‘Entrepreneurship is born out of discontent’, says Inoa CEO
Workshop ‘Entrepreneurship and Innovation’ was held on Monday (30) at IMPA Tech
Entrepreneurship doesn’t necessarily begin with starting a company, but with a sense of restlessness. “Entrepreneurship simply means discontent with what’s been done,” said Leonardo Arnt, founder and CEO of Inoa, during a workshop held on Monday (30) at IMPA Tech.
Invited to talk to the students about innovation and his professional career, Arnt shared personal experiences and reflections built up over more than a decade at the head of the company. For him, the impulse to become an entrepreneur comes from the desire to transform one’s own reality. “We can decide not to accept what is packaged for us. The point is not to settle for the foreseeable future.”
The executive stressed that the concept of entrepreneurship goes beyond common sense. “Entrepreneurship doesn’t necessarily depend on starting a company or creating a product. It’s about taking a predictable future and making the real future better, generating more value,” he explained.
Arnt also recalled the beginning of his career, when he was still an undergraduate computer engineer at UFRJ, when he had his first contacts with technology projects and realized new possibilities. According to him, the creation of Inoa was the result of a series of attempts, mistakes and opportunities seized along the way. “We were exposed to projects that opened other doors. And that eventually led to building the company,” he said.
Today, Inoa develops technological solutions for large financial institutions and stands out for its specialization in solving complex problems. For Arnt, this recognition is directly linked to the essence of entrepreneurship. “Companies realized that we made technology in a different way, which solved problems that they themselves couldn’t solve.”
Despite the results, Arnt stressed that the most important aspect of the trajectory is the impact generated. “There is a side that is much more sensitive, which is the impact on the economy, on innovation projects. This is very powerful. We sleep happily because of that,” he said. At the end, he encouraged the students to reflect on their own paths and consider bolder ones. “I’d love to encourage some of you to opt for a career with a bit more risk,” he said.
For Josué Ruben, 17, from the class of 2026, the meeting gave him new perspectives on his professional future. “I found the story very interesting and inspiring. Having contact with these opportunities helps us formulate what steps we should take,” he said. “I found it very interesting when he talked about being open to various experiences, trying out projects and thereby refining our academic and professional profile.”
Also from the class of 2026, João Batista, 20, highlighted the impact of the reflections presented. “It adds a lot of knowledge for us, in the sense of preparing us for what could happen in the future,” he said. For him, one of the main messages was about protagonism. “Our future cannot be predefined. We have to always be looking to improve, innovate and know how to take advantage of opportunities when they arise.”
Founded in Rio de Janeiro, Inoa is a technology company specialized in developing solutions for the financial market, with a focus on high-performance systems and data processing. Over the years, the company has established itself as a partner of major institutions in Brazil and abroad. The company is also one of the sponsors of IMPA Tech – an initiative that helps to train students and bring academia and the job market closer together – and takes part in the Industrial Challenges offered to students.
