maybe Mel did not/does not want to be bothered with machine production himself...
and maybe he did not want to let the Chinese steal the heart of POPN from him... the machine... by having it built there...
MAYBE Mel could not get this show rolling until AVTC and James Winsor came along to show him how to get to the brass ring with a reliable partner who could BRING additional improvements to his POPN machine platform & manufacture it in mass production for POPN!
He's been loading up through undisclosed channels and when the time is right will unleash the DRAGON. According to the co.'s pinky guidelines , they don't have to report any financials.
He's making a bundle , and when the time is right he'll be worth over 100 MIL.