Start Your Business in the Joensuu Region

Heli Saario, Business Coach 

Heli Hirvonen, Development Manager 
heli.hirvonen@businessjoensuu.fi
+358 400 956 178

Juha Saastamoinen, Business Specialist 
juha.saastamoinen@businessjoensuu.fi
+358 50 382 5503

A great first step is to explore the free digital Guide to Starting a Business 2026 published by the Suomen Uusyrityskeskukset ry. It gives you a clear and up-to-date overview of what it takes to plan, launch, and grow a business in Finland.

The guide is useful if you are considering starting your own business, planning to buy an existing company, thinking about changing your company structure, or even if you are already running a business and looking for practical guidance.

Inside the guide, you’ll explore five essential areas of entrepreneurship:

1. You as an entrepreneur
2. Turning an idea into a business opportunity
3. The practical steps of setting up a company
4. Managing day-to-day business operations
5. Continuous business development and growth

Download the Guide to Starting a Business 2026 (PDF)

You can also get a printed copy from Business Joensuu business coach Heli Saario.

You are warmly welcome to join Business Joensuu Start Services, including One-to-one business coaching, New Entrepreneur Sparring sessions, and Start – Group Coaching for New Entrepreneurs. Heli supports you in clarifying your business idea, preparing your business plan, building financial calculations, choosing the right company structure, registering your business in Finland, and applying for start-up grants and funding. Whether you’re setting up as a sole trader or a limited liability company, you’ll receive practical, supportive guidance tailored to your situation.

A strong business idea solves a real customer problem and has the potential to become financially sustainable and profitable.

In the early stages, your idea does not need to be perfect. Most successful business ideas evolve through discussion, testing, and coaching.

Key questions to explore:

• Who is your target customer?
• What real problem does your product or service solve?
• How will your business generate revenue?
• What makes your offering different from competitors?

In the Start Services at Business Joensuu, we help you:

• validate your business idea
• develop it from a customer perspective
• identify risks and growth opportunities

New Entrepreneur Sparring is often the best place to start if your idea is still taking shape.

Start – Group Coaching for New Entrepreneurs helps you clarify your business idea, create a strong business plan, and confidently establish your business.

Not at all.

Many entrepreneurs contact us when their idea is still forming—or when entrepreneurship has simply started to interest them.

Your business direction often becomes clearer through conversations, sparring, and during group coaching. All you need is curiosity and a willingness to explore your opportunities.

New Entrepreneur Sparring is a free group coaching session designed to help you explore entrepreneurship and take your first steps with clarity and confidence. Register here.

Yes. Entrepreneurship doesn’t always start from scratch.

You can become an entrepreneur by buying an existing business, acquiring a business operation, or continuing a family business through succession.

This gives you a ready-made business foundation, such as an existing brand, customers, and cash flow. You can develop and grow the business based on your own goals, expertise, and future vision.

Business acquisition and succession usually involve multiple phases, such as finding the right company or successor, business valuation, financing arrangements, and ownership and legal structuring. Financing is typically needed to cover the purchase price, investments, or working capital. The financing structure of a business acquisition or ownership transition depends not only on the selected transaction model, but also on the size of the deal.

The ownership transition experts at Business Joensuu provide free, confidential guidance throughout the entire business acquisition or succession process—from your first considerations and evaluating financing options to completing the transaction.

If you are considering entrepreneurship through acquiring an existing business or continuing a family business, we encourage you to contact our experts early.

When starting your entrepreneurial journey, we also recommend making use of other Start business services offered by Business Joensuu. After the ownership transition, you can continue developing and growing your business through our growth coaching programmes.

You can explore, test, and start entrepreneurship already during your studies—flexibly in a way that fits your everyday life. Many students begin as part-time entrepreneurs, light entrepreneurs, or through study projects, assignments, or practical coursework.

Want to see what student entrepreneurship can look like in real life?

Get inspired by the story of Antti Ahtilinna as a student, athlete, and entrepreneur by watching the Unelmaduuni yrittäjänä video series — it might spark your own entrepreneurial journey.

Where should you start as a student entrepreneur?

A great first step for students is:

• New Entrepreneur Sparring – a free group coaching session designed to help you explore entrepreneurship and plan your next steps. Apply here.

• Personal Business Coaching – one-to-one support with our business experts when you want help clarifying your business idea, preparing your business plan, or understanding the practical steps of starting a business.

When your business idea is more developed and you are ready to move forward with launching your business, your next step may be Start – Group Coaching for New Entrepreneurs. Apply here.

Absolutely. Entrepreneurship does not need to begin full-time.

