Cork will stage a startup conference like no other this November. Having secured the hosting rights for the 2016 Startup Nations Summit, Cork will offer something truly unique to Irish and international startups.Running in parallel with the summit, which is an exclusive event for Startup Nations delegates, Startup Island promises an intensive startup bootcamp with a twist – on the site of disused former prison; Spike Island.

On an island off the coast of Cork, Spike Island will play host to the gritty, two-day, overnight bootcamp that will challenge the way startups think. With a host of leading entrepreneurs set to offer key business insights, as well as those sharing their own startup stories, Startup Island promises a truly memorable experience across 18th-19thNovember.

150 startups who want to learn the real hard truths about making it in business will report for duty in Cobh on Friday 18th November before making their way across to Spike Island for a rigorous debriefing.

The Gift Voucher Shop(GVS) are launching a recognition programme for SMEs called ‘The Spotlights’ with Chambers. This purpose is to recognise employees that go the extra mile and offer SMEs the facility to reward these unsung heroes. ‘The Spotlights’ is a simple online programme for your members to nominate their employees they feel go above and beyond for their business.

Entries are open until 28^th October via online. Judging will finish on 8^th November with winners being announced later that week.

As part of the Grow My Business series, a panel of leading expert speakers will explore the challenges facing small to medium business owners to help them identify and capitalise on exciting opportunities.