Building the next generation of innovative, tech-enabled companies

About Us

If you’re an entrepreneur with an amazing product and loyal customers, then you’ve taken your company from 0 to 1. At Aquila, we can help you take it from 1 to 10.

When the internet was still in its infancy, our founder Mark E. Watson III sensed that technology was going to significantly transform business and the economy, just like it had previously triggered major industrial revolutions. So, in 1998, Mark co-founded Aquila Capital Partners to support and invest in companies that leverage potentially transformative technologies.

With expertise in investment, capital allocation, and strategy, Aquila has been helping innovative entrepreneurs build and scale their companies for over 25 years, by providing both financial and intellectual capital. Using an entrepreneur-to-entrepreneur approach, we help with all things funding, strategy, and scaling but also with navigating through shifting environments and world crises.

Areas of Investment


Fin/InsureTech


BioTech


AI


DTC Brands

Specialities

Funding: seed and early stage, from $1m to $150m in revenue

Product development and go-to-market strategy

Scaling and business strategy

Management and supply chain

Principal Founder

Mark E. Watson III

For over 25 years, Mark E. Watson III has been an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor. Throughout his career, Watson ran 2 public companies—saving one from insolvency and turning it into a market leader with $10 billion in assets—acquired dozens of companies, both public and private, hired thousands of people, and navigated through major world crises.

Through his investment firm Aquila Capital Partners, which he cofounded in 1998, Watson supports the next generation of entrepreneurs who build innovative, technology-enabled companies.

Recent Investments

Insuretech Portfolio
Fintech Portfolio
Consumer Portfolio
Tech Portfolio
Stay Updated

Press

Mark E. Watson III with Adam Mendler – Don’t Be the Hamster on the Wheel

by | Mar 13, 2023 | Press | 0 Comments

Mark E. Watson III on YPO – 5 Tips for Launching a Startup During a Recession

by | Feb 13, 2023 | Press | 0 Comments

Mark E. Watson III on YFS Magazine – 5 Financial Rules Future Entrepreneurs Need to Know

by | Dec 21, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Mark E. Watson III – Aquila Capital Partners – Founder-Friendly Investors List 2022

by | Oct 4, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Mark E. Watson III – Aquila Capital Partners – Backing the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

by | Jun 20, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Mark E Watson III Of Aquila Capital Partners On The Morning Routines and Habits Of Highly Successful People

by | May 24, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

How To Succeed As A Business Leader In Any Climate!

by | Apr 27, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Having access to capital is one thing, but generating a return for your investors is another. On the Transform Your Confidence Show, Raj Girn and I discuss how...

Mark E. Watson III; Founder & Chairman at Aquila Capital Partners | Riderflex

by | Apr 27, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

The Art of the Possible with Proprietary Capital Investment Founder, Mark Watson III

by | Mar 30, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

A Discussion On Business Investments & Growth In Volatile Economic Conditions, With Mark E. Watson III

by | Mar 22, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

NLX Raises $5M in Seed Funding

by | Jan 31, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

#NYCtech Week in Review: 1/23/22 – 1/29/22

by | Jan 29, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Conversational AI provider NLX raises $5M to enhance voice-driven customer support

by | Jan 28, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Buy now, pay later scammers are sharing their exploits and secrets on Telegram

by | Jan 28, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Customer Service AI Startup NLX Raises $5M

by | Jan 28, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Conversational AI provider NLX raises $5M to enhance voice-driven customer support

by | Jan 27, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Conversational AI startup NLX raises $5M to scale up its offering

by | Jan 27, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Conversational AI provider NLX raises $5M to enhance voice-driven customer support

by | Jan 27, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

The Cryptoverse: Teenage bitcoin throws an interest rate tantrum

by | Jan 25, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

The Newest Men’s Ski Wear Of 2022

by | Jan 24, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Canned Cocktails To Impress Your Date

by | Jan 24, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

‘GMA’ Deals & Steals to treat your feet

by | Jan 22, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Cryptocurrency ads reach record levels on London transport

by | Jan 14, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

How do growth factors in skin care work? Dermatologists fill us in

by | Jan 12, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

Bitcoin briefly tumbles below $40,000 to the lowest since September as investors shed risk

by | Jan 10, 2022 | Press | 0 Comments

NFT-Backed Loans? Kraken Is On It!

by | Dec 28, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Dear Business Leader: Hardly Anyone Is Reading Your Emails

by | Dec 26, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

The 15 Best Face Washes for Dry Skin, According to Dermatologists

by | Dec 21, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Paycheck vs. Ownership: One Entrepreneur’s Secret for Building Wealth

by | Dec 20, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Paycheck Vs. Ownership: One Entrepreneur’s Secret For Building Wealth

by | Dec 20, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Is This The Best Sugar Free Canned Cocktail?

