Use these links to rapidly review the document
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 24, 2020

Registration No. 333-239094


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

                                                             

AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                                             

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                                             

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  6770
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  84-4730610
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

                                                             

405 West 14th Street
Austin, TX 78701
512-340-7800

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

                                                             

R. Steven Hicks, Chief Executive Officer
Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.
405 West 14th Street
Austin, TX 78701
512-340-7800

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                                             

Copies to:
Alan I. Annex, Esq.
Jason T. Simon, Esq.
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
1750 Tysons Boulevard
Suite 1000
McLean, VA 22102
(703) 749-1300
(703) 749-1301—Facsimile
  Paul D. Tropp, Esq.
Christopher Capuzzi, Esq.
Ropes & Gray LLP
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
(212) 596-9000
(212) 596-9090—Facsimile
  Christian O. Nagler, Esq.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022
(212) 446-4800
(212) 446-4900—Facsimile

                                                             

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

          If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box.    o

          If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

          If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

          If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

          Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer o   Accelerated filer o   Non-accelerated filer ý   Smaller reporting company ý

Emerging growth company ý

          If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. o

          The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

   


Table of Contents

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion, Dated June 24, 2020

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

$200,000,000

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

20,000,000 Units

                                        

          Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. is a newly organized blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to as our initial business combination. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target.

          This is an initial public offering of our securities. Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one share of our Class A common stock and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of our Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein. Only whole warrants are exercisable. The warrants will become exercisable on the later of 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination or 12 months from the closing of this offering, and will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation, as described in this prospectus. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. The underwriters have a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 units to cover over-allotments, if any. We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of Class A common stock upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding shares of Class A common stock that were sold as part of the units in this offering, which we refer to collectively as our public shares throughout this prospectus, subject to the limitations described herein. If we do not complete our business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will redeem 100% of the public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein.

          Our sponsor, Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC, has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 6,000,000 warrants (or 6,600,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per warrant ($6,000,000 in the aggregate, or $6,600,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) each exercisable to purchase one share of our Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. We refer to these warrants throughout this prospectus as the private placement warrants.

          Our initial stockholders, which include our sponsor, own an aggregate of 5,750,000 shares of our Class B common stock (up to 750,000 shares of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised), which will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of our initial business combination, or earlier at the option of the holder, as described herein. Only holders of Class B common stock will have the right to vote on the election of directors and to remove directors prior to our initial business combination. On all other matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders, holders of the Class B common stock and holders of the Class A common stock will vote together as a single class, with each share of common stock entitling the holder to one vote, except as required by law.

          Currently, there is no public market for our units, Class A common stock or warrants. We have applied to list our units on the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE, under the symbol "CPSR.U". We expect that our units will be listed on the NYSE on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on the NYSE. We expect the Class A common stock and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless the representatives of the underwriters (which we refer to in this prospectus as the "representatives"), inform us of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our satisfaction of certain conditions. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, we expect that the Class A common stock and warrants will be listed on the NYSE under the symbols "CPSR" and "CPSR WS," respectively.

          We are an "emerging growth company" under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page 37 for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities. Investors will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings.

          Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

       
 
 
  Per Unit
  Total
 

Public offering price

  $10.00   $200,000,000
 

Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)

  $0.55   $11,000,000
 

Proceeds, before expenses, to Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. 

  $9.45   $189,000,000

 

(1)
Includes $0.35 per unit, or $7,000,000 (or up to $8,050,000, if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) in the aggregate payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions will be placed in a trust account located in the United States as described herein. The deferred commissions will be released to the underwriters only on completion of an initial business combination, as described in this prospectus. Does not include certain fees and expenses payable to the underwriters in connection with this offering. See the section of this prospectus entitled "Underwriting" beginning on page 164 for a description of compensation and other items of value payable to the underwriters.

          Of the proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants described in this prospectus, $200.0 million or $230.0 million if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per unit in either case) will be deposited into a trust account in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and $2,000,000 will be available to pay fees and expenses in connection with the closing of this offering and for working capital following the closing of this offering. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of our creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of our public stockholders.

          The underwriters are offering the units for sale on a firm commitment basis. The underwriters expect to deliver the units to the purchasers on or about                        , 2020.

Joint Book-Running Managers

Citigroup   UBS Investment Bank   BTIG

   

                        , 2020


Table of Contents


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summary

    1  

The Offering

    8  

Risks

    35  

Summary Financial Data

    36  

Risk Factors

    37  

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    75  

Use of Proceeds

    76  

Dividend Policy

    80  

Dilution

    81  

Capitalization

    83  

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

    84  

Proposed Business

    90  

Management

    120  

Principal Stockholders

    132  

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

    135  

Description of Securities

    138  

U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

    155  

Underwriting

    164  

Legal Matters

    173  

Experts

    173  

Where You Can Find Additional Information

    173  

Index to Financial Statements

    F-1  

        We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information, and we take no responsibility for any other information others may give to you. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.

i


Table of Contents



SUMMARY

        This summary only highlights the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the information under the section of this prospectus entitled "Risk Factors" and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before investing. Unless otherwise stated in this prospectus, or the context otherwise requires, references to:

    "common stock" are to our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock, collectively;

    "founder shares" are to shares of our Class B common stock initially purchased by our sponsor in a private placement prior to this offering, and the shares of our Class A common stock issued upon the conversion thereof as provided herein;

    "initial stockholders" are to our sponsor and any other holders of our founder shares prior to this offering (or their permitted transferees);

    "management" or our "management team" are to our officers and directors;

    "private placement warrants" are to the warrants issued to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering;

    "public shares" are to shares of our Class A common stock sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market);

    "public stockholders" are to the holders of our public shares, including our initial stockholders and management team to the extent our initial stockholders and/or members of our management team purchase public shares, provided that each initial stockholder's and member of our management team's status as a "public stockholder" shall only exist with respect to such public shares;

    "public warrants" are to our redeemable warrants sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market), to the private placement warrants if held by third parties other than our sponsor (or permitted transferees), and to any private placement warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans that are sold to third parties that are not initial purchasers or executive officers or directors (or permitted transferees), in each case, following the consummation of our initial business combination;

    "sponsor" are to Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company formed by our chairman;

    "warrants" are to our redeemable warrants, which include the public warrants as well as the private placement warrants to the extent they are no longer held by the initial purchasers of the private placement warrants or their permitted transferees; and

    "we," "us," "company," "our" or "our company" are to Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

        Each unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of our Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described in this prospectus, and only whole warrants are exercisable. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant.

        Unless we tell you otherwise, the information in this prospectus assumes that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option.

1


Table of Contents

Our Company

        We are a newly organized blank check company formed as a Delaware corporation for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our initial business combination. We have not identified any potential business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any potential business combination target.

        While we may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business industry or sector, we intend to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify, acquire and manage a business in the consumer, healthcare and technology, media and telecommunications ("TMT") industries that can benefit from our differentiated and proprietary deal flow, leading brand name and global network. We intend to focus our search on business combination targets with an aggregate enterprise value ranging from $600.0 million to $1.5 billion. Furthermore, we believe that our management team is positioned to drive ongoing value creation post-business combination, as our team has done with investments in the consumer, healthcare, TMT and other sectors over time. We believe our management team is well suited to identify opportunities that have the potential to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for our stockholders.

        Capstar Partners, LLC's ("Capstar Partners") affiliates and certain private funds (the "PIMCO private funds") managed by Pacific Investment Management Company LLC ("PIMCO") are members of our sponsor.

Capstar Partners

        Capstar Partners is a private investment firm based in Austin, Texas that participates in small and middle market buyouts, real estate development and public and other private investments. Through our affiliation with Capstar Partners, we intend to capitalize on the ability of the Capstar Partners platform in the consumer, healthcare and TMT industry sectors. Given Capstar's reach and experience, we believe our team has the required investment, operational, diligence and capital raising expertise to effect a business combination with an attractive target and to position it for long-term success in the public markets.

PIMCO

        PIMCO is one of the world's premier fixed income investment managers. For nearly 50 years, PIMCO has worked relentlessly to help millions of investors achieve their objectives—regardless of shifting market conditions. Today, PIMCO has offices around the world and 2,800+ professionals committed to its mission: delivering superior investment returns, solutions and service to its clients. PIMCO's alternatives platform combines the firm's time-tested investment process with opportunistic approaches to marketable and private credit, global real estate, macroeconomic, and quantitative strategies. As of March 31, 2020, PIMCO had approximately $1.78 trillion in assets under management, including over $34 billion in alternatives strategies. PIMCO is owned by Allianz S.E., a leading global diversified financial services provider.

Our Management Team

        R. Steven Hicks has served as our Chairman and Chief Financial Officer since our inception and, since May 2020, as our Chief Executive Officer. In June 2000, Mr. Hicks founded Capstar Partners. Mr. Hicks has served as Chairman of Capstar Partners since its founding. Prior to founding Capstar Partners, Mr. Hicks was the Vice Chairman of AMFM Inc. (NYSE: AFM), the nation's largest owner and operator of radio stations, with over 450 radio stations in markets across the United States. In 1996, Mr. Hicks founded Capstar Broadcasting Corporation, which became the nation's largest radio

2


Table of Contents

station holding company by 1998 with 350 radio stations. Mr. Hicks led Capstar Broadcasting Corporation to a successful initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 1998. In August 1999, Capstar Broadcasting Corporation merged with Dallas-based Chancellor Media Corporation in a stock swap valued at $4.1 billion, forming AMFM, where Mr. Hicks remained as the Vice Chairman. In 1993, Mr. Hicks co-founded SFX Broadcasting, building it into one of the largest radio groups in the United States. Mr. Hicks serves on the University of Texas System Board of Regents after being appointed for a six-year term in each of 2009 and 2016. In addition, Mr. Hicks has served on the Board of the University of Texas Investment Management Company since 2009. Mr. Hicks received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972.

        Rodrigo de la Torre has agreed to serve on our board of directors as Lead Director. Mr. de la Torre has over 15 years of business development, finance and strategy experience in top tier multinational organizations, predominantly in the consumer and retail sectors. He has been the Head of Finance and Strategy for Taco Bell Global since April 2019 and previously served as Global Director of Finance and Head of M&A at Pizza Hut International from March 2016 to April 2019. During his time at Yum! Brands, Mr. de la Torre has executed landmark master franchise agreements and partnerships such as the 2018 strategic alliance with Telepizza across Latin America & Iberia. Prior to joining Yum! Brands, Mr. de la Torre was a Vice President in the Consumer & Retail Investment Banking Group of Credit Suisse in New York, where he worked from 2010 to March 2016. During his time at Credit Suisse, Mr. de la Torre advised corporations and financial sponsors in a range of high-profile consumer sector transactions. Mr. de la Torre additionally held M&A and strategy roles at Fonterra Co-operative, a leading dairy products manufacturer, from 2004 to 2007 and was an analyst at ANZ Bank from 2003 to 2004. Mr. de la Torre received a Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth in 2010 and a Bachelor of Commerce with Honors in Economics and Finance from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand in 2003.

        With respect to the above, past performance of our management team and Capstar Partners is not a guarantee of either (i) success with respect to a business combination that may be consummated or (ii) the ability to successfully identify and execute a business combination. You should not rely on the historical record of management or Capstar Partners as indicative of future performance. See "Risk Factors—Past performance by our management team, Capstar Partners or the PIMCO private funds may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the Company." Our management, Capstar Partners and the PIMCO private funds have no experience in operating blank check companies or special purpose acquisition companies. For a list of our executive officers and entities for which a conflict of interest may or does exist between such officers and the Company, please refer to "Management—Conflicts of Interest."

        Certain of our officers and directors have fiduciary and contractual obligations to Capstar Partners, PIMCO or their respective affiliates and to certain other companies. As a result, certain of our officers and directors will have a duty to offer acquisition opportunities to certain Capstar Partners or PIMCO funds or other entities before Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. can pursue such opportunities. However, we do not expect these duties to present a significant conflict of interest with our search for an initial business combination. We believe this conflict of interest will be naturally mitigated, to some extent, by the differing nature of the acquisition targets Capstar Partners and PIMCO typically consider most attractive for their respective funds and the types of acquisitions we expect Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. to find most attractive. As a result of due diligence from the broader platform, we may become aware of a potential transaction that is not a fit for the traditional investing activities of Capstar Partners or PIMCO but that is an attractive opportunity for Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. In addition to the above, our officers and directors are not required to commit any specific amount of time to our affairs, and, accordingly will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence.

3


Table of Contents

Business Strategy & Competitive Strengths

        While we will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region, given the experience of our management team and Capstar Partners, our acquisition and value creation strategy will be to identify, acquire and build a company in the consumer, healthcare or TMT industry sector. Our acquisition strategy will leverage Capstar Partners' and the PIMCO private funds' networks of proprietary deal sourcing where we believe a combination of industry research, private equity sponsorship and lending relationships will provide us with a number of business combination opportunities. Additionally, we expect that relationships cultivated from years of transaction experience with management teams of public and private companies, investment bankers, restructuring advisers, attorneys and accountants will provide potential opportunities for the Company. Our goal is to collaborate with a company that already is a fundamentally healthy company. We will seek to work with a potential acquisition candidate to access the capital markets, attract top tier management talent, and execute a proprietary value-creation business plan helping the company continue to grow into the next phase of its life cycle. We plan to employ a fundamental, value-oriented acquisition framework that seeks a target with the potential for significant equity value creation coupled with strong downside protection from dependable cash flows and a durable business franchise. The management team along with its Board of Directors have experience in:

    operating companies in the public and private markets, defining corporate strategy, and identifying, mentoring and recruiting top talent;

    growing companies, both organically and through strategic transactions, expanding product portfolios and broadening geographic footprints;

    strategically investing in leading private and public consumer, healthcare and TMT companies to help accelerate growth and maturation;

    sourcing, structuring, acquiring and selling businesses;

    accessing public and private capital markets to optimize capital structure, including financing businesses and helping companies transition ownership structures; and

    fostering relationships with sellers, capital providers and experienced target management teams.

        Following the completion of this offering, we will communicate with our management team's network of deal sourcing relationships to articulate the parameters for our search for a potential business combination and begin the process of pursuing and reviewing potential opportunities.

