The first Odesa Investment Congress, dedicated to urban development, investment, and Ukraine’s recovery, took place on July 10 at the SPATIUM Hotel in Odesa and brought together over 300 developers, investors, architects, experts, and government officials.
According to the event organizers, the congress ran throughout the day simultaneously in two thematic halls—“Urban Development” and “Urban Design.”
Participants discussed the investment appeal of the Odesa region, prospects for new development projects, housing policy for reconstruction, the digitalization of the construction industry, the development of medical and rehabilitation facilities, the preservation of Odesa’s historical heritage, and the energy independence of real estate properties.
Among the keynote speakers and panelists were Natalia Kozlovska, Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine; Ihor Reva, Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformation, and Digitalization; Oleksandr Novitsky, Head of the State Inspectorate of Architecture and Urban
Planning of Ukraine; and Yevhen Metzger, Chairman of the Board of PJSC “Ukrfinzhytlo.”
Also participating in the congress were Serhiy Lysak, Head of the Odesa City Military Administration, First Deputy Mayor of Odesa Oleksandr Filatov, Deputy Head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration Nataliia Melnychuk, Chief Architect of Odesa Nadiia Novikova, CEO and Owner of SPATIUM Group Oleksandr Seleznyov, as well as representatives of development, architectural, investment, and hotel companies.
Representatives from SPATIUM Group, ZEZMAN Holding, KADORR, “Gefest,” “Two Academicians,” Akvareli, Ribas Hotels, RIEL, UDP, SAGA, Creator-Bud, Avalon, SIGMA+, and CREDO joined the discussions.
According to Alexander Seleznyov, CEO of SPATIUM Group, Odessa’s real estate development market is gradually recovering.
“We are already nearly back to pre-war levels. Old projects have been completed, and we are starting to build new ones,” he said during the congress.
Serhiy Lysak, Head of the Odesa City Military Administration, stated that the city is ready to collaborate with businesses and investors.
“Odesa is open to partnerships, constructive dialogue, and the implementation of joint projects aimed at developing our city,” Lysak emphasized.
Odessa’s Chief Architect, Nadiya Novikova, commenting on the city’s development in light of its status on the UNESCO World Heritage List, noted that changes must occur harmoniously.
“Our goal is for our city to develop—and to do so harmoniously. I don’t think this is anything to be afraid of. We will get to work,” Novikova said.
A separate segment of the program was dedicated to medical development, wellness infrastructure, and rehabilitation and inclusive spaces. The congress also featured a presentation by the Superhumans team in Odesa.
In the Urban Design hall, chief architects of Ukrainian cities and representatives of the professional community discussed modern approaches to urban planning, accessibility, the preservation of architectural heritage, and the development of public spaces.
The congress was held at the SPATIUM Hotel in Arcadia. According to the organizers, this is Odessa’s first five-star medical & wellness aparthotel that operates year-round.
The Odesa Investment Congress concluded with a gala evening, a concert program, and the presentation ceremony for the special Wassily Kandinsky Award.
The event was organized by the DMNTR media group, with SPATIUM Group serving as the general partner.
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency served as the official media partner of the Odesa Investment Congress.
DEVELOPMENT, DMNTR, INVESTMENT, ODESA, Odesa Investment Congress, RECONSTRUCTION, SPATIUM Group
The Odesa Investment Congress has updated the program for the forum, which will take place on July 10, 2026, in Odesa at the SPATIUM Hotel and will run from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The final program for the congress includes two conference halls operating throughout the day—from the first panel discussion to the gala evening and concert program. The organizers note that there are only a few days left before the event begins, and seating is limited.
The program for July 10 includes a press conference on accessibility as a new urban philosophy, featuring government officials, as well as panel discussions on Odessa’s investment appeal, new investments in the regions, wellness as a new urban economy, and the development of medical, rehabilitation, and inclusive spaces.
Representatives from SPATIUM, ZEZMAN Holding, KADORR, “Gefest,” “Two Academicians,” Akvareli, Ribas Hotels, and other companies will join the discussion on Odessa’s investment appeal. A separate panel will be dedicated to new investments in the regions, featuring RIEL, UDP, SAGA, Creator-Bud, Avalon, SIGMA+, and CREDO.
One of the central segments will be a presentation by the SUPERHUMANS team in Odesa and a discussion on the development of medical, rehabilitation, and inclusive spaces. The program also includes a discussion on the topic “Odesa and UNESCO: Heritage Preservation vs. Modern Development.”
The URBAN DESIGN hall will host discussions featuring the chief architects of Kyiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, and Rivne; a panel titled “Women Shaping Ukrainian Space”; workshops by the BOARD business community featuring Netpeak and Profiles; and an Evening Talk on premium-level sales.
The day will conclude with a gala evening, a concert program, and the presentation of the Vasyl Kandinsky Special Award.
A special program is also planned for congress guests on July 9 and 11, which will include private site visits, presentations, and a dinner.
Tickets for the Odesa Investment Congress are available on the website: ubc-ua.info/oic. VIP guests, speakers, and partners can contact us at: 077 777 25 47.
