A NEW body aimed at accelerating youth enterprise development in Guyana has been formally launched, signalling a major push to position young business leaders at the forefront of the country’s expanding economic landscape.
The Guyana Youth Entrepreneurship Chamber (GYEC) was officially unveiled on Friday during the Guyana Energy Conference Youth Forum, with strong endorsements from both government and private sector stakeholders.
The organisation, founded by President of ACE Consulting Group, Dr. Rosh Khan, alongside a cohort of 12 founding members, is designed to equip entrepreneurs aged 18 to 40 with the resources, networks and institutional support required to scale and sustain their businesses.
According to a release, the Chamber will roll out a robust programming agenda that includes executive roundtable discussions, entrepreneurial workshops, networking engagements and a competitive Youth SME Incubator. An annual showcase is also planned to spotlight high-performing youth-led enterprises, reinforcing a results-driven ecosystem for innovation and growth.
Backing for the initiative was unequivocal. Minister Zulfikar Ally signalled that the Chamber has the government’s “full backing”, while urging the founders to “hit the ground running” and rapidly expand membership in order to deliver on the entity’s mandate.
“Kathy Smith, President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), and Captain Gerry Gouveia Jnr, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), both offered congratulatory remarks, advising the young entrepreneurs to lean on one another and work in alignment with the existing business support organisations,” the release said.
The Chamber’s founding membership spans multiple industries, including marine logistics, digital media, graphic design, finance and the creative sector, reflecting a deliberate strategy to build a cross-sectoral platform that mirrors the diversity of Guyana’s emerging private enterprise space. The cohort includes University of Guyana students, a CARICOM Youth Ambassador and experienced operators, highlighting a blend of youthful innovation and practical business acumen.
In positioning itself as a national conduit for youth-driven enterprise development, GYEC has already engaged key business bodies such as the GCCI, the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association, the Private Sector Commission, AmCham Guyana and the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana to serve on an Advisory Council. Further partnerships are expected in the coming weeks.
The launch marks a forward-leaning intervention in Guyana’s evolving economic transformation, with the Chamber expected to serve as a pipeline for nurturing the next generation of business leaders in a rapidly expanding, investment-driven economy. Interested youths can register their interest through the Chamber’s official contact channels or email guyanayouthchamber@gmail.com.
