Locations
Ukraine
A Blueprint for renewal
A Municipal portfolio
Amid the devastation of war, the Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv is choosing not just to recover—but to reimagine its future. With infrastructure damaged and institutions strained, the city is opting to build forward, not back: creating a new kind of economy, a new model of collaboration, and a new vision for what a post-crisis city can be.
This transformation is driven by a bold systems and portfolio approach, adopted to integrate physical rebuilding, institutional reform, and behavioral shifts—essential to address the complex challenges Mykolaiv faces. At its core is the Blue Economy Portfolio, which harnesses the city’s coastal strengths to unlock sustainable, sea- and water-based innovation.
Conventional recovery models often rely on siloed, stand-alone projects that rebuild infrastructure but rarely transform the systems behind them. Mykolaiv is going further—shifting from reactive rebuilding to strategic, adaptive transformation.
This systems approach links infrastructure to institutional renewal, behavioral change, and participatory governance. By embedding this strategy in the city’s Masterplan and establishing a permanent Portfolio Hub in City Hall, Mykolaiv is institutionalizing a future-ready, inclusive, and agile model. This coherence enables better decision-making and avoids the fragmentation typical of crisis response.
This isn’t just planning—it’s a real-time operating system for the city’s renewal, allowing municipal leaders, local stakeholders, and international partners to align efforts, adapt together, and build resilience—even in wartime.
Historically defined by shipbuilding and heavy engineering, Mykolaiv’s economy was deeply impacted by war and global disconnection. Rather than rebuilding a vulnerable past, the city is pivoting toward the industries of the future—led by a dynamic Blue Economy Ecosystem.
The City on a Wave portfolio is at the heart of this shift, driving economic diversification, circular value creation, and innovation. Local SMEs are connecting to global value chains through high-trust, cross-sector collaborations—from aquaculture and smart port technologies to offshore wind and sustainable construction.
This is more than industrial clustering—it’s about unlocking “adjacent possibilities” by leveraging the city’s existing capabilities. Business accelerators like Boost, partnerships with Danish OEMs, and co-designed strategies are helping local firms pivot, scale, and co-create new markets.
Here, economic sovereignty means designing forward—rooted in local strengths and powered by global connection.
In times of crisis, decision-making often centralizes and public trust erodes. Mykolaiv is choosing a different path—opening governance and fostering civic ownership of the city’s transformation.
Recovery efforts are grounded in continuous public engagement—from participatory planning to youth-driven sustainability education. Residents are shaping neighborhood plans, reimagining institutions, and contributing to the shared vision for a “City on a Wave.”
Special focus is placed on empowering women, youth, and underserved groups—ensuring the transition is not only green and innovative but also inclusive. Through open public spaces, transparent communication, and active learning, civic participation becomes a driver of resilience.
A model for eastern Europe
What Mykolaiv is building goes beyond recovery. It’s a testbed for how cities in crisis can shift from closed, vulnerable systems to open, future-oriented ecosystems.
Backed by the City of Mykolaiv, the EU’s Mayors for Economic Growth program, and the Danish Government’s Innovation Facility, this work offers a real-time, replicable model for municipalities.