James Watson

Jim Watson began his career in the U.S. Navy after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree, serving five years as a Navy pilot. He then joined IBM's national sales organization, where he was an annual member of the IBM President's Club. He also served on the executive team of a public logistics company, helping lead its turnaround from bankruptcy and executing a favorable sale within a year.

Watson subsequently founded and, for seventeen years, served as President of Skyway Systems, a high-technology services company that earned a spot on Inc. Magazine's list of fastest-growing U.S. companies and led to Watson being named an Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year. Skyway was acquired by Union Pacific Corporation in 1995. Beginning in 1996 he moved into Silicon Valley, investing in technology startups, mentoring CEOs, and serving as a director at multiple companies.

In 2001, Watson joined CMEA Capital as a General Partner of the roughly $1 billion San Francisco investment firm. He is today Managing Director (and CEO) of Presidio Partners, a San Francisco–based venture capital firm founded in 1989 with a diversified strategy across information technology, life sciences, and energy technology. Across his venture career he has been involved in investments in more than 60 companies and has worked with institutional investors including pension funds, foundations, endowments, and family offices. Corporate filings list him as Managing Director of Presidio Partners Management, LLC since August 1, 2014, with an ownership stake in the management company of between 5% and 10%.

• Invests through Presidio Partners across three core sectors: information technology, life sciences, and energy/clean technology.
• The firm emphasizes active portfolio management — "transparency, teamwork, and accountability" — and assigns two team members to every major investment to ensure "two distinct perspectives, which we believe stimulates collaboration and contributes to accountability."
• As an individual angel, listed focus is seed-stage startups.
• Values operator experience: Watson himself was a founder/CEO, and the firm stresses maximizing returns "for entrepreneurs and investors" via hands-on portfolio work.