The Natural Resources Institute (Luke), the European Forest Institute (EFI), the University of Eastern Finland, Karelia University of Applied Sciences, vocational training and Business Joensuu work together to bring the latest research results and business development methods in order to benefit companies.

Joensuu's GreenHUB initiative brings businesses in contact with 600 bioeconomy researchers and experts in the bioeconomy sector. The open and enterprise-driven cooperation model aims to solve business bottlenecks and refine ideas into innovations. GreenHUB activities are free of charge for businesses, highlighting the aim to boost the commercialization of innovations and to speed up the development of businesses.

Joensuu hosts the world's leading forest machinery cluster and a number of pioneering bioeconomy businesses, for example Arbonaut, Fortum, John Deere Forestry and Stora Enso. The region's 500 bioeconomy companies have a combined revenue of two billion euros. A talented workforce is ensured by forestry education at all academic levels, something offered in Joensuu but in no other region in Finland. The area offers a diverse supply of high-quality forest-based resources ranging from wood, forest products and sawn timber to dissolving pulp and bio-oil.