Meet Najla Zamri: The powerhouse at Antler guiding startups from inception to industry impact with her unique blend of expertise and passion for diversity.

🌻 How do you set your vibe for the day?

‍Listening to the right music when i’m on my way to work, and do some deep breathing exercises, and ensure to get some good 15 minutes catch-up with my colleagues as we get into the office

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🛋️ How do you relax?

‍Spend time with the husband over our homemade comfort food while watching our favourite TV series at the moment, and workout 

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💼 How would you describe your work to someone outside of your field?

‍We help entrepreneurs / founders realise their dreams to build the next big tech startup!

🌟 What is it about the startup world that excites you, and who would you like to see more of in Antler's next cohort?

‍Having been through the founder journey myself, I would say it’s firstly, about the sense of lifting each other up and helping each other out that liberates me about the startup world. This is not as common in the corporate world, which is also where I’ve been.

The startup world is filled with people who are trying new things and understand the difficulties this brings, so it becomes a key priority to help other people within the ecosystem out - because you will definitely one day ask for help down the line. It’s about being able to grow meaningfully together, as an ecosystem.

Secondly, there’s no limit in terms of the boundaries you are trying to push (aside from external factors like regulatory boundaries). I’m referring to that internal blockade or processes that typically exists within a big company, which does not exist when you’re building from ground up. The whole point of creating new startups is to push the status quo and build outside of boxes - this is creativity at its best.

As someone who is very motivated to push for a better world and one who resonates strongly with nature and our surrounding environment, I’d personally like to see more tech ventures in this part of the world solving the climate crisis in interesting ways that can also be profitable. If we were able to harness fossil fuels as a huge economic driver since the Industrial Revolution, then, we can switch our mindset and goals to focus on sustainable ways of harnessing clean energy, clean ways of addressing waste, clean methods of production, etc.

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‍📸 A lil' birdie told us you enjoy doing photography, is there anything you would be keen to share?

‍for nature is evidenced by my photo folders 🙂If I had no barrier to what I could do, it would be a wildlife photographer!

🤝 Do you enjoy networking?

‍This is a tough one. In the early days of my career, I really did enjoy it. Now that i’m older, it’s become more ‘challenging’ to say I enjoy it 😆. I think as I age, I want to prioritise quality time spent. So networking can, a lot of times, be quite awkward and takes a lot of effort with low probability of immediate value in the relationships you can build.

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🌐 Best encounter at a networking event?

‍Meeting potential founders who are on the fence about jumping into entrepreneurship and being able to engage meaningfully about this topic at a deep level. This has happened once or twice, and it gives you that ‘spark’ feeling. 

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💖What's your favourite thing about Mole?

‍The founder! And what Mole stands for - of making meaningful connections easier. It’s about being authentic, admitting to our awkward tendencies, and wearing that like a badge.

🎧 What are you listening to now?

‍Hind’s Hall by Macklemore

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🍧 Favourite snack or dessert?

‍Snack - some good old dark chocolate that’s at least above 78%. My favourite chocolate is from this brand called Gianduiotto - the hubby introduced it to me. If it's a proper dessert it would be tiramisu or pistachio gelato!

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Najla Zamri plays a central role at Antler Malaysia, a global startup generator and early-stage VC. She leverages her vast experience in consulting, law, and capital markets regulation to guide ambitious entrepreneurs in transforming their ideas into successful startups.

Her unique skill set and passion for mentorship make her instrumental in nurturing high-potential ventures from their inception to launch, ensuring they have the tools needed for business growth.

Beyond business development, Najla is committed to creating an inclusive and empowering startup community. She champions innovation, diversity, and collaboration, making her work essential not only for the growth of the startups she mentors but also for the broader tech ecosystem.

Celebrating Najla as a key figure at Antler, her efforts are vital in driving growth and innovation. Her work helps shape a future where startups thrive and redefine industries, embodying the spirit of resilience and innovation.

For anyone aspiring to enter the tech startup scene, follow Najla for your source of inspiration and guidance:
Najla's LinkedIn