Despite the assistive technology market surpassing $22 billion in 2023 and expected to grow rapidly by 2030, early-stage founders building products for people with disabilities still face a massive funding gap. That’s where Adaptation Ventures comes in—a new angel investing group focused on backing startups that build for accessibility from day one.
Founded by Brittany and Rich Palmer—both startup veterans, angel investors, and persons with disabilities—Adaptation Ventures aims to be the first check in for founders often overlooked by traditional VCs. Brittany’s own experience raising capital for her startup Beeyonder, which created virtual travel experiences for people with disabilities, made the gap personal. She quickly realized that most venture capitalists simply didn’t understand the scale or potential of the disability community.
The Palmers encountered this disconnect again and again. While Rich worked on the investing side at Launchpad Venture Group, he also noticed how little attention was paid to accessibility-focused innovation. And though the couple initially pursued raising a traditional VC fund, they found that some of the early momentum they built—especially from impact-focused LPs—waned as political narratives around diversity, equity, and inclusion shifted with the U.S. administration.
Instead, they decided to go where the interest really was: individual angel investors eager to back inclusive innovation more directly. Adaptation Ventures emerged from that pivot, designed to fill the early capital void that so many accessibility tech startups face.
Backing Innovation That Includes Everyone
With Adaptation Ventures, the Palmers want to make a meaningful dent in a neglected corner of the tech world. The group plans to invest a minimum of $250,000 per company, with room for co-investment from its members. It will host quarterly pitch meetings featuring at least four startups, with investor votes determining who moves on to due diligence.
Their investment thesis is broad but purpose-driven: they’re interested in startups building specifically for people with disabilities, as well as companies that serve a general audience but offer real value to disabled populations. Rich sums it up as investing in “making the big stuff smaller and the expensive stuff cheaper.”
Startups like ReBokeh, which designs assistive tools for people with low vision, fit squarely within their mission. But so do companies like Tonal, which wasn’t designed exclusively for disabled users but makes strength training more accessible for people who can’t use traditional weights.
What makes Adaptation Ventures distinct is not just their focus, but their lived experience. Brittany is a bilateral amputee. Rich is a brain aneurysm survivor who has navigated both temporary and permanent disabilities. Their personal journeys have made them a magnet for founders in the accessibility space—and their track record as angels proves they’re already trusted allies in it.
“There are no angel groups like this,” Rich said. “There’s no first money in that’s helping companies go from point A to point B, and it’s crazy. We’ve both benefited from early believers. Now it’s our turn to do that for others.”
