A Bounds Accelerator Program
Arkansas-Based Accelerator Highstep Launches to Revolutionize Retail Professional Services with AI Integration
Bentonville, Arkansas – February 10th, 2025 – Highstep, an innovative early-stage accelerator program based in Northwest Arkansas, has officially launched with a mission to empower new founders in creating the next generation of tech-enabled professional services firms targeting the retail value chain. Supported by Winrock International, Highstep brings together cutting-edge AI expertise and Arkansas’ rich entrepreneurial ecosystem to foster scalable services businesses.
The program is currently accepting applications from Arkansas-based founders who are eager to address evolving retail challenges through unique professional services. The application deadline is February 23, 2025, with the program running from April 2 to early September 2025. Ten of those applicants will be selected to participate, and up to five of these will each receive $100,000 in private funding to support their growth. Weekly cohort programming will be conducted virtually and in person in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Michael Paladino serves as Managing Director of Highstep. He brings extensive entrepreneurial and technology leadership experience to the program. As co-founder and former CEO of RevUnit, a Bentonville-based digital product agency, Paladino led the company to significant growth, culminating in a private equity investment in 2019. His vision for Highstep is to pave the way for Arkansas-based founders to thrive in the retail value chain.
"Arkansas has a rich history of entrepreneurs that have started and grown their professional services firms here in the state. Highstep is a first-of-its-kind accelerator specifically targeting those types of companies that have repeatedly been proven to work in Arkansas." said Paladino. "Cohort companies will have access to specialized AI expertise ensuring they bring innovative and efficient services to market."
Highstep is also supported by a team of accomplished advisors, including Josh Stanley and Dr. Matthew Waller.
Josh Stanley, Managing Director of Fieldbook Studio, a serial entrepreneur, and digital product expert, has been instrumental in forming and operating multiple Arkansas-based companies since 2017. He also co-founded Teamvvork, a software development firm acquired by RevUnit.
Dr. Matthew Waller, former Dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, entrepreneur and renowned supply chain management expert, also brings his deep expertise to Highstep. He co-founded Mercari Technologies and currently serves as a Strategic Advisor to New Road Capital Partners, among other roles. "By combining Arkansas' retail value chain expertise with cutting-edge AI, Highstep will create scalable services models with operational leverage akin to software companies," said Stanley. "This initiative aims to cement Arkansas' leadership in the retail value chain for decades to come."
Dr. Waller added, "Highstep is poised to catalyze a new generation of scalable, tech-enabled professional services firms. The next agency success stories are waiting to be written, inspired by the success stories authored by the people in this program."
Highstep is funded by a grant from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and supported by the Walton Family Foundation. For more information or to apply to the Highstep program, please visit https://highstep.cartwheel.studio/ or contact Michael Paladino at michael@cartwheel.studio.
The program is currently accepting applications from Arkansas-based founders who are eager to address evolving retail challenges through unique professional services. The application deadline is February 23, 2025, with the program running from April 2 to early September 2025. Ten of those applicants will be selected to participate, and up to five of these will each receive $100,000 in private funding to support their growth. Weekly cohort programming will be conducted virtually and in person in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Michael Paladino serves as Managing Director of Highstep. He brings extensive entrepreneurial and technology leadership experience to the program. As co-founder and former CEO of RevUnit, a Bentonville-based digital product agency, Paladino led the company to significant growth, culminating in a private equity investment in 2019. His vision for Highstep is to pave the way for Arkansas-based founders to thrive in the retail value chain.
"Arkansas has a rich history of entrepreneurs that have started and grown their professional services firms here in the state. Highstep is a first-of-its-kind accelerator specifically targeting those types of companies that have repeatedly been proven to work in Arkansas." said Paladino. "Cohort companies will have access to specialized AI expertise ensuring they bring innovative and efficient services to market."
Highstep is also supported by a team of accomplished advisors, including Josh Stanley and Dr. Matthew Waller.
Josh Stanley, Managing Director of Fieldbook Studio, a serial entrepreneur, and digital product expert, has been instrumental in forming and operating multiple Arkansas-based companies since 2017. He also co-founded Teamvvork, a software development firm acquired by RevUnit.
Dr. Matthew Waller, former Dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, entrepreneur and renowned supply chain management expert, also brings his deep expertise to Highstep. He co-founded Mercari Technologies and currently serves as a Strategic Advisor to New Road Capital Partners, among other roles. "By combining Arkansas' retail value chain expertise with cutting-edge AI, Highstep will create scalable services models with operational leverage akin to software companies," said Stanley. "This initiative aims to cement Arkansas' leadership in the retail value chain for decades to come."
Dr. Waller added, "Highstep is poised to catalyze a new generation of scalable, tech-enabled professional services firms. The next agency success stories are waiting to be written, inspired by the success stories authored by the people in this program."
Highstep is funded by a grant from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and supported by the Walton Family Foundation. For more information or to apply to the Highstep program, please visit https://highstep.cartwheel.studio/ or contact Michael Paladino at michael@cartwheel.studio.