Spotlighting Dr. Pragya Sharma: Building Biotech with Heart at Bedford Street

This month, we’re spotlighting Dr. Pragya Sharma, Founder and CEO of Granlab®, a Belfast-based biotech company redefining dermatology with a human touch. From structural biochemistry to social impact, Pragya’s story is one of courage, collaboration and purpose, all thriving within the walls of Catalyst Bedford Street.

Where Science Meets Soul

At Catalyst Bedford Street, innovation isn’t confined to labs or boardrooms, it thrives in the hum of conversations over coffee and the collaborative energy of the community. Few people embody this spirit better than Dr. Pragya Sharma, whose company Granlab® is pioneering a steroid-free approach to skincare.

With a background in structural biochemistry, Pragya leads her team at the intersection of science and human impact. From developing bioactive skincare solutions to launching The Clearing, Northern Ireland’s first support network for people with visible skin conditions, she is proving that innovation isn’t just about products. It’s about people.

“Science can be done in a lab, but innovation? That happens when you bring people together.”
– Dr. Pragya Sharma, Founder & CEO, Granlab®

The Power of Collaboration

For Pragya, collaboration isn’t an afterthought, it’s the foundation of Granlab®’s DNA. Her experience on the Basecamp Boston programme reinforced the idea that true breakthroughs happen when ideas collide across disciplines.

That’s what drew her to Catalyst Bedford Street: a space alive with energy, visibility, and possibility. “It’s where random conversations can become game-changing partnerships,” she says. “It’s not just desks and Wi-Fi, it’s a community that helps ideas take shape.”

A Community That Listens

One standout moment for Pragya was sharing Granlab®’s journey with the Catalyst community and feeling the warmth of its response. “It wasn’t just polite interest,” she recalls. “It was real engagement.”

That moment crystallised what Catalyst represents for her: a place where founders, researchers, and innovators feel genuinely seen. “It makes you feel like you’re contributing to a wider ecosystem of innovation in Northern Ireland,” she says.

Finding the Beating Heart of Granlab®

The decision to join Bedford Street took root in Boston. Returning home after Basecamp Boston, Pragya knew that while Granlab®’s lab on Lisburn Road would remain its scientific centre, the company needed a public home, a place for connection, collaboration and storytelling.

Bedford Street became exactly that. It’s also where The Clearing found its home – a groundbreaking initiative supporting people with visible skin diseases. “That sealed it for me,” Pragya says. “Catalyst wasn’t just going to be an office; it was going to be the beating heart of our mission.”

Everyday Inspiration

Each morning brings new energy for Pragya. “Every day at Catalyst Bedford Street feels different; an investor meeting, hosting stakeholders, a breakthrough in the lab or a casual but inspiring chat with another founder,” she says.

Her team’s office overlooks the Ulster Hall, and she chats about the friendly interactions from passersby. “If you’re ever walking by, you can scan the QR code on our window and go straight to our socials. It’s that mix of momentum, community and visibility that makes every day exciting.”

“Catalyst isn’t just where we work – it’s where we connect.”

More Than Four Walls

For Pragya, Bedford Street is more than a workspace, it’s a stage. With Granlab®’s lab thriving on Lisburn Road, this city-centre hub offers the visibility and platform to connect with investors, partners and the wider public.

“We’re among the first in Northern Ireland working purely in dermatology, and we’ve come straight from academia,” she explains. “Imagine walking into your local Boots and picking up a skincare product made right here in Belfast. Then you pop round to Bedford Street, meet the team who created it, and see the science for yourself. That’s the magic. Catalyst makes it possible for cutting-edge biotech to live side by side with everyday life.”

Granlab® represents the best of what Catalyst Bedford Street stands for; scientific excellence paired with human purpose. And for Dr. Pragya Sharma, that combination is what turns innovation into impact.