Innovation has always been a driving force for both CME and CBOT, now combined to form CME Group. We have continually embraced change and fostered an entrepreneurial spirit that has enabled both our exchanges - as well as the  futures industry - to grow and prosper.  We know from firsthand experience that innovation can transform business, influence  the direction of civilization and alter its reality for the better.

But creative thinking and great ideas cannot exist in a vacuum - they benefit and gain momentum by being spread far and wide.  Recognizing this, in 2003 CME founded the CME Center for Innovation - now called the CME Group Center for Innovation (CFI).

The CFI creates and sponsors thought-provoking original programming that identifies, showcases and fosters examples of significant innovation and creative thinking across multiple industries. Each of the programs aims to explore and communicate the principles behind innovation, and more importantly, showcases their application to a broad and diverse audience.

By examining innovation in a variety of industries and in the private and public sectors, the CFI’s programs help advance the application of innovation by providing a broad, multi-industry analysis of the concept. The CFI is interested in evaluating not only the principles behind innovation, but in taking a strong, hard look at innovation in action.