This study analyzes the speed of internationalization and the permanence of the international operations of technology-based firms. We evaluated two types of technology-based companies: the creative ones, which are those whodevelopand sell software for digital entertainment, education, andgames; and the traditional ones, that is, those that develop and sell software for financial, legal, industrial sectors, among others. The speed with which these firms enter the international market after their foundation was analyzed, as well as the length of time these companies stay operating abroad, thus identifying sustainability over time. The search for results of this research used a qualitative, multiple case study with four internationalized technology-based firms, divided into two groups: creative and traditional. The contribution of this research is to explore which factors that influence the speed and permanence consider the potential of the intangible resource of creativity as a competitive advantage for rapid access to international markets, which, in turn, generates the knowledge that reflects in technological innovation to adapt and compete globally, making international operations sustainable over time.