Joensuu was established as a trading place. Due to its location it also became a center of the wood processing industry, which in time developed through a unique combination of corporate activity, research and education into the Forestry Capital of Europe. From its beginnings in sawmilling the city has progressed substantially as a result of the massive opportunities offered by the forest bio-economy.

The Karelian business city traditions are maintained, for example, by the Broman Group, which includes the AD VaraosaMaailma and Motonet chains (auto parts), and Autotalo Laakkonen (car dealership). In the IT-sector Blancco, a company specialized in information disposal, is on the way to conquering the world. For those hungry for the news, there is the Ampparit.com news aggregator.

In Joensuu culture is also business. Live music, film, handicrafts and design as well as the computer games field are all strong actors in the area. A significant future industry will be photonics and, specifically, applications of treatments of light. These expectations are based on the increasing importance of consumer electronics in everyday life, and the rise of robotics.