When Chris Bergman entered Cincinnati-area startup accelerator The Brandery in 2011, he wasn’t sure exactly what the program could 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, cofounder and CEO of ChoreMonster, which has developed an app to reward kids for helping out around the house.
Bergman is still reaping rewards, financial and otherwise, from his three-month stint with the 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 no longer just for tech companies; there are industry-focused programs centered on fashion, food and socially conscious endeavors as well.
