through rental contracts rather than sales transactions. The business offered four-year agreements with equipment replacement every 18 months, including maintenance provisions. Public sector organizations in southern and southeastern Brazil adopted this model through various contract awards. The company later acquired three firms—Consult, Perform, and Sisteplan—adding software capabilities for tax, financial, administrative, health, and education management. These combined operations became the e-Governe Group, which continues providing IT services to Brazilian municipalities.
In 2010, he founded Horizons Telecom to address corporate telecommunications demands. Built with Renato Guerreiro, an electrical engineer who had previously led Anatel, the company developed market recognition over approximately ten years before being acquired by an investment group in early 2021.
After the telecommunications sale, he established Arlequim Technologies to concentrate on computer virtualization services. The company upgrades performance for older computing equipment through remote resources, serving businesses, government organizations, and retail customers including gaming enthusiasts, enabling modern capabilities without hardware replacement.