Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura were honored for inventing the blue light emitting diode (LED) in the early 1990s:

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/07/world/europe/nobel-prize-physics/index.html

The parallels to POET are thrilling:

• Scientists had tried 30 (!) years to create a blue LED before the three Nobel prize winners succeeded.
  Geoff Taylor needed ca. 20 years to develop POET.
• Akasaki and Amano were affiliated with Nagoya University, not with industry.
  Geoff Taylor is affiliated with the University of Connecticut, not with Apple, Samsung, or Intel.
• Nakamura worked at Nichia Corporation and initially got funding for his work. However, the company eventually ordered him to suspend work on GaN, claiming it was consuming too much time and money. Nakamura continued to develop the blue LED on his own and in 1993 succeeded in making the device.
  Geoff Taylor got some support from the former OPEL Solar, but always had to struggle for money, recognition and acceptance. Eventually he was able to do it own by getting rid of OPEL's solar ballast and forming the new company POET Technologies.
  
  In both cases industry was too impatient to achieve results. Both achievements needed dedicated and passionate individuals to circumvent all obstacles and follow their visions.

Look at the market success of the blue LED – in concert with red and green LEDs it is essential to emit white LED light. And now try to imagine POET's market success!

However, the bad news is that Dr. Taylor might have to wait quite a couple of years for his Nobel prize. :-(