-targeting 10 to 17-year-olds across Guyana
THE Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), on Friday, announced the launch of its inaugural Youth Entrepreneur Conference, slated for September 12, 2026, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal.
The conference aims to inspire young people across Guyana from ages 10 to 17, to become entrepreneurs as our country continues to expand rapidly across all sectors.
The event is free of charge and is open to teachers and parents as well, from across all administrative regions. This is being done with the support of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.
Speaking directly with the media at the launch, GCCI President, Kathy Smith, related that there may be a ten-year-old child with an idea that may one day become a business, which could create employment for people, solve a community problem, and may eventually become one of the companies that helps to shape our nation’s economy 20 years from now.
She emphasised that ideas, however, need opportunities, adding that it is for this reason that she believes that if there are more entrepreneurs, innovators, creators, and business leaders, we have to begin exposing our youths to those possibilities today.
This inaugural conference, being held under the theme, “Igniting Guyana’s Next Generation of Entrepreneurs,” is expected to host approximately 100 to150 young people, who will gather at the conference centre for an experience designed to introduce them to entrepreneurship, innovation, and the opportunities that exist within Guyana’s changing economy.
This, Smith said, is not intended to be a traditional conference, where young people simply have a seat and listen to presenters “talk business.” They will be involved, asking questions, exploring ideas, solving problems, and grasp an understanding of how an idea can be transformed into something of value.
Continuing, Smith revealed that participants will be engaged in interactive workshops that explore the Orange Economy, tourism and hospitality sector, agri-processing, AI, entrepreneurship and marketing and public relations.
“We selected these areas deliberately because the entrepreneurs of tomorrow will operate in a very different environment from the entrepreneurs of yesterday. Technology is changing businesses. Creativity is creating new industries. Tourism and hospitality are expanding. Agri-processing presents opportunities for us to add value to what we can produce. Marketing and communications are changing how even the smallest businesses reach customers here in Guyana and around the world,” she said.
Smith stressed that young people should leave the conference asking what problems they can solve, what they can create, what opportunities exist in their respective communities, how they can use technology, and how they can turn what they are passionate about into something of value.
She shared that for more than a century, the GCCI has represented Guyana’s business community. However, while the chamber advocates for businesses of today, it must also help in the creation of the businesses of tomorrow.
Stating that our youth must know that their futures are not limited to finding employment, Smith emphasised that youths could create employment, build businesses, innovate, export, and even become employers and industry leaders.
The inaugural Youth Entrepreneur Conference was designed for young people from each village, community, and region to attend and be inspired.
The link for registration for the conference can be found on the GCCI’s Facebook, and Instagram pages, as well as on its website: https://gcci.gy/
