For Bernina Gray, building a business was never just about closing the digital divide. It was about who gets to tell the story. A Diné and Nʉmʉnʉ (Comanche) founder and technologist, Bernina started nDigitize to give Native-owned businesses something they had too often been denied: branding that reflects who they actually are, and modern digital tools that are usually out of reach. She is our first feature in the NACIA Founder Series, a new monthly spotlight on the founders building our future.
Why She Started nDigitize
Bernina founded nDigitize to push back against a pattern she saw across Native branding and digital storytelling, businesses boxed into a narrow, outdated look that didn’t reflect who they really are.
“I wanted to help Native entrepreneurs build brands that are authentic, modern, and rooted in their own identities, while giving them access to high-quality digital services that are often out of reach.”
How She’s Funding It
nDigitize runs on monthly subscription revenue from clients. That steady, recurring income lets Bernina keep serving Native-owned businesses while reinvesting in new products and features.
What the Growth Capital Program Taught Her
Bernina took part in NACIA’s 2025 Growth Capital Program. The biggest takeaway wasn’t a funding strategy, it was the reminder that she wasn’t building alone.
“Being surrounded by other founders reminded me that community is just as valuable as capital.”
Her Definition of a Win
With funding cuts and economic uncertainty hitting Native businesses hard this year, Bernina measures success plainly. If she can help founders strengthen their digital presence, reach more customers, and keep serving their communities, that’s a win.
Advice for Other Founders
“Learn cash flow early, it will make or break your business. Don’t undervalue your time, your expertise, or your services.”
She adds that adaptability might matter more than any single skill. Entrepreneurship, in her words, is about learning and adjusting as you fail and grow.
What “Data Sovereignty” Actually Means
Bernina’s long-term focus is building financial and digital infrastructure rooted in data sovereignty, a term that can sound abstract until she breaks it down.
“Data sovereignty means communities have ownership and control over their own information. Instead of relying entirely on outside platforms to collect, store, and profit from community data, Native communities should be able to decide how their data is used, who has access to it, and how it benefits the people it comes from.”
The same principle drives her interest in peer-to-peer transactions, technology that lets people exchange money directly, without unnecessary middlemen, while keeping trust and community self-determination at the center.
Why This Matters to NACIA
Bernina’s work is exactly why NACIA built the Growth Capital Program, to back founders who are building infrastructure our communities can actually own.
Learn more about the work at NACIA: https://nacia.com.
This is the first feature in the NACIA Founder Series. A new founder spotlight is coming next month.