Acquisition Criteria

        Consistent with our strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines which we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We will use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating acquisition opportunities, but we may decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria and guidelines. We intend to acquire one or more businesses that we believe:

    Will benefit from a public currency. Access to the public equity markets could allow the target company to utilize an additional form of capital, enhancing its ability to pursue accretive acquisitions, high-return capital projects, and/or strengthen its balance sheet and recruit and retain key employees through the use of publicly-traded equity compensation;

    Has a healthy growing platform. We will seek to invest in companies that we believe possess not only established business models and sustainable competitive advantages, but also a growing platform for equity investors;

4


Table of Contents

    Has a management team and/or a strong sponsor that desires a significant equity stake in the post-business combination company. We will seek to partner with a management team and/or seller who is well-incentivized and aligned in an effort to create stockholder value;

    Can be acquired at an attractive valuation for public market investors. We will seek to be a disciplined and valuation-centric steward of capital that will invest on terms that we believe provide significant upside potential with protected downside risk;

    Will be resilient to economic cycles. We will focus on recession-resilient business models;

    Will maintain strong cash flow characteristics. We will seek to target businesses with low capital intensity and attractive free cash flow conversion; and

    Will benefit from Capstar Partners' long-term sponsorship as it looks to accelerate its growth in the public markets. We intend to acquire a company which we believe will benefit from our differentiated industry network, brand and proprietary value-creation capabilities to improve financial performance and business planning.

        These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our stockholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this prospectus, would be in the form of tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials that we would file with the SEC.

Our Acquisition Process

        In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and key employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us. We will also utilize our operational and capital planning experience.

        We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion that our initial business combination is fair to the Company from a financial point of view from either an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions.

        Members of our management team may directly or indirectly own our founder shares, common stock and/or private placement warrants following this offering, and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors were to be included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.

        Mr. Hicks has agreed not to participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director of, any other special purpose acquisition company with a class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, until we have entered into a definitive agreement regarding our initial business combination or we have failed to complete our initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of this offering, as such may be extended by stockholder approval. However, our independent directors and PIMCO and its affiliates, including Mr. Weinstein,

5


Table of Contents

may sponsor or form other blank check companies similar to ours during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.

Initial Business Combination

        As required by the NYSE rules, our initial business combination will be approved by a majority of our independent directors. The NYSE rules also require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target's assets or prospects. In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor and the PIMCO private funds.

        We anticipate structuring our initial business combination either (i) in such a way so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses, or (ii) in such a way so that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or stockholders, or for other reasons. However, we will only complete an initial business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the "Investment Company Act". Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of the NYSE's 80% of fair market value test. If the initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the transactions and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking stockholder approval, as applicable.

Corporate Information

        Our executive offices are located at 405 West 14th Street, Austin, TX 78701 and our telephone number is 512-340-7800.

6


Table of Contents

        We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.

        In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.

        We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to emerging growth company will have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.

7


Table of Contents

 


THE OFFERING

        In deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account not only the backgrounds of the members of our management team, but also the special risks we face as a blank check company and the fact that this offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section of this prospectus entitled "Risk Factors."

Securities offered

  20,000,000 units (23,000,000 if the underwriters' option to purchase additional units is exercised in full), at $10.00 per unit, each unit consisting of:

 

one share of Class A common stock; and

 

one-half of one redeemable warrant.

Proposed NYSE symbols

 

Units: "CPSR.U"

 

Class A Common Stock: "CPSR"

 

Warrants: "CPSR WS"

Trading commencement and separation of Class A common stock and warrants

 

The units will begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We expect the Class A common stock and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless the representatives inform us of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Once the shares of Class A common stock and warrants commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into shares of Class A common stock and warrants. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant.

 

In no event will the Class A common stock and warrants be traded separately until we have filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC containing an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering. If the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option.

8


Table of Contents

Units:

 

 

Number outstanding before this offering

 

0

Number outstanding after this offering

 

20,000,000(1)

Common stock:

 

 

Number outstanding before this offering

 

5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock(2)

Number outstanding after this offering

 

25,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock(1)(3)

Redeemable Warrants:

 

 

Number of private placement warrants to be sold in a private placement simultaneously with this offering

 

6,000,000(1)

Number of warrants to be outstanding after this offering and the private placement

 

16,000,000(1)

Exercisability

 

Each whole warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of our Class A common stock and only whole warrants are exercisable.

 

We structured each unit to contain one-half of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A common stock, as compared to units issued by some other similar blank check companies which contain whole warrants exercisable for one whole share, in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of an initial business combination as compared to units that each contain a warrant to purchase one whole share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive initial business combination partner for target businesses.

Exercise price

 

$11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein.


(1)
Assumes no exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option and the forfeiture by our sponsor of 750,000 founder shares.

(2)
Includes up to 750,000 shares that are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised.

(3)
Comprised of 20,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and 5,000,000 shares of Class B common stock (or founder shares). The Class B common stock is convertible into shares of our Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as described below adjacent to the caption "Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights."

9


Table of Contents

  In addition, if (x) we issue additional common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the "Newly Issued Price"), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our common stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the "Market Value") is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described below under "Redemption of warrants" will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.

Exercise period

 

The warrants will become exercisable on the later of:

 

30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, or

 

12 months from the closing of this offering;

 

provided in each case that we have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available (or we permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis under the circumstances specified in the warrant agreement).

10


Table of Contents

 

We are not registering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants at this time. However, we have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, to cause such registration statement to become effective and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a "cashless basis" in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis.

 

The warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, five years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. On the exercise of any warrant, the warrant exercise price will be paid directly to us and not placed in the trust account.

Redemption of warrants

 

Once the warrants become exercisable, we may redeem the outstanding warrants (except as described herein with respect to the private placement warrants):

 

in whole and not in part;

 

at a price of $0.01 per warrant;

 

upon a minimum of 30 days' prior written notice of redemption, which we refer to as the 30-day redemption period; and

 

if, and only if, the last sale price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which we send the notice of redemption to the warrant holders.

11


Table of Contents

 

We will not redeem the warrants unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock is available throughout the 30-day redemption period, except if the warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of shares of common stock upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such shares of common stock under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering.

 

If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a "cashless basis." In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a "cashless basis," our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our stockholders of issuing the maximum number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of our warrants. In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the "fair market value" (defined below) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The "fair market value" shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. Please see the section of this prospectus entitled "Description of Securities—Redeemable Warrants—Public Stockholders' Warrants" for additional information.

 

None of the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us so long as they are held by the sponsor or its permitted transferees.

12


Table of Contents

Founder shares

 

In February 2020, our sponsor purchased 5,750,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. In March 2020, our sponsor transferred 15,000 founder shares to each of Ms. Cavanaugh and Mr. Ghiselli and 22,500 founder shares to Mr. Whittenburg. Ms. Cavanaugh, Mr. Whittenburg and Mr. Ghiselli are expected to serve as our independent directors. These 52,500 founder shares are not subject to forfeiture in the event the underwriters' overallotment option is not exercised. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by our sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The per share purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the aggregate number of founder shares issued. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after this offering. As such, our initial stockholders will collectively own 20% of our issued and outstanding shares after this offering (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering). Neither our sponsor nor any of our officers or directors have expressed an intention to purchase any units in this offering. Up to 750,000 founder shares will be subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised so that our initial stockholders will maintain ownership of 20% of our common stock after this offering. We will effect a stock dividend or share contribution prior to this offering should the size of the offering change, in order to maintain such ownership percentage.

 

The founder shares are identical to the shares of Class A common stock included in the units being sold in this offering, except that:

 

only holders of the founder shares have the right to vote on the election of directors prior to our initial business combination and holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason;

 

the founder shares are shares of Class B common stock that automatically convert into shares of our Class A common stock at the time of our initial business combination, or at any time prior thereto at the option of the holder, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described herein;

 

the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below;

13


Table of Contents

 

our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame;

 

pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased during or after this offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. Further, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor and the PIMCO private funds. If we submit our initial business combination to our public stockholders for a vote, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial stockholders' founder shares, we would need only 7,500,001, or 37.5%, of the 20,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination (assuming all outstanding shares are voted) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised); and

 

the founder shares are entitled to registration rights.

14


Table of Contents

Transfer restrictions on founder shares

 

Our initial stockholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last sale price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of our stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property (except as described herein under the section of this prospectus entitled "Principal Stockholders—Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants"). Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial stockholders with respect to any founder shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up.

15


Table of Contents

Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights

 

The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of our Class A common stock at the time of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in this prospectus and related to the closing of the initial business combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock shall convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock agree to waive such adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of the total number of all shares of common stock outstanding upon the completion of this offering plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with the initial business combination (excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination, any private placement-equivalent warrants issued to our sponsor or its affiliates upon conversion of loans made to us). Holders of founder shares may also elect to convert their shares of Class B common stock into an equal number of shares of Class A common stock, subject to adjustment as provided above, at any time. The term "equity-linked securities" refers to any debt or equity securities that are convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Class A common stock issued in a financing transaction in connection with our initial business combination, including but not limited to a private placement of equity or debt. Securities could be "deemed issued" for purposes of the conversion rate adjustment if such shares are issuable upon the conversion or exercise of convertible securities, warrants or similar securities.

16


Table of Contents

Election of Directors; Voting Rights

 

Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may only be amended by a resolution passed by holders of a majority of our Class B common stock. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our stockholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law or the applicable rules of the NYSE then in effect, holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote.

 

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that our board of directors will be divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of stockholders) serving a three-year term.

Private placement warrants

 

Our sponsor has committed, pursuant to a written agreement, to purchase an aggregate of 6,000,000 private placement warrants (or 6,600,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full), each exercisable to purchase one share of our Class A common stock at $11.50 per share, at a price of $1.00 per warrant (including if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering. A portion of the purchase price of the private placement warrants will be added to the proceeds from this offering to be held in the trust account such that at the time of closing $200.0 million (or $230.0 million if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full) will be held in the trust account. If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, the proceeds from the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and the private placement warrants will expire worthless.

17


Table of Contents

 

The private placement warrants will be non-redeemable and exercisable on a cashless basis so long as they are held by the sponsor or its permitted transferees. If the private placement warrants are held by holders other than the sponsor or its permitted transferees, the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units being sold in this offering.

Transfer restrictions on private placement warrants

 

The private placement warrants (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants) will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except as described under the section of this prospectus entitled "Principal Stockholders—Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants").

Cashless exercise of private placement warrants

 

If holders of private placement warrants elect to exercise them on a cashless basis, they would pay the exercise price by surrendering their warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the "fair market value" (defined below) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The "fair market value" shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of warrant exercise is sent to the warrant agent. The reason that we have agreed that these warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis so long as they are held by the sponsor or its permitted transferees is because it is not known at this time whether they will be affiliated with us following an initial business combination. If they remain affiliated with us, their ability to sell our securities in the open market will be significantly limited.

 

We expect to have policies in place that prohibit insiders from selling our securities except during specific periods of time. Even during such periods of time when insiders will be permitted to sell our securities, an insider cannot trade in our securities if he or she is in possession of material non-public information. Accordingly, unlike public stockholders who could sell the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants freely in the open market, the insiders could be significantly restricted from doing so. As a result, we believe that allowing the holders to exercise such warrants on a cashless basis is appropriate.

18


Table of Contents

Proceeds to be held in trust account

 

The NYSE rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants be deposited in a trust account. Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, $200,000,000, or $10.00 per unit ($230,000,000, or $10.00 per unit, if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be placed into a trust account in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. These proceeds include $7,000,000 (or up to $8,050,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) in deferred underwriting commissions.

 

Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our franchise and income tax obligations (less up to $100,000 interest to pay dissolution expenses), the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants will not be released from the trust account until the earliest of (a) the completion of our initial business combination, (b) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-business combination activity, and (c) the redemption of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, subject to applicable law. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of our creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of our public stockholders.

Anticipated expenses and funding sources

 

Except as described above with respect to the payment of franchise and income taxes, unless and until we complete our initial business combination, no proceeds held in the trust account will be available for our use. The proceeds held in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government securities with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. We will disclose in each quarterly and annual report filed with the SEC prior to our initial business combination whether the proceeds deposited in the trust account are invested in U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds or a combination thereof.

19


Table of Contents

 

Based upon current interest rates, we expect the trust account to generate approximately $1,000,000 of interest annually assuming an interest rate of 0.5% per year; however, we can provide no assurances regarding this amount. Unless and until we complete our initial business combination, we may pay our expenses only from:

 

the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not held in the trust account, which will be approximately $1,250,000 in working capital after the payment of approximately $750,000 in expenses relating to this offering; and

 

any loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management team or their affiliates or other third parties, although they are under no obligation to advance funds or invest in us, and provided that any such loans will not have any claim on the proceeds held in the trust account unless such proceeds are released to us upon completion of an initial business combination.

Conditions to completing our initial business combination

 

As required by the NYSE rules, our initial business combination will be approved by a majority of our independent directors. The NYSE rules also require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target's assets or prospects. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination.

20


Table of Contents

 

We anticipate structuring our initial business combination either (i) in such a way so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses, or (ii) in such a way so that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or stockholders, or for other reasons.

 

However, we will only complete an initial business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of the NYSE's 80% of fair market value test. If the initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the transactions and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking stockholder approval, as applicable.

21


Table of Contents

Permitted purchases of public shares and public warrants by our affiliates

 

If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and the NYSE rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material nonpublic information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions prior to completion of our initial business combination. See "Proposed Business—Permitted purchases of our securities" for a description of how our sponsor, initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or any of their affiliates will select which stockholders to purchase securities from in any private transaction.

22


Table of Contents

 

The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the initial business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public "float" of our shares of Class A common stock or warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.

Redemption rights for public stockholders upon completion of our initial business combination

 

We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein.

23


Table of Contents

 

The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per-share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares held by them and any public shares they may acquire during or after this offering in connection with the completion of our initial business combination or otherwise. We may require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in "street name," to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the initial vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company's DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder's option. The tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public stockholders to satisfy such delivery requirements.

Manner of conducting redemptions

 

We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the initial business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer.

24


Table of Contents

 

The decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek stockholder approval under the law or stock exchange listing requirements. Under the NYSE rules, asset acquisitions and stock purchases would not typically require stockholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our outstanding common stock or seek to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation would require stockholder approval. We may conduct redemptions without a stockholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless stockholder approval is required by law or stock exchange listing requirements or we choose to seek stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on the NYSE, we will be required to comply with such rules.

 

If a stockholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation:

 

conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and

 

file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies.

 

Such provisions may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon.

 

Whether or not we maintain our registration under the Exchange Act or our listing on the NYSE, we will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares by one of the two methods listed above. Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, if we elect to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase shares of our Class A common stock in the open market, in order to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.

25


Table of Contents

 

In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public stockholders not tendering more than a specified number of public shares, which number will be based on the requirement that we may not redeem public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters' fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. If public stockholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial business combination.

 

If, however, stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law or stock exchange listing requirements, or we decide to obtain stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons, we will:

 

conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and

 

file proxy materials with the SEC.

26


Table of Contents

 

If we seek stockholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the initial business combination. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of outstanding capital stock of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial stockholders will count towards this quorum and, pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote their founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our outstanding shares of common stock voted, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. As a result, in addition to our initial stockholders' founder shares, we would need only 7,500,001, or 37.5%, of the 20,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination (assuming all outstanding shares are voted) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised). We intend to give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial stockholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public stockholder may elect to redeem its public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.

