In the Spotlight this week is Dr Pragya Sharma, founder and CEO of skincare start-up Granlab. Read more about the company here.
What was your first job?
My first job was tutoring local students in GCSE science and French.
What qualifications do you have?
In India I studied for a BSc in biochemistry from Delhi University and MSc in biochemistry from Jamia Hamdard University, before moving to Northern Ireland where I got my PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from Queen’s University Belfast.
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my upbringing; my dad, a financial advisor, and my mum, a Hindi lecturer, gave me a childhood rooted in love, discipline, and the freedom to question. We were raised alongside our maternal grandparents in a home where curiosity was encouraged. I grew up with books and big questions and was taught to speak my mind. I watched the women around me push against the patriarchal norms of life in Delhi with quiet strength and resilience. Everything I’ve built comes back to the foundation my parents and grandparents gave me.
How would you describe yourself to someone who’d never met you?
Intense, bold, and unapologetically me. I know what I want and am not afraid to speak my mind. I draw strength from Rani Laxmi Bai; her courage and defiance resonate deeply with me. Poetry shaped me by teaching me to feel fiercely, think independently, and lead with fire.
Who do you look up to in business?
I absolutely look up to my investors and my dad. They have shaped the way I approach business – with integrity, clarity, and strength – and taught me to lead with conviction while still creating space for others to grow. I’ve learned that you can be firm and fair, nurturing a team while also owning your role as the one who sets the direction.
How do you get the best out of people who work for you?
I had some difficult bosses early in my career and started with a clear sense of what not to be. I don’t believe in clock watching and encourage flexibility. If it’s a rare sunny day in Belfast I encourage my team to enjoy it and soak up the Vitamin D. If a task can be done in three hours, I don’t expect colleagues to sit at a desk all day.
I believe in leading with empathy, not just policies. One of the most important things I’ve implemented is period leave. Having experienced painful periods, I made it non-negotiable in my company. Women on my team can take time off during their cycle without guilt.
If you could change one thing about doing business in Northern Ireland, what would it be?
Increasing access to late-stage funding for science-led startups would enable high-potential companies to scale globally without relocating.
What website or app could you not do without?
WhatsApp is essential for keeping in touch with friends and family around the globe.
What was the last book you read?
I am currently reading the autobiography of a yogi, Paramhansa Yogananda.
What car do you drive?
Honestly, I need to redo my driving lessons!
Tell us something interesting about yourself
Before biochemistry, I was obsessed with Ancient Egypt! I spent hours studying encyclopaedias and memorising pharaoh names and was determined to become an archaeologist until my mother convinced me that digging in the desert wasn’t a stable career path.
What’s your greatest passion outside work and family?
I grew up around farming and growing food. My grandparents had huge stretches of land filled with crops, and some of my most vivid memories are of my grandfather making chutneys with a mortar and pestle, and me sitting nearby suckling on homegrown mangoes. That connection to the land and food has never left me.
