Ability Lane, a centralized marketplace for assistive technology, launched on May 13, 2026, connecting disability families, neurodivergent individuals, caregivers, and older adults with startups developing accessible technology products. The New Haven, Connecticut-based platform functions as a discovery hub for AT that hasn't yet made it to insurance coverage lists or traditional retail channels.

Co-founded by Brittany Palmer and Rich Palmer, both with lived disability experience, the platform addresses a gap most families know well: finding the right AT often requires word-of-mouth referrals, specialist knowledge, or luck. Brittany Palmer, who was born with a bilateral below-elbow limb difference, has a background in law, venture capital, and caregiving. Rich Palmer survived a brain aneurysm rupture and brings experience in venture capital and startup education.

What the Platform Offers

Ability Lane lets families browse AT products by category, read about emerging solutions, and register as community members to provide feedback directly to startups. Startups use the platform to showcase products, gather user feedback through connection requests and surveys, and increase visibility to investors.

The platform serves as a bridge between product development and real-world use. Families can see what's coming before it reaches mainstream channels. Startups get direct input from the people who'll use their products.

"Disability and accessible technology have been treated as niche for far too long, when in reality, it impacts almost everyone," Palmer said in the launch announcement.

Why This Matters for Families

Most families discover assistive technology through therapists, parent support groups, or trial-and-error research. Insurance companies typically don't cover AT until it's established in the market, which means families either wait years for coverage or pay out-of-pocket for emerging solutions they learn about through informal channels.

A centralized discovery platform gives families a structured way to explore what's available outside the traditional system. You can browse by need area, read about product development stages, and flag items relevant to your child or family member's needs. Startups building these products get feedback from families who'll use them, which means better design decisions before products launch.

What Families Can Do Now

Visit abilitylane.com to explore the platform. You can browse products without registering, but creating a community member account lets you:

• Provide feedback to startups through surveys and connection requests
• Flag products relevant to your family's needs
• Track emerging solutions that aren't yet available through insurance or retail channels

The platform is free for families and community members. Startups and investors pay to showcase products and access feedback data.

Who's Behind It

Brittany Palmer serves as CEO. Her experience spans law, venture capital, and entrepreneurship, in addition to her lived experience navigating disability. Rich Palmer's background includes venture capital and startup education. Both are managing partners of Adaptation Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on disability innovation.

The company is based in New Haven, Connecticut, and launched with the goal of reducing fragmentation across the assistive technology market. The platform treats disability and accessible technology as a mainstream market rather than a niche sector.

For families who've struggled to find AT that matches their child's needs, or who've discovered products years after they could've been useful, Ability Lane offers a new discovery path. You'll find emerging solutions in one place, and startups building those products will hear directly from the families who need them.