27


Table of Contents

 

We may require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in "street name," to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the initial vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically. We believe that this will allow our transfer agent to efficiently process any redemptions without the need for further communication or action from the redeeming public stockholders, which could delay redemptions and result in additional administrative cost. If the proposed initial business combination is not approved and we continue to search for a target company, we will promptly return any certificates delivered, or shares tendered electronically, by public stockholders who elected to redeem their shares.

 

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters' fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed initial business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed initial business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, and all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof.

28


Table of Contents

Limitation on redemption rights of stockholders holding 15% or more of the shares sold in this offering if we hold stockholder vote

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing redemption rights, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a "group" (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering, without our prior consent. We believe the restriction described above will discourage stockholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to redeem their shares as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public stockholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights against an initial business combination if such holder's shares are not purchased by us or our management at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our stockholders' ability to redeem to no more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of stockholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with an initial business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash.

 

However, we would not be restricting our stockholders' ability to vote all of their shares (including all shares held by those stockholders that hold more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering) for or against our initial business combination.

29


Table of Contents

Redemption rights in connection with proposed amendments to our certificate of incorporation

 

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that any of its provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of this offering and the private placement of warrants into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public stockholders as described herein) may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon. In all other instances, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may be amended by holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock entitled to vote thereon, subject to applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or DGCL, or applicable stock exchange rules. Under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we may not issue additional securities that can vote on amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or on our initial business combination or that would entitle holders thereof to receive funds from the trust account. Our initial stockholders, who will collectively beneficially own 20% of our common stock upon the closing of this offering (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering), will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. Our sponsor, executive officers, and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.

30


Table of Contents

Release of funds in trust account on closing of our initial business combination

 

On the completion of our initial business combination, the funds held in the trust account will be used to pay amounts due to any public stockholders who exercise their redemption rights as described above under "Redemption rights for public stockholders upon completion of our initial business combination." We will use the remaining funds to pay the underwriters their deferred underwriting commissions, to pay all or a portion of the consideration payable to the target or owners of the target of our initial business combination and to pay other expenses associated with our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of post-transaction businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.

31


Table of Contents

Redemption of public shares and distribution and liquidation if no initial business combination

 

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will have only 24 months from the closing of this offering to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination within such 24-month period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders' rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the 24-month time period.

 

Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering.

 

However, if our initial stockholders acquire public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted 24-month time period.

 

The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission held in the trust account in the event we do not complete our initial business combination and subsequently liquidate and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the trust account that will be available to fund the redemption of our public shares.

32


Table of Contents

Limited payments to insiders

 

There will be no finder's fees, reimbursement, consulting fee, non-cash payments, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation paid by us to our sponsor, officers or directors, or any affiliate of our sponsor or officers prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, the following payments will be made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, none of which will be made from the proceeds of this offering held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination:

 

Repayment of up to an aggregate of $250,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor to cover offering related and organizational expenses;

 

Payment to an affiliate of our sponsor of $10,000 per month, for up to 24 months, for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support;

 

Reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination; and

 

Repayment of loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. The terms of such working capital loans by our sponsor or its affiliates, or our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans.

 

Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates.

33


Table of Contents

Audit Committee

 

We will establish and maintain an audit committee, which will be composed entirely of independent directors to, among other things, monitor compliance with the terms described above and the other terms relating to this offering. If any noncompliance is identified, then the audit committee will be charged with the responsibility to immediately take all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise to cause compliance with the terms of this offering. For more information, see the section of this prospectus entitled "Management—Committees of the Board of Directors—Audit Committee."

Indemnity

 

Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor's only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers, directors or members of our sponsor will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.

34


Table of Contents


RISKS

        We are a newly formed company that has conducted no operations and has generated no revenues. Until we complete our initial business combination, we will have no operations and will generate no operating revenues. In making your decision whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account not only the background of our management team, but also the special risks we face as a blank check company. This offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. Accordingly, you will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. For additional information concerning how Rule 419 blank check offerings differ from this offering, please see the section of this prospectus entitled "Proposed Business—Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419." You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section of this prospectus entitled "Risk Factors" beginning on page 37 of this prospectus.

35


Table of Contents


SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA

        The following table summarizes the relevant financial data for our business and should be read with our financial statements, which are included in this prospectus. We have not had any significant operations to date, so only balance sheet data is presented.

 
  March 31, 2020   February 27, 2020  
 
  (Unaudited)
  (Audited)
 

Balance Sheet Data:

             

Working capital (deficiency)

  $ (150,825 ) $ (26,000 )

Total assets

  $ 186,800   $ 75,000  

Total liabilities

  $ 162,800   $ 51,000  

Stockholder's equity

  $ 24,000   $ 24,000  

36


Table of Contents


RISK FACTORS

        An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before making a decision to invest in our units. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

         We are a newly formed company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.

        We are a newly formed company with no operating results, and we will not commence operations until obtaining funding through this offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning an initial business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.

         Our independent registered public accounting firm's report contains an explanatory paragraph that expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a "going concern."

        At March 31, 2020, we had $11,975 in cash and a working capital deficiency of $150,825. Further, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of our financing and acquisition plans. Management's plans to address this need for capital through this offering are discussed in the section of this prospectus titled "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations." We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to consummate an initial business combination will be successful. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements contained elsewhere in this prospectus do not include any adjustments that might result from our inability to consummate this offering or our inability to continue as a going concern.

         Our public stockholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public stockholders do not support such a combination.

        We may choose not to hold a stockholder vote to approve our initial business combination unless the initial business combination would require stockholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements or if we decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons. Except as required by law, the decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or will allow stockholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors, such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek stockholder approval. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our public shares do not approve of the initial business combination we complete. Please see the section of this prospectus entitled "Proposed Business—Stockholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination" for additional information.

         If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our initial stockholders have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public stockholders vote.

        Pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote their founder shares, as well as any public shares purchased during or after this offering (including in open

37


Table of Contents

market and privately negotiated transactions), in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial stockholders' founder shares, we would need only 7,500,001, or 37.5%, of the 20,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination (assuming all outstanding shares are voted) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised). Our initial stockholders will own shares representing 20% of our outstanding shares of common stock immediately following the completion of this offering. Accordingly, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our initial stockholders to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite stockholder approval for such initial business combination.

         Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination will be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash, unless we seek stockholder approval of the initial business combination.

        At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of our initial business combination. Since our board of directors may complete an initial business combination without seeking stockholder approval, public stockholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the initial business combination, unless we seek such stockholder vote.

        Accordingly, if we do not seek stockholder approval, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public stockholders in which we describe our initial business combination.

         The ability of our public stockholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into an initial business combination with a target.

        We may seek to enter into an initial business combination agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public stockholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the initial business combination. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters' fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters' fees and commissions or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into an initial business combination with us.

         The ability of our public stockholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.

        At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many stockholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for

38


Table of Contents

redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion of the cash in the trust account to meet such requirements, or arrange for third-party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares are submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for third-party financing. Raising additional third-party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. Furthermore, this dilution would increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provisions of the Class B common stock result in the issuance of Class A shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B common stock at the time of our business combination. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure. The amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriters will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. The per-share amount we will distribute to stockholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commission and after such redemptions, the per-share value of shares held by non-redeeming stockholders will reflect our obligation to pay the deferred underwriting commissions.

         The ability of our public stockholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your stock.

        If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your stock in the open market; however, at such time our stock may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your stock in the open market.

         The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating an initial business combination and may decrease our ability to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our stockholders.

        Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning an initial business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating an initial business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.

39


Table of Contents

         We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, in which case our public stockholders may only receive $10.00 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we must complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering. We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination within such time period. If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders' rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. In such case, our public stockholders may only receive $10.00 per share, and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share on the redemption of their shares. See "—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share" and other risk factors below.

         If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares or warrants from public stockholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed initial business combination and reduce the public "float" of our Class A common stock.

        If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants or a combination thereof in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions.

        Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgement that such stockholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public stockholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling stockholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. The purpose of such purchases could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the initial business combination, or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the

40


Table of Contents

completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.

        In addition, if such purchases are made, the public "float" of our Class A common stock or public warrants and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to obtain or maintain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.

         If a stockholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.

        We will comply with the tender offer rules or proxy rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a stockholder fails to receive our tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, such stockholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or redeem public shares, which may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself. For example, we may require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in "street name," to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the initial vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically. In the event that a stockholder fails to comply with these or any other procedures, its shares may not be redeemed. See the section of this prospectus entitled "Proposed Business—Redemption Rights for Public Stockholders upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination—Tendering Stock Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights."

         You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. To liquidate your investment, therefore, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.

        Our public stockholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those shares of Class A common stock that such stockholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. In no other circumstances will a public stockholder have any right or interest of any kind in the trust account. Holders of warrants will not have any right to the proceeds held in the trust account with respect to the warrants. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.

41


Table of Contents

         The NYSE may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors' ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.

        We have applied to have our units listed on the NYSE. We expect that our units will be listed on the NYSE on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. Following the date the shares of our Class A common stock and warrants are eligible to trade separately, we anticipate that the shares of our Class A common stock and warrants will be separately listed on the NYSE. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on the NYSE. Although after giving effect to this offering we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in the NYSE listing standards, we cannot assure you that our securities will be, or will continue to be, listed on the NYSE in the future or prior to our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on the NYSE prior to our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and stock price levels. Generally, we must maintain a minimum amount in stockholders' equity and a minimum number of holders of our securities. Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with the NYSE's initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than the NYSE's continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on the NYSE. For instance, our stock price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time. If the NYSE delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:

        The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as "covered securities." Because we expect that our units and eventually our Class A common stock and warrants will be listed on the NYSE, our units, Class A common stock and warrants will be covered securities. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on the NYSE, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities, including in connection with our initial business combination.

         You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.

        Since the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants are intended to be used to complete an initial business combination with a target business that has not been

42


Table of Contents

identified, we may be deemed to be a "blank check" company under the United States securities laws. However, because we will have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000 upon the successful completion of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants and will file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including an audited balance sheet demonstrating this fact, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our units will be immediately tradable and we will have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419. Moreover, if this offering were subject to Rule 419, that rule would prohibit the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of an initial business combination. For a more detailed comparison of our offering to offerings that comply with Rule 419, please see the section of this prospectus entitled "Proposed Business—Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419."

         If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a "group" of stockholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A common stock, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A common stock.

        If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a "group" (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering without our prior consent, which we refer to as the "Excess Shares." However, we would not be restricting our stockholders' ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your stock in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.

         Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on our redemption of our public shares, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless.

        We expect to encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess similar technical, human and other resources to ours, and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available

43


Table of Contents

financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, because we are obligated to pay cash for the shares of Class A common stock which our public stockholders redeem in connection with our initial business combination, target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. This may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share upon our liquidation. See "—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share" and other risk factors below.

         If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 24 months, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination, in which case our public stockholders may only receive $10.00 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless.

        The funds available to us outside of the trust account may not be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 24 months, assuming that our initial business combination is not completed during that time. We believe that, upon the closing of this offering, the funds available to us outside of the trust account will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 24 months; however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate. Of the funds available to us, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a "no-shop" provision (a provision in letters of intent or merger agreements designed to keep target businesses from "shopping" around for transactions with other companies on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed initial business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent or merger agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share upon our liquidation. See "—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share" and other risk factors below.

         If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not being held in the trust account are insufficient, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination and we will depend on loans from our sponsor or management team to fund our search for an initial business combination, to pay our franchise and income taxes and to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to obtain these loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination.

        Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, only approximately $1,250,000 will be available to us initially outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $750,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. The amount held in the trust account will not be impacted as a result of such increase or decrease. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $750,000, the amount of funds we

44


Table of Contents

intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount. If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. None of our sponsor, members of our management team nor any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances would be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement-equivalent warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. If we are unable to obtain these loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public stockholders may only receive approximately $10.00 per share on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share on the redemption of their shares. See "—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share" and other risk factors below.

         Subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our stock price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.

        Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will surface all material issues that may be present inside a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining debt financing to partially finance the initial business combination. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the initial business combination constituted an actionable material misstatement or omission.

         If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share.

        Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third-party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title,

45


Table of Contents

interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public stockholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party's engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Marcum LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of the offering, will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.

        Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third-party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we do not complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public stockholders could be less than the $10.00 per share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement, the form of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor's only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers, directors or members of our sponsor will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.

         Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public stockholders.

        In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per share and (ii) the actual amount per share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our

46


Table of Contents

independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations.

        While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public stockholders may be reduced below $10.00 per share.

         We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and executive officers.

        We have agreed to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers and directors have agreed to waive (and any other persons who may become an officer or director prior to the initial business combination will also be required to waive) any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and not to seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our officers and directors may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder's investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

         If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and we and our board may be exposed to claims of punitive damages.

        If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a "preferential transfer" or a "fraudulent conveyance." As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover all amounts received by our stockholders. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors.

         If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our stockholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our stockholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.

        If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our stockholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.

47


Table of Contents

         If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.

        If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:

        In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:

        In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless we can qualify for an exclusion, we must ensure that we are engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading in securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading "investment securities" constituting more than 40% of our total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business will be to identify and complete an initial business combination and thereafter to operate the post-transaction business or assets for the long term. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.

        We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in United States "government securities" within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Pursuant to the trust agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, and by having a business plan targeted at acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than on buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund), we intend to avoid being deemed an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. This offering is not intended for persons who are seeking a return on investments in government securities or investment securities. The trust account is intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity; or (iii) absent an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, our return of the funds held in the trust account to our public stockholders as part of our redemption of the public shares. If we do not invest the proceeds as discussed above, we may be deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act. If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to complete an initial business combination or may result in our liquidation. If we do not complete our

48


Table of Contents

initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.

         Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination and results of operations.

        We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly.

        Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination and results of operations.

         Our stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.

        Under the DGCL, stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. The pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering may be considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law. If a corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the DGCL intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a 60-day notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day period during which the corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day waiting period before any liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder's pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution. However, it is our intention to redeem our public shares as soon as reasonably possible following the 18th month from the closing of this offering in the event we do not complete our initial business combination and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with the foregoing procedures.

