The global assistive technology market reached over $22 billion in 2023 and is expected to experience significant growth by 2030. Despite this promising outlook, many entrepreneurs developing innovative tech solutions for people with disabilities face challenges in securing early-stage funding to kickstart their ventures.
Enter Adaptation Ventures, a fresh angel investment group dedicated to closing this funding gap. Their mission is to support startups pioneering accessibility technology—whether they focus solely on disability-specific solutions or develop products that benefit broader markets while also assisting those with disabilities.
Co-founded by Brittany and Rich Palmer, a married duo with personal and professional ties to the startup world, Adaptation Ventures aims to foster innovation in accessibility. Both Brittany and Rich are former startup founders, seasoned angel investors, and individuals with disabilities. Brittany shared her firsthand experience with the funding challenge during her attempt to raise capital for Beeyonder, a startup providing virtual travel experiences tailored for people with disabilities.
“Venture capital firms didn’t fully grasp the size of the disability community or the opportunities within it,” Brittany explained. “Many founders in the disability tech space echoed that sentiment—there’s a real lack of understanding from the startup and VC communities.”
Rich, previously a co-founder of Gravyty and a managing director at Launchpad Venture Group, echoed this perspective. He pointed out that while they recognized the immense potential in this sector, connecting talented founders with the necessary capital was a persistent challenge.
Initially, the couple aimed to establish a traditional venture fund, pitching to impact investors and high-net-worth individuals. Although they garnered some interest, shifting industry narratives around diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially under the new presidential administration, led to changing investor priorities. They also discovered that many high-net-worth individuals preferred to engage directly with startups rather than invest passively through a fund.
This realization prompted them to pivot toward creating an angel group. “We’ve both benefited from early-stage investors,” Rich said. “As people with disabilities ourselves, we saw a gap—no one was providing the initial funding needed to help these companies grow. It felt like a no-brainer to step in.”
Adaptation Ventures plans to invest at least $250,000 in each selected startup, with opportunities for co-investment. The group will hold quarterly meetings, featuring at least four pitches per session, with investors voting on which companies advance to due diligence.
The investment focus is broad but strategic—aiming to make big challenges smaller and reduce costs for impactful solutions. For example, they might back ReBokeh, a company developing assistive tech for low-vision individuals, or support products like Tonal, which makes physical exercise accessible for those with mobility impairments.
Rich humorously notes that their combined decades of experience in startups and investing have been preparing them for this new role. “I’m a brain aneurysm survivor, living with temporary and permanent disabilities,” he shared. “Brittany is a bilateral amputee. These experiences shape who we are and why we’re passionate about supporting founders in this space. The funding landscape isn’t always friendly, so we knew we had to step up.”
With a clear mission to empower accessibility innovators, Adaptation Ventures is poised to drive meaningful change—making impactful technology more accessible and available to those who need it most.
