Najla Al Midfa

CEO, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa)

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has so far supported 114 startups in total, that have cumulatively generated over $125m in revenue, and raised more than $74m in investment, creating more than 1,300 jobs in the process. It recently launched the Sharjah Startup Studio (S3), the first government-backed entity of its kind within the UAE, which not only provides startups with pre-seed funding, but also connects founders with industry experts. Last year, Motivate Media Group – Gulf Business’ parent company – also partnered with Sheraa to launch a Dhs1m fund to support SMEs and tech startups in the country. Apart from Sheraa, Al Midfa is also the founder of Khayarat, a platform that enables Emiratis youth to make more informed career choices.