The Charlotte Venture, in its 15th year, is sponsored by CRI

Six sartups pitched to a panel of judges for the chance to win cash Tuesday evening at the 15th annual Charlotte Venture Challenge. The grand prize of $7,500 went to Knoxville, Tenn.-based Grow Bioplastics — a startup that makes biodegradable replacements for farmers. A baby food brand, an app for nonprofit donors and a guide for dentists were among the finalists making their case to a room full of investors and corporate scouts. Read more..