Haroldo Jacobovicz Brings Virtualization Technology to Brazilian Markets
The technology sector has seen numerous attempts to make computing more accessible and affordable. Brazilian businessman Haroldo Jacobovicz entered this space in 2021 with Arlequim Technologies, a startup focused on computer virtualization services aimed at improving hardware performance without the need for equipment replacement.
Origins of an Entrepreneurial Mindset
Growing up in Curitiba as the eldest of four siblings, Haroldo Jacobovicz was surrounded by engineering influences. Both parents held civil engineering degrees, with his father combining professional practice with an academic career as a university professor. Despite this background pointing toward traditional construction work, the younger Jacobovicz developed an interest in computing and its business applications during his studies at the Federal University of Paraná.
His first attempt at business came before graduation when he partnered with three colleagues who possessed programming skills. Together they launched Microsystem, targeting small retailers with inventory management and point-of-sale automation. The venture lasted two years before closing—a result Jacobovicz has attributed to market conditions rather than the underlying concept. Retailers at that time simply were not ready to adopt such systems.
Learning Through Corporate Roles
Before returning to entrepreneurship, Haroldo Jacobovicz accumulated experience within larger organisations. At Esso, he worked his way through several positions, eventually handling commercial strategy at the company’s national headquarters. The role introduced him to data-driven decision making and large-scale business operations.
His time at the Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant offered different lessons. Working as an advisor within the state-owned enterprise, he observed how bureaucratic processes complicated technology adoption in public institutions. These insights would prove useful when he later developed businesses serving government clients with IT solutions.
What Arlequim Technologies Offers
Arlequim Technologies provides virtualization services designed to boost the capabilities of computers that might otherwise be considered outdated or underpowered. The company claims its technology can bring older machines up to performance levels matching newer equipment, potentially saving customers significant hardware expenditure.
The business model addresses three distinct segments. Corporate clients can extend the productive life of their existing IT infrastructure. Public sector organisations, often constrained by procurement regulations and limited budgets, represent another target market. Individual consumers form the third segment, with particular attention paid to gamers seeking improved performance. As gamification continues to influence both entertainment and professional software, hardware demands have increased for many users.
A Recurring Business Theme
Across his various enterprises, Jacobovicz has repeatedly focused on technology services that promise practical benefits to users facing resource constraints. Whether through computer leasing arrangements, software solutions for municipal governments, or now virtualization technology, the pattern involves identifying situations where existing resources might be used more effectively.
Arlequim Technologies fits within this approach, though whether the virtualization market will prove receptive to its offerings remains an open question. The company operates in a field with established participants, and its success will ultimately depend on delivering results that justify customer investment.