Nigel Parker: How Personal Insights Led to the Genesis of Vivara

Nigel Parker has been a leader in technological innovation for nearly 30 years, playing a key role in everything from the rise of mobile phones to the AI revolution. After co-founding tech companies in the late '90s, he spent 18 years at Microsoft, driving transformative technologies across industries globally. Now, as co-founder of Vivara, Nigel is focused on revolutionising wellbeing through data-driven insights that empower individuals to take control of their health. His deep expertise spans both technology and human behaviour, making complex innovations accessible and impactful for all. Today he gives us a sneak peek into his exciting new venture.

How Personal Insights Led to the Genesis of Vivara

For over a decade, I’ve been on a journey of self-discovery—using personal data to take control of my health—and it has transformed my wellbeing in ways I never imagined.

It all began in December 2012 when I received a Christmas card from the team at Provoke, thanking me for our work together that year. Attached to the card was a “smart pedometer,” the Fitbit One. Tracking my steps and competing with friends and family quickly became my new obsession.

At first, it was just about counting steps, but over time, I realised the power of data to guide more profound changes. From wearables to genetic testing, each new piece of data helped me unlock insights that traditional healthcare alone hadn’t provided.

The Data-Driven Journey

In 2015, I was featured in the NZ Herald, where I shared my belief that once people gain awareness of their own health data, they are far more likely to break bad habits and improve their wellbeing. However, I also emphasised that technology should be an enabler, not a distraction—data must serve a purpose, not just be collected for its own sake.

By 2017, I had shared the early days of my journey in a TEDxAuckland talk, where I released open-source software to help early adopters in the Garmin ecosystem gain insights from their health data. My talk focused on the challenge many people face: how to make change stick.

Here are the key lessons I learned and shared in that talk:

1. Motivation is Fleeting: Anyone who has set a health goal knows how quickly the initial excitement fades. But with the right formula—combining dissatisfaction with your current state, a clear vision, and simple, actionable steps—long-term change becomes possible.
2. Flexibility is Key: Life is unpredictable. Whether it’s illness, life events, or unforeseen obstacles, being adaptable is crucial. Change isn’t linear, and flexibility helps keep you on course even when resistance arises.
3. Data-Driven Insights: Using data to track progress offers objective feedback and helps people make more informed choices. Today’s wearable devices and apps enable individuals to monitor their wellbeing and adjust accordingly.
4. Mindfulness and Self-Awareness: Health is not just physical, it’s also mental. Learning mindfulness and breathing techniques helped me recognise patterns that enable me to stay resilient through challenging times.
5. Experimentation and Personalisation: Treating change as a science experiment encourages others to test what works for them. Change is individual, and testing different approaches allows people to find what fits their needs.
6. Technology as an Enabler: Technology can augment human experience rather than replace it. By leveraging tools like apps and wearables, people can offload some cognitive burden and make smarter, timely choices.

Entering a New Chapter: The Birth of Vivara

In April 2023, after 18 years, I finished up my time at Microsoft. I prioritised travel and spending quality time with family and friends. It was during this time that breakthroughs in generative AI caught my attention. I found myself asking: How can this new technology guide people in a highly personalised way to make impactful, lifelong changes for their health and wellbeing?

The answer became clear. In April this year, my co-founders Keith Patton, Manfred Schneider, and I launched Vivara, to create a personalised wellbeing guide powered by generative AI. Our mission is to revolutionise wellbeing by offering tailored, data-driven insights that empower you to take control of your wellbeing journey, while ensuring your data is private and fully under your control.

Personalisation is the core of Vivara. Everyone is unique, with different personalities, motivations, genetics, and behaviours. We’re building our platform to adapt as users’ needs evolve, just as I had to adjust my own habits and goals during my health transformation.

Vivara is designed not only for now, but for the long term. We’re building a platform that isn’t reliant on any specific device or ecosystem, because we know that health journeys aren’t linear. People experience ups and downs, changes in providers, wearables, apps and we aim to provide continuous support even in the face of these unexpected challenges.

A Personal Story of Data and Health

Let me share a recent personal experience that highlights the value of data-driven health insights.

Last year, I began experiencing recurring bouts of diarrhoea every 3-4 weeks, lasting for several days. I was losing weight and muscle mass, and in November last year, I ended up in hospital with severe dehydration. After many tests, no clear answers emerged.

I started tracking my symptoms and noticed a pattern: these events typically occurred early in the morning the day after playing football. To gain further insights, I wore a continuous glucose monitor for two weeks. What I discovered was that while my glucose levels were stable, they spiked dramatically during high-intensity football games. Interestingly, this didn’t happen during training sessions. Although it is normal for blood glucose to peak during exercise, I wondered whether the low protein in my diet and my pre-workout nutrition was playing a part.

After consulting a gastroenterologist, I was diagnosed with Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). It turned out that my diet—rich in FODMAPs—was exacerbating the issue along with low protein intake that was likely weakening the gut barrier and leading to malnutrition and weight loss. With the help of a device called FoodMarble, I began tracking my reactions to specific foods and gradually adjusted my diet. By reducing my intake of high-FODMAP foods like blueberries, avocado, and cashews, while re-introducing red meat protein into my diet I managed to eliminate the symptoms.

This personalised, data-driven approach taught me a crucial lesson: it’s possible to have too much of a good thing, and variety is key to a balanced diet. This experience helped me make lasting changes, and I have been symptom-free for several months while reintroducing some trigger foods in moderation.

Building Vivara: A Vision for the Future of Personalised Wellbeing

Vivara’s mission is built on the principle that data-driven insights can empower everyone to make smarter, more informed choices about their wellbeing. We’re part of a global trend towards patient-centred care, where people are taking more control over their health data, whether it’s step counts, nutrition, body composition, heart rates, blood pressure readings, sleep patterns, or glucose levels.

This citizen-generated data, when combined with clinical insights, creates an opportunity for collaborative decision-making between you and your healthcare professionals. It’s not just about treatment; it’s about empowerment.

As more people demand access and control over their health data, regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA, along with data standards like FHIR, are ensuring that this data can be securely shared while still protecting privacy. The future of healthcare is clear: personalised, data-driven, and collaborative with you in the centre.

At Vivara, we are designing our platform to be flexible, user-driven, and supportive of everyone reaching their long-term health and wellbeing goals.