LITTLE ROCK, AR — [May 2025] – ACC Capital is proud to announce the official launch of the ACC Capital Foundation, its 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm, formerly known as the Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation. With a renewed mission and expanded scope, the Foundation is poised to become a leading force in entrepreneurship education.
Originally founded in 1999, the Foundation has a long-standing legacy of promoting entrepreneurship. In 2001, it launched the Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition for higher education students and later the Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase (Y.E.S.), a business plan competition for 5th through 8th grade students. Over the past two decades, the Foundation has awarded more than $3 million in cash prizes and inspired the next generation of business leaders, impacting 13,404 students across the state of Arkansas. Other past efforts include Connect Arkansas, an early effort to promote broadband adoption in rural parts of Arkansas, and the Venture Forum, an effort to connect early-stage companies with angel and institutional investors. The Foundation was also one of the early supporters of the Accelerate Arkansas initiative and the UAMS Bioventures.
As the ACC Capital Foundation enters its next chapter, its mission has increased beyond competitions to become a comprehensive entrepreneurship support organization with a nationwide footprint. The Foundation will offer a broad range of programs designed to build capacity among students, faculty, and institutions of higher education, while also equipping emerging entrepreneurs with the tools and resources needed to launch and grow successful ventures.
Among its recent programs is the EDGE Initiative, which connects higher education faculty and staff across disciplines and regions to collaborate on entrepreneurship programming and curriculum. To date, the program has engaged over 100 faculty members through its annual summit and continues to grow. Looking ahead, the Foundation will launch new efforts to create clearer pathways to market for student participants in business plan competitions and broaden educational opportunities for entrepreneurs beyond the classroom.
“The ACC Capital Foundation is a natural extension of our mission to support entrepreneurs at every stage, anywhere in the United States, from students just discovering their potential to founders ready to launch and grow.” Said Sam Walls, III, CEO of ACC Capital. “By investing in talent development and educational programming, the Foundation strengthens the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem of our region. It directly aligns with our goals of expanding economic opportunity and increasing access to capital, creating pathways for more people to participate in and contribute to our nation’s economic growth.”
To lead this renewed vision, ACC Capital has named Tiffany Henry as Executive Director of the ACC Capital Foundation. Formerly a Vice President at ACC Capital, Henry brings deep experience in entrepreneurship education and ecosystem development. While initially focused
on Arkansas and neighboring states, the Foundation plans to scale its programs nationally by 2027, aligning with ACC Capital’s broader mission.
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About ACC Capital Foundation
Founded in 1999 as the Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation, the ACC Capital Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship through education, competitions, and support programs. As part of ACC Capital, the Foundation empowers students, faculty, and emerging entrepreneurs with tools and resources to launch and grow successful ventures. Learn more at https://acccapital.com.
