The world is watching Italy right now as the 2026 Winter Olympics unfold across Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, and several stunning northern Italian venues. From February 6–22, athletes from around the globe are competing for gold — and a piece of Lake Norman is along for the ride.
Right here in our own backyard, deBotech, Inc., a Mooresville-based advanced composites company, is helping Team USA chase Olympic dreams.
For more than a decade, deBotech founder Hans deBot has been deeply involved in designing and manufacturing high-performance equipment for U.S. sliding sports teams — including bobsled and skeleton. Using cutting-edge composite technology and racing expertise, deBotech creates some of the fastest, lightest, and most structurally advanced sleds in the world.
It all began in 2002, when Hans was asked to design a bobsled using composite materials. Drawing on his background in motorsports engineering, he produced an advanced carbon fiber sled that debuted at the Salt Lake City Games. Since then, deBotech has continued to innovate, partnering with organizations like Protostar, Machintek, BMW North America, and racing legend Geoff Bodine to produce world-class sleds for U.S. athletes.
The results speak for themselves. Team USA has achieved record-breaking performances using deBotech-built equipment, including historic medal hauls and track records on the World Cup circuit and in previous Olympic Games.
Now, as athletes speed down icy tracks in Italy, a small but mighty Lake Norman company is once again part of the action — helping push American competitors toward the podium.
It’s a reminder that big things happen here in Lake Norman. From local innovation to global competition, our community continues to make its mark on the world stage.
