Business

Haroldo Jacobovicz: Technical Education as a Gateway to Digital Entrepreneurship

Haroldo Jacobovicz

The professional path of Haroldo Jacobovicz shows how educational foundations can lead to unexpected career directions when combined with attentiveness to technological trends. Though his academic training prepared him for civil construction, his business ventures have instead focused on digital systems and connectivity services.

After completing seven years at Military College and studying civil engineering at the Federal University of Paraná, Haroldo Jacobovicz identified opportunities in an entirely different sector. As the son of engineers—his father Alfredo taught at university level while his mother Sarita broke barriers as one of Paraná’s earliest female civil engineers—he received strong technical grounding but chose to apply this knowledge to emerging computer technologies.

His first business attempt came while still completing his university studies, when he gathered several technically-inclined friends to establish Microsystem. Their service targeted retail operations with inventory and sales tracking automation. The company ceased operations after two years when it became evident that potential clients weren’t prepared for such technologies—a situation that taught Haroldo Jacobovicz about the critical importance of market readiness.

This initial setback led him to corporate experience at Esso (now Exxon Mobil), where his analytical skills facilitated quick advancement from reserve salesman to roles involving market analysis and business strategy. His responsibilities increasingly centered on computer-processed data for decision-making, reinforcing his interest in information systems.

When personal circumstances prompted a return to Paraná, Haroldo Jacobovicz joined the Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant as an advisor to its Technical Director. This position provided insights into public sector operations, particularly regarding technology adoption constraints caused by institutional procurement procedures.

Drawing on these observations, he later established Minauro, offering computer rental programs with maintenance services and scheduled equipment updates. This approach addressed the specific needs of government agencies by circumventing capital expenditure limitations while ensuring access to current technology. The business secured contracts throughout southern Brazil by solving this particular administrative challenge.

As his operations expanded, Haroldo Jacobovicz broadened service offerings through strategic acquisitions of software development firms. The resulting e-Governe Group continues providing digital systems for municipal administration throughout Brazil.

In 2010, he launched Horizons Telecom with input from Renato Guerreiro, who had previously headed Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency. The company focused on corporate connectivity solutions, operating successfully for a decade before being sold to investors in 2021.

Following this transaction, Haroldo Jacobovicz developed Arlequim Technologies, which takes an alternative approach to computing access. Rather than emphasizing new equipment sales, the company extends the capabilities of existing hardware through virtualization techniques, making advanced computing more widely accessible across business, government and individual users.

Throughout these business developments, Haroldo Jacobovicz has consistently applied technical knowledge to practical market needs. His ventures demonstrate how engineering training provides analytical frameworks applicable beyond traditional construction fields. By recognizing technology adoption patterns and institutional constraints, he has created services that address specific operational challenges across multiple sectors.