by | Dec 17, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Kraken CEO reverses $100K BTC 2021 forecast: Crypto winter now possible

by | Dec 15, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Outsourcing Your Marketing? Here’s Why You’re Not Alone (and What Opportunities You Have to Gain)

by | Dec 15, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Kraken CEO: Bitcoin Under $40,000 Is a Buying Opportunity

by | Dec 14, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Dermatologist Dr. Ava On Winter Skincare Secrets & The Biggest Skincare Misconceptions

by | Dec 14, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

GrubMarket plans for NYPS and more growth in 2022

by | Dec 14, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Coinbase vs. Kraken: How the staking rewards compare

by | Dec 13, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Funding wrap: Nearly $73M raised for trucking tech, dairy-free ice cream, raw dog food

by | Dec 13, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

As seen on SA Live – Friday, December 10, 2021

by | Dec 10, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

These 3 Austin companies pulled in $45 million to fuel their growth

by | Dec 10, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Venture capital firms set aside $1 billion for women-led startups. Here’s how it’s going

by | Dec 9, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Netskope names Raphaël Bousquet as senior VP for EMEA and LATAM

by | Dec 8, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

The State of SPACs in InsurTech

by | Dec 7, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Formula for Success with Mark Watson

by | Dec 7, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Voice AI Technology to Increase as Hotel Operators Prepare for Upsurge in Guest Requests, According to NLX

by | Dec 6, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

National Security Capital Advisors (NSCA) advises Freedom Consulting Group on its Recapitalization to Fund Growth

by | Dec 3, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Galderma buys U.S. skincare firm Alastin ahead of potential Zurich IPO

by | Nov 30, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Galderma to Acquire Award-winning ALASTIN Skincare®

by | Nov 29, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

After Lemonade buys Metromile, what’s next for insurtechs?

by | Nov 15, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Paycheck Vs. Ownership: One Entrepreneur’s Secret For Building Wealth

by | Nov 15, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

GrubMarket Makes Yet Another Acquisition, but This One is Different

by | Nov 12, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Paladin expands to the U.K.

by | Nov 9, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Managing the potential risks of SPACs

by | Nov 9, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

The SPAC market is always changing, and leaders need to be prepared for what comes next. In this article, Mark E. Watson III outlines the major risks involved in SPACs,...

Netskope Cloud Exchange Streamlines the SOC

by | Nov 9, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Alastin Skincare Announces Its 2 New U.S. Patents

by | Nov 9, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Mark Cuban-backed legal startup Paladin expands to the U.K.

by | Nov 5, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

What is Plaid? A Fintech App that Helps You Share Your Data Safely and Securely

by | Nov 2, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Netskope Cloud Exchange Streamlines the SOC

by | Nov 2, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

What to Look For in the SPAC Market as it Evolves According to Mark E. Watson III

by | Nov 1, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

CEO and investor Mark E. Watson III discusses why SPACs are still a viable go-to-market strategy, and what company leaders need to know in order to best utilize this...

Plaid announced a new payments partner ecosystem that will extend its existing payments infrastructure

by | Oct 22, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Embroker Reports: Owners’ and Founders’ Approach to Risk Management Not a Match for Today’s Modern Threats

by | Oct 20, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Alastin Skincare® Announces Issuance Of Fifth And Sixth U.S. Patent

by | Oct 6, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

ALASTIN Skincare®, Inc. - a specialty aesthetics company dedicated to developing and marketing innovative, clinically-tested physician-dispensed skin care products,...

Inc.’s Founder Friendly Investors – 2021

by | Oct 5, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

We’re pleased to announce that Aquila Capital Partners has been named an honoree on @Inc’s 2021 Founder-Friendly Investors list. This award honors the private equity...

Mark E. Watson III, How To Show Up in Life and Go Do It (episode #188)

by | Sep 6, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Mark E. Watson dedicates all of his efforts to Aquila Capital Partners, a proprietary capital investment fund with the mission to...

The Dream is Just the Start: How to Find Your Purpose and Make It Reality

by | Aug 23, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Anyone can have a great idea, but turning that idea into a successful business requires a completely different skill set. Helping entrepreneurs turn their ideas into...

Business Transformation: From Insolvency To A $3 Billion Multinational

by | Aug 9, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

In this episode, Mark E. Watson III discusses how he overcame these economic shocks in order to transform a $300 million company nearing insolvency into a $3 billion...

How to Invest $1 Million Right Now

by | Jul 20, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Where would you invest one million dollars in today’s economic client? In this article, Mark Watson, founder of Aquila Capital Partners, explains why investing in...

