NCSR “DEMOKRITOS”​ is proud partner of the 1st Franco–Hellenic Forum for Research and Innovation, organized by the Department for Academic and Scientific Cooperation of the Embassy of France in Greece – the French Institute of Greece (Institut français de Grèce (IFG)), under the auspices of the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (ΓΓΕΚ | GSRI) of the Ministry of Development.

For its inaugural edition, the Forum focuses on strategic sectors for both France and Greece, namely defence, hashtag#energy, health, and digital technologies, and includes a series of high-level discussions, matchmaking sessions, and workshops aimed at strengthening collaboration between research, industry, and policy stakeholders.

Representing NCSR “DEMOKRITOS”​, Dr. Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Vice-President of the Board of Directors, joined distinguished speakers from Greece and France at the roundtable: “Building Strong Research Ecosystems Around Defence Innovation.” to discuss the role of research organizations, industry, policymakers, and innovation actors in strengthening Europe’s defence innovation landscape.

A central theme of the discussion was the growing importance of dual–use technologies and deep–tech innovation. As emerging technologies increasingly serve both civilian and defence applications, fostering robust innovation ecosystems becomes essential for translating research excellence into real-world impact.

One message stood out throughout the conversation: in dual-use and deep-tech innovation, resilience and autonomy are not simply an advantage—they are a prerequisite. Building technologies capable of addressing complex societal and security challenges requires long-term vision, adaptability, strong partnerships, and the ability to navigate uncertainty from research to deployment.

The Forum highlighted the importance of international collaboration in shaping the future of innovation and creating stronger bridges between research, technology development, and strategic autonomy.