What to Look for in an Accelerator Program Accelerator programs are exploding in number, promising cash, mentorship, exposure and prestige. Here's what to look for, how to get in and how to reap the rewards.

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."