HCCC Information Day at NCSR “Demokritos”: Strengthening Greece’s position in the European semiconductor ecosystem

On Friday, February 6, 2026, NCSR “Demokritos” hosted the Hellenic Chips Competence Centre (HCCC) Information Day. The event served as a high-level gathering of industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers, all focused on a single mission: strengthening Greece’s position within the European semiconductor value chain under the umbrella of the EU Chips Act.

The day opened with greetings from the Secretary General for Telecommunications and Posts, Konstantinos Karantzalos, who highlighted the strategic necessity of domestic chip design and production.

Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Vice President of NCSR Demokritos, and Emmanuel Zervakis, HCCC President, welcomed the audience, setting the stage for a day dedicated to translating research into industrial impact.

Evangelos Gogolides, Director of INN, detailed the HCCC’s service catalog, positioning the INN as a primary provider for the Prototyping and Manufacture of Electronic and Photonic Devices.

The technical sessions provided deep dives into the Institute’s specialized offerings:

• Eleni Makarona (Researcher A’, INN) presented specific examples of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) and sensor manufacturing services.
• The event featured the SMARTEC line, the first Greek production line for GaN MMICs, presented by Manos Trichas (ITE), alongside design service insights from Georgios Panagopoulos (NTUA).
• Beyond manufacturing, the INN provides critical skills. Nikos Boukos (Researcher A’, INN) demonstrated laboratory training in material characterization via electron microscopy, while Dimitrios Soudris (NTUA) and Christoforos Kachris (UNIWA) discussed AI-based EDA tools and curriculum development.

The effectiveness of the INN’s ecosystem was validated by successful industrial partnerships. ThetaMetrisis (Ioannis Raptis), Circuits Integrated Hellas (Errikos Loundarakis) and OHB Hellas (Alexis Chatzistylianos) shared how collaborating with the research centers and universities has accelerated their technical roadmaps and market readiness.

To ensure these services are accessible to all, Katerina Tzortzatou (Head of Fundraising, NCSR Demokritos) provided a practical guide for SMEs and researchers on how to formally engage with the HCCC.

Infrastructure Tour: The Cleanroom & The AI Factory

The afternoon session offered a coordinated dual-track tour for all attendees.

1. The INN Cleanroom (Nanotechnology & Microsystems Laboratory)

Led by Cleanroom Manager Vassilis Vamvakas, groups explored the 300m² facility. As the only full silicon processing line in Greece, the Cleanroom is an important asset of HCCC, providing the controlled environment necessary for the fabrication of the next generation of sensors and microcircuits.

2. The Data Center & AI Factory (PHAROS)

Simultaneously, attendees visited the NCSR Demokritos Data Center and AI Factory, guided by Stelios Karozis. The AI Factory provides the high-performance computing (HPC) power essential for Advanced Chip Design (EDA) and complex simulations.

Access the Resources

• Technical Slides: Click here to download the speaker slides – Gain detailed insights shared by our experts.
• Virtual Tour: Experience our state-of-the-art facilities from your screen. Take the Virtual Tour of the Cleanroom here.