By: Elowen Gray
Gabriel Gaede‘s recent exit from the Brazilian tech scene represents far more than a successful business deal. For the young entrepreneur who started coding at age 14, it marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of an even more ambitious journey exploring opportunities in the global market.
Like many great business stories, Gabriel’s began with a mix of initiative and opportunity. As a college student, he spotted a chance to work with a consulting firm that helped factories run more efficiently. Instead of waiting for an opening, he emailed them directly. His boldness paid off – within six months, they were so impressed they offered him a partnership.
“Manufacturing might not sound glamorous to most people,” Gabriel says with a smile, “but walk into any factory, and you’ll find dedicated workers facing real challenges every day. I saw an opportunity to make their lives easier with the right technology.”
This insight led him to create Troika, a company that helped factories step into the digital age. Under his leadership, they’ve transformed operations for some of the world’s largest industrial players.
Troika offered support for the international operations of a global engineering company, providing solutions to help enhance connectivity across facilities in Brazil, Malaysia, France, and the United Kingdom. For a steel producer, reducing downtime was important. Gabriel’s team helped put a support system in place that plant managers found useful in their operations.
Gabriel’s team addressed a challenge where scheduling delays were impacting construction projects. They developed a system intended to streamline delivery scheduling and help keep projects moving.
Gabriel went on to become a recognized voice in Brazil’s startup ecosystem, appearing on Rede Globo’s startup reality show. His approach contributed to securing funding for product development at Troika and gaining recognition in industry and university acceleration programs.
Meanwhile, he kept pushing his own limits, recently completing a leadership program at the University of Akron, adding to his degrees in business administration and industrial engineering.
“Businesses are built to either grow or die,” he notes, explaining his decision to sell Troika. “The world keeps changing, and if you don’t adapt, you’ll be left behind.” For him, the M&A deal that led to Troika’s sale was a natural step forward. By merging with a company that shared its culture and vision, Troika was able to continue growing, while Gabriel set his sights on exploring new opportunities.
What Gabriel saw throughout his career was a disconnect between exciting new technologies and real-world business needs. While everyone talked about automation and smart factories, most companies were struggling with much more basic challenges. His success came from building bridges – helping traditional businesses modernize at their own pace without disrupting their daily operations.
Even before selling Troika, he was exploring new frontiers, co-founding Indsiders, a joint venture specializing in digital solutions for industry. But his ambitions stretched further. Gabriel is now actively engaged in investment prospecting in the North American market, negotiating and establishing strategic partnerships, and participating in conferences and workshops focused on artificial intelligence and digital technology.
“The United States represents a tremendous opportunity to explore cutting-edge innovations,” Gabriel explains. He is particularly interested in how AI might revolutionize product creation and consumption. “Soon, mass-produced goods won’t be enough,” he predicts. “Companies will need to anticipate what each customer wants and adapt quickly. That’s where AI comes in.”
His journey – from writing code for his family’s business as a teenager to selling his own company and exploring international business opportunities – tells a bigger story about where business is headed. Tomorrow’s innovators won’t just be tech experts or industry veterans. They’ll be people who can bridge both worlds, understanding both the practical challenges businesses face and the cutting-edge solutions technology offers.
As Gabriel continues to explore opportunities in the vibrant tech ecosystem of the United States through conferences, partnerships, and investment prospecting, he’s betting that this combination of hands-on experience and forward-thinking innovation is exactly what the business world needs.
Published by Iris S.
