What is South Side Pitch?
South Side’s Shark-Tank Style Competition
Every year, small businesses across the South Side of Chicago participate in South Side Pitch, sharing stories about their roots, their impact, and their visions for the future. The contest ends with a shark-tank style event where finalists pitch their businesses to a city-wide audience and a panel of judges for the chance to win cash prizes totaling over $34,000! Our goal is to shine a spotlight on these incredible business owners and inspire others to pursue their dreams and build up their communities through entrepreneurship.
hosted by
South Side Pitch is hosted by the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Law School. Located on the South Side, we advocate for economic liberty so that entrepreneurs from Chicago can chart their own courses in life, build up neighborhoods, and create jobs. We provide free legal assistance, access to resources, and advocacy for underserved entrepreneurs in the Chicago area.
Impact
South Side Pitch’s General Timeline
Prizes
With over $34,000 in prizes, the IJ Clinic is spotlighting South Siders with a passion to pitch. Compete against over 100 applicants for one of the top five spots! Each finalist is guaranteed a cash prize at the end of the night.
*The Community Favorite Award is a generous cash award that acknowledges the South Side Pitch finalist that receives the most public votes.
*The Rustandy Center Social Impact Award is a generous cash award of $2,500 that is given to a South Side Pitch finalist chosen by staff from the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
2024 Finalists
Hyde Park
Econofi
Bill and Demetra founded Econofi with a vision to address the financial challenges they witnessed growing up in Englewood and Roseland. The decline of community banks and the rise of predatory financial services left many…
South Side Pitch 2024
Winner
Hyde Park
Nappily Happy
Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Dominique quickly learned the importance of managing her hair. Throughout her childhood, her hair was one of her best features. It wasn’t until her junior year of…
South Side Pitch 2024
Winner
Woodlawn
7323 Chicago Café
The journey to opening 7323 Chicago Cafe began with Marquinn’s self-taught love for cooking, but the dream became reality through hard work and family support. Situated in Woodlawn, a less-touched neighborhood and food desert, Marquinn…
South Side Pitch 2024
Winner
Bronzeville
Daniel’s Test Kitchen
Daniel Will always enjoyed cooking, starting when he was a teenager and grew into a bigger passion as he got older. Daniel loves how creative people can be with food, how random ingredients can turn…
South Side Pitch 2024
Winner
Longwood Manor
InHeirit, Inc.
Through collective personal experience and recognizing the adverse impact of inconsistent wealth transfer within our community, InHeirit was founded in Summer 2023 by Astin, Amanda, and Rendel with the determination to disrupt the systemic gap…
South Side Pitch 2024
Winner
