Brian Monnin is Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at Sophia Space, a pioneering orbital computing company developing space-based data centers powered by solar energy. He brings over 20 years of experience building interactive technologies for consumers and enterprise customers.

Brian holds a BA in History from Brown University and previously worked at Intel and Microsoft, where he led product innovation for Intel Media's OnCue TV service. He also held roles at WeTransfer, Brightcove, and Comcast Technology Solutions.

Brian has founded multiple startups including Play Impossible (sensor-infused smart ball that raised $1M and secured distribution deals with Apple and Target) and QUIVR AI (computer vision platform incubated at Pioneer Square Labs). His work has produced consumer products used by millions.

Sophia Space raised $3.5M in pre-seed funding in May 2025 led by Unlock Ventures, followed by a $10M seed round in February 2026 from Alpha Funds, KDDI Green Partners Fund, and Unlock Venture Partners. The company was incubated at Mandala Space Ventures and is co-founded with NASA JPL veteran Leon Alkalai and CEO Rob DeMillo.

Sophia Space is developing modular TILE technology for orbital data centers that process data where it is captured in space, enabling real-time AI workloads for civil, defense, and commercial customers. The company plans to launch its first orbital data center constellation in the 2030s.