Greek Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos has announced the creation of a new Institute of Micromechanics, Microelectronics and Microsystems at the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos in Athens.
The facility will serve as the seventh institute at the state research hub, strengthening national capabilities in the design, development, and manufacturing of advanced prototype technologies.
Speaking at an anniversary gathering in the Greek capital, Theodorikakos said the new institute will coordinate national efforts in semiconductors, microelectronics, and integrated photonics. He described semiconductors as a domain of strategic importance, noting that microchips lie at the heart of artificial intelligence, telecommunications, energy, and transport systems, serving as critical technology for economic competitiveness, productive power, and strategic autonomy.
Greece is actively shaping a national strategy for semiconductors and microcircuits to capitalise on its strategic advantages, according to the minister. He stated that the government took an initial step by providing 3.7 million euros in funding to the Greek Semiconductor Competence Center, an entity established to connect academic research and innovation directly with industrial manufacturing.
Micromechanics focuses on microscopic mechanical systems, while microelectronics involves designing miniaturized electronic circuits on silicon wafers. Integrated photonics uses light particles, known as photons, rather than electrical signals to transmit and process data at high speed with low power consumption.
Smart building and artificial intelligence expansion
Theodorikakos also announced that an 8.5 million euro smart building for the Demokritos Institute of Informatics and Telecommunications will open soon. The new facility will house the team behind Pharos, which operates as the national artificial intelligence factory in Greece.
Named after the ancient philosopher Democritus, who first conceptualized the atomic model, the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos is located in Agia Paraskevi, a suburb of Athens. The center operates as the primary multidisciplinary research institution in Greece, hosting specialized institutes dedicated to physical sciences, digital technologies, materials science, and biosciences.
Modernisation of national research infrastructure
Deputy Development Minister Stavros Kalafatis emphasized during the event that Demokritos has evolved into the largest multidisciplinary research hub in Southeastern Europe. He highlighted a broad range of scientific achievements at the center, extending from the digital imaging of wall paintings inside ancient Macedonian tombs to the development of microsatellite technology.
Macedonian tombs are vaulted ancient burial chambers located in northern Greece, known for historic wall paintings that require non-destructive digital imaging for preservation. Microsatellites are compact orbital spacecraft used for Earth observation and space research.
Kalafatis said the Greek government is currently executing the largest research infrastructure modernisation program in the country's modern history. He added that national and European Union funding is actively being deployed at Demokritos for the new smart building, extensive modernisations of laboratory equipment, and energy efficiency upgrades across the campus.
Sixty-five years of scientific development
The announcements took place during an anniversary conference celebrating 65 years of scientific work at Demokritos, held at the Athens Concert Hall, a prominent cultural and conference center in the capital. In an opening address, Dr. Vangelis Karkaletsis, director of NCSR Demokritos and chairman of its board of directors, said six decades of history create a responsibility to expand knowledge and convert research into innovation while remaining focused on human welfare and environmental protection.
Organised under the title Demokritos: Shaping the Future, the conference carried the central theme of human-centered research. According to a report by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, the event linked the historical path of the institution with current scientific programs and emerging technologies expected to shape daily life over coming decades.
