Runaway Cow, a vegan ice cream shop in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, took top honors at the 12th annual South Side Pitch, a competition hosted by the University of Chicago Law School’s Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship.

Five businesses from Chicago’s South Side, selected from a pool of more than 160 applicants, delivered pitches in the Shark Tank-style competition, held at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation on October 20.

Alison Eichhorn and her partner, Aaron Gutierrez, owners of the Runaway Cow, made their winning pitch in front of a live audience. Founded last year, the Bridgeport business plans to use its $15,000 prize money to purchase additional equipment that will allow it to serve more customers.

Eichorn and Gutierrez have been vegan for more than 20 years. While this business is relatively new, Eichorn grew up working in her family ice cream shop and the couple has operated a food truck together in the past.

“The South Side is our home and our community,” Eichorn said of the decision to open the ice cream shop in Bridgeport. “It is so validating to be recognized for a business plan that challenges the assumptions of what people think belongs on the South Side, but even more exciting to see that the South Side is embracing us.”

The other prize-winning South Side businesses included ChiBrations, an artist-led media platform designed to celebrate and centralize performing artists of Greater Chicago; Ahead Academy, which teaches entrepreneurship and empowerment through hairbraiding; Framewrks, an innovative eyeglass company that aims to make custom frames for faces with all kinds of features; and Tawney Coffee, a brother-and sister-run gourmet coffee delivery service. 

ChiBrations took home $10,000; Ahead Academy, $6,000; Framewrks, $3,000; and Tawney Coffee, $1,000.

Elizabeth Kregor, director of the IJ Clinic, said that the South Side Pitch celebrates innovators in a part of the economy that is often overlooked or undervalued. “This year’s finalists are challenging the conventional wisdom about who can be an entrepreneur and where entrepreneurs belong,” she added.