Well an outdated article from 2006 that I've found an interesting read, the future of VCSEL wasn't that certain back than.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0961129006714776

Now what's new or should I say forecast about VCSEL,

The vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) market is increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.1% from $501m in 2013 to nearly $2.1bn in 2018, estimates BCC Research in its report ‘Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSEL): Technologies and Global Markets’.

Optical fiber data transmission is the largest segment, at $158.1m in 2013, and is estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 31.2% to about $615.1m by 2018. The use of VCSELs has increased in the optical communications industry over the past 15 years, notes the report, and they are expected to dominate the optical communications sector in the coming years.

http://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2014/JUL/BCC_100714.shtml

And finally, is POET's VCSEL hypothetically superior to already existing VCSEL ?

I'll let you guess!