        Because we will not be complying with Section 280, Section 281(b) of the DGCL requires us to adopt a plan, based on facts known to us at such time that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us within the 10 years following our dissolution. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) or prospective target businesses. If our plan of distribution complies with Section 281(b) of the DGCL, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder's pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would likely be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution. We cannot assure you that we will properly assess all claims that may be potentially brought against us. As such, our stockholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend beyond the third anniversary of such date. Furthermore, if the pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering is not considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law and such redemption distribution is deemed to be unlawful (potentially

49


Table of Contents

due to the imposition of legal proceedings that a party may bring or due to other circumstances that are currently unknown), then pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, the statute of limitations for claims of creditors could then be six years after the unlawful redemption distribution, instead of three years, as in the case of a liquidating distribution.

         We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination, which could delay the opportunity for our stockholders to elect directors.

        We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders until after we consummate a business combination (unless required by the NYSE), and thus may not be in compliance with Section 211(b) of the DGCL, which requires an annual meeting of stockholders be held for the purposes of electing directors in accordance with a company's bylaws unless such election is made by written consent in lieu of such a meeting. Therefore, if our stockholders want us to hold an annual meeting prior to our consummation of a business combination, they may attempt to force us to hold one by submitting an application to the Delaware Court of Chancery in accordance with Section 211(c) of the DGCL.

         Holders of Class A common stock will not be entitled to vote on any election of directors we hold prior to our initial business combination.

        Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason. Accordingly, you may not have any say in the management of our company prior to the consummation of an initial business combination.

         We are not registering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time, and such registration may not be in place when an investor desires to exercise warrants, thus precluding such investor from being able to exercise its warrants except on a cashless basis. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of warrants is not registered, qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless.

        We are not registering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time. However, under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement for the registration under the Securities Act of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use our best efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days following our initial business combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. We cannot assure you that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current or correct or the SEC issues a stop order. If the shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, we will be required to permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. However, no warrant will be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from registration is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. In no

50


Table of Contents

event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities or other compensation in exchange for the warrants in the event that we are unable to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws and there is no exemption available. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of the warrants is not so registered or qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the shares of Class A common stock included in the units. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such shares of Class A common stock under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering. However, there may be instances in which holders of our public warrants may be unable to exercise such public warrants but holders of our private warrants may be able to exercise such private warrants.

         If you exercise your public warrants on a "cashless basis," you will receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.

        There are circumstances in which the exercise of the public warrants may be required or permitted to be made on a cashless basis. First, if a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Second, if a registration statement covering the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available; if that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. Third, if we call the public warrants for redemption, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a cashless basis. In the event of an exercise on a cashless basis, a holder would pay the warrant exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the "fair market value" (as defined in the next sentence) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The "fair market value" is the average reported last sale price of the Class A common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of exercise is received by the warrant agent or on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants, as applicable. As a result, you would receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.

         The grant of registration rights to our initial stockholders may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock.

        Pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, our initial stockholders and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the private placement warrants, the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the founder shares and the private placement warrants held, or to be held, by them and holders of warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans may demand that we register

51


Table of Contents

such warrants or the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the stockholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our Class A common stock that is expected when the securities owned by our initial stockholders or holders of working capital loans or their respective permitted transferees are registered.

         Because we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business's operations.

        We will seek to complete an initial business combination with companies in the consumer, healthcare or TMT industry sector but may also pursue other business combination opportunities, except that we will not, under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet selected or approached any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business's operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.

         Past performance by our management team, Capstar Partners or the PIMCO private funds may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the Company.

        Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with our management team, Capstar Partners, the PIMCO private funds and their affiliates is presented for informational purposes only. Past performance by our management team, Capstar Partners and the PIMCO private funds is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team's or their affiliates' performance as indicative of the future performance of an investment in the company or the returns the company will, or is likely to, generate going forward. Our officers and directors have not had experience with blank check companies or special purpose acquisition companies in the past.

52


Table of Contents

         We may seek business combination opportunities in industries or sectors which may or may not be outside of our management team's area of expertise.

        Although we intend to focus on identifying companies in the consumer, healthcare and TMT industry sectors, we will consider an initial business combination outside of our management team's area of expertise if an initial business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive business combination opportunity for our company or we are unable to identify a suitable candidate in this sector after having expanded a reasonable amount of time and effort in an attempt to do so. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination candidate, we cannot assure you that we will adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in this offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in an initial business combination candidate. In the event we elect to pursue a business combination outside of the areas of our management team's expertise, our management team's expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained in this prospectus regarding the areas of our management team's expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our management may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.

         Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.

        Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of stockholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain stockholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share on the redemption of their shares. See "—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share" and other risk factors below.

         We may seek business combination opportunities with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue, cash flow or earnings, which could subject us to volatile revenues, cash flows or earnings or difficulty in retaining key personnel.

        To the extent we complete our initial business combination with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenues or earnings, we may be affected by numerous risks

53


Table of Contents

inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine. These risks include volatile revenues or earnings and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors and we may not have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.

         We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or from an independent accounting firm, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our company or the stockholders from a financial point of view.

        Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity or our board cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that the price we are paying is fair to our company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our stockholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.

         We may issue additional common stock or preferred stock to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue shares of Class A common stock upon the conversion of the Class B common stock at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our stockholders and likely present other risks.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share. Immediately after this offering, there will be 80,000,000 and 5,000,000 (assuming, in each case, that the underwriters have not exercised their over-allotment option) authorized but unissued shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively, available for issuance, which amount does not take into account the shares of Class A common stock reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants. Immediately after the consummation of this offering, there will be no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding. Shares of Class B common stock are convertible into shares of our Class A common stock initially at a one-for-one ratio but subject to adjustment as set forth herein, including in certain circumstances in which we issue Class A common stock or equity-linked securities related to our initial business combination. Shares of Class B common stock are also convertible at the option of the holder at any time.

        We may issue a substantial number of additional shares of common or preferred stock to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination (although our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that we may not issue securities that can vote with common stockholders on matters related to our pre-initial business combination activity). We may also issue shares of Class A common stock upon conversion of the Class B common stock at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. However, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares of capital stock that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account

54


Table of Contents

or (ii) vote on any initial business combination. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, like all provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, may be amended with the approval of our stockholders. However, our executive officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of common stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares.

        The issuance of additional shares of common or preferred stock:

         Resources could be wasted in researching business combinations that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.

        We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys, consultants and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share on the redemption of their shares. See "—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share" and other risk factors below.

55


Table of Contents

         Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be totally dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.

        Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we employ after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements. In addition, the officers and directors of an initial business combination candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of an initial business combination target's key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. The role of an initial business combination candidate's key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an initial business combination candidate's management team will remain associated with the initial business combination candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an initial business combination candidate will not wish to remain in place. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.

         We are dependent upon our executive officers and directors and their departure could adversely affect our ability to operate.

        Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our executive officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our executive officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or executive officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.

         Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements as well as reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses, if any, with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation or reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, if any, following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.

        Our key personnel may be able to remain with the company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the initial business combination. Additionally, they may negotiate reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses incurred on our behalf prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, should they choose to do so. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the initial business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of the initial business combination, or as reimbursement for such out-of-pocket expenses. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business. However, we believe the ability of such individuals to remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination will not be the determining factor in

56


Table of Contents

our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. There is no certainty, however, that any of our key personnel will remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with us. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with us will be made at the time of our initial business combination. In addition, pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, our sponsor, upon consummation of an initial business combination, will be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors.

         We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may affect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company, which could, in turn, negatively impact the value of our stockholders' investment in us.

        When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business's management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target's management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target's management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.

         Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.

        Our officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for an initial business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our officers is engaged in other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation and our officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Our independent directors may also serve as officers or board members for other entities. If our officers' and directors' other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. For a complete discussion of our officers' and directors' other business affairs, please see the section of this prospectus entitled "Management—Directors and Officers."

         Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.

        Following the completion of this offering and until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Our officers and directors are, and may in the future become, affiliated with entities (such as operating companies or investment vehicles) that are engaged in a similar business, although Mr. Hicks may not participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director of, any other special purpose acquisition companies with a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act until

57


Table of Contents

we have entered into a definitive agreement regarding our initial business combination or we have failed to complete our initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of this offering.

        Capstar Partners, PIMCO and their respective affiliates have invested in diverse industries. As a result, there may be substantial overlap between companies that would be a suitable business combination for us and companies that would make an attractive target for such other affiliates. In addition, PIMCO and its affiliates engage in the business of originating, underwriting, syndicating, acquiring and trading loans and debt securities of corporate and other borrowers, and may provide or participate in any debt financing arrangement in connection with any acquisition of any target business that we may make. If PIMCO or any of its affiliates provides or participates in any such debt financing arrangement it may present a conflict of interest and will have to be approved under our related person transaction policy or by our independent directors.

        Our officers and directors also may become aware of business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to us and the other entities to which they owe certain fiduciary or contractual duties. Any such companies may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target.

        Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation.

        For a complete discussion of our officers' and directors' business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see the sections of this prospectus entitled "Management—Directors and Officers," "Management—Conflicts of Interest" and "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions."

         Our officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.

        We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into an initial business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or officers, although we do not intend to do so. We do not have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours.

         We may engage in an initial business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.

        In light of the involvement of our sponsor, officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, including Capstar Partners or PIMCO. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described under the section of this prospectus entitled "Management—Conflicts of Interest." Such entities may compete with us for business combination

58


Table of Contents

opportunities. Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no preliminary discussions concerning an initial business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for an initial business combination as set forth in the section of this prospectus entitled "Proposed Business—Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of our Initial Business Combination" and such transaction was approved by a majority of our disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, regarding the fairness to our stockholders from a financial point of view of an initial business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our officers, directors or existing holders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the initial business combination may not be as advantageous to our public stockholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.

         Since our sponsor, officers and directors will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.

        In February 2020, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 5,750,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. In March 2020, our sponsor transferred 15,000 founder shares to each of Ms. Cavanaugh and Mr. Ghiselli and 22,500 founder shares to Mr. Whittenburg. Ms. Cavanaugh, Mr. Whittenburg and Mr. Ghiselli are expected to serve as our independent directors. These 52,500 founder shares are not subject to forfeiture in the event the underwriters' overallotment option is not exercised. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after this offering. The founder shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 6,000,000 warrants (or 6,600,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per warrant ($6,000,000 in the aggregate, or $6,600,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full), that will also be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. Holders of founder shares have agreed (A) to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed initial business combination and (B) not to redeem any founder shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination. In addition, we may obtain loans from our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or an officer or director. The personal and financial interests of our officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination.

         We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete an initial business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our stockholders' investment in us.

        Although we have no commitments as of the date of this prospectus to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt following this offering, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account.

59


Table of Contents

        As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per-share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:

         We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of services and limited operating activities. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operating results and profitability.

        Of the net proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, $200,000,000 (or $230,000,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be available to complete our initial business combination and pay related fees and expenses (which includes up to $7,000,000, or up to $8,050,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full, for the payment of deferred underwriting commissions).

        We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. In addition, we intend to focus our search for an initial business combination in a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:

60


Table of Contents

        This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.

         We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.

        If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. We do not, however, intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.

         We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in an initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.

        In pursuing our initial business combination strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in an initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.

         Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination.

        We may structure an initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares of Class A common stock in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares of common stock, our stockholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares of common stock subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority stockholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company's stock than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain our control of the target business. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.

61


Table of Contents

         We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete an initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our stockholders do not agree.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold, except that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters' fees and commissions (such that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public stockholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.

         In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our stockholders may not support.

        In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and modified governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate an initial business combination and, with respect to their warrants, amended their warrant agreements to require the warrants to be exchanged for cash and/or other securities. Amending our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will require the approval of holders of 65% of our common stock, and amending our warrant agreement will require a vote of holders of at least 50% of the public warrants and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants or any provision of the warrant agreement with respect to the private placement warrants, 50% of the number of the then outstanding private placement warrants. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation requires us to provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash if we propose an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity. To the extent any such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of any securities offered through this registration statement, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our charter or governing instruments or extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination.

62


Table of Contents

         The provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that relate to our pre-business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account), including an amendment to permit us to withdraw funds from the trust account such that the per share amount investors will receive upon any redemption or liquidation is substantially reduced or eliminated, may be amended with the approval of holders of 65% of our common stock, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the trust agreement to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our stockholders may not support.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that any of its provisions related to pre-initial business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of this offering and the private placement of warrants into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public stockholders as described herein and including to permit us to withdraw funds from the trust account such that the per share amount investors will receive upon any redemption or liquidation is substantially reduced or eliminated) may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon. In all other instances, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may be amended by holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock entitled to vote thereon, subject to applicable provisions of the DGCL or applicable stock exchange rules. We may not issue additional securities that can vote on amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Our initial stockholders, who will collectively beneficially own up to 20% of our common stock upon the closing of this offering (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering), will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation which govern our pre-initial business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to complete an initial business combination with which you do not agree. Our stockholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.

        Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. These agreements are contained in a letter agreement that we have entered into with our sponsor, officers and directors. Our stockholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, these agreements and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our sponsor, officers or directors for any breach of these agreements. As a result, in the event of a breach, our stockholders would need to pursue a stockholder derivative action, subject to applicable law.

         We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination.

        We have not selected any specific business combination target but intend to target businesses larger than we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private

63


Table of Contents

placement warrants. As a result, we may be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. Further, the amount of additional financing we may be required to obtain could increase as a result of future growth capital needs for any particular transaction, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to repurchase for cash a significant number of shares from stockholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination and/or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or stockholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account, and our warrants will expire worthless. Furthermore, as described in the risk factor entitled "If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share," under certain circumstances our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share upon the liquidation of the trust account.

         Our initial stockholders may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a stockholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.

        Upon the closing of this offering, our initial stockholders will own shares representing 20% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering). Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a stockholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and approval of major corporate transactions. If our initial stockholders purchase any units in this offering or if our initial stockholders purchase any additional shares of common stock in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A common stock. In addition, our board of directors, whose members were elected by our initial stockholders, is and will be divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the completion of the initial business combination. If there is an annual meeting, as a consequence of our "staggered" board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for election and our initial stockholders and only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors prior to our initial business combination. In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor and the PIMCO private funds. Accordingly, our initial stockholders will continue to exert control at least until the completion of our initial business combination.

64


Table of Contents

         Our sponsor paid an aggregate of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per founder share, and, accordingly, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution from the purchase of our Class B common stock.

        The difference between the public offering price per share (allocating all of the unit purchase price to the Class A common stock and none to the warrant included in the unit) and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our Class A common stock after this offering constitutes the dilution to you and the other investors in this offering. Our sponsor acquired the founder shares at a nominal price, significantly contributing to this dilution. Upon the closing of this offering, and assuming no value is ascribed to the warrants included in the units, you and the other public stockholders will incur an immediate and substantial dilution of approximately 91.8% (or $9.18 per share, assuming no exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option), the difference between the pro forma net tangible book value per share of $0.82 and the initial offering price of $10.00 per unit. In addition, because of the anti-dilution rights of the founder shares, any equity or equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination would be disproportionately dilutive to our Class A common stock.

