Isa Watson, CEO and founder of Squad, is at the forefront of reshaping how sports teams and leagues connect with their fans. Squad is more than a platform, it is a fan engagement and data company that helps professional teams understand their supporters at a deeper level. By using patented technology, the company gives organizations the tools to turn fan interactions into lasting relationships and sustainable revenue. With offices in New York and Durham, Squad has grown into a trusted partner for brands and sports franchises that want to build more authentic bonds with their audiences.
A Childhood Driven by Curiosity
Long before becoming Squad CEO, Isa Watson’s fascination with science shaped her path. At just 14, she was already experimenting with chemistry, teaching herself complex concepts in organic chemistry that most students do not encounter until college. That curiosity opened doors early. By high school, she was working in research labs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her work focused on glucokinase, a protein linked to diabetes treatment.
By the time she turned 20, Isa Watson was one of the youngest published chemists in the world. Her contributions to research signaled that she was not just another student in the lab she was already someone who could push scientific knowledge forward.
Building a Strong Academic Foundation
Isa Watson pursued her undergraduate studies at Hampton University, earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry while securing scholarships from the American Chemical Society and the National Science Foundation. Her commitment to research then took her to Cornell University, where she completed a master’s degree in pharmacology. But science was only one side of her ambitions. Wanting to understand how markets and strategy could drive change, she enrolled at MIT Sloan School of Management and earned an MBA with a focus on economics.
This blend of science and business would later prove critical, giving her the ability to approach problems both analytically and strategically.
From Lab Coat to Wall Street
Isa Watson’s first professional chapter began at Pfizer, where she worked as a chemist and data scientist in metabolic diseases. Her projects included clinical trial analytics on major drugs like Lyrica. She also continued contributing to glucokinase research that would later be published in respected journals.
After completing her MBA, she took a leap into finance. At JPMorgan Chase, she became a Vice President of Digital Strategy and Product Development, splitting her time between New York and Hong Kong. Her work wasn’t just routine banking it involved designing digital products that generated billions of dollars in business impact. It was proof that she could thrive in high-pressure environments, blending her technical skills with a sharp business instinct.
Founding Squad
Despite her success on Wall Street, Watson felt something was missing. She noticed how much people including professionals around her struggled with genuine connection in a digital-first world. That realization, coupled with her own personal loss, inspired her to build something new. In 2015, she founded Squad, a company originally focused on helping people combat loneliness and form intentional communities.
Over time, Squad evolved. Today, it serves professional sports organizations, using patented technology to strengthen fan relationships and unlock new value for teams. Backed by Silicon Valley investors and trusted by clients like Walmart.com, Jet, and WeWork, Squad is widely recognized as a rising name in fan engagement and digital community-building.
Leadership Beyond the Ordinary
Watson’s leadership style reflects her unusual background. Few CEOs can claim to be both a published chemist and a Wall Street executive before launching a startup. Even fewer hold their own technology patents, as Watson does for interactive calling systems. This combination of scientific rigor, corporate strategy, and entrepreneurial drive gives her a distinctive voice in the technology space.
She is also an author. Her book, Life Beyond Likes: Logging Off Your Screen and Into Your Life, challenges readers to rethink their relationship with technology. Rather than chasing constant approval online, Watson urges people to focus on building deeper, more intentional relationships offline. It is the same philosophy that guides her approach at Squad.
Her achievements have earned recognition on national stages. Inc. Magazine named her one of its Top 100 Female Founders, and she has been honored as one of the Top 100 MIT Alumni in Technology. These accolades highlight her impact not just as a business leader but also as a role model for women and underrepresented groups in tech.
A Personal Side That Inspires
Outside the office, Watson is far from ordinary. A classically trained pianist for more than 25 years, she has always found creativity through music. She is also one of the few Black female competitive skydivers in the United States and is currently training for the national championships. That adventurous spirit mirrors the boldness she shows in business never afraid to take risks, always pushing boundaries.
Her life was also shaped by resilience. The loss of her father pushed her to think deeply about community and connection. Rather than retreating, she transformed that pain into purpose, fueling her mission to build Squad into a company centered on authentic human bonds.
Why Isa Watson Matters
Isa Watson’s story is not a straight line from success to success. It is a journey defined by curiosity, bold decisions, and the ability to see opportunities where others do not. From the lab bench to Wall Street boardrooms, and now as the CEO of Squad, she has consistently proven that leadership rooted in authenticity can deliver real impact.
As technology continues to dominate daily life, her voice stands out. She reminds us that innovation does not have to be cold or distant it can be deeply human. Squad, under her leadership, is proof of that vision.
A Legacy in the Making
Isa Watson, CEO of Squad, represents a new model of leadership one that blends science, strategy, and empathy. She has built a career that crosses industries and disciplines, but at its core, her mission has stayed the same: to foster real connection in an increasingly digital world.
With every step, from her early research in chemistry to her groundbreaking work in fan engagement, Watson shows what is possible when intelligence meets intention. Her story is still unfolding, but one thing is clear both she and Squad are shaping the future of how people and communities connect.
