Some 30 startups from across the southeast, including several from the Triangle, have made the finals of the 14th annual Charlotte Venture Challenge coming up at the end of the month.

These ventures not only will be competing in the showcase put on by UNC-Charlotte’s Ventureprise but also will receive additional exposure as part of the

SEVC, by far the largest venture conference in the region, is set for March 31-April 1.

Some 50 startups and emerging companies have been selected to present at that event as well.,

“The thirty finalists will make their pitches and answer probing questions from judging panels of investors and corporate innovators during the morning,” says Paul Wetenhall, president of Ventureprise.

“The most promising ventures will be selected and will pitch their businesses during the afternoon to the 600+ investors, executives, and entrepreneurs participating in SEVC. Cash prizes will be awarded.”

Finalists were selected across five categories:

  • General
  • Health IT and Biotechnology
  • Info Technology and Informatics
  • New Energy and High Technology
  • Student Ventures

The finalists by category:

  • Health IT and Biotechnology–dReiniger (Chapel Hill, NC), StethoBarrier (Carrboro, NC), Surgilum (Wilmington, NC), Magna Solutions (Boone, NC), Tarian Orthotics, (Mount Pleasant, SC)
  • IT and Informatics–Akili Software (Raleigh, NC), BountyMiner (Chapel Hill, NC), Quorum (Washington, DC), ShomoLive (Charlotte, NC), KWIPPED (Wilmington, NC), DYME (Charlotte, NC)
  • New Energy and High Technology–Verdante Bioenergy Services (Lenoir, NC), General Graphene (Oak Ridge, TN), EcoH20 Innovations (Charlotte, NC), Bluecell Energy, (Research Triangle Park, NC)
  • General–SnapYeti (Raleigh, NC), GuideOn (Whispering Pines, NC), GivStream (Simpsonville, SC), Halo Smart Labs (Charlotte, NC), Tiger Eye Sensor (Clayton, NC), FotoSwipe (Raleigh, NC)
  • Student Ventures– CommuniGift (UNC Chapel Hill), LoboStim (NC State), MYO’bility (Appalachian State University), RightOn (Pfeiffer University), SmartBrush (UNC Charlotte), SquaddD (Elon University), TeacherLoop (NC State), The Citizen (Lenoir-Rhyne University), Waterless Buddy’s, LLC (UNC Chapel Hill)

Both events take place at Charlotte’s Le Méridien.