Our Company
8 Rivers Capital is a private equity firm that helps bring new ideas to market. Two friends from MIT formed 8 Rivers and its sister company, Palmer Labs. 8 Rivers provides a commercialization platform for Palmer Labs and other innovators. By separating the functions of innovation and commercialization, we avoid some of the pitfalls that have plagued other inventor-focused firms. We do not want to be just another firm that collects IP but fails to bring the technology to market. 8 Rivers enables both technologies and innovators to achieve their fullest potential, helping them improve the world in exciting and unexpected ways.
Our History
Dr. Miles Palmer and Bill Brown met at MIT. Miles earned degrees in EE and Chemistry, and Bill earned degrees in Biology and Political Science. After MIT and graduate school at UC San Diego, Miles served five years in the Air Force flying flight tests and was nominated for astronaut duty. Miles then moved into research at SAIC and spent the next 22 years developing a variety of technologies in biofuels, zero-emission coal plants, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and hybrid vehicles. Bill left MIT to go into law. He attended Duke and practiced law in New York City, first for Donovan Leisure Newton & Irvine and then as partner for Sidley Austin. He then moved into finance, working for Goldman Sachs, AIG and Morgan Stanley. From there he moved to Duke University as a Visiting Professor. With Miles' technology innovation background and Bill's financial and legal background, they partnered to form Palmer Labs and 8 Rivers Capital.