POET Technologies Inc executive chairman and CEO Dr Suresh Venkatesan talked with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion about the company's transition from research and development to full-scale manufacturing, marking a major milestone in its commercial journey. Dr Venkatesan explained that POET is pioneering wafer-scale packaging technology that integrates photonics with electronics, a capability increasingly in demand due to the rapid growth of artificial intelligence applications. He noted that while such manufacturing approaches are common in semiconductors, “there has never been an equivalent in the photonics world,” which is where POET is positioning its innovation. The company has established a new manufacturing ecosystem in Penang, Malaysia, partnering with contract manufacturers Globetronics and Nationgate. POET has installed its proprietary equipment in dedicated cleanroom facilities at these locations. According to Venkatesan, this allows the company to scale production beyond one million optical engines annually. He highlighted that NationGate, Nvidia’s only Southeast Asian manufacturer, plays a vital role in POET’s module assembly for AI hardware. “We chose NationGate largely because of their capability in optical module assembly and packaging,” he said. Looking ahead, Venkatesan said investors should monitor the company’s progress as it ramps up manufacturing and fulfills engagements with tier-one and tier-two customers. While most 2025 revenues are expected from non-recurring engineering (NRE), the company anticipates substantial growth as customers move into production phases. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more interviews and updates. Don’t forget to like this video, subscribe, and enable notifications for the latest content. #POETTechnologies #Photonics #AIHardware #WaferScaleIntegration #OpticalEngines #Semiconductors #MalaysiaManufacturing #Nationgate #ArtificialIntelligence #TechManufacturing #PhotonicsPackaging