Many people start as:

• light entrepreneurs
• part-time entrepreneurs
• hybrid professionals (employment + business)
• student entrepreneurs

As your business idea, customer base, and revenue model become clearer, full-time entrepreneurship often becomes a natural next step.

Heli Saario helps you find the entrepreneurial path that fits your life situation. In our Start business services, you receive confidential support, guidance, and answers to your early-stage entrepreneurship questions—tailored to your own starting point and situation.

We recommend the following free services for the early stages of entrepreneurship: 

• Register for New Entrepreneur Sparring

• Book a session for Personal Business Coaching with Heli Saario

The start-up grant is a discretionary financial support designed to help secure your livelihood in the early stages of entrepreneurship, when income is still limited. It is for securing your income during the early stages of full-time entrepreneurship.

Important: You must apply before starting your business through your local employment authority. In North Karelia, applications and decisions are handled by the North Karelia employment services. To apply, you need a clear business plan with financial and profitability calculations to proof that your business idea is viable.

In Start business services at Business Joensuu, we help you:

• prepare your start-up grant application
• build your business plan
• create financial forecasts
• assess your eligibility

In personal coaching, you can review together with our business expert whether you meet the eligibility criteria for the start-up grant and how to proceed with the application process step by step.

How to apply for the start-up grant:

• Apply for the start-up grant before starting full-time business operations or before expanding a part-time business into full-time entrepreneurship

• Submit your application electronically via the Employment Services online customer portal (Job Market Finland). Business Joensuu business experts support you in assessing eligibility and, if needed, preparing your application through discussions about your business idea and plans

• The start-up grant is paid monthly in arrears after a positive decision by the employment authority

Financing for a start-up business can come from several different sources. The most common financing options include:

• entrepreneur’s own equity
• bank loans
• financing solutions from Finnvera
• public subsidies and grants
• start-up grant (personal income support during the early stages)

The right financing solution depends on your business idea, industry, and the scale of your operations. In many cases, financing is built as a combination of several different sources.

Through Start business services at Business Joensuu, we help you:

• assess your financing needs
• compare different funding options
• prepare financial and profitability calculations

Personal Business Coaching and Start – Group Coaching for New Entrepreneurs are ideal for planning your business financing in a structured and supported way.

In personal business coaching, you receive confidential support and clarity for your next steps in entrepreneurship. This service is ideal if you are considering starting a business, planning to establish a company, or need one-to-one sparring during the early years of your business.

In personal coaching, you receive practical, hands-on support with, for example:

• evaluating and developing your business idea
• preparing your business plan and financial and profitability calculations
• choosing your company form and registering your business
• exploring start-up grants and financing options
• handling practical questions related to starting a business

The coaching is tailored to your individual situation. Together, we go through the key aspects of your business to ensure you move forward safely and in a structured way. You also receive support in decision-making, evaluating alternatives, and managing early-stage uncertainty.

Our clients often say that coaching helps them clarify their thinking, strengthen decision-making, and increase confidence in entrepreneurship.

Book a session with business coach Heli Saario, and we’ll discuss your situation and your next steps. You’ll gain concrete guidance already from the very first meeting to move your entrepreneurship forward.

New Entrepreneur Sparring is a free, low-pressure 2-hour group session where you can explore entrepreneurship with others in a similar situation.

You don’t need to know everything – or really anything at all. All you need is a business idea that you want to spar with others about, ask a coach questions, and hear what others have experienced and thought.

What is covered in New Entrepreneur Sparring?

In the group, we’ll casually discuss things like:

• where to start and how to organise your thoughts
• how to develop a business idea further
• whether your idea is feasible at all
• defining your target customer groups
• whether to set up a private trader or a limited liability company
• business legislation issues in Finland
• how to apply for a start-up grant
• what other funding for new businesses is available
• whether you need a YEL pension as an entrepreneur
• oh, and VAT!

The discussion always progresses based on the group’s interests and questions. Come along to chat, listen, and get inspired!

What is the goal of the New Entrepreneur Sparring?

The session provides a space where you can explore your business ideas and the thought of becoming an entrepreneur together with your coach and others in a similar situation. You’ll get peer support, expand your network, discover new perspectives, and maybe find some extra motivation to move forward. You’ll get a clearer idea of whether it’s worth becoming an entrepreneur.

Here’s what others have said after the coaching session:

"You can ask about anything and get answers."

"I loved the fact that coach made us aware of essential tax matters in Finland. Hopefully, I will come back to other sessions for more details soon. I'd say this is a great point to always emphasize and instruct new entrepreneurs!"

"For start-up’s company setting and taxes, it was good opportunity to make sure our idea validated with regulatory in Finland."

When is New Entrepreneur Sparring right for you?

