The National Center for Natural Sciences Research "Demokritos" was founded in 1961 as the "DIMOKRITOS" Nuclear Research Center. Today, it is the largest interdisciplinary Research Center in Greece with approximately 190 Researchers and Specialist Functional Scientists and more than 500 research staff employed in projects financed by state funds, the European Union, International Organizations and Industry.

The "Demokritos" Research Center has a competitive presence in international research. Bibliometric analyzes from the National Documentation Center, the Nature Index, highlight the Center among the leading Greek organizations in terms of the quality of scientific publications. Corresponding analyzes (Dianeosis – NTUA) on the Center's ability to attract and coordinate European competitive programs, include Democritus in the top 50 institutions in Europe.

The "Demokritos" Research Center coordinates three major national research infrastructures (Innovation_en, Openscreen and Calibra) and participates in eight more. At the same time, it supports laboratories, certified for their quality, specializing in measurements and tests for the Environment, Energy, National Network for Precision Medicine in Oncology as well as the National Anti-Doping Laboratory.

"Demokritos" EKEFE participates in Postgraduate programs in collaboration with University Departments both in Greece and abroad. Doctoral students of the Center can benefit from its interdisciplinary research environment and important programs it provides, such as Industrial Scholarship Program funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
At the same time, actions aimed at communicating science are aimed at young primary and secondary school students. Exhibitions and "Open Doors" events are also organized aimed at adults with an interest in Science and Technology as well as special social groups.

The "Demokritos" ERC has adopted policies for the transfer of technology that promote entrepreneurship, placing particular emphasis on the initial, precarious stages of creating a start-up company. All Center Research Staff are encouraged to participate in spin-off companies. With the aim of supporting innovation, the "Demokritos" EKEFE maintains a rich portfolio with many international and Greek patents and has attracted private funds from international companies for
the co-development of intellectual property. In the Technology Park "Lefkippos", hosts more than 40 start-up companies, with more than 250 employees as well as research laboratories of large international companies, which are in constant collaboration and interaction with the research community of Democritus, attracting talented researchers from all over the world.

The digital innovation hub AHEDD (the Attica Hub for the Economy of Data and Devices) supports the digital transformation of Greek Businesses with cutting-edge technologies in the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and 5G telecommunications. In this context, the Giga Campus by Vodafone and Demokritos is being developed.

In the five years 2021 – 2026, the great project of expanding and renovating the building facilities of Democritus will be completed, a historic project with a total budget of 48.33 million euros co-financed by the Greek State and the European Investment Bank.

The Center operates five independent Institutes that focus their research in different scientific fields.