The Charlotte Venture Challenge, the Southeast’s premiere business innovation competition, will take place in partnership with the Southeast Venture Conference, which returns to Charlotte Tuesday, March 31, through Thursday, April 2.
The competition is open to early-stage companies from the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia and Washington, D.C. Commercial companies compete in one of four categories 1) new energy and high tech; 2) IT and informatics; 3) health IT and biotech sciences; and 4) general, which includes consumer products. Student teams will compete in either graduate student ventures or undergraduate student ventures.
Applications must be submitted by noon, Tuesday, March 3.
Organized by UNC Charlotte’s Charlotte Research Institute and Ventureprise, the competition has offered the region’s most promising early-stage companies a venue to connect with mentors, investors, and corporate strategic partners. Over 600 companies have participated since the competition began with five teams in 2001. Since the competition expanded in 2012, cash prizes exceeding $150,000 have been awarded.
Robert Wilhelm, vice chancellor for research and economic development, stated “UNC Charlotte is committed to supporting the region’s most promising ventures while showcasing Charlotte as an entrepreneur-friendly community. This new partnership between the Charlotte Venture Challenge and the Southeast Venture Capital Conference is a wonderful example of Charlotte’s forward-looking spirit.”
Charlotte Venture Challenge includes a series of workshops for registered startups beginning on Tuesday, Feb. 3. During the course of two months, participants will be prepped for the finals scheduled for Tuesday, March 31.
“The Charlotte Venture Challenge offers innovation-driven entrepreneurs a complete experience of substantive workshops, actionable feedback and the opportunity for tremendous exposure,” said Paul Wetenhall, president of Ventureprise Inc., a venture development organization affiliated with UNC Charlotte. “The challenge is the one competition that exposes emerging companies to potential corporate partners as well as startup investors and mentors.”
Prospective Charlotte Venture Challenge participants should submit applications online. For more information, contact Devin Collins at 704-250-5753 or email devin.collins@uncc.edu.