More than 100 community members, business leaders, and supporters gathered at The Loading Dock in Downtown Wake Forest on Wednesday, May 27th, for the Wake Forest Founders Spring 2026 Pitch Competition. The evening highlighted the creativity, determination, and talent of local entrepreneurs as they presented their businesses and shared their vision for future growth. The competition was made possible through the support of The Factory, St. John Properties, Focus Design Builders, and Benchmark Community Bank.
The Spring 2026 Pitch Competition marked the culmination of the fifth Wake Forest Founders Accelerator cohort. Led by Dr. Tim Flood, communications professor at UNC's Kenan-Flagler School of Business and manager of the program, participants spent several months refining their business models, strengthening their pitches, expanding their professional networks, and learning alongside fellow entrepreneurs.
Beyond the business education and mentorship, participants also found a strong sense of community through the program. Accelerator participant Michele Mary shared, "Being a new resident and member of the Wake Forest community, I was blown away with how supportive and encouraging everyone I met was, from Monique and Tim to the attendees and judges. I felt as though I was already a part of a wonderful family."
Jason Cannon, President of the Wake Forest Business & Industry Partnership (WFBIP), welcomed attendees and Clark Rinehart, Entrepreneurial Specialist for Wake Forest Founders (WFF), emceed the evening's program. Guests also heard updates from previous WFF Pitch Competition winners Josh Donahue of Audrey's Barkyard and Alejandro Morales of STOA, who shared how their businesses have grown since participating in the program and competition.
This season's competition was judged by a panel of respected community and business leaders, including Kip Padgett, Town Manager for the Town of Wake Forest; Dustin Atkielski of St. John Properties; Philip Freeman of Murphy's Naturals; Dr. Kevin Neshat of The Factory; and Jonathan Williams of Focus Design Builders.
After an evening of presentations and thoughtful deliberation, three entrepreneurs were recognized for their outstanding pitches and business concepts. $10,000 in prize money was awarded, helping founders invest in the next stage of their business growth.
First place honors were awarded to Elena Poole of Terrazzo, a company that partners behind the scenes with local contractors to create thoughtful, buildable landscape designs that help grow their businesses.
Second place was awarded to Michele Mary of Cruise Planners: Triangle Travel by Michele, which provides personalized, world class service and dedicated planning for both corporate and personal travel needs.
Third place honors went to Lori Valenti Webb of Health House Collaborative, a wellness, recovery, and movement studio offering services through 13 practitioners and more than 25 modalities designed to support overall well-being.
The competition served as a reminder that many of the innovative ideas and growing businesses shaping the future of Wake Forest are being built by people who live, work, and invest in our community every day.
"Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in shaping the future of Wake Forest," said Jason Cannon, President of WFBIP. "Wake Forest Founders is WFBIP's flagship entrepreneur support program. Its collaborative arm, the Wake Forest Founders Collective, brings together WFBIP, the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, and The Loading Dock Wake Forest to provide entrepreneurs with education, mentorship, connections, and the resources they need to succeed. Together, we are building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that encourages business growth and creates lasting value for our community."
