Simona Fernandes is a Corporate Innovation Manager at SVG Ventures | THRIVE, where she leads corporate innovation engagements for global agri-food enterprises. In this role, she is responsible for translating corporate growth priorities into actionable open-innovation programs. She works closely with corporate leaders to ensure innovation initiatives deliver tangible outcomes aligned with near-term business needs and longer-term transformation goals.

With nearly a decade of experience across venture capital, advanced manufacturing, and agri-food systems, Simona brings technical fluency and strategic rigor to open innovation strategy. She holds a Master’s degree in Food Science from the University of Alberta and previously led corporate innovation activities and venture capital investments at Plug and Play Canada, where she supported early-stage agri-food companies in securing strategic capital, refining value propositions, and accelerating pathways to scale.

Beyond her role at THRIVE, Simona is deeply engaged in ecosystem building and founder support. She serves as the Calgary Chapter Lead for Canadian Women in Venture Capital and as a Champion-in-Residence at The51’s Founder Lab, where she mentors founders and contributes to advancing a more inclusive, globally connected, and impact-driven innovation ecosystem.