TiE Boston ScaleUp Alum Nivi Lands Global Collaboration with MSD to Expand Cervical Cancer Prevention Efforts

BOSTON — Nivi, a digital health company that participated in TiE Boston’s ScaleUp accelerator in 2022, has announced a global collaboration with MSD aimed at expanding awareness of HPV-related diseases and cervical cancer prevention in emerging markets.

The partnership marks a significant milestone for the Boston-based health technology company, which has evolved from an early-stage growth company into a global digital health platform serving millions of users. Through the collaboration, Nivi and MSD will deploy AI-powered health guidance tools in India, Indonesia, and Thailand to help consumers access information about HPV risks, vaccination, and cervical cancer screening.

The initiative will leverage Nivi’s conversational AI platform, which has already engaged more than 2.5 million users with personalized healthcare guidance through mobile channels such as WhatsApp and other messaging services. The platform allows users to receive localized health information, complete personalized risk assessments, ask questions in local languages, and connect with nearby screening and vaccination resources.

For Nivi, the collaboration represents validation of a business model that combines artificial intelligence, consumer engagement, and public health outreach in markets where access to healthcare information can be limited.

“Our participation in the ScaleUp accelerator came at a pivotal moment when we were sharpening our commercial model,” said Siddhartha Goyal, founder and CEO of Nivi. “The cohort helped inform our thinking, and lessons from mentors such as Kent Summers still come up today when discussing our sales pipeline and growth strategy.”

Founded to address healthcare access challenges in emerging markets, Nivi has developed a platform that uses AI-driven conversations to guide individuals through healthcare decisions while generating insights into consumer health-seeking behavior. The company says its personalized approach has achieved engagement rates as high as 90 percent in some programs.

Under the new collaboration, MSD will use the platform to help address major knowledge gaps surrounding HPV and cervical cancer prevention. The effort is particularly significant in India, which carries the world’s largest cervical cancer burden, as well as Indonesia and Thailand, where screening and prevention challenges remain substantial.

The World Health Organization has identified cervical cancer elimination as a global public health goal, calling for widespread HPV vaccination and screening programs. Nivi and MSD say the collaboration is designed to support those objectives by helping consumers better understand prevention options and access available healthcare services.

Beyond the public health impact, the partnership may signal a broader shift in how pharmaceutical companies engage directly with consumers in emerging markets.

According to Nivi, the MSD collaboration serves as an early proof point for a scalable model that combines pharmaceutical expertise with AI-powered consumer engagement. The company believes similar approaches could be applied across multiple therapeutic areas and geographies in the future.

For TiE Boston, the announcement highlights the long-term impact of its ScaleUp accelerator, which helps founders refine growth strategies, strengthen business models, and prepare for commercial expansion.

Four years after participating in the program, Nivi’s collaboration with one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies demonstrates how accelerator support, mentorship, and strategic guidance can help emerging companies grow into globally relevant innovators.

The initial deployment of the HPV awareness platform began in September 2025 and is currently focused on India, Indonesia, and Thailand, with potential expansion into additional markets based on program outcomes and impact metrics.