Charlotte Venture Challenge Selects 19 Finalists from 95 Entries

Finalists to compete on May 1 for more than $75,000

CHARLOTTE - April 1, 2013 - Nineteen finalists have been selected from among 95 entries and one start-up company will receive the $25,000 grand prize as winner of the 12^th Annual Charlotte Venture Challenge (CVC) on May 1. Category winners will share $50,000 in prize awards funded by the Hauser Family Fund.

“The Charlotte Venture Challenge has always been a community collaboration with mentors, alumni and sponsors of the competition volunteering hundreds of hours of time. We have sustained this level of commitment for 12 years because we continue to be impressed and inspired by our entrepreneurs. This year is no different,” said Devin Collins of UNC Charlotte, the founding organization of the competition.

The CVC finals are scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 1, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  Competing teams will make a five-minute presentation and respond to five-minutes of rapid-fire questions from a panel of investors. Following their presentations the teams will showcase their innovative new technologies at a reception and awards ceremony.

The finalists include: Brush Fairy, Dot Metrics Technologies Inc., Northington Dahlberg Research, LLC, Sustainable Ethanol Technologies, Tapity, Inc., WeRX.org all from Charlotte; INTRINSIC MARKS INTERNATIONAL, LLC of Huntersville, NC; StarkPower from Davidson, NC; Bio-adhesive Alliance Inc., from Greensboro, NC; CranioVation from Durham, NC; Greenbug, Inc. from Beaufort, SC; Urova Medical from Memphis Tennessee; and RoboCent from Norfolk, VA. The student category finalists include NoireNaturals LLC, UNC Charlotte; PAX Backpacks, Davidson College; Klimb Ventures, Inc., Emory University; BENANOVA, INC.; NC State; Tarian Orthotics, Clemson University; and ProVazo, University of Virginia.

Competition categories are: Consumer Products & Services, Life Sciences & Biotechnology, IT & Informatics, New Energy & High Tech, Undergraduate Student Ventures and Graduate Student Ventures.

The event is open to the public. Visit www.CharlotteVentureChallenge.com to register to attend the finals. 

For more information, contact Devin Collins at 704-250-5753.

2013 Charlotte Venture Challenge Sponsors: UNC Charlotte’s Research and Economic Development, Charlotte Research Institute, Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC), Belk College of Business, College of Computing and Informatics, Office of Technology Transfer, Ventureprise, TriNet, Clements Bernard IP and Business Attorneys, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Hammer & Associates, P.C., Inception Micro Angel Fund Charlotte, Robinson Bradshaw, Cabarrus Economic Development, North Carolina Research Campus, City of Kannapolis, Paul Pedigo IP Law and Management, SBTDC, Duke Energy, Johnson and Wales University, and CLTBlog.

Public relations media contact:  Buffie Stephens, 704-687-5830, BuffieStephens@uncc.edu