Sharda Balaji is the Founder & Managing Partner of NovoJuris Legal, started in 2008, focused on emerging companies in technology. In the last decade, NovoJuris has worked with more than a thousand businesses including high profile unicorns (companies which are valued more than USD1 billion) and exits. She is instrumental in making NovoJuris amongst top law firms in India, winning accolades across multiple practice areas, scaling and expanding to the United States with NovoJuris Legal LLC.

Sharda loves the intersection of law + technology + investments + rapidly scaling businesses. She is an active angel investor, limited partner in alternative investment funds, partner at venture studio, Board member at several companies, Advisor to many technology companies, Charter Member at TIE Bangalore, Chaired TIE’s Special Interest Group for Women Entrepreneurs, led a trade delegation between India and Israel.

Previously, Sharda has worked with large Indian conglomerates and MNCs as their in-house attorney on various projects including – IPO, cross border transactions, acquisitions, takeovers, mergers, collaborations and intellectual property for nearly 12 years. During Sharda’s earlier employment with Intel in India, she was responsible for the South Asia Operations and in the Puravanakara Projects, she raised about Rs. 900 crores through IPO. Her stint with Manipal Group was in a range of businesses like – education, healthcare, lifestyle and consumer goods, brand valuations, real estate and more.

Sharda has special interests in women businesses and chaired TIE’s Special Interest Group for Women Entrepreneurs. She is the India Trustee for ‘Baalemane’ – a loving home for orphan girls.

Sharda is a Lawyer and a Company Secretary, along with a degree from Institute of Chartered Secretaries, UK. She has a Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights from National Law School of India, Bangalore and an advanced certificate course in Copyrights from World Intellectual Property Organisation.