The National Center for Research and Technological Development - EKETA is one of the leading research centers of Greece and the EU. It was established in 2000 as a Legal Entity under Private Law and is supervised by the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation of the Ministry of Development and Investments.

Climate change, green energy, sustainability, artificial intelligence, advanced robotics, the Internet of Things, holistic health-nutrition, autonomous vehicles, smart city development and the circular economy make up the main fields. , in which its five (5) Institutes are active. The Institute of Chemical Processes and Energy Resources - IDEP, the Institute of Information Technology and Communications - IPTHIL, the Institute of Sustainable Mobility and Transport Networks - IMET, the Institute of Applied Biosciences - INEB and the Institute of Bio-economy and Agro-technology - IBO, bring together more of 1100 employees - mostly engineers and scientists - in 6 regions and 7 cities.

EKETA combines excellent research infrastructures and highly qualified research staff for the transformation of scientific knowledge into innovative technological applications, aiming to strengthen the national economy and to address the major challenges of society at national and international level.   

The center annually secures more than €40m (three-year average) from bilateral contracts with industry at 14%, competitive research programs at 74% and institutional government funding at just 12%, demonstrating its self-funded operating model. The Center is one of the most important employers of specialized research staff in Northern Greece, employing more than 1100 workers, engineers and scientists.

EKETA has received numerous awards and distinctions such as: European Descartes Prize, European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant, Microsoft International Contest Prize, and many others, while it is among the top 15 research organizations in Europe in terms of attracting funding from European competitive programs. More specifically, it occupies the 1^the position in Greece and the 14th^the position of the distinguished research organizations of Europe,[1]

At the same time, EKETA demonstrates a unique capacity for innovation, which is demonstrated, among other things, by the conclusion of bilateral contracts with industry. The innovative capacity of the Center is also reflected in the significant economic activity recorded by its 17 spin-off companies.