The Odesa Investment Congress is organized by the DMNTR media group. The general partner is SPATIUM Group.
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency is the information partner of the Odesa Investment Congress.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided a batch of technical assistance to Odesa, according to the Japanese Embassy in Ukraine.
“On May 28, Japan, through JICA, donated eight high-pressure water jets to Odesa’s municipal utilities to help clean and maintain critical infrastructure, thereby strengthening the city’s resilience and recovery. Japan will continue to support the reconstruction of Ukraine and affected communities,” reads a post on social media.
In addition, Japanese Ambassador Masashi Nakagome held meetings with the head of the Odesa City Council, Serhiy Lysak, and the acting mayor of Odesa, Ihor Koval.
The European Union is interested in expanding the European railway network to Lviv, Kyiv, and Odesa while ensuring transport safety, said Magda Kopczyńska, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport.
“In the medium term, I would like to see several European-gauge rail corridors running unimpeded from Poland all the way to Kyiv, from Prague to the southern route via Uzhhorod, and then all the way to Kyiv and Odesa,“ she said at the ”Ukraine-EU“ business summit in Brussels on Wednesday, according to a correspondent for the ”Interfax-Ukraine” agency.
Kopchynska noted that Ukraine has already very quickly built 22 km of European-gauge track from Chop to Uzhhorod, and the EU has allocated funds to Ukraine to begin construction of the line that will run to Lviv.
The European Commission representative emphasized that when planning new financial programs, the EU is increasingly encountering the principle of “dual use” of infrastructure—taking into account issues of proper functioning and safety of transport infrastructure.
“Now, based on Ukraine’s terrible experience, member states are much more aware that it is not enough to simply build something. We also need to make sure we know how to protect it,” she emphasized.
Kopchynska noted that over the past 10 years, there has been a growing recognition of the need to extend transport corridors beyond the EU’s borders, which has become the basis for expanding the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) beyond 2022 to include Ukraine, specifically Odesa.
“We tried to convince member states 10 years ago that it might be a good idea for these corridors, which are located within the EU, to extend beyond the EU’s borders. This didn’t work until February 2022,” Kopchynska stated.
She drew particular attention to the role of the so-called “Solidarity Lanes,” which the EU introduced after the start of the full-scale war, when the operation of Ukrainian Black Sea ports was effectively blocked. According to her, these routes have proven their effectiveness and remain important for Ukraine and the world even after the reopening of Black Sea shipping.
“I think the situation is improving somewhat, but if you ask me whether everything is perfect and running smoothly, that’s not the case,” Kopchynska said, calling for the further development of the “Solidarity Lanes.”
In her view, the construction of border crossing infrastructure should be considered in a way that ensures maximum simplification, given that Ukraine is still not part of the Schengen Area.
Kopchynska emphasized that it is also necessary to develop inland waterways and operational seaports in the Black Sea.
“And yes, once airspace is open, we will also need developed airports in Ukraine,” added the Director-General of the Directorate for Mobility and Transport.
A series of industry events titled “METRONOM” is launching in Ukraine, bringing together developers, architects, and urban planners to discuss the future of Ukrainian cities.
According to the organizers, the theme of the season is “Strategies for Urban Environment Development: Me, You, Society.”
A series of events is planned across various cities in Ukraine as part of the season. The first event will take place on April 23 in Kyiv at the “Osvitoria” venue.
The next event is scheduled for May 20 in Lviv; the venue is currently being finalized. Additionally, the BUDArena Expo—an exhibition and forum—will take place in Lviv on May 21–22.
Subsequent events in the series will be held on June 11 in Dnipro and July 1 in Odesa. Venues for these events will be announced at a later date.
The organizers also announced an expansion of the project’s geographic scope. Specifically, “METRONOM” events are planned for Uzhhorod and Rivne in the near future; dates and venues are currently being finalized.
The “METRONOM” event series is positioned as a professional platform for dialogue between participants in the development market, the architectural community, and urbanists regarding approaches to the development of the urban environment in Ukraine.
“Open4business” is the information partner for the events.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a grant of EUR4.13 million to support Superhumans centers in Dnipro and Odesa, according to the financial institution’s website.
“The need for grant support is related to the extraordinary circumstances of the war and the shortage of specialized rehabilitation services, which forces patients to travel long distances to Lviv or abroad,” the EBRD said in a statement.
It is reported that in mid-2026, the organization plans to launch a medical center in Odesa, designed for 600 new patients per year and to support up to 1,200 people annually with follow-up services. The launch of the center in Odesa should expand access to multidisciplinary rehabilitation care in southern Ukraine.
Currently, Superhumans military trauma centers operate in Lviv and Dnipro: the first was launched in April 2023, the second was opened in June 2025, and together they can accept up to 2,000 patients per year.
Superhumans is a nationwide military trauma center that has specialized in prosthetics, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, and psychological support for adults and children affected by war since 2022.
The organization cooperates with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health to update care protocols and improve the qualifications of medical workers, supports state hospitals through international medical missions and training of specialists, including prosthetists, and interacts with the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the Ministry of Economy in programs to support and reintegrate veterans.
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