         Unlike many other similarly structured blank check companies, our initial stockholders will receive additional shares of Class A common stock if we issue shares to consummate an initial business combination.

        The founder shares will automatically convert into Class A common stock at the time of our initial business combination, or earlier at the option of the holders, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities convertible or exercisable for Class A common stock, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in this prospectus and related to the closing of the initial business combination, the ratio at which founder shares shall convert into Class A common stock will be adjusted so that the number of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of all outstanding shares of common stock upon completion of the initial business combination, excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the business combination and any private placement-equivalent warrants issued to our sponsor or its affiliates upon conversion of loans made to us. This is different from most other similarly structured blank check companies in which the initial stockholder will only be issued an aggregate of 20% of the total number of shares to be outstanding prior to the initial business combination. Additionally, the aforementioned adjustment will not take into account any shares of Class A common stock redeemed in connection with the business combination. Accordingly, the holders of the founder shares could receive additional shares of Class A common stock even if the additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities convertible or exercisable for Class A common stock, are issued or deemed issued solely to replace those shares that were redeemed in connection with the business combination. The foregoing may make it more difficult and expensive for us to consummate an initial business combination.

         We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of shares of our Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.

        Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions of the warrant agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement set forth in this prospectus, or defective provision, but requires the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public

65


Table of Contents

warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment. Although our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, convert the warrants into cash or stock, shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of shares of our Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.

         A provision of our warrant agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.

        Unlike most blank check companies, if

then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. This may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.

         We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.

        We have the ability to redeem outstanding warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the last reported sales price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which we give proper notice of such redemption and provided certain other conditions are met. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of shares of common stock upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such shares of common stock under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you (i) to exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) to sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) to accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of your warrants. None of the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us so long as they are held by the sponsor or its permitted transferees.

66


Table of Contents

         Our warrants and founder shares may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.

        We will be issuing warrants to purchase 10,000,000 shares of our Class A common stock (or up to 11,500,000 shares of Class A common stock if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) as part of the units offered by this prospectus and, simultaneously with the closing of this offering, we will be issuing in a private placement warrants to purchase an aggregate of 6,000,000 shares of Class A common stock (or 6,600,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) at $11.50 per share. Our initial stockholders currently own an aggregate of 5,750,000 founder shares. The founder shares are convertible into shares of Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as set forth herein. In addition, if our sponsor makes any working capital loans, up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be converted into warrants, at the price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period.

        To the extent we issue shares of Class A common stock to effectuate an initial business combination, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of these warrants and conversion rights could make us a less attractive business combination vehicle to a target business. Any such issuance will increase the number of issued and outstanding shares of our Class A common stock and reduce the value of the shares of Class A common stock issued to complete the initial business combination. Therefore, our warrants and founder shares may make it more difficult to effectuate an initial business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.

        The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in this offering except that, so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees, (i) they will not be redeemable by us, (ii) they (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of these warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by our sponsor until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis.

         Because each unit contains one-half of one redeemable warrant and only a whole warrant may be exercised, the units may be worth less than units of other blank check companies.

        Each unit contains one-half of one redeemable warrant. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant. This is different from other offerings similar to ours whose units include one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one whole share. We have established the components of the units in this way in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of an initial business combination since the warrants will be exercisable in the aggregate for one half of the number of shares compared to units that each contain a warrant to purchase one whole share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive merger partner for target businesses. Nevertheless, this unit structure may cause our units to be worth less than if they included a warrant to purchase one whole share.

         The determination of the offering price of our units and the size of this offering is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities and size of an offering of an operating company in a particular industry. You may have less assurance, therefore, that the offering price of our units properly reflects the value of such units than you would have in a typical offering of an operating company.

        Prior to this offering there has been no public market for any of our securities. The public offering price of the units and the terms of the warrants were negotiated between us and the underwriters. In determining the size of this offering, management held customary organizational meetings with

67


Table of Contents

representatives of the underwriters, both prior to our inception and thereafter, with respect to the state of capital markets, generally, and the amount the underwriters believed they reasonably could raise on our behalf. Factors considered in determining the size of this offering, prices and terms of the units, including the Class A common stock and warrants underlying the units, include:

        Although these factors were considered, the determination of our offering price is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities of an operating company in a particular industry since we have no historical operations or financial results.

         There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.

        There is currently no market for our securities. Stockholders therefore have no access to information about prior market history on which to base their investment decision. Following this offering, the price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.

         Because we must furnish our stockholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.

        The federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on an initial business combination meeting certain financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such financial statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.

68


Table of Contents

         We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.

        We are an "emerging growth company" within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our stockholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our Class A common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30 before that time, in which case we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.

        Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

         Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an initial business combination.

        Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2021. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target company with which we seek to complete our initial business combination

69


Table of Contents

may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination.

         Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and Delaware law may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our Class A common stock and could entrench management.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that stockholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include a staggered board of directors and the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred shares, which may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.

        We are also subject to anti-takeover provisions under Delaware law, which could delay or prevent a change of control. Together these provisions may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.

         Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name, actions against our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty and other similar actions may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and, if brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder's counsel, which may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name, actions against our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty and other similar actions may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and, if brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder's counsel except any action (A) as to which the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), (B) which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, (C) for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction, or (D) any action arising under the Securities Act, as to which the Court of Chancery and the federal district court for the District of Delaware shall have concurrent jurisdiction. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the exclusive forum provision will be applicable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Section 27 of the

70


Table of Contents

Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.

         Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the status of debt and equity markets.

        In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China, which has and is continuing to spread throughout the world, including the United States. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern." On January 31, 2020, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the United States to aid the U.S. healthcare community in responding to COVID-19, and on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized the COVID-19 outbreak as a "pandemic". The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted, and other infectious diseases could result, in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if continued concerns relating to COVID-19 restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target company's personnel, vendors and services providers are unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner, or if COVID-19 causes a prolonged economic downturn. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our search for a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other matters of global concern continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected.

        In addition, our ability to consummate a business combination may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing which may be impacted by COVID-19 and other events.

         Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.

        We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.

         An investment in this offering may result in uncertain or adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.

        An investment in this offering may result in uncertain U.S. federal income tax consequences. For instance, because there are no authorities that directly address instruments similar to the units we are issuing in this offering, the allocation an investor makes with respect to the purchase price of a unit between the share of Class A common stock and the one-half of one redeemable warrant to purchase

71


Table of Contents

one share of our Class A common stock included in each unit could be challenged by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or "IRS," or the courts. Furthermore, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of a cashless exercise of warrants included in the units we are issuing in this offering is unclear under current law, and the adjustment to the exercise price and/or redemption price of the warrants could give rise to dividend income to investors without a corresponding payment of cash. Finally, it is unclear whether the redemption rights with respect to our shares of common stock suspend the running of a U.S. holder's holding period for purposes of determining whether any gain or loss realized by such holder on the sale or exchange of common stock is long-term capital gain or loss and for determining whether any dividend we pay would be considered "qualified dividends" for U.S. federal income tax purposes. See the section titled "U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" for a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to an investment in our securities. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to these and other tax consequences applicable to their specific circumstances when purchasing, holding or disposing of our securities.

         If we effect our initial business combination with a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.

        If we effect our initial business combination with a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting, including any of the following:

72


Table of Contents

        We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, our operations might suffer, which may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.

         We may face risks related to consumer, healthcare and TMT industry sector companies.

        Business combinations with companies in the consumer sector entail special considerations and risks. If we are successful in completing a business combination with such a target business, we may be subject to, and possibly adversely affected by, the following risks:

73


Table of Contents

        Any of the foregoing could have an adverse impact on our operations following a business combination. However, our efforts in identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to the consumer, healthcare and TMT industry sectors. Accordingly, if we acquire a target business in another industry, these risks will likely not affect us and we will be subject to other risks attendant with the specific industry in which we operate or target business which we acquire, none of which can be presently ascertained.

74


Table of Contents


CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        Certain statements in this prospectus may constitute "forward-looking statements" for purposes of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "would" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:

        The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the section of this prospectus entitled "Risk Factors." Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

75


Table of Contents


USE OF PROCEEDS

        We are offering 20,000,000 units at an offering price of $10.00 per unit. We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering together with the funds we will receive from the sale of the private placement warrants will be used as set forth in the following table.

 
  Without
Over-Allotment
Option
  Over-Allotment
Option
Exercised
 

Gross proceeds

             

Gross proceeds from units offered to public

  $ 200,000,000   $ 230,000,000  

Gross proceeds from private placement warrants offered in the private placement

    6,000,000     6,600,000  

Total gross proceeds

  $ 206,000,000   $ 236,600,000  

Offering expenses(1)

   
 
   
 
 

Underwriting commissions (2% of gross proceeds from units offered to public, excluding deferred portion)(2)

    4,000,000     4,600,000  

Legal fees and expenses

    300,000     300,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

    40,000     40,000  

SEC/FINRA Expenses

    65,000     65,000  

Travel and road show

    20,000     20,000  

NYSE listing and filing fees

    85,000     85,000  

Director and Officer liability insurance premiums

    100,000     100,000  

Printing and engraving expenses

    40,000     40,000  

Miscellaneous(3)

    100,000     100,000  

Total offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions)

  $ 750,000   $ 750,000  

Proceeds after offering expenses

  $ 201,250,000   $ 231,250,000  

Held in trust account

  $ 200,000,000   $ 230,000,000  

% of public offering size

    100 %   100 %

Not held in trust account

  $ 1,250,000   $ 1,250,000  

        The following table shows the use of the approximately $1,250,000 of net proceeds not held in the trust account(3).

 
  Amount   % of Total  

Legal, accounting, due diligence, travel, and other expenses in connection with any business combination

  $ 450,000     36.0 %

Legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting obligations

    150,000     12.0 %

Payment for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support

    240,000     19.2 %

Reserve for liquidation expenses

    25,000     2.0 %

NYSE continued listing fees

    85,000     6.8 %

Other miscellaneous expenses

    300,000     24.0 %

Total

  $ 1,250,000     100.0 %

(1)
A portion of the offering expenses have been paid from the proceeds of loans from our sponsor of up to $250,000 as described in this prospectus. As of March 31, 2020, we had $90,000 outstanding under the promissory note with our sponsor. These loans will be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the proceeds that have been allocated for the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions) and amounts not to be held in the trust account. In the event that offering expenses are less than as set forth in this table, any such amounts will be used for post-closing working capital expenses. In the event that the offering expenses are more than as set forth in this table, we may fund such excess with funds not held in the trust account.

(2)
The underwriters have agreed to defer underwriting commissions equal to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of this offering. Upon completion of our initial business combination, $7,000,000 (or

76


Table of Contents

    $8,050,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full), which constitutes the underwriters' deferred commissions will be paid to the underwriters from the funds held in the trust account, and the remaining funds, less amounts released by the trustee to pay redeeming stockholders, will be released to us and can be used to pay all or a portion of the purchase price of the business or businesses with which our initial business combination occurs or for general corporate purposes, including payment of principal or interest on indebtedness incurred in connection with our initial business combination, to fund the purchases of other companies or for working capital. The underwriters will not be entitled to any interest accrued on the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions.

(3)
These expenses are estimates only and do not include interest which may be available to us from the trust account. Our actual expenditures for some or all of these items may differ from the estimates set forth herein. For example, we may incur greater legal and accounting expenses than our current estimates in connection with negotiating and structuring our initial business combination based upon the level of complexity of such business combination. In the event we identify an initial business combination target in a specific industry subject to specific regulations, we may incur additional expenses associated with legal due diligence and the engagement of special legal counsel. In addition, our staffing needs may vary and as a result, we may engage a number of consultants to assist with legal and financial due diligence. We do not anticipate any change in our intended use of proceeds, other than fluctuations among the current categories of allocated expenses, which fluctuations, to the extent they exceed current estimates for any specific category of expenses, would not be available for our expenses.

        The NYSE rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants be deposited in a trust account. Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, $200,000,000 (or $230,000,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full), including $7,000,000 (or up to $8,050,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) of deferred underwriting commissions, will be placed in a trust account in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. We estimate that the interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $1,000,000 per year, assuming an interest rate of 0.5% per year; however, we can provide no assurance regarding this amount. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our franchise and income tax obligations, the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants will not be released from the trust account until the earliest to occur of: (a) the completion of our initial business combination, (b) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (c) the redemption of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, subject to applicable law.

        The net proceeds held in the trust account may be used as consideration to pay the sellers of a target business with which we ultimately complete our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination, we may apply the balance of the cash released from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital. There is no

77


Table of Contents

limitation on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination.

        We believe that amounts not held in trust will be sufficient to pay the costs and expenses to which such proceeds are allocated. This belief is based on the fact that while we may begin preliminary due diligence of a target business in connection with an indication of interest, we intend to undertake in-depth due diligence, depending on the circumstances of the relevant prospective business combination, only after we have negotiated and signed a letter of intent or other preliminary agreement that addresses the terms of an initial business combination. However, if our estimate of the costs of undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination is less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may be required to raise additional capital, the amount, availability and cost of which is currently unascertainable. If we are required to seek additional capital, we could seek such additional capital through loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management team or their affiliates, but such persons are not under any obligation to advance funds to, or invest in, us.

        Commencing on the date of this prospectus, we have agreed to pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.

        Our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $250,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of March 31, 2020, we had $90,000 outstanding under the promissory note with our sponsor to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of July 31, 2020 or the closing of this offering. The loan will be repaid upon the closing of this offering out of offering proceeds not held in the trust account.

        In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. Otherwise, such loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the trust account. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.

        If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and the NYSE rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material nonpublic information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the

78


Table of Contents

Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions prior to completion of our initial business combination. See "Proposed Business—Permitted purchases of our securities" for a description of how our sponsor, initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or any of their affiliates will select which stockholders to purchase securities from in any private transaction.

        The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the initial business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public "float" of our shares of common stock or warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.

        We may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters' fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules) and the agreement for our initial business combination may require as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public stockholders exercise their redemption rights so that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement or any net worth or cash requirements, we would not proceed with the redemption of our public shares or the initial business combination, and instead may search for an alternate business combination.

        A public stockholder will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months following the closing of this offering, subject to applicable law and as further described herein and any limitations (including but not limited to cash requirements) created by the terms of the proposed initial business combination. In no other circumstances will a public stockholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account.

        Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. In addition, our initial stockholders have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. However, if our sponsor or any of our officers, directors or affiliates acquires public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.

79


Table of Contents


DIVIDEND POLICY

        We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering we will effect a stock dividend or a share contribution back to capital or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B common stock immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial stockholders at 20% of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock upon the consummation of this offering. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.

