Joensuu aims to become Finland's most business-friendly city with globally well-known strengths and places for new investments and experts. The city of Joensuu has made vitality, entrepreneurship and employment one of the main priorities in its new strategy (2021-2025).
97% of Joensuu residents would recommend their hometown to others (2021), which is also a good forecast for the activities and satisfaction of local companies. Perhaps that is why more than 569 companies were established in the region only in 2021.
When your company is located in the Joensuu region, it has access to a wide range of services targeted at Business Joensuu's growth companies. We make relocation quick and easy, and our services are designed to help your business grow.
Attractive operating environment
An attractive operating environment is the key to your company's success. Growing markets, complete supplier networks, good transport connections and business areas utilising synergies between companies, such as energy production and the optimisation of material flows, form an attractive operating environment in the Joensuu region.
Joensuu has a wide range of business plots and finished premises around the city region. We can tailor plots and premises to the needs of companies. Come and make your business succeed in the best location.
Joensuu is a city of future experts
Joensuu is a city for young people and students. The region offers versatile higher education and top co-operation between companies and educational institutions. The vibrant and youthful university city is actively creating a labour market for educated people. Traditionally, the working careers in the region are long and the employees are highly engaged to their jobs. The labour cost level in Joensuu is competitive compared to the rest of Finland.
Statistics show that more than a quarter of Joensuu residents are students. Some of the things attracting young people to the city are the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), one of Finland's largest science universities, the international and prestigious Karelia University of Applied Sciences and a vocational school Riveria, which is one of Finland's largest vocational education and training providers. Thanks to its young residents, the city of Joensuu has a fresh, enthusiastic and open atmosphere.
Exceptionally good investment and development grants for companies
Business Joensuu helps you in exploring suitable funding options, planning development and investment projects and preparing applications. In the Joensuu region, it is possible to apply for business development funding from the ELY Centre. The maximum amount of ELY Centre investment funding is 40% and the maximum amount for development projects is 60%. The financial grants in the Joensuu region are the highest ones in Finland.
We also utilise two regional investment funds: The Business Joensuu Start Up Fund and the North Karelia Growth Fund as well as an extensive investor network. The funds and loans of Business Finland, as well as the guarantees, loans and other Finnvera services are also available.
Suitable partners from our top industries
If product development and the application of new technology are at the core of your business, we offer services for agile product development in cooperation with our research and development partners. Forest bioeconomy, industry, photonics, ICT and extractive industry are the strengths of our region. We offer unique expertise and networks for national and international cooperation in these business sectors.
Joensuu is the brightest leader in forest bioeconomy. Certified forests managed on the basis of the principles of sustainable development provide an excellent opportunity for the climate-friendly utilisation of raw materials, carbon sequestration, development of new products and the sustainable development of the entire sector.
The plastic and metal industry produces both modern forest machines and products for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry. In photonics, the region's core competence includes especially AR and VR technologies, 3D printing and the applications of diffractive and modern optics. The Joensuu region has a particularly strong ICT network with international companies and future top experts.
Joensuu is easy to reach
Good transport connections in Finland and abroad are vital for international business. Business passengers benefit from daily flights and good rail connections to Helsinki, while freight traffic benefits from excellent rail and water connections.
Daily flights between Joensuu and Helsinki are operated by Finnair and the flight time is one hour.
The most important roads are highways 6, 9 and 23. Highway 6 goes from Loviisa to Kajaani via Joensuu. Highway 9 goes from Turku to the Niirala border crossing point in Tohmajärvi via Kuopio and Joensuu. Highway 23 runs across the country from Pori to Joensuu via Jyväskylä and Varkaus.
The rail connections between Joensuu and Helsinki are excellent. Six passenger trains run between Joensuu and Helsinki on weekdays, and the fastest travel time is currently approximately four hours.
North Karelia's infrastructure is excellent for transporting heavy industry cargo. Freight can be transported on public roads, by rail or by the inland waterways of Saimaa. Cargo travels from Joensuu to the main harbours of Europe in 4-5 days.
