Carlos Watson Ventures — Achieva, OZY Media & Early-Stage Investments

Carlos Watson helping the future leaders

Building Ideas That Expand Opportunity

From educational access to culture-shaping media.

Achieva — Helping Students Reach Higher

Founded in 1997, Achieva became a pioneering college-prep company providing guidance on admissions, essays, test prep, and financial aid. Achieva served over 100,000 students across 75 school districts and was acquired by The Washington Post Company.

Carlos Watson speaking on stage at OZY Fest

OZY — The New and the Next

Co-founded in 2012 by Carlos and his mother, Rose, OZY spotlighted rising stars before they became household names. Over a decade, OZY generated $250M+ in partnerships, produced 14 TV shows, 10 podcasts, 5 award programs, and won an Emmy.

Emmy Award–winning journalism and storytelling

Selected OZY Press Coverage

Variety: "How Ozy Media Built a Brand Driven by ‘The New and the Next’"
USA Today: "OZY Media is a futuristic news organization"
Forbes: OZY Discovered Amanda Gorman Early
CNBC: OZY Signs PBS Television Agreement
Deadline: OWN Orders Four-Part OZY Series
BBC / All Access: BBC & OZY Team Up for Podcasting
PBS: OZY Genius Awards Celebrating Young Innovators
A+E Networks: First-look production pact
iHeart: Multi-year co-production partnership
NYT / TimeOut: OZY Fest — “TED Meets Coachella”
Secret NYC: OZY Fest returns with A-list lineup
Hollywood Reporter: Expanded partnerships with PBS & A+E

Brands & Platforms

Builder, Investor, Advisor

A journey of creating disruptive platforms, backing visionary founders, and scaling purpose-driven organizations.

Achieva

Stanford Magazine
Stanford Magazine spotlighted Achieva as the bold startup reinventing college counseling — backed by Silicon Valley’s top investors.
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Forbes
Forbes profiled Achieva as a breakout education company backed by Silicon Valley legends betting on its national expansion.
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TIME Magazine
TIME called Achieva the first company to unify tutoring, test prep, and college counseling into a powerhouse program with unparalleled results.
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Early-Stage Investor & Advisor

- Backed funds that invested early in Facebook, Tesla, and Yelp.
- Advisor to founders across media, technology, and social impact.
- Served on corporate, nonprofit, and educational boards.