80


Table of Contents


DILUTION

        The difference between the public offering price per share of Class A common stock, assuming no value is attributed to the warrants included in the units we are offering pursuant to this prospectus or the private placement warrants, and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our Class A common stock after this offering constitutes the dilution to investors in this offering. Such calculation does not reflect any dilution associated with the sale and exercise of warrants, including the private placement warrants, which would cause the actual dilution to the public stockholders to be higher, particularly where a cashless exercise is utilized. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our net tangible book value, which is our total tangible assets less total liabilities (including the value of Class A common stock which may be redeemed for cash), by the number of outstanding shares of our Class A common stock.

        At March 31, 2020, our net tangible book deficit was $150,825, or approximately $(0.03) per share of common stock. After giving effect to the sale of 20,000,000 shares of Class A common stock included in the units we are offering by this prospectus (or 23,000,000 shares of Class A common stock if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full), the sale of the private placement warrants and the deduction of underwriting commissions and estimated expenses of this offering, our pro forma net tangible book value at March 31, 2020 would have been $5,000,010, or approximately $0.82 per share (or $0.72 per share if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full), representing an immediate increase in net tangible book value (as decreased by the value of the approximately 18,927,399 shares of Class A common stock that may be redeemed for cash, or 21,822,399 shares of Class A common stock if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) of $0.85 per share (or $0.75 per share if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) to our initial stockholders as of the date of this prospectus and dilution to public stockholders from this offering will be $9.18 per share (or $9.28 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full).

        The following table illustrates the dilution to the public stockholders on a per-share basis, assuming no value is attributed to the warrants included in the units or the private placement warrants:

 
  Exercise of
over-allotment
option in full
 

Public offering price

  $ 10.00  

Net tangible book value before this offering

    (0.03 )

Increase attributable to public stockholders and sale of the private placement warrants

    0.75  

Pro forma net tangible book value after this offering

  $ 0.72  

Dilution to public stockholders

  $ 9.28  

        For purposes of presentation, we have reduced our pro forma net tangible book value after this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option) by $189,273,990 because holders of up to approximately 94.6% of our public shares may redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account at a per share redemption price equal to the amount in the trust account as set forth in our tender offer or proxy materials (initially anticipated to be the aggregate amount held in trust two days prior to the commencement of our tender offer or stockholders meeting, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes), divided by the number of shares of Class A common stock sold in this offering.

81


Table of Contents

        The following table sets forth information with respect to our initial stockholders and the public stockholders:

 
  Shares Purchased   Total Consideration    
 
 
  Average
Price Per
Share
 
 
  Number   Percentage   Amount   Percentage  

Initial Stockholders(1)

    5,000,000     20.00 % $ 25,000     0.01 % $ 0.005  

Public Stockholders

    20,000,000     80.00 %   200,000,000     99.99 % $ 10.000  

    25,000,000     100.00 % $ 200,025,000     100.00 %      

(1)
Assumes no exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of an aggregate of 750,000 shares of Class B common stock held by our sponsor.

        The pro forma net tangible book value per share after the offering is calculated as follows:

 
  Without
Over-allotment
 

Numerator:

       

Net tangible book deficit before this offering

  $ (150,825 )

Net proceeds from this offering and sale of the private placement warrants, net of expenses(1)

    201,250,000  

Plus: Offering costs excluded from tangible book value before this offering

    174,825  

Less: Deferred underwriting commissions

    (7,000,000 )

Less: Proceeds held in trust subject to redemption to maintain net tangible assets of $5,000,001(2)

    (189,273,990 )

  $ 5,000,010  

Denominator:

       

Shares of Class B common stock outstanding prior to this offering

    5,000,000  

Shares of Class A common stock included in the units offered

    20,000,000  

Less: Shares subject to possible redemption

    (18,927,399 )

  $ 6,072,601  

(1)
Expenses applied against gross proceeds include offering expenses of $750,000 and underwriting commissions of $4,000,000 (excluding deferred underwriting fees). See "Use of Proceeds."

(2)
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial stockholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. In the event of any such purchases of our shares prior to the completion of our initial business combination, the number of shares of Class A common stock subject to redemption will be reduced by the amount of any such purchases, increasing the pro forma net tangible book value per share. See "Proposed Business—Effecting Our Initial Business Combination—Permitted Purchases of Our Securities."

82


Table of Contents


CAPITALIZATION

        The following table sets forth our capitalization at March 31, 2020, and as adjusted to give effect to the sale of our units in this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants and the application of the estimated net proceeds derived from the sale of such securities, assuming no exercise by the underwriters of its over-allotment option:

 
  March 31, 2020  
 
  Actual   As Adjusted(1)  

Notes payable to related party(1)

  $ 90,000   $  

Deferred underwriting commissions

        7,000,000  

Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 0 and 18,927,399 shares subject to possible redemption, actual and as adjusted, respectively(2)

        189,273,990  

Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted

         

Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 5,750,000 and 1,072,601 shares issued and outstanding (excluding 0 and 18,927,399 shares subject to possible redemption), actual and as adjusted, respectively(3)

        107  

Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized, 5,750,000 and 5,000,000 shares issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted, respectively

    575     500  

Additional paid-in capital

    24,425     5,000,403  

Accumulated deficit

    (1,000 )   (1,000 )

Total stockholders' equity

  $ 24,000   $ 5,000,010  

Total capitalization

  $ 114,000   $ 201,274,000  

(1)
Our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $250,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. The "as adjusted" information gives effect to the repayment of any loans made under this note out of the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants. As of March 31, 2020, we had $90,000 outstanding under the promissory note with our sponsor to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering.

(2)
Upon the completion of our initial business combination, we will provide our stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes, subject to the limitations described herein whereby our net tangible assets will be maintained at a minimum of $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and any limitations (including, but not limited to, cash requirements) created by the terms of the proposed initial business combination.

(3)
Actual share amount is prior to any forfeiture of founder shares by our sponsor and as adjusted amount assumes no exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option.

83


Table of Contents


MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview

        We are a blank check company incorporated as a Delaware corporation and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the private placement of the private placement warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following the consummation of this offering or otherwise), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing.

        The issuance of additional shares in connection with an initial business combination to the owners of the target or other investors:

        Similarly, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incur significant debt to bank or other lenders or the owners of a target, it could result in:

84


Table of Contents

        As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, at March 31, 2020, we had $11,975 in cash and deferred offering costs of $174,825. Further, we expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our initial business combination plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete our initial business combination will be successful.

Results of Operations and Known Trends or Future Events

        We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities since inception have been organizational activities and those necessary to prepare for this offering. Following this offering, we will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial business combination. We will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents after this offering. There has been no significant change in our financial or trading position and no material adverse change has occurred since the date of our audited financial statements. After this offering, we expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as expenses as we conduct due diligence on prospective business combination candidates. We expect our expenses to increase substantially after the closing of this offering.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

        As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, at March 31, 2020, we had $11,975 in cash and a working capital deficit of $150,825. Further, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our initial business combination plans. Management's plans to address this uncertainty through this offering are discussed above. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to consummate an initial business combination will be successful. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

        Our liquidity needs have been satisfied prior to completion of this offering through receipt of $25,000 from the sale of the founder shares to our sponsor and up to $250,000 in loans from our sponsor under an unsecured promissory note. As of March 31, 2020, we had $90,000 outstanding under the unsecured promissory note. We estimate that the net proceeds from (i) the sale of the units in this offering, after deducting offering expenses of approximately $750,000 and underwriting commissions of $4,000,000, or $4,600,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full (excluding deferred underwriting commissions of $7,000,000 (or up to $8,050,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full)), and (ii) the sale of the private placement warrants for a purchase price of $6,000,000 (or $6,600,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be $201,250,000 (or $231,250,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full). Of this amount, $200,000,000 or $230,000,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full, including $7,000,000 (or up to $8,050,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) in deferred underwriting commissions will be deposited into a trust account. The funds in the trust account will be invested only in specified U.S. government treasury bills or in specified money market

85


Table of Contents

funds. The remaining $1,250,000 will not be held in the trust account. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $750,000 we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $750,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.

        We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account (less deferred underwriting commissions) to complete our initial business combination. We may withdraw interest to pay franchise and income taxes. We estimate our annual franchise tax obligations, based on the number of shares of our common stock authorized and outstanding after the completion of this offering, to be $200,000, which is the maximum amount of annual franchise taxes payable by us as a Delaware corporation per annum, which we may pay from funds from this offering held outside of the trust account or from interest earned on the funds held in our trust account and released to us for this purpose. Our annual income tax obligations will depend on the amount of interest and other income earned on the amounts held in the trust account.

        We expect the interest earned on the amount in the trust account will be sufficient to pay our franchise and income taxes. To the extent that our capital stock or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.

        Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we will have available to us the approximately $1,250,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account. We will use these funds to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate and complete an initial business combination.

        In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.

        We expect our primary liquidity requirements during that period to include approximately $450,000 for legal, accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses associated with structuring, negotiating and documenting successful business combinations; $150,000 for legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting requirements; $240,000 for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support; $25,000 as a reserve for liquidation expenses; $85,000 for NYSE fees; and approximately $300,000 for general working capital that will be used for miscellaneous expenses and reserves net of estimated interest income.

86


Table of Contents

        These amounts are estimates and may differ materially from our actual expenses. In addition, we could use a portion of the funds not being placed in trust to pay commitment fees for financing, fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business or as a down payment or to fund a "no-shop" provision (a provision designed to keep target businesses from "shopping" around for transactions with other companies on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed initial business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into an agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business, the amount that would be used as a down payment or to fund a "no-shop" provision would be determined based on the terms of the specific business combination and the amount of our available funds at the time. Our forfeiture of such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise) could result in our not having sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conducting due diligence with respect to, prospective target businesses.

        We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds following this offering in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business. However, if our estimates of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial business combination. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our initial business combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of our initial business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. In addition, we intend to target businesses larger than we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, and may as a result be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would only complete such financing simultaneously with the completion of our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. In addition, following our initial business combination, if cash on hand is insufficient, we may need to obtain additional financing in order to meet our obligations.

Controls and Procedures

        We are not currently required to maintain an effective system of internal controls as defined by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will be required to comply with the internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021. Only in the event that we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer would we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company as defined in the JOBS Act, we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement.

        Prior to the closing of this offering, we have not completed an assessment, nor has our independent registered public accounting firm tested our systems, of internal controls. We expect to assess the internal controls of our target business or businesses prior to the completion of our initial business combination and, if necessary, to implement and test additional controls as we may determine are necessary in order to state that we maintain an effective system of internal controls. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding the

87


Table of Contents

adequacy of internal controls. Many small and mid-sized target businesses we may consider for our initial business combination may have internal controls that need improvement in areas such as:

    staffing for financial, accounting and external reporting areas, including segregation of duties;

    reconciliation of accounts;

    proper recording of expenses and liabilities in the period to which they relate;

    evidence of internal review and approval of accounting transactions;

    documentation of processes, assumptions and conclusions underlying significant estimates; and

    documentation of accounting policies and procedures.

        Because it will take time, management involvement and perhaps outside resources to determine what internal control improvements are necessary for us to meet regulatory requirements and market expectations for our operation of a target business, we may incur significant expense in meeting our public reporting responsibilities, particularly in the areas of designing, enhancing, or remediating internal and disclosure controls. Doing so effectively may also take longer than we expect, thus increasing our exposure to financial fraud or erroneous financing reporting.

        Once our management team's report on internal controls is complete, we will retain our independent registered public accounting firm to audit and render an opinion on such report when required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The independent registered public accounting firm may identify additional issues concerning a target business's internal controls while performing their audit of internal control over financial reporting.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

        The net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account will be invested in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements; Commitments and Contractual Obligations; Quarterly Results

        As of March 31, 2020, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations. No unaudited quarterly operating data is included in this prospectus, as we have conducted no operations to date.

JOBS Act

        On April 5, 2012, the JOBS Act was signed into law. The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We will qualify as an "emerging growth company" and under the JOBS Act will be allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.

88


Table of Contents

        Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an "emerging growth company", we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an independent registered public accounting firm's attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the report of independent registered public accounting firm providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis), and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the principal executive officer's compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of this offering or until we are no longer an "emerging growth company," whichever is earlier.

89


Table of Contents


PROPOSED BUSINESS

Our Company

        We are a newly organized blank check company formed as a Delaware corporation for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our initial business combination. We have not identified any potential business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any potential business combination target.

        While we may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business industry or sector, we intend to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify, acquire and manage a business in the consumer, healthcare and TMT industries that can benefit from our differentiated and proprietary deal flow, leading brand name and global network. We intend to focus our search on business combination targets with an aggregate enterprise value ranging from $600.0 million to $1.5 billion. Furthermore, we believe that our management team is positioned to drive ongoing value creation post-business combination, as our team has done with investments in the consumer, healthcare, TMT and other sectors over time. We believe our management team is well suited to identify opportunities that have the potential to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for our stockholders.

        Capstar Partners' affiliates and the PIMCO private funds are members of our sponsor.

Capstar Partners

        Capstar Partners is a private investment firm based in Austin, Texas that participates in small and middle market buyouts, real estate development and public and other private investments. Through our affiliation with Capstar Partners, we intend to capitalize on the ability of the Capstar Partners platform in the consumer, healthcare and TMT industry sectors. Given Capstar's reach and experience, we believe our team has the required investment, operational, diligence and capital raising expertise to effect a business combination with an attractive target and to position it for long-term success in the public markets.

PIMCO

        PIMCO is one of the world's premier fixed income investment managers. For nearly 50 years, PIMCO has worked relentlessly to help millions of investors achieve their objectives—regardless of shifting market conditions. Today, PIMCO has offices around the world and 2,800+ professionals committed to its mission: delivering superior investment returns, solutions and service to its clients. PIMCO's alternatives platform combines the firm's time-tested investment process with opportunistic approaches to marketable and private credit, global real estate, macroeconomic, and quantitative strategies. As of March 31, 2020, PIMCO had approximately $1.78 trillion in assets under management, including over $34 billion in alternatives strategies. PIMCO is owned by Allianz S.E., a leading global diversified financial services provider.

