Andrew Wimer
Andrew Wimer · September 22, 2023

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CHICAGO—Five South Side businesses will compete on October 19 in the finals of the tenth annual South Side Pitch, hosted by the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship. The competition will again be held live and open to the public at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Hyde Park. The five finalists below will compete to win several prizes, for a combined total of over $31,000 in cash prizes.

  • BeautySKU, a mobile app where women of color share info about beauty products (North Lawndale).
  • Stoviink Creatives, a brand collective offering handcrafted and artisanal home products (Bronzeville and South Shore).
  • R City Kitchen, a shared-use commercial kitchen that helps food entrepreneurs (Roseland).
  • Englewood Branded, a clothing brand and store (West Englewood).
  • Justus Junkie, a company educating youth about the justice system with workshops and board games (Morgan Park)

South Side Pitch allows incredible entrepreneurs to share their origin stories and their vision for the future in a “Shark Tank”-style contest. The judges for the contest are a panel of leaders in the business world, as well as the audience. Prior winners have used their prizes to expand their businesses and create new jobs. Last year’s first-place winner was Black-owned brewery Moor’s Brewing Company.

Date/Time: Thursday, October 19, 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. CDT

Location: Polsky Center, 1452 E 53rd St, Chicago, IL 60615

South Side Pitch is hosted by the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship, which is based at the University of Chicago Law School. The contest is sponsored by United Airlines, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the University of Chicago Office of Civic Engagement, and the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation. To learn more or RSVP, visit www.southsidepitch.com.

Members of the media can reach out to Andrew Wimer, IJ Media Relations Director, to attend or schedule interviews with the contestants in advance, [email protected] or (703) 298-5938.

The Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship provides free legal assistance, access to resources and advocacy for low-income Chicago entrepreneurs. To learn more about the IJ Clinic, visit www.ij.org/clinic.