Alamance County Shines at Annual Meeting Celebrating 2025 Economic Growth and Local Innovation

The Alamance County Economic Development Foundation (ACEDF) welcomed donors, community leaders, and invited guests to its Annual Meeting on Thursday, January 22, 2026, for an evening centered on connection, celebration, and the shared progress of Alamance County’s growing economy.
The gathering highlighted key 2025 achievements, including new industry recruitments, local business expansions, and continued momentum within the county’s entrepreneurial community. Throughout the evening, attendees reflected on how collaboration between the private sector, local partners, and dedicated supporters is helping build a stronger, more vibrant future for residents and businesses alike.
The program opened with a featured address from Becca Wright, founder of Piedmont Pennies, who shared how growing up in Alamance County helped shape her entrepreneurial journey and inspired the creation of a successful, community-rooted enterprise. Her story illustrated the impact of local support and the importance of nurturing homegrown ideas.
A central moment of the evening was the Foundation’s pitch competition, which served as the final qualification round for three growing Alamance County companies. Entrepreneurs competed for a top prize of $25,000, with winners selected based on criteria such as their unique value proposition, marketing and growth strategy, strength of the business model, leadership qualities, and overall presentation.
Winners of the 2026 Pitch Competition: - First Place: Haand, Inc. – Burlington, NC - Second Place: Fjord, Inc. – Burlington, NC - Third Place: American Smart Kitchen, LLC – Elon, NC
The Foundation also recognized companies and partners whose capital investments in Alamance County have helped create jobs and strengthen the community. Honorees included:

• Custard Stand Chili for opening a new manufacturing facility in Graham, NC
• Honda North Carolina Manufacturing for its nearly $10 million modernization of its Swepsonville, NC plant
• NCIC Transload Facility and its public and private partners, including the Alamance Chamber, Samet, Norfolk Southern, NC Railroad Company, and municipal and county officials, for bringing the facility from concept in 2015 to reality in February 2025