MINNEAPOLIS — General Mills, Inc. said it has attracted more than 1,000 registered innovators and more than 500 proposals in its first year of using the General Mills Worldwide Innovation Network (G-WIN). The portal is a web-based platform that offers inventors and potential business partners a first step in connecting with General Mills.

“A year ago, we accelerated our connected innovation efforts by launching the G-WIN portal,” said Jeff Bellairs, senior director of G-WIN. “We openly articulated what we were looking for and invited the inventor community to collaborate and participate. The response has been tremendous and has helped us tap into the external expertise and capabilities of innovators around the globe as we continually evolve our connected innovation program.”