Who are we?
We're you.

Nerveli was founded for chronic pain sufferers, by chronic pain sufferers.

Meet Leon Jacobson

Founder & CEO

Living with chronic pain. 23 doctors and he still couldn’t bend over to play with his son.

Leon didn’t just want relief– he wanted his life back.

So he partnered with pain psychologists, pain scientists, physicians, and data scientists to build what was missing: science-backed, daily support for pain between visits. That work became Nerveli.

Nerveli can help

Leon’s story isn’t unique. Building Nerveli, we started with a set of values

We believe pain is real

No convincing. No proving. No minimizing.

We respect complexity

Pain isn’t one-size-fits-all. Neither is support.

We lead with science and humility

Evidence matters. So does listening.

We support, not replace, care

Work alongside providers.

We build for real life

Progress that fits into imperfect days.

Then we asked the right questions

Where does the system fall short?

Pain is complex, but care is often fragmented. Appointments are short, answers are unclear, and most people are left to manage pain alone between visits.

What actually helps?

Research and lived experience show that understanding pain– how it’s influenced by stress, habits, and the nervous system– can reduce suffering. Daily support matters.

What can we build?

Nerveli was built to support people in the moments care often doesn’t: between appointments, during flare-ups, and on the days pain feels invisible.

Light blue curved hand-drawn arrow pointing to the bottom right.

And we built the solutions

Understand your pain → get daily support → make progress over time.

The team

Built by experts. Shaped by real people.

Nerveli is built in collaboration with pain researchers, clinicians, and most importantly: people living with chronic pain. Their experiences guide what we build and how we build it.

Leon Jacobson

CEO & Co-Founder

3x Startup Founder, MBA, Venture Capital

Desiree Azizoddin Hilton, PsyD

Co-Founder

Harvard trained pain psychologist

Dr. Amol Patwardhan

Chief Medical Officer

pain management physician at UT Southwestern

Dr. Ted Price

Senior Advisor

Director, Center of Advanced Pain Studies, UTDallas

Doug Moore

Board of Directors

Ex-CEO of Fujitsu. Corporate Strategy

Zaid Altahat

Chief Technology Officer

Founder & CEO, Zetaton | Associate Professor, UW–Parkside

Natalie Aaronson

VP, Product Design

Founder, Bloomidays UX

Houston Mccullough

Director of Content & Growth

Ex-Orlando Magic

Latest

Nerveli in the press

The latest industry news, interviews, technologies, and resources.

View all press

News

5 min read

Nerveli and the American Chronic Pain Association Announce Landmark Partnership to Transform Chronic Pain Care

Partnership Unites Digital Innovation with Over Four Decades of Patient Advocacy to Deliver Education, Community, and Hope

Houston McCullough

May 12, 2026

News

5 min read

Ten Startups to Watch.

Nerveli was recognized by the Dallas Business Journal as a top Dallas-Fort Worth startup. Co-founder Leon Jacobson is transforming chronic pain care with science-based, AI-powered technology that empowers patients to monitor and understand their pain. Backed by $880K from investors and supported by Techstars and MassChallenge, Nerveli is piloting with Trinity Health. A freemium version launches this April. Read the full article at Dallas Business Journal.

Holden Wilen and Will Anderson

March 30, 2026

Advisory board members

We’re lucky to be supported by some of the best advisors in the world.