IMJ Corp. emerged as the winner of an informal poll during CableLabs’ Innovation Showcase event that was part of the Summer Conference in Keystone, Colo.

After 10-minute presentations, Tokyo-based Inter Media Japan beat out nine other competitors to be selected as having the best new idea for a product that was most likely to succeed. IMJ’s thumb-drive sized MG Stick provides an access solution to the second screen and OTT markets for cable operators, mobile carriers and content/application providers. It is designed to turn any TV with an HDMI port into an interactive “smart” TV, which allows cable operators to pipe in over-the-top content into subscribers’ homes.

“IMJ is very honored that the MG Stick, HDMI Wi-Fi Stick has been selected as the best new idea most likely to succeed at this year’s Innovation Showcase by CableLabs. We are very excited to have opportunities to work together with operators and providers, providing rich and exciting experiences to end users,” said Nariaki Hatta, broadband department alliance division manager at IMJ Corp.

Other Showcase participants were Alcatel-Lucent, Arris, Guavas, i4Vu, Kwarter, Lyrical Labs, Netgear, SeaChange International and Snappy TV.

“Once again, the Innovation Showcase told a convincing story about cable’s importance to a new generation of creative application developers and technology innovators,” said David Reed, CableLabs’ executive vice president and chief strategy officer. “It’s impossible to come away from these presentations without a sense of excitement about where cable and communications technologies are going.”

The 2012 CableLabs Summer Conference started on Sunday and wraps up today. Twice a year, during the summer and the winter, CableLabs hosts members-only conferences that provide cable operator and vendor attendees with current information about key technology and strategic trends.