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Rich Palmer

Entrepreneur & Investor

New York & London

Rich Palmer

Brittany Palmer

Anastasia Papadopoulou-Van Dijk

Rich Palmer’s Biography

Rich Palmer is an entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. He is a recognised leader in artificial intelligence having founded, scaled and successfully exited an AI company. Rich is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Adaptation Ventures, investing in technology companies with robust capabilities to scale globally and a shared mission to maximise independence for millions of people. He is also Co-Founder of Ability Lane, a pioneering community platform connecting founders and investors to people with disabilities and neurodivergence, caregivers and older adults to accelerate the discovery, development and adoption of accessible technologies.

Rich began his career on Wall Street as a software engineer, at Relationship Science and S&P Capital IQ's quantitative intelligence team. At 28, he survived a ruptured brain aneurysm. The experience of relearning how to walk, talk, read and write profoundly shaped his perspective on resilience, innovation and the role technology can play in expanding opportunity.

This is when Rich co-founded Gravyty, a patented AI platform that transformed... Rich Palmer is an entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. He is a recognised leader in artificial intelligence having founded, scaled and successfully exited an AI company. Rich is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Adaptation Ventures, investing in technology companies with robust capabilities to scale globally and a shared mission to maximise independence for millions of people. He is also Co-Founder of Ability Lane, a pioneering community platform connecting founders and investors to people with disabilities and neurodivergence, caregivers and older adults to accelerate the discovery, development and adoption of accessible technologies.

Rich began his career on Wall Street as a software engineer, at Relationship Science and S&P Capital IQ's quantitative intelligence team. At 28, he survived a ruptured brain aneurysm. The experience of relearning how to walk, talk, read and write profoundly shaped his perspective on resilience, innovation and the role technology can play in expanding opportunity.

This is when Rich co-founded Gravyty, a patented AI platform that transformed fundraising for not-for-profit teams, helping them identify and engage donors more effectively. As CTO, he rapidly grew the business into a platform that is currently used by 2,750+ universities, hospitals and not-for-profit organisations globally.

Today, Rich is a respected voice on entrepreneurship, AI and early-stage investing, having delivered the acclaimed TEDx talk "Harnessing the Power of Vulnerability" and speaking regularly to business leaders, including at SXSW, Techstars and the Open Data Science Conference. He has served as Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Adjunct Professor at Babson College, the No. 1 entrepreneurship school in the USA, mentoring the next generation, and has been recognised by the Boston Business Journal's 40 Under 40 and Babson College's Entrepreneurship Award. READ MORE VIEW LESS

Rich Palmer’s Newsfeed

Adaptation Ventures

Nine Years: You can't outspend your body. Longevity spending on its own is a position with no hedge.

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Adaptation Ventures

Compound Interest: Closing the $1 trillion women’s health gap

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Rich Palmer’s Background

Adaptation Ventures

Managing Partner

Jan 2025 - Present

New York, NY, USA

Adaptation Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in next-generation companies building disability, neurodivergence, and health technology to maximise human independence and potential.

Ability Lane

Co-Founder

May 2026 - Present

New York, NY, USA

Ability Lane is a pioneering community platform connecting founders to investors and people with disabilities and neurodivergence, caregivers and older adults in order to accelerate the discovery, development and adoption of accessible technologies.

Launchpad Venture Group

Managing Director

Sep 2022 - Sep 2023

Newton, MA, USA

As Managing Director, Rich helped expand Launchpad Venture Group's early-stage investment community while connecting founders with investors and strengthening relationships across the New England startup ecosystem.

Launchpad Venture Group

Member

Dec 2019 - Present

Newton, MA, USA

Gravyty

Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer

Jun 2015 - May 2021

Boston, MA, USA

Gravyty is a fundraising technology company that uses artificial intelligence to help mission-driven organisations identify prospective supporters, personalise outreach and build stronger long-term donor relationships.

