Arlington Economic Development today joined leaders across the Commonwealth in celebrating Virginia’s rise to No. 3 in CNBC’s 2026 “America’s Top States for Business” rankings. CNBC scored all 50 states on 138 metrics across 10 categories of competitiveness in the 2026 ranking.

Innovative Defense Technologies and Spatial Front are creating 660 jobs and investing $25 million in Arlington through expansion and relocation projects.

ARLINGTON, Va. — A new small business is hitting Arlington streets this summer with a community-focused twist on a classic treat. Amanda’s Churn, founded by Arlington entrepreneur Amanda Pierce, has launched a mobile ice cream bike serving scratch-made, small-batch ice cream across the region.

Spatial Front, Inc., a privately held information technologies firm, will relocate its corporate headquarters to Arlington, VA, creating 450 new jobs through a $6 million investment.

Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT) is expanding its headquarters presence in Arlington, investing $19M and creating 210 new jobs in Ballston. This expansion is a strong signal of confidence, not just in Arlington, but in the role that physical space continues to play in innovation, collaboration and mission delivery.

When Eddie Kaufholz and his family moved to Arlington nearly five years ago, they were not thinking about starting a business. They wanted to live in a place that was diverse, interesting and full of opportunity, with a school system they could rely on. Arlington fit.

Arlington’s entrepreneurs have a national stage to share their story.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has launched the Freedom 250 Patriot Pitch Competition, a nationwide initiative celebrating 250 years of American entrepreneurship with a $1 million prize pool. The competition highlights small businesses that are driving innovation, creating jobs and strengthening the economy.

Starting a business often begins with recognizing a need, and for professional organizer Kathryn “Katie” Kersavage, that need was closer than she realized. Kersavage officially launched Organized by Katie in March 2026, turning more than 15 years of informal experience helping friends and family declutter into a professional service designed for real life.