Michael Gonzalez
FounderFounder at Palus Finance
Santa Monica, California, United States
FoundedPalus Finance · YC
About
Michael Gonzalez is CTO at Palus Finance. He previously developed monitoring software for quantum computer fleet optimization at defense contracting firms and holds a degree from Caltech.
Founder at Palus FinanceYC W26
Intro paths
YC
Michael went through Y Combinator (Winter 2026) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.
GP
Their group partner at YC was Brad Flora, Backing expeditions into the future — the partner who ran Palus Finance's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗
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In turn, Michael can intro founders to Palus Finance's investors below.
Palus Finance's investors · 1
Co-founders at Palus Finance
SL
Sam LushtakFounder and CEO
Experience
- Palus FinanceChief Technology Officercurrent2025 — present
- HRL Laboratories, LLCEngineer II2024 — 2025
- HRL Laboratories, LLCEngineer I2023 — 2024
- CaltechFrank W. Wood Research Fellow2022Pasadena, CA
- AmazonSoftware Development Engineer Intern2021Tempe, AZ
- NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratorySoftware Development Intern2020 — 2021Pasadena, CA
Skills & more
LeadershipProblem SolvingCommunication1TeamworkProgrammingComputer-Aided Design (CAD)MultilingualWeb DesignCC++PythonJava
+5 more
JavaScriptMATLABAutoCADInventorSOLIDWORKSFrom Michael's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Michael Gonzalez?
- Michael Gonzalez is CTO at Palus Finance. He previously developed monitoring software for quantum computer fleet optimization at defense contracting firms and holds a degree from Caltech.
- Where does Michael Gonzalez work?
- Michael Gonzalez is Founder of Palus Finance.
- What companies did Michael Gonzalez found?
- Michael Gonzalez founded Palus Finance.
- Where did Michael Gonzalez go to school?
- Michael Gonzalez studied at Caltech (Bachelor of Science - BS, Computer Science); Carnegie Mellon University; Terra Environmental Research Institute.
Founder mafias
Y Combinator mafia8,773
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Sam AltmanPresidentFounded Tools for Humanity +3Jessica LivingstonCo-founderFounded Y CombinatorAlexis OhanianYC Summer 2005Founded RedditFred EhrsamYC Summer 2012Founded Nudge +1Matt HuangYC Winter 2011Founded HotspotsTrae StephensYC Winter 2022Founded Pursuit +1
+ 8,766 more
Carnegie Mellon University mafia231
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Kai-Fu LeeResearch Computer Scientist / Assistant ProfessorFounded 01Lucy GuoComputer ScienceFounded Passes +1Joshua XuMaster's degreeFounded HeyGenWilliam GuttmanDistinguished Service Professor of Economics & Special Advisor to ProvostFounded CurvePoint +3Dr. Manu KumarBSFounded K9 Ventures +2Rodney BrooksResearch ScientistFounded Rethink Robotics +2
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Caltech mafia66
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Dario AmodeiProgress towards BSFounded AnthropicFei-Fei LiDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded World LabsBill GrossBachelor of Science (B.S.)Founded X1 +5Chris VoigtPhDFounded Asimov +2Seth LieblichDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded Protomer +1Gil ElbazBSFounded TenOneTen Ventures +1
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Same school
Also attended Caltech144
Shaun MaguirePartner at Sequoia CapitalDario AmodeiCo-founder & CEO of AnthropicFei-Fei LiCo-founder & CEO of World Labs; Sequoia Professor of Computer Science at StanfordScott BillerInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Seth LieblichInvestment Team at 8VCMarkus EnzelbergerPartner at Versant Ventures
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Also attended Carnegie Mellon University412
Kai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AILucy GuoCo-founder of Scale AI; founder & CEO of PassesJoshua XuCo-founder & CEO of HeyGenJavier SolteroSenior Venture Partner at Felicis VenturesAvi BharadwajInvestment Director at Intel CapitalRasik ParikhInvestor at Madrona Venture Group
+ 406 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Palus Finance1
Also worked at HRL Laboratories, LLC6
Jordan NooneGeneral Partner at Embedded VenturesDaniel DocterManaging Director at Dell Technologies CapitalHoward HartenbaumGeneral Partner at August CapitalJanet HurFounder at NuvolaAlexander GabourieFounder at DeepSim, Inc.Larry LarsonBoard Chair; Sorensen Family Dean of Engineering, Brown University at Slater Technology Fund
Also worked at Caltech77
Alex BlaniaCo-founder & CEO of Tools for HumanityHaomiao HuangFounding Partner at Matter Venture PartnersConnor CooleyVenture Partner at Electric Feel Ventures LlcHelen McBrideOperating Partner at BOLD LongevityAlex HartzGeneral Partner at Shine CapitalDeb RayCo-founder and Chief AI Officer, InferenceCloud.ai at SignalFire
+ 71 more
Also worked at Amazon651
Apoorva MehtaFounder of Instacart; founder of Cloud Health SystemsBinny BansalCo-founder of Flipkart; co-founder of PhonePe and OppDoorBrad PorterFounder & CEO of Collaborative RoboticsJane MooneyCo-founder & VP, Strategy and Finance at Collaborative RoboticsNick FrosstCo-founder of CohereDave MunichielloInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)
+ 645 more