About
Najla Al-Midfa is the Vice Chairperson of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), where she previously served as Founding CEO, and Vice Chairperson of the Emirates Growth Fund. During her involvement, Sheraa has incubated over 200 ventures that have raised more than $270 million in investment and launched the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival in 2017. She also holds board positions across several organizations, including publicly listed companies, in sectors such as banking, energy, and education.
Experience
- Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa)Vice Chairpersoncurrent2024 — presentSharjah, Sharjah Emirate, United Arab Emirates
- Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa)CEO2015 — 2024Sharjah
- Emirates Growth Fund (EGF)Vice Chairmancurrent2024 — present
- Emirates Growth Fund (EGF)Vice Chairman and Managing Director2024 — 2025
- United Arab BankBoard Membercurrent2012 — presentUnited Arab Emirates
- Dana GasBoard Membercurrent2021 — present
- Emirates Development Bank (EDB)Board Membercurrent2020 — present
- Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTI Park)Board Membercurrent2024 — present
- Sharjah Education AcademyBoard Membercurrent2024 — present
- Friends of Cancer PatientsBoard Membercurrent2025 — present
- National Agriculture Centre (UAE)Board Membercurrent2026 — present
- Eisenhower FellowshipsEisenhower Fellowcurrent2019 — present
- The Aspen InstituteFellow, Middle East Leadership Initiativecurrent2011 — present
- Young Arab LeadersVice Chairman2015 — 2023
- KhayaratFounder2014 — 2018United Arab Emirates
- Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (Abu Dhabi, UAE)Senior Manager, Entrepreneurship Development2010 — 2013
- McKinsey & Company (New York, NY)Senior Associate2008 — 2009
- Google, Inc (Mountain View, CA)MBA Intern2006
- Shell (Dubai, UAE)Business Analyst2003 — 2005
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (Dubai, UAE)Senior Associate2000 — 2003
Education
- Stanford University Graduate School of BusinessMBA2005 — 2007
- University of BathBSc(Hons), Computer Science1997 — 2000
Skills & more
Private Equity30Business Strategy99Management Consulting98Business Development51Strategic Planning63Venture Capital26Strategy99Financial Modeling31Change Management21Social Entrepreneurship17Project Management21Entrepreneurship99
+12 more
Start-upsWomen LeadersTeam LeadershipDue DiligenceValuationBusiness AnalysisNegotiationBusiness PlanningPublic SpeakingLeadershipCorporate FinanceProgram ManagementFrom Najla's professional profile.
Colleagues at Mindshift Capital
Barbara Baumgartner
Investment Committee at Mindshift Capital
Daphne Kis
Director, WorldQuant University at Mindshift Capital
Heather Henyon
Founding General Partner at Mindshift Capital
Joumana Jallad
Investment Committee at Mindshift Capital
Katherine Kirsch
Venture Partner at Mindshift Capital
Marcia Dawood
Venture Partner at Mindshift Capital
Rebecca Hall
Venture Partner at Mindshift Capital
Shelly Porges
Partner, The Billion Dollar Fund for Women at Mindshift Capital
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Najla Al-Midfa work?
- Najla Al-Midfa is CEO, Sheraa at Mindshift Capital.
Same school
Also attended Stanford University Graduate School of Business1,291
Roelof BothaAdvisor & former Steward at Sequoia Capital; SpaceX board memberPeter FentonGeneral Partner at BenchmarkSteve JurvetsonCo-founder of Future VenturesDavid SzeAdvisory Partner at GreylockKatherine BoyleGeneral Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (American Dynamism)Hunter WalkCo-founder & Partner at Homebrew
+ 1,285 more
Also attended University of Bath106
Catherine BergersenSenior Executive Assistant at Mayfair Equity PartnersJohanInvestor at InvestinorMaddie CoughlinInvestor at DN CapitalCarlos ContiManaging Partner at Inveready Technology Investment GroupBen PalmerInvestment Professional at OxxJuliette PetitChief of Staff at Keen Venture Partners
+ 100 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa)3
Also worked at Shell (Dubai, UAE)101
Rob van der MeijPartner at Capricorn Venture PartnersElina HolkkoPartner and CFO at Lifeline VenturesKatie ClasenPartner at Prelude VenturesSamuel MugoyaGeneral Partner Advisor at Beyond Capital VenturesBikram DangInvestor Relations at Group 11Mira InbarPartner at ArcTern Ventures
+ 95 more
Also worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers (Dubai, UAE)1,073
David PhuController at Felicis VenturesTianen LiangTax Controller at Felicis VenturesJanet WolpertInvestor at Index VenturesAryo TehranianManaging Director at Mayfair Equity PartnersAne Tolnes HaugdalInvestor at InvestinorEgilInvestor at Investinor
+ 1,067 more