True Evolution in Insurance? Not Yet

by | Jul 14, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

True innovation in the insurance industry is still a ways away. We must move beyond tweaking our products and procedures and learn to better serve our customers.

The Future Of Work In Post-Pandemic America

by | Jun 29, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

The pandemic changed the way we think about work. In a post-pandemic world, what is the future of work? Our everyday business strategies have changed, causing companies...

How to Effectively Scale Your Business: A Case Study With Mark E Watson

by | Jun 29, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Building a business isn’t easy, but according to investor and entrepreneur Mark E. Watson III, scaling a company involves one potentially surprising factor: simplicity....

Remote Team Communication Should Be Strategic and Outcome Based

by | Jun 7, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Entrepreneur, leader, and CEO of Aquila Capital Partners, Mark Watson, shares that the key to success for remote leaders is to understand the importance for...

An Interview with Mark E. Watson III, Founding Partner, Aquila Capital Partners

by | Feb 11, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

Mark Watson most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Argo Group. He first invested in Argo’s predecessor company, Argonaut Group, in 1998. He joined the board...

5 Timeless Tips For Fail-Proof Resilience

by | Jan 25, 2021 | Press | 0 Comments

When Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005, it caused 1,800 deaths and some USD125 billion in damage, flooding about 80% of New Orleans, Louisiana. At the time, it...

How Big Corporations Scored Coronavirus Relief Funds and Small Businesses Lost Out

by | Jul 8, 2020 | Press | 0 Comments

If we want to save millions of jobs, protect livelihoods, and plant the seeds for a robust economic recovery, Congress and the White House need to do much more to...

ALASTIN Skincare’s New Technology Helps Accelerate Recovery.

by | Jun 17, 2020 | Press | 0 Comments

ALASTIN Skincare®’s INhance Post-Injection Serum with TriHex Technology® Helps Accelerate Recovery from Post-Injection Bruising and Swelling

Mark Watson proposes government reinsurance backstop for pandemic

by | Apr 14, 2020 | Press | 0 Comments

Attempts to stimulate the US economy amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will not work without the introduction of a government reinsurance backstop for pandemic,...

Next Stimulus Package Won’t Work Without an Overhaul of Government Reinsurance

by | Apr 13, 2020 | Press | 0 Comments

The $2 trillion stimulus package — amounting to roughly 10 percent of GDP — represents a prodigious attempt at addressing a severe economic downturn and assisting...

Business Transformation: From Insolvency to a $3 Billion Multinational

by | Apr 11, 2020 | Press | 0 Comments

Mark E. Watson III is an entrepreneur who has been investing in innovative companies for over three decades.

Stay Updated

Blog

Looking to start a business right now? Here’s what you need to know.

by | Jul 25, 2023 | Blog | 0 Comments

The number one rule of a successful business is solving the needs of your customer.  But today’s world is littered with companies that created amazing products...

What every founder should know about innovation

by | May 30, 2023 | Blog | 0 Comments

"We almost hired a human, but we decided not to."  Recently, a friend of mine made this comment as we were discussing AI tools, perfectly capturing the essence of...

Top 5 risk management mistakes that founders and business owners make

by | Apr 25, 2023 | Blog | 0 Comments

Is it foreseeable that your bank is going to have a run on it? Thanks to social media connectivity, possibly.  But is it foreseeable that anything above $250,000 in...

6 (more) mistakes founders make when bringing in investors

by | Mar 28, 2023 | Blog | 0 Comments

"I was fired from my own company!"  These words from Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, are a stark reminder of the balancing act that founders must navigate...

How 2023 will separate the wheat from the chaff for startups

by | Jan 2, 2023 | Blog | 0 Comments

Recession is coming. For at least some parts of the economy, in one form or another. The FED has not raised rates this precipitously since the 1980s, and even then, the...

5 Common mistakes founders make when bringing in investors

by | Dec 5, 2022 | Blog | 0 Comments

If you think you can just go out there and get your company funded, think again. For every 100 entrepreneurs, just 1 will succeed in getting funded. According to...

everything you need to know about venture capitalism and NFTs

Venture Capitalism and NFTs

by | May 26, 2022 | Blog | 0 Comments

In 2021, cryptocurrency attracted more attention and money than all previous years combined, to the tune of roughly $30B. This is about four times the amount of money...

Here’s What You Need to Figure Out Before Meeting with a Venture Capital Partner

by | May 9, 2022 | Blog | 0 Comments

In unpredictable and unprecedented times, it is important to become a student of your environment. This looks different in different fields. Doctors look for emerging...

Taking Entrepreneurs to the Next Level: The Mission Behind Aquila Capital Partners

by | Oct 4, 2021 | Blog | 0 Comments

Starting a business presents unique challenges. Entrepreneurs often have difficulty finding the right mentors and people in their...

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