Relationship Science

Product Development

Oct 2011 - Aug 2014

New York, NY, USA

Relationship Science is a relationship intelligence platform that helps organisations uncover and analyse professional networks to support business development, fundraising, recruitment and strategic decision-making.

S&P Capital IQ

Senior Product Manager

Jun 2007 - Dec 2010

New York, NY, USA

S&P Capital IQ is a financial information and analytics platform that provides investors, corporations and financial professionals with market intelligence, company data and analytical tools to support investment research and business decision-making.

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Rich Palmer’s Gallery

Rich Palmer takes part in a seated conversation against a backdrop of motorsport memorabilia, including racing suits and historic photographs.

Rich Palmer stands in a congressional hearing room, with the witness table, committee seating and US flags behind him.

Rich Palmer’s nameplate marks his place at a witness table in a congressional hearing room, with a microphone ready for proceedings.

Board Positions

HapWare

Board Director

Creating a future where social interactions are both accessible and equitable by providing people who are blind, low vision, neurodivergent, or deaf-blind with real-time access to nonverbal communication.

Advisory Roles

EmpathyTech

Advisory Board Member

May 2026 - Present

Philadelphia, PA, USA

Rich advises EmpathyTech on artificial intelligence, product strategy, and technology commercialisation as the company develops digital solutions that improve accessibility and inclusion.

Previous Board Positions

Angel Capital Association

Board Director

Washington, DC, USA

As a member of the Public Policy Committee Rich testified before the United States Congress on venture investing, ecosystem building, artificial intelligence, and best practices for early stage investors and entrepreneurs.

Beeyonder

Board Member

Boston, MA, USA

Beeyonder was a virtual travel platform that delivered live, interactive online tours of museums, landmarks, wildlife, and cultural destinations worldwide, helping make travel experiences more accessible for people with mobility, health, and other travel limitations.

Media

TEDx Talks | Harnessing the Power of Vulnerability | Rich Palmer | TEDxBabsonCollege

Speaker

Rich reflects on his evolution from founder to investor, discussing how building companies, backing entrepreneurs and navigating the startup ecosystem have shaped his perspective on innovation and early-stage growth.

Memberships

Post Exit Founders

Member

Rich is a member of Post Exit Founders, a private community of entrepreneurs who have successfully exited businesses and continue to support one another through investment, mentorship, and new venture creation.

Awards & Recognition

Babson College Entrepreneurship Award 2015-2016

Rich was recognised by Babson College, ranked #1 in Entrepreneurship for over 30 years, for his entrepreneurial pursuits and commitment to educating the next generation of mission-driven founders.

Systems and methods for providing and managing proactive and intelligent communications

Patent

Jan 2022

Rich contributed to patented technology applying AI and predictive modelling to deliver proactive, personalised communications based on customer data and previous interactions.

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Academic Appointments

Babson College

Adjunct Professor

Wellesley, MA, USA

Rich taught New Venture Creation and contributed as a guest lecturer across Artificial Intelligence for Business, Entrepreneurial Finance, the Entrepreneurship Intensity Track, and Cognitive Technologies.

Babson College

Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Wellesley, MA, USA

As Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Babson College, Rich mentors aspiring founders and contributes practical insights on artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and venture building, helping bridge academic learning with real-world innovation.

Speaking Engagements

NeuroTech Frontiers | Keynote: Neurodivergent Exited Founders

Speaker

Oct 2025

Nashville, TN, USA

Rich delivered a keynote exploring how neurodivergent founders who have successfully exited businesses are reshaping entrepreneurship and demonstrating the commercial value of cognitive diversity in innovation.

SXSW | Artificial Intelligence

Speaker

Austin, TX, USA

As a speaker at SXSW, Rich examined the practical application of artificial intelligence, drawing on his experience building AI companies and investing in technologies that expand accessibility and human potential.

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Rich Palmer’s Education

Babson College

MBA, Entrepreneurship Summa Cum Laude, Price Babson Fellow, Entrepreneurship Award

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

BS, Information Technology and Economics Dual Major, Cum Laude, Dean’s List, IT Class Representative