ABOUT
About GNATA
GNATA is a New Jersey company that connects businesses in Guyana, the United States and Canada with trade, investment and partnership opportunities in both directions.
OUR STORY
Why we started GNATA
GNATA grew out of conversations about the changes taking place in Guyana and what they could mean for its people.
As Guyana's oil and gas industry began to expand, we noticed that many people outside the energy sector had little idea of the scale of the country's growth or the business opportunities it could create. At the same time, many Guyanese families and small businesses still faced serious economic challenges. We saw a gap between the opportunities being created and the people who might benefit from them.
How GNATA began
The idea became concrete after Carlet returned from a visit to Guyana. That trip led to more conversations about the country's changing economy and how businesses in Guyana and North America could work together. We believed there was a need for an organization that could bring these two business communities together.
For Guyanese entrepreneurs and businesses, that means access to new customers, relationships, expertise and markets. For North American companies, it means doing business in Guyana alongside local partners who understand the country. We wanted these relationships to work both ways, with each side bringing something of value to the other.
Why we created the association
We didn't want GNATA to focus only on large corporations or the oil industry. We wanted small businesses, entrepreneurs, professionals and established companies to meet, exchange ideas and explore ways to work together. We also knew that bringing people together would not be enough. Building trust, sharing information and developing lasting relationships would be essential. That thinking became the foundation of GNATA.
Where we are today
Our purpose remains the same: to connect businesses and communities in Guyana and North America and help them find opportunities to work together, in agriculture, construction, tourism, technology, professional services and beyond.
Our goal is straightforward: bring the right people together, encourage business relationships that benefit both sides, and help more communities share in Guyana's economic growth.
FOUNDERS
The people behind GNATA
Edward Fridie
Executive Director
Carlet Auguste
Cofounder, Partnerships
ON THE GROUND
On the ground in Georgetown
Meeting with Guyana's National Security Advisor, Gerald Gouveia
Meeting with the Mayor of Georgetown, Alfred Mentore
With Dee George, President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana
With Lyndell Danzie-Black, founder of the Guyanese Women's Chamber of Commerce
PARTNERS
Who we work with
Rising Tide Capital, a U.S. nonprofit, through a teaming agreement.
Atlanta Black Chambers, through its Global Opportunities Committee.
OFFICES
Where we are
Headquarters: Tinton Falls, New Jersey
Offices in New York, Canada and Georgetown, Guyana