Michael Paladino
About Michael Paladino
Michael Paladino co-founded RevUnit with Joe, his co-founder. RevUnit was a product development company based in Bentonville, Arkansas, that built software for startups and Fortune 500 brands. According to his personal site, over about seven years the team grew to roughly 120 people across Bentonville, Austin and Las Vegas. Clients included Virgin, Walmart, Zappos and Unigroup.
RevUnit made the Inc. 5000 list four years in a row and took strategic investment from a private equity firm in 2019. Paladino holds a BBA in Computer Information Systems from the University of Arkansas. His LinkedIn profile lists an Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Sam M. Walton College of Business in April 2018.
He now describes himself as a founder and advisor. He advises and mentors tech companies and sits on the board of Embark Collaborative, according to ARise Arkansas. A LinkedIn recommendation also refers to his leadership of the Highstep accelerator.
The only angel investment we could confirm from public sources is Advisar. Press coverage of that round names him as an angel investor and as co-founder of RevUnit. We did not find a public list of his other angel investments, a Crunchbase investor record, or any fund affiliation.
Advisar announced a $750K pre-seed round on August 27, 2026. Clutch VC led it. Other participants were Venture Center Arkansas Fund, The Validation Fund at Winrock International, Rekall Capital, White River Capital Advisors, Michael Paladino and Jeff Amerine of Cadron Capital.
Advisar is based in Bentonville and was founded by Christina Johnson, a former Chief of Staff to the GM of Walmart Connect. It is an AI-enabled decisioning layer for retail media. It helps retail suppliers see how their retail media spend connects to business results. The product was in beta at announcement, with general availability planned for the fall. The company said it would use the funds for product development and go-to-market.
Paladino has not published a thesis, check size or target stage that we could find. His one confirmed deal is a pre-seed round in an AI product for retail suppliers, in his home market of Northwest Arkansas.
His site and ARise profile say he likes working with early-stage founders. He lists software development, product management, executive leadership, board management, company culture and private equity transactions as areas of expertise. Founders should treat him as an advisor-style angel with operating experience in software services and the Walmart supplier ecosystem.
- Advisar: AI-enabled decisioning layer that helps retail suppliers measure retail media performance. He took part in the $750K pre-seed round announced in August 2026.
- michaelpaladino.com
- arisearkansas.org/sme/michael-paladino
- crunchbase.com/person/michael-paladino
- linkedin.com/in/michaelpaladino
- x.com/mpaladino
- morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20260827421329/advisar-lands-750k-t
- finance.yahoo.com/media-advertising/articles/advisar-lands-750k-bring-
- finsmes.com/2026/08/advisar-raises-750k-in-pre-seed-funding.html
Investing activity
Michael Paladino appears in 1 AI deal tracked by the Lounge deals desk. The rounds are mostly Pre-seed, with a median round size of $750K. The most recent is Advisar (Pre-seed, $750K, Aug 2026).
Michael Paladino most often invests alongside Clutch Capital, Jeff Amerine, Venture Center Arkansas Fund and Rekall Capital, and the companies they back on Lounge are mostly in AI.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Michael Paladino
Who is Michael Paladino?
He is a co-founder of RevUnit, a Bentonville, Arkansas software company that took private equity investment in 2019. He now advises startups and invests as an angel.
Has Michael Paladino invested in AI startups?
Yes. He was named as an angel investor in Advisar's $750K pre-seed round, announced August 27, 2026. Advisar builds AI-enabled retail media analytics for suppliers.
What is Michael Paladino's angel check size?
He has not made a check size public. His individual amount in the Advisar round was not disclosed.
What stage does Michael Paladino invest in?
His one confirmed investment is a pre-seed round. He has not published a stated stage focus. His public profiles say he enjoys helping early-stage entrepreneurs.
Where is Michael Paladino based and does he invest locally?
He is based in Bentonville, Arkansas. Advisar is also based in Bentonville, and he has public ties to the Northwest Arkansas tech community, including a board seat at Embark Collaborative.
How can founders contact Michael Paladino?
He lists a personal site at michaelpaladino.com, a LinkedIn profile and an X account at @mpaladino.
Is Michael Paladino an angel investor?
Yes. Michael Paladino invests personally as an angel.
What AI companies has Michael Paladino invested in?
Michael Paladino's AI investments include Advisar. The 1 round on Lounge are listed on this page with amounts, dates and co-investors.
What stage does Michael Paladino invest at?
In the rounds tracked on Lounge, Michael Paladino has invested at Pre-seed, with a median round of $750K.
Who does Michael Paladino co-invest with?
Michael Paladino's most frequent co-investors on Lounge are Clutch Capital (1 deal), Jeff Amerine (1 deal), Venture Center Arkansas Fund (1 deal), Rekall Capital (1 deal) and White River Capital Advisors (1 deal).