The story of Haroldo Jacobovicz tracks alongside the development of Brazil’s technology sector over the past four decades. From his initial attempt at business ownership as a university student to his current role heading a virtualisation startup, his career reflects both the opportunities and difficulties of building companies in an emerging market.
Engineering Roots
Jacobovicz was raised in Curitiba within a household where technical expertise was commonplace. His mother Sarita ranked among Paraná’s pioneering female civil engineers, while his father Alfredo balanced professional engineering work with a university teaching position. Following seven years of military education, Jacobovicz completed his own civil engineering qualification at the Federal University of Paraná. Yet construction never held his attention the way computing did.
A False Start in Retail Technology
The early 1980s saw personal computers beginning to appear in Brazilian businesses, and Haroldo Jacobovicz wanted to be part of this shift. In 1983, he convinced three friends with technical backgrounds to join him in founding Microsystem. Their plan involved selling automation services to small retailers—computerising the inventory tracking and cash register functions that most shops still handled manually.
The venture lasted just two years. Brazilian small business owners were not yet convinced they needed such services, and the infrastructure to support widespread computerisation remained underdeveloped. Microsystem closed, but the experience left its mark on how Jacobovicz would approach future opportunities.
Gaining Perspective Through Employment
Rather than immediately trying another startup, Jacobovicz took positions that broadened his understanding of organisational dynamics. At Esso, the petroleum distributor, he advanced from sales roles to strategic planning at the company’s national headquarters. His subsequent posting at Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant offered a window into state enterprise operations, particularly the procedural obstacles that made technology procurement difficult for public bodies.
Applying Accumulated Knowledge
When Haroldo Jacobovicz did return to entrepreneurship, he brought a more measured perspective. Minauro, his computer leasing company, was specifically designed around the purchasing constraints faced by government clients. The rental model, complete with scheduled hardware refreshes and maintenance services, addressed real problems that public administrators encountered when trying to modernise their offices.
This venture grew through the acquisition of software companies specialising in municipal management systems, eventually becoming the e-Governe Group. In 2010, Jacobovicz expanded into telecommunications with Horizons Telecom, a carrier serving corporate accounts. That business operated for eleven years before being purchased by investors in 2021.
What Comes Next
Today, Jacobovicz directs Arlequim Technologies, founded shortly after the Horizons transaction concluded. The company provides virtualisation services that promise to make older computers perform more capably without hardware replacement. Its intended audience spans businesses, government organisations, and individual users seeking improved computing power at lower cost.
At this stage of his career, Jacobovicz continues applying the same basic formula: identify a specific problem, develop a practical solution, and ensure the market is actually prepared to receive it.