What to Look for in an Accelerator Program
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When Chris Bergman entered startup accelerator The Brandery in 2011, he wasn't sure exactly what the program would be able to accomplish for his company.
"I was a skeptic. My hope was that if it taught me something about how to raise money, that would be good enough," says Bergman, co-founder and CEO of Choremonster, which has developed an app to reward kids for helping out around the house.
Roughly one year and $775,000 in funding later, Bergman is still reaping rewards, financial and otherwise, from his three-month stint with the Cincinnati accelerator. "I've had conversations with investors that have turned into capital, I've made invaluable networking connections and I've learned a lot about how I want to manage my company," he says. "Our business wouldn't exist today without The Brandery."
Startup accelerator programs are popping up every day, available to a wider range of entrepreneurs than ever before. They're no longer limited to Silicon Valley, and they're no longer just for tech companies; there are industry-focused programs
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