April 21. By Dave Vieser. Guide Pro 3D of Cornelius was one of six winners at the 15th annual Charlotte Venture Challenge finals yesterday at the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis. Two other Lake Norman companies, Dogphrendly, of Cornelius, and Fridayd, of Huntersville, were also semi-finalists. They were among 92 emerging companies competing for attention and funding.

GuidePro3D creates 3D printers used with specialized computer software for compiling dental images and information. The printers produce models for use in dental surgery and tooth implants. GuidePro 3D won $2,500, and also received the Hauser Family Fund Award.

Jeffrey Kaplan, founder of Dogphrendly.com, made it to the semi-finals with an app that lets dog lovers know where to eat, play and stay with their dog. The app features dog-friendly locations with ratings and reviews in all 50 states.

Huntersville-based Fridayd is a virtual backend assistant for job-seekers. They use intelligent criteria-driven searches to get results and can search and apply on behalf of the applicant.

The Charlotte Venture Challenge is a funding competition for early-stage companies. The competition has a history of producing and showcasing some of the Southeast’s most successful early-stage companies. In the last three years, over 300 start-up companies entered the competition to present their goals and objectives to both potential investors and first time customers, along with the chance to win cash prizes. Last year’s winner went on to raise $8.7 million from an angel fund.