New Entrepreneur Sparring is suitable for you if:

• entrepreneurship interests you, but you are not yet sure how to proceed or what starting a business actually involves
• you want to hear other people’s thoughts and experiences
• you are looking for new perspectives without committing to starting a company

Apply for New Entrepreneur Sparring and come to discuss, listen, and get inspired.

Location: Business Joensuu, Coaching Park or Coaching Class room (Tiedepuisto / Science Park, Building 3B, 4th floor, Länsikatu 15, Joensuu). 

If you’re planning to set up a company in the near future, or have just begun your journey as an entrepreneur, Start Group Coaching programme is designed for you. You’ll receive the key tools, knowledge and support needed to plan and launch your business in Finland. The group coaching is a natural continuation after New Entrepreneur Sparring or personal business coaching, helping you move forward with structure, clarity, and practical tools.

What Happens in Group Coaching?

With guidance from our experienced coaches – all of whom have entrepreneurial backgrounds – and peer support from fellow participants, you’ll learn to build a business that reflects your strengths and get your operations off to a solid start. Reflecting and sparring together will spark new insights and perspectives for your business idea. Group discussions, pre-assignments and shared experiences will bring new perspectives to your business development, strengthen your entrepreneurial skills, and help you build a functioning support network right from the beginning.

During the programme, you will:

• clarify your business idea and target market
• build your business plan
• prepare financial calculations
• understand funding and start-up grants
• learn pricing, sales, marketing, and risk management
• develop your entrepreneurial mindset
• practise your pitch deck and elevator pitch

You also receive support in decision-making and in growing into your role as an entrepreneur.

Group discussions, pre-assignments, and shared experiences with other new entrepreneurs help inspire and support you as you launch your business. At the same time, you begin building a valuable entrepreneurial and support network from the very start of your journey. These networks can support not only your business development and growth, but also your resilience, confidence, and wellbeing as an entrepreneur.

Programme structure:

• 6 group coaching sessions (3 hours each)
• 1–3 personal coaching sessions
• Practical assignments between sessions

• Location: Business Joensuu, Coaching Park room (Tiedepuisto / Science Park, Building 3B, 4th floor, Länsikatu 15, Joensuu).

Feedback from previous participants

” Through this course I could understand per se; what type of business should I register,preparing a business plan, competitors analysis, risk management, and pitch presentations. I believe this opportunity has leveraged me with enough information yo start my business successfully.”

“This program helped me feel more confident in my abilities and discover new opportunities for growth. The most important insight for me was realizing that progress begins with small but consistent actions.”

“Best coaching course I've had so far.”

“As always, seeing and hearing Heli teach us about all the concepts that were covered during the course was a pleasure. She is an amazing coach, with lots of experience and she knows how to keep young entrepreneurs engaged and interested in what she teaches, by providing relevant examples to all the situations that she is describing when teaching a new concept."

“I now know more about the core aspects of starting and managing my business.”

“It helped us to evaluate our business, assess risks, manage our time, market better, etc. All the sessions were very useful.”

“I’m grateful for the perspective and insights you helped me uncover. Your guidance supported my personal and professional growth, and I left each session feeling more focused and empowered. Thank you for helping me see new opportunities and approach challenges with more confidence.”

“Really good coaches. Professional knowledge and right amount of feedback and challenge to improve own business idea.”

“Amazing course, would recommend it to anyone who is starting a new business. Heli is very professional mentor and asks the right questions, giving honest and positive feedback.”

Apply for Start – Group Coaching for New Entrepreneurs and build a sustainable, profitable foundation for your business. 

Business Joensuu works in close, practical cooperation with educational institutions in the Joensuu region to support entrepreneurship studies and entrepreneurship education. We connect schools, students, companies, stakeholders, and partners to ensure students gain real-life experience of entrepreneurship and working life already during their studies.

Our collaboration helps strengthen students’ positive attitude toward entrepreneurship while developing essential entrepreneurial knowledge, skills, and capabilities. We actively participate in hands-on learning activities such as problem-solving and idea development projects, hackathons, and business idea and pitch competitions.

These formats bring together students, educational institutions, and businesses in meaningful, real-world collaboration.

We work in partnership with institutions such as Riveria, Karelia University of Applied Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Itä-Suomen Liikuntaopisto, and Joensuu Conservatory. In addition, we support entrepreneurship education in secondary schools and high schools.

If you would like Business Joensuu to join as a trainer, sparring partner, or speaker for a course, event, or study module, you can easily get in touch with Heli Saario.

 Business Joensuu also offers students opportunities for internships and thesis projects. For internship placements or thesis collaboration opportunities, please contact Ari Immonen at ari.immonen@businessjoensuu.fi or +358 50 585 9100.