The career of
Brazilian entrepreneur Haroldo Jacobovicz offers valuable insights into the
critical role of timing in technology ventures. His professional journey,
spanning from the 1980s to the present, demonstrates how market readiness,
technological maturity, and institutional needs interact to determine business success—sometimes
requiring strategic patience and repositioning.

Early Vision
and Market Readiness

During his civil
engineering studies at the Federal University of Paraná in the 1980s, Haroldo
Jacobovicz recognized information technology’s transformative potential before
completing his degree. This insight prompted him to establish Microsystem with
three technically proficient friends, aiming to automate inventory control and
cash registers for small retail
businesses, pharmacies, and supermarkets.

Despite the technical
feasibility of their solution, the venture closed after two years. The critical
lesson: technical possibility
alone doesn’t ensure market success. As Jacobovicz discovered, “that
market was not yet ready for computerization.” This early experience
highlighted the gap between technological vision and market adoption readiness
that many pioneers encounter.

Learning from
Timing Challenges

Rather than abandoning
his technological focus after this initial setback, Haroldo Jacobovicz
recalibrated his approach. Recognizing that larger organizations might be more
receptive to technological innovation, he joined Esso (now Exxon Mobil), where
he rapidly advanced to positions involving computer-processed data for business
analysis and strategy.

Later, at the Itaipu
Hydroelectric Plant, Jacobovicz observed the specific challenges of technology
adoption within public sector contexts, particularly noting “the
difficulty in adopting computers given the bureaucracy involved in immobilizing
permanent assets.” These insights into institutional barriers would
inform his subsequent business timing decisions.

Strategic
Repositioning for Market Fit

After gaining
experience in both multinational and state-owned environments,
Haroldo Jacobovicz returned to entrepreneurship in the 1990s with a more
strategically timed approach. He established Minauro, offering computer rental
and maintenance services primarily to public agencies—directly addressing the
bureaucratic difficulties he had observed in government technology acquisition.

The business
model—providing four-year contracts with equipment replacement every 18 months
and included maintenance—proved highly successful, winning numerous government
contracts throughout Brazil’s South and Southeast regions. Jacobovicz had
identified not only a technical need but also the specific institutional
constraints that shaped technology adoption timing in public organizations.

Expanding at
the Right Moment

As computerization
became more established in Brazilian institutions, Haroldo Jacobovicz
recognized the growing importance of software solutions beyond hardware
provision. Through strategic acquisitions of companies including Consult,
Perform, and Sisteplan, he expanded his business offerings to create the e-Governe Group,
providing comprehensive IT solutions for public administration needs.

This expansion
reflected Jacobovicz’s understanding of how technology adoption progresses
within organizations—from basic infrastructure to increasingly specialized
applications addressing specific operational requirements. The e-Governe
Group’s continued presence in numerous Brazilian municipalities demonstrates
the sustainability of this timely expansion.

Telecommunications
Entry Point

In 2010, Haroldo
Jacobovicz identified another strategic timing opportunity by founding Horizons
Telecom to serve the corporate market. Built “from scratch using the best
technical, human and strategic resources available,” the company entered
the telecommunications sector as businesses increasingly required dedicated
network infrastructure to support their operations.

The original project
benefited from collaboration with electrical engineer Renato Guerreiro, the
first president of Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel),
bringing regulatory understanding that enhanced the venture’s strategic
positioning. Within a decade, Horizons Telecom established itself as a
reference in the corporate
telecommunications market, attracting acquisition by a major investment
group in early 2021.

Current Market
Timing

Following the
telecommunications company sale, Haroldo Jacobovicz launched Arlequim
Technologies in 2021, focusing on computer virtualization. This venture aims to
enhance the performance of existing equipment across various markets, providing
cost-effective alternatives to hardware replacement—a value proposition
particularly relevant given current supply chain challenges and sustainability
concerns.

The company’s focus on
boosting “outdated computer[s], making [their] performance compatible with
state-of-the-art equipment” without requiring new hardware purchases
demonstrates Jacobovicz’s continued attention to market timing factors,
including economic pressures and environmental considerations that influence
technology decisions.

Patience and
Persistence

Throughout his career,
Haroldo Jacobovicz has demonstrated that successful technology entrepreneurship
requires not only identifying opportunities but also recognizing when markets
are ready for specific solutions. His professional journey illustrates how
initial timing challenges can provide valuable insights for subsequent ventures
when combined with patient observation and strategic repositioning.

For current technology
entrepreneurs, Jacobovicz’s
experience offers an important reminder that technical possibility
represents only one factor in business success. Understanding institutional
contexts, adoption barriers, and market readiness proves equally crucial for
effective timing of technology ventures across different sectors and developmental
stages.