Our Management Team

        R. Steven Hicks has served as our Chairman and Chief Financial Officer since our inception and, since May 2020, as our Chief Executive Officer. In June 2000, Mr. Hicks founded Capstar Partners. Mr. Hicks has served as Chairman of Capstar Partners since its founding. Prior to founding Capstar Partners, Mr. Hicks was the Vice Chairman of AMFM Inc. (NYSE: AFM), the nation's largest owner and operator of radio stations, with over 450 radio stations in markets across the United States. In 1996, Mr. Hicks founded Capstar Broadcasting Corporation, which became the nation's largest radio station holding company by 1998 with 350 radio stations. Mr. Hicks led Capstar Broadcasting

90


Table of Contents

Corporation to a successful initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 1998. In August 1999, Capstar Broadcasting Corporation merged with Dallas-based Chancellor Media Corporation in a stock swap valued at $4.1 billion, forming AMFM, where Mr. Hicks remained as the Vice Chairman. In 1993, Mr. Hicks co-founded SFX Broadcasting, building it into one of the largest radio groups in the United States. Mr. Hicks serves on the University of Texas System Board of Regents after being appointed for a six-year term in each of 2009 and 2016. In addition, Mr. Hicks has served on the Board of the University of Texas Investment Management Company since 2009. Mr. Hicks received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972.

        Rodrigo de la Torre has agreed to serve on our board of directors as Lead Director. Mr. de la Torre has over 15 years of business development, finance and strategy experience in top tier multinational organizations, predominantly in the consumer and retail sectors. He has been the Head of Finance and Strategy for Taco Bell Global since April 2019 and previously served as Global Director of Finance and Head of M&A at Pizza Hut International from March 2016 to April 2019. During his time at Yum! Brands, Mr. de la Torre has executed landmark master franchise agreements and partnerships such as the 2018 strategic alliance with Telepizza across Latin America & Iberia. Prior to joining Yum! Brands, Mr. de la Torre was a Vice President in the Consumer & Retail Investment Banking Group of Credit Suisse in New York, where he worked from 2010 to March 2016. During his time at Credit Suisse, Mr. de la Torre advised corporations and financial sponsors in a range of high-profile consumer sector transactions. Mr. de la Torre additionally held M&A and strategy roles at Fonterra Co-operative, a leading dairy products manufacturer, from 2004 to 2007 and was an analyst at ANZ Bank from 2003 to 2004. Mr. de la Torre received a Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth in 2010 and a Bachelor of Commerce with Honors in Economics and Finance from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand in 2003.

        With respect to the above, past performance of our management team, Capstar Partners and the PIMCO private funds is not a guarantee of either (i) success with respect to a business combination that may be consummated or (ii) the ability to successfully identify and execute a business combination. You should not rely on the historical record of management, Capstar Partners or the PIMCO private funds as indicative of future performance. See "Risk Factors—Past performance by our management team, Capstar Partners or the PIMCO private funds may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the Company." Our management, Capstar Partners and the PIMCO private funds have no experience in operating blank check companies or special purpose acquisition companies. For a list of our executive officers and entities for which a conflict of interest may or does exist between such officers and the Company, please refer to "Management—Conflicts of Interest."

        Certain of our officers and directors have fiduciary and contractual obligations to Capstar Partners, PIMCO or their respective affiliates and to certain other companies. As a result, certain of our officers and directors will have a duty to offer acquisition opportunities to certain Capstar Partners or PIMCO funds or other entities before Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. can pursue such opportunities. However, we do not expect these duties to present a significant conflict of interest with our search for an initial business combination. We believe this conflict of interest will be naturally mitigated, to some extent, by the differing nature of the acquisition targets Capstar Partners and PIMCO typically consider most attractive for their respective funds and the types of acquisitions we expect Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. to find most attractive. As a result of due diligence from the broader platform, we may become aware of a potential transaction that is not a fit for the traditional investing activities of Capstar Partners or PIMCO but that is an attractive opportunity for Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. In addition to the above, our officers and directors are not required to commit any specific amount of time to our affairs, and, accordingly will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence.

91


Table of Contents

Business Strategy & Competitive Strengths

        While we will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region, given the experience of our management team and Capstar Partners, our acquisition and value creation strategy will be to identify, acquire and build a company in the consumer, healthcare or TMT industry sectors. Our acquisition strategy will leverage Capstar Partners' and the PIMCO private funds' networks of proprietary deal sourcing where we believe a combination of industry research, private equity sponsorship and lending relationships will provide us with a number of business combination opportunities. Additionally, we expect that relationships cultivated from years of transaction experience with management teams of public and private companies, investment bankers, restructuring advisers, attorneys and accountants will provide potential opportunities for the Company. Our goal is to collaborate with a company that already is a fundamentally healthy company. We will seek to work with a potential acquisition candidate to access the capital markets, attract top tier management talent, and execute a proprietary value-creation business plan helping the company continue to grow into the next phase of its life cycle. We plan to employ a fundamental, value-oriented acquisition framework that seeks a target with the potential for significant equity value creation coupled with strong downside protection from dependable cash flows and a durable business franchise. The management team along with its Board of Directors have experience in:

        Following the completion of this offering, we will communicate with our management team's network of deal sourcing relationships to articulate the parameters for our search for a potential business combination and begin the process of pursuing and reviewing potential opportunities.

Acquisition Criteria

        Consistent with our strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines which we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We will use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating acquisition opportunities, but we may decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria and guidelines. We intend to acquire one or more businesses that we believe:

92


Table of Contents

        These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our stockholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this prospectus, would be in the form of tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials that we would file with the SEC.

Our Acquisition Process

        In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and key employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us. We will also utilize our operational and capital planning experience.

        We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion that our initial business combination is fair to the Company from a financial point of view from either an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions.

        Members of our management team may directly or indirectly own our founder shares, common stock and/or private placement warrants following this offering, and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors were to be included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.

        Mr. Hicks has agreed not to participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director of, any other special purpose acquisition company with a class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, until we have entered into a definitive agreement regarding our initial business combination or we have failed to complete our initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of this offering, as such may be extended by stockholder

93


Table of Contents

approval. However, our independent directors and PIMCO and its affiliates, including Mr. Weinstein, may sponsor or form other blank check companies similar to ours during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.

Initial Business Combination

        As required by the NYSE rules, our initial business combination will be approved by a majority of our independent directors. The NYSE rules also require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target's assets or prospects. In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor and the PIMCO private funds.

        We anticipate structuring our initial business combination either (i) in such a way so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses, or (ii) in such a way so that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or stockholders, or for other reasons. However, we will only complete an initial business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the "Investment Company Act". Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of the NYSE's 80% of fair market value test. If the initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the transactions and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking stockholder approval, as applicable.

94


Table of Contents

Corporate Information

        Our executive offices are located at 405 West 14th Street, Austin, TX 78701 and our telephone number is 512-340-7800.

        We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.

        In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.

        We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to emerging growth company will have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.

Value Creation Philosophy Post-Merger

        After the initial business combination, our management team intends to apply a rigorous approach to enhancing stockholder value, including evaluating the experience and expertise of incumbent management and making changes when appropriate, examining opportunities for revenue enhancement, cost savings, operating efficiencies and strategic acquisitions and divestitures, and accessing the financial markets to optimize the company's capital structure. Our management team intends to pursue post-merger initiatives through participation on the board of directors, through direct involvement with company operations and/or calling upon former managers and advisors when necessary. We currently expect these initiatives to include the following:

95


Table of Contents

Status as a Public Company

        We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses. As a public company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other business combination with us. Following an initial business combination, we believe the target business would have greater access to capital and additional means of creating management incentives that are better aligned with stockholders' interests than it would as a private company. A target business can further benefit by augmenting its profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees. In a business combination transaction with us, the owners of the target business may, for example, exchange their shares of stock in the target business for our shares of Class A common stock (or shares of a new holding company) or for a combination of our shares of Class A common stock and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers.

        Although there are various costs and obligations associated with being a public company, we believe target businesses will find this method a more expeditious and cost-effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. The typical initial public offering process takes a significantly longer period of time than the typical business combination transaction process, and there are significant expenses in the initial public offering process, including underwriting discounts and commissions, marketing and road show efforts that may not be present to the same extent in connection with an initial business combination with us.

        Furthermore, once a proposed initial business combination is completed, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters' ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring or could have negative valuation consequences. Following an initial business combination, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital and an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with stockholders' interests and the ability to use its shares as currency for acquisitions. Being a public company can offer further benefits by augmenting

96


Table of Contents

a company's profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.

        While we believe that our structure and our management team's backgrounds will make us an attractive business partner, some potential target businesses may view our status as a blank check company, such as our lack of an operating history and our ability to seek stockholder approval of any proposed initial business combination, negatively.

        We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not "emerging growth companies" including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.

        In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an "emerging growth company" can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an "emerging growth company" can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.

Financial Position

        With funds available for an initial business combination initially in the amount of $194,250,000, after payment of $7,000,000 of deferred underwriting fees (or $223,200,000 after payment of up to $8,050,000 of deferred underwriting fees if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full), in each case before fees and expenses associated with our initial business combination, we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt or leverage ratio. Because we are able to complete our initial business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, we have not taken any steps to secure third party financing and there can be no assurance it will be available to us.

Effecting Our Initial Business Combination

        We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following this offering. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the private placement of the private placement warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following the consummation of this offering or otherwise), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other

97


Table of Contents

lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing. We may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.

        If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemptions of our Class A common stock, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.

        We may seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, and we may effectuate our initial business combination using the proceeds of such offering rather than using the amounts held in the trust account. In addition, we intend to target businesses larger than we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, and may as a result be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would expect to complete such financing only simultaneously with the completion of our initial business combination. In the case of an initial business combination funded with assets other than the trust account assets, our proxy materials or tender offer documents disclosing the initial business combination would disclose the terms of the financing and, only if required by law, we would seek stockholder approval of such financing. There are no prohibitions on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. At this time, we are not a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities or otherwise.

Sources of Target Businesses

        We anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers and investment professionals. Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us by calls or mailings. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read this prospectus and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our officers and directors, as well as our sponsor and their affiliates, may also bring to our attention target business candidates that they become aware of through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions. In addition, we expect to receive a number of proprietary deal flow opportunities that would not otherwise necessarily be available to us as a result of the business relationships of our officers and directors and our sponsor and their respective industry and business contacts as well as their affiliates. While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, we may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder's fee, consulting fee, advisory fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm's length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. We will engage a finder only to the extent our management determines that the use of a finder may bring opportunities to us that may not otherwise be available to us or if finders approach us on an unsolicited basis with a potential transaction that our management determines is in our best interest to pursue. Payment of finder's fees is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of the funds held in the trust account. In no event will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or any entity with which our sponsor or officers are affiliated, be paid any finder's fee, reimbursement, consulting fee,

98


Table of Contents

monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation by the company prior to, or in connection with any services rendered for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). Although none of our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be allowed to receive any compensation, finder's fees or consulting fees from a prospective business combination target in connection with a contemplated initial business combination, we do not have a policy that prohibits our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, from negotiating for the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses by a target business. We have agreed to pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support and to reimburse our sponsor for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination. Some of our officers and directors may enter into employment or consulting agreements with the post-transaction company following our initial business combination. The presence or absence of any such fees or arrangements will not be used as a criterion in our selection process of an initial business combination candidate.

        We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or their respective affiliates. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or their respective affiliates, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that our initial business combination is fair to our company and our stockholders from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.

        As more fully discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled "Management—Conflicts of Interest," if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may be required to present such business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such business combination opportunity to us. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.

Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of our Initial Business Combination

        As required by the NYSE rules, our initial business combination will be approved by a majority of our independent directors. The NYSE rules also require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. The fair market value of our initial business combination will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community, such as discounted cash flow valuation, a valuation based on trading multiples of comparable public businesses or a valuation based on the financial metrics of M&A transactions of comparable businesses. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target's assets or prospects. We do not intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination. Subject to this requirement, our management will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more

99


Table of Contents

prospective target businesses, although we will not be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.

        In any case, we will only complete an initial business combination in which we own or acquire 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquire a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. If we own or acquire less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses, the portion of such business or businesses that are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company is what will be taken into account for purposes of the NYSE's 80% of fair market value test. There is no basis for investors in this offering to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination.

        To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.

        In evaluating a prospective business target, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review, which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and key employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial and other information that will be made available to us.

        The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination.

        In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor and the PIMCO private funds.

Lack of Business Diversification

        For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business. In addition, we intend to focus our search for an initial business combination in a single industry. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:

Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target's Management Team

        Although we intend to closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business' management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future

100


Table of Contents

management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. The determination as to whether any of the members of our management team will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our management team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.

        We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.

        Following an initial business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.

Stockholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination

        We may conduct redemptions without a stockholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC. However, we will seek stockholder approval if it is required by law or applicable stock exchange rule, or we may decide to seek stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons. Presented in the table below is a graphic explanation of the types of initial business combinations we may consider and whether stockholder approval is currently required under Delaware law for each such transaction.

Type of Transaction
  Whether Stockholder
Approval is Required

Purchase of assets

  No

Purchase of stock of target not involving a merger with the company

 

No

Merger of target into a subsidiary of the company

 

No

Merger of the company with a target

 

Yes

        Under the NYSE's listing rules, stockholder approval would be required for our initial business combination if, for example:

101


Table of Contents

Permitted Purchases of our Securities

        If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and the NYSE rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material nonpublic information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions prior to completion of our initial business combination.

        The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the initial business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public "float" of our shares of Class A common stock or warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.

        Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the stockholders with whom our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated purchases by either the stockholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by stockholders following our mailing of proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates enter into a private purchase, they would identify and contact only potential selling stockholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination, whether or not such stockholder has already submitted a proxy with respect to our initial business combination. Our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates will only purchase shares if such purchases comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.

        Any purchases by our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act will only be made to the extent such purchases are able to be made in compliance with Rule 10b-18, which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Rule 10b-18 has certain technical requirements that must be complied with in order for the safe harbor to be available to the purchaser. Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates will not make purchases of common

102


Table of Contents

stock if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchases are subject to such reporting requirements.

Redemption Rights for Public Stockholders upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination

        We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of Class A common stock upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be approximately $10.00 per public share. The per-share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.

Manner of Conducting Redemptions

        We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of Class A common stock upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the initial business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek stockholder approval under the law or stock exchange listing requirement. Under the NYSE rules, asset acquisitions and stock purchases would not typically require stockholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our outstanding common stock or seek to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation would require stockholder approval. If we structure an initial business combination with a target company in a manner that requires stockholder approval, we will not have discretion as to whether to seek a stockholder vote to approve the proposed initial business combination. We may conduct redemptions without a stockholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless stockholder approval is required by law or stock exchange listing requirements or we choose to seek stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on the NYSE, we will be required to comply with such rules.

        If a stockholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation:

        Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase shares of our Class A common stock in the open market if we elect to redeem our public shares through a tender offer, to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.

103


Table of Contents

        In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public stockholders not tendering more than a specified number of public shares which are not purchased by our sponsor, which number will be based on the requirement that we may not redeem public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters' fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. If public stockholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial business combination.

        If, however, stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law or stock exchange listing requirement, or we decide to obtain stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation:

        In the event that we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public stockholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial business combination.

