Haroldo Jacobovicz’s professional trajectory illustrates remarkable adaptability across four decades of technological transformation in Brazil. Following seven formative years at Military Academy and subsequent civil engineering studies at Federal University of Paraná, Jacobovicz recognized computing’s revolutionary potential when most of his contemporaries focused exclusively on traditional construction careers.
As the oldest among four siblings in a family where engineering excellence was expected—his father Alfredo combined civil engineering practice with university teaching while his mother Sarita pioneered as among the first women engineers in Paraná—Jacobovicz might naturally have followed conventional career paths. Instead, he developed a fascination with emerging information systems that would define his professional journey.
Jacobovicz cultivated a lifelong habit of extensive media consumption, constantly absorbing information from newspapers, magazines and industry publications. This practice provided crucial awareness of global technological developments that informed his business decisions and helped him anticipate industry shifts before they became evident to competitors.
His entrepreneurial debut came before graduation when he collaborated with three technically proficient friends to establish Microsystem, aiming to revolutionize retail operations through computerized inventory and transaction processing for local businesses. Though the market proved unready for such innovation—leading to the venture’s closure after two years—this experience provided valuable lessons about timing technological implementations appropriately.
Following this initial foray into entrepreneurship, Jacobovicz gained corporate experience at Esso (later rebranded as Exxon Mobil). Standing out among hundreds of engineering candidates during recruitment, he advanced rapidly from field sales positions to regional market analysis and ultimately to the company’s Brazilian headquarters, where he managed commercial strategy development. This period reinforced his understanding of how data-driven decision making could transform organizational performance.
When Brazil’s economic climate shifted during the Cruzado Plan implementation, Jacobovicz returned to Paraná and accepted an advisory position at the renowned Itaipu Hydroelectric facility. This role revealed the unique challenges government institutions faced when attempting to modernize their technological infrastructure, particularly regarding procurement regulations and equipment classification—insights that would later inspire innovative business solutions.
After absorbing lessons from both corporate and government environments, Jacobovicz launched Minauro with a distinctive approach targeting public sector technology needs. The company offered four-year equipment leasing agreements with hardware refreshes every eighteen months, elegantly circumventing the administrative barriers to technology adoption he had observed firsthand. This solution proved extraordinarily successful throughout Brazil’s southern and southeastern regions.
Recognizing that software increasingly defined technology’s value proposition, Jacobovicz expanded his business portfolio through strategic acquisitions of specialized developers including Consult, Perform, and Sisteplan. This consolidation created the e-Governe Group, delivering integrated digital systems for municipal governments across taxation, financial management, administrative functions, healthcare services and educational administration.
In 2010, perceiving untapped potential in enterprise telecommunications, Jacobovicz established Horizons Telecom. Building on conceptual foundations developed by Renato Guerreiro (who previously served as Anatel’s first president), and investing in premium infrastructure and talent, the company rapidly distinguished itself in Brazil’s corporate connectivity market. Within a decade, Horizons Telecom achieved such prominence that it was acquired by a major investment group seeking to expand its telecommunications portfolio.
Following this successful exit, Jacobovicz introduced Arlequim Technologies in 2021, focusing on virtualization solutions that maximize existing hardware performance without physical replacement. This approach addresses contemporary concerns regarding environmental sustainability and cost efficiency while serving diverse clients across corporate, government and consumer markets.
Throughout these transitions—from hardware to software, from public sector focus to corporate services, from telecommunications to virtualization—Jacobovicz has maintained a consistent philosophy centered on practical problem-solving through appropriate technology implementation. His career exemplifies how technical knowledge combined with market awareness can create sustainable business success across evolving technology landscapes.
His social network: https://www.facebook.com/haroldojacobovicz/