Sophie Ngo, principal at Telus Global Ventures, is one of our top 50 Rising Stars in corporate venturing for 2026.
Sophie Ngo says her career over the past decade has represented the full lifecycle of a company in reverse, from analysing public companies to focusing on early-stage innovation at Telus Global Ventures. But it was a stint at PwC Canada that ultimately changed how she saw investing.
“About five years ago, I had training in data analytics, AI and machine learning,” she says. “And with that new mindset, I definitely see the value of data in making investment decisions, especially at early stage.
“At Telus Global Ventures, I pitched rebuilding the entire dataset for the portfolio, allowing the team to make better investment decisions. When I joined, we had about C$500m in assets under management, but the portfolio management was an afterthought process.”
“My long-term vision is to create a net new business for Telus, so we can continue to innovate as a technology company.”
Ngo applied her expertise in data analysis and visualisation to the unit’s portfolio, moving it from an afterthought to a driver in its decision-making. Having got to know the metrics of the portfolio inside out, she has transitioned out of portfolio management to investing, a move capped by a promotion from senior associate to principal in December.
“I focus on investing in AI and quantum technology,” she says. “And we are seeing a lot of exciting companies in AI that I think will fundamentally change how we operate as a business.”
Ngo views herself as a hands-on builder and wants to see her unit grow to become the innovation office for its parent company, Canadian telecoms and enterprise technology group Telus. Quantum is set to play a big part in that.
“My long-term vision is to create a net new business for Telus, so we can continue to innovate as a technology company,” she says. “Because we are a telecommunications company, quantum can provide us with the future of secure networking. It is an exciting time for us to be investing.”
The Rising Stars are early-career corporate venture professionals who are making an outstanding contribution to their teams and the industry.
See the full list of Rising Stars 2026 here.
