Its been stated that the POET Optical Engines are so versatile and inclusive of the major components of a transceiver that it reduces the margins of the manufacturers, making them reluctant to jump in. 

If that’s the case, and it is a credible assumption, there are options: 1)A manufacturer sees an opportunity to become, or remain, a dominant player and trades off lower margins for higher volumes, 2) POET decides to become a manufacturer and attempts to carve their own niche in the market, 3) Find an established contract manufacturer with the resources and scalability to take your designs for end products (ie, transceivers, light bars, etc) and utilize their proven capabilities to accelerate commercialization.

#1 is likely a quicker path to monetization, if the manufacturer has the reliability record the industry demand. 

#2 is a higher risk, a longer road, and requires a capitalization that POET has yet to demonstrate it can achieve.

#3 is the most intriguing to me. Take a company like FLEX (formerly Flextronics) headquartered in Singapore, seems like a prime example of the type of company to utilize, diverse capabilities and ready made supply chains. Reputable, established and industry proven, such a company removes or reduces the hesitancy any larger company may have in dealing with the concerns of a cash strapped commercial start up. 

Whatever the choice, ride the bus, or drive, the decisions must be made because arriving late means you missed the show.