<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001005477-07-010600
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20071227
<FILING-DATE>20071228
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20071228
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>RENAISSANCE CAPITAL GROWTH & INCOME FUND III INC
<CIK>0000919567
<IRS-NUMBER>752533518
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>TX
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>8080 N CENTRAL EXPRWY
<STREET2>STE 210 LB59
<CITY>DALLAS
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75206
<PHONE>2148918294
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>8080 N CENTRAL EXPWY., SUITE 210 LB 59
<CITY>DALLAS
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75206
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CLEVELAND RUSSELL
<CIK>0001132090
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-11701
<FILM-NUMBER>071332003
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>8080 N CENTRAL EXPWY
<STREET2>STE 210 LB 59
<CITY>DALLAS
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75206
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar123.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-12-27</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000919567</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>RENAISSANCE CAPITAL GROWTH &amp; INCOME FUND III INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RCG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001132090</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CLEVELAND RUSSELL</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>8080 N. CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 210</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75206</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-12-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>180000</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>412770</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Shares held by RENN Capital Group, Inc.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reporting Person is the President, CEO and majority shareholder of RENN Capital Group, Inc., which is the owner of 43,800 shares after the current transaction, and he may be deemed to be the indirect beneficial owner of a portion of the shares.  He also may have indirect beneficial ownership of a portion of 33,503 shares owned by the Cleveland Family Limited Partnership and 335,467 shares owned by Renn Investment Limited Partnership, including a stock dividend of 3,026 shares from the Dividend Reinvestment Plan of the issuer for 2006.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Russell Cleveland</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-12-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