        If we seek stockholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the initial business combination. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of outstanding capital stock of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial stockholders will count toward this quorum and pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote their founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our outstanding shares of common stock voted, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. As a result, in addition to our initial stockholders' founder shares, we would need only 7,500,001, or 37.5%, of the 20,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination (assuming all outstanding shares are voted) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised). We intend to give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial stockholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public stockholder may elect to redeem its public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters' fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed initial business combination may require: (i) cash

104


Table of Contents

consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed initial business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, and all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof.

Limitation on Redemption upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination if we Seek Stockholder Approval

        Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a "group" (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering, which we refer to as the "Excess Shares." Such restriction shall also be applicable to our affiliates. We believe this restriction will discourage stockholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed initial business combination as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public stockholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder's shares are not purchased by us or our management at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our stockholders' ability to redeem no more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering without our prior consent, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of stockholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with an initial business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our stockholders' ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination.

Tendering Stock Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights

        We may require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in "street name," to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the initial vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company's DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder's option. The tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public stockholders to satisfy such delivery requirements, which may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Accordingly, a public stockholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two days prior to the vote on the initial business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Given the relatively short exercise period, it is advisable for stockholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.

105


Table of Contents

        There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $80.00 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.

        The foregoing is different from the procedures used by many blank check companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the stockholders' vote on an initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed initial business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his or her redemption rights. After the initial business combination was approved, the company would contact such stockholder to arrange for him or her to deliver his or her certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the stockholder then had an "option window" after the completion of the initial business combination during which he or she could monitor the price of the company's stock in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he or she could sell his or her shares in the open market before actually delivering his or her shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which stockholders were aware they needed to commit before the stockholder meeting, would become "option" rights surviving past the completion of the initial business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming holder's election to redeem is irrevocable once the initial business combination is approved.

        Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the date set forth in the tender offer materials or the date of the stockholder meeting set forth in our proxy materials, as applicable. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.

        If our initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public stockholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.

        If our initial proposed initial business combination is not completed, we may continue to try to complete an initial business combination with a different target until 24 months from the closing of this offering.

Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation if no Initial Business Combination

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will have only 24 months from the closing of this offering to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination within such 24-month period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders' rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as

106


Table of Contents

reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the 24-month time period.

        Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering. However, if our sponsor, officers or directors acquire public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted 24-month time period.

        Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters' fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules). If this optional redemption right is exercised with respect to an excessive number of public shares such that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement (described above), we would not proceed with the amendment or the related redemption of our public shares at such time.

        We expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the approximately $1,250,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose. We will depend on sufficient interest being earned on the proceeds held in the trust account to pay any tax obligations we may owe. However, if those funds are not sufficient to cover the costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, to the extent that there is any interest accrued in the trust account not required to pay taxes on interest income earned on the trust account balance, we may request the trustee to release to us an additional amount of up to $100,000 of such accrued interest to pay those costs and expenses.

        If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders upon our dissolution would be approximately $10.00. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public stockholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by stockholders will not be substantially less than $10.00. Under Section 281(b) of the DGCL, our plan of dissolution must provide for all claims against us to be paid in full or make provision for payments to be made in full, as applicable, if there are sufficient assets. These claims must be paid or provided for before we make any distribution of our remaining assets to our stockholders. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, we cannot assure you that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors' claims.

107


Table of Contents

        Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public stockholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party's engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third-party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. Marcum LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of the offering will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.

        In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor's only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers, directors or members of our sponsor will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.

        In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below (i) $10.00 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations and we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. Accordingly, we cannot

108


Table of Contents

assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be less than $10.00 per public share.

        We will seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We will have access to up to approximately $1,250,000 from the proceeds of this offering with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, stockholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $750,000, we may fund such excess with funds from the funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $750,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.

        Under the DGCL, stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. The pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering may be considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law. If the corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the DGCL intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a 60-day notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day period during which the corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day waiting period before any liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder's pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution.

        Furthermore, if the pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, is not considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law and such redemption distribution is deemed to be unlawful (potentially due to the imposition of legal proceedings that a party may bring or due to other circumstances that are currently unknown), then pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, the statute of limitations for claims of creditors could then be six years after the unlawful redemption distribution, instead of three years, as in the case of a liquidating distribution. If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders' rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Accordingly, it is our intention to redeem our public shares as soon as reasonably possible following

109


Table of Contents

our 18th month and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with those procedures. As such, our stockholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend well beyond the third anniversary of such date.

        Because we will not be complying with Section 280, Section 281(b) of the DGCL requires us to adopt a plan, based on facts known to us at such time that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us within the subsequent 10 years. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) or prospective target businesses. As described above, pursuant to the obligation contained in our underwriting agreement, we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account. As a result of this obligation, the claims that could be made against us are significantly limited and the likelihood that any claim that would result in any liability extending to the trust account is remote. Further, our sponsor may be liable only to the extent necessary to ensure that the amounts in the trust account are not reduced below (i) $10.00 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest withdrawn to pay taxes and will not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims.

        If we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.00 per share to our public stockholders. Additionally, if we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a "preferential transfer" or a "fraudulent conveyance." As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our stockholders. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.

        Our public stockholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a stockholder vote to amend any provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of all of our public shares if we do not complete our business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, subject to applicable law. In no other circumstances will a stockholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek stockholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a stockholder's voting in connection with the initial business combination alone will not result in a stockholder's redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such stockholder must have also exercised its redemption rights as described above. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, like all provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, may be amended with a stockholder vote.

110


Table of Contents

Comparison of Redemption or Purchase Prices in Connection with Our Initial Business Combination and if We Fail to Complete Our Initial Business Combination

        The following table compares the redemptions and other permitted purchases of public shares that may take place in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering.

 
  Redemptions in
Connection with
our Initial
Business Combination
  Other Permitted
Purchases of
Public Shares by
us or our Affiliates
  Redemptions if
we fail to Complete
an Initial Business
Combination

Calculation of redemption price

  Redemptions at the time of our initial business combination may be made pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a stockholder vote. The redemption price will be the same whether we conduct redemptions pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a stockholder vote. In either case, our public stockholders may redeem their public shares for cash equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination (which is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share), including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitation that no redemptions will take place, if all of the redemptions would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and any limitations (including but not limited to cash requirements) agreed to in connection with the negotiation of terms of a proposed initial business combination.   If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market prior to or following completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit to the prices that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may pay in these transactions.   If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will redeem all public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount, then on deposit in the trust account (which is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares.

111


Table of Contents

 
  Redemptions in
Connection with
our Initial
Business Combination
  Other Permitted
Purchases of
Public Shares by
us or our Affiliates
  Redemptions if
we fail to Complete
an Initial Business
Combination

Impact to remaining stockholders

 

The redemptions in connection with our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for our remaining stockholders, who will bear the burden of the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable.

 

If the permitted purchases described above are made there would be no impact to our remaining stockholders because the purchase price would not be paid by us.

 

The redemption of our public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for the shares held by our initial stockholders, who will be our only remaining stockholders after such redemptions.

Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419

        The following table compares the terms of this offering to the terms of an offering by a blank check company subject to the provisions of Rule 419. This comparison assumes that the gross proceeds, underwriting commissions and underwriting expenses of our offering would be identical to those of an offering undertaken by a company subject to Rule 419, and that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option. None of the provisions of Rule 419 apply to our offering.

 
  Terms of Our Offering   Terms Under a Rule 419
Offering

Escrow of offering proceeds

  The NYSE rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants be deposited in a trust account. $200,000,000 of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants will be deposited into a trust account in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee.   Approximately $176,400,000 of the offering proceeds would be deposited into either an escrow account with an insured depositary institution or in a separate bank account established by a broker-dealer in which the broker-dealer acts as trustee for persons having the beneficial interests in the account.

Investment of net proceeds

 

$200,000,000 of the net offering proceeds and the sale of the private placement warrants held in trust will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations.

 

Proceeds could be invested only in specified securities such as a money market fund meeting conditions of the Investment Company Act or in securities that are direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the United States.

112


Table of Contents

 
  Terms of Our Offering   Terms Under a Rule 419
Offering

Receipt of interest on escrowed funds

 

Interest on proceeds from the trust account to be paid to stockholders is reduced by (i) any taxes paid or payable, and (ii) in the event of our liquidation for failure to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time, up to $100,000 of net interest that may be released to us should we have no or insufficient working capital to fund the costs and expenses of our dissolution and liquidation.

 

Interest on funds in escrow account would be held for the sole benefit of investors, unless and only after the funds held in escrow were released to us in connection with our completion of a business combination.

Limitation on fair value or net assets of target business

 

The NYSE rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination.

 

The fair value or net assets of a target business must represent at least 80% of the maximum offering proceeds.

Trading of securities issued

 

We expect the units will begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The Class A common stock and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless the representatives inform us of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering. If the over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, an additional Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the over-allotment option

 

No trading of the units or the underlying Class A common stock and warrants would be permitted until the completion of a business combination. During this period, the securities would be held in the escrow or trust account.

Exercise of the warrants

 

The warrants cannot be exercised until the later of 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination or 12 months from the closing of this offering.

 

The warrants could be exercised prior to the completion of a business combination, but securities received and cash paid in connection with the exercise would be deposited in the escrow or trust account.

113


Table of Contents

 
  Terms of Our Offering   Terms Under a Rule 419
Offering

Election to remain an investor

 

We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein. We may not be required by law to hold a stockholder vote. We intend to give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. If we are not required by law and do not otherwise decide to hold a stockholder vote, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC's proxy rules. In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. If, however, we hold a stockholder vote, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules. If we seek stockholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the initial business combination. Additionally, each public stockholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of outstanding capital stock of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the company entitled to vote at such meeting.

 

A prospectus containing information pertaining to the business combination required by the SEC would be sent to each investor. Each investor would be given the opportunity to notify the company in writing, within a period of no less than 20 business days and no more than 45 business days from the effective date of a post-effective amendment to the company's registration statement, to decide if it elects to remain a stockholder of the company or require the return of its investment. If the company has not received the notification by the end of the 45th business day, funds and interest or dividends, if any, held in the trust or escrow account are automatically returned to the stockholder. Unless a sufficient number of investors elect to remain investors, all funds on deposit in the escrow account must be returned to all of the investors and none of the securities are issued.

114


Table of Contents

 
  Terms of Our Offering   Terms Under a Rule 419
Offering

Business combination deadline

 

If we do not complete an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up,(ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders' rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.

 

If a business combination has not been completed within 24 months after the effective date of the company's registration statement, funds held in the trust or escrow account are returned to investors.

Limitation on redemption rights of stockholders holding more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering if we hold a stockholder vote

 

If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that a public stockholder (including our affiliates), together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a "group" (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to Excess Shares (more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering). Our public stockholders' inability to redeem Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and they could suffer a material loss on their investment in us if they sell any Excess Shares in open market transactions.

 

Many blank check companies provide no restrictions on the ability of stockholders to redeem shares based on the number of shares held by such stockholders in connection with an initial business combination.

115


Table of Contents

 
  Terms of Our Offering   Terms Under a Rule 419
Offering

Tendering stock certificates in connection with a tender offer or redemption rights

 

We may require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in "street name," to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents mailed to such holders or up to two business days prior to the initial vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company's DWAC System, at the holder's option. The tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public stockholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public stockholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two days prior to the vote on the initial business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights.

 

In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, holders could vote against a proposed initial business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holders were seeking to exercise their redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such stockholders to arrange for them to deliver their certificate to verify ownership.

116


Table of Contents

 
  Terms of Our Offering   Terms Under a Rule 419
Offering

Release of funds

 

Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our franchise and income tax obligations, the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account will not be released from the trust account until the earliest to occur of:(i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-business combination activity and (iii) the redemption of 100% of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination within the required time frame (subject to the requirements of applicable law). On the completion of our initial business combination, all amounts held in the trust account will be released to us, less amounts released to a separate account controlled by the trustee for disbursal to redeeming stockholders. We will use these funds to pay amounts due to any public stockholders who exercise their redemption rights as described above under "Redemption rights for public stockholders upon completion of our initial business combination," to pay the underwriters their deferred underwriting commissions, to pay all or a portion of the consideration payable to the target or owners of the target of our initial business combination and to pay other expenses associated with our initial business combination.

 

The proceeds held in the escrow account are not released until the earlier of the completion of a business combination or the failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time.

Competition

        In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank check companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, and operating businesses seeking strategic business combinations. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than we do. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the initial business combination of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public stockholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.

117


Table of Contents

Facilities

        Our executive offices are located at 405 West 14th Street, Austin, TX 78701 and our telephone number is 512-340-7800. Our executive offices are provided to us by our sponsor. Commencing on the date of this prospectus, we have agreed to pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.

Employees

        We currently have two officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time they will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the initial business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination.

Periodic Reporting and Financial Information

        We will register our units, Class A common stock and warrants under the Exchange Act and have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual reports will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accountants.

        We will provide stockholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials sent to stockholders to assist them in assessing the target business. In all likelihood, these financial statements will need to be prepared in accordance with, or reconciled to, GAAP, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential targets we may conduct an initial business combination with because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. We cannot assure you that any particular target business identified by us as a potential business combination candidate will have financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP or that the potential target business will be able to prepare its financial statements in accordance with the requirements outlined above. To the extent that these requirements cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential business combination candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.

        We will be required to evaluate our internal control procedures for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to have our internal control procedures audited. A target company may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination. Prior to the date of this prospectus, we will file a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.

118


Table of Contents

        We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our shares of Class A common stock that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.

Legal Proceedings

        There is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending against us or any members of our management team in their capacity as such.

119


Table of Contents


MANAGEMENT

Officers and Directors

        Our officers and directors are as follows:

Name
  Age   Position
R. Steven Hicks     70   Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
Rodrigo de la Torre     39   Lead Director Nominee
Jamie Weinstein     44   Director Nominee
Kathryn Cavanaugh     46   Director Nominee
John Ghiselli     56   Director Nominee
James Whittenburg     48   Director Nominee

        R. Steven Hicks has served as our Chairman and Chief Financial Officer since our inception and, since May 2020, as our Chief Executive Officer. In June 2000, Mr. Hicks founded Capstar Partners, a private investment firm focusing on small and middle market buyouts, real estate development, and public investing in the media and broadcasting, healthcare services and e-commerce industries. Mr. Hicks has served as Chairman of Capstar Partners since its founding. Prior to founding Capstar Partners, Mr. Hicks was the Vice Chairman of AMFM Inc. (NYSE: AFM), the nation's largest owner and operator of radio stations, with over 450 radio stations in markets across the United States. In 1996, Mr. Hicks founded Capstar Broadcasting Corporation, which became the nation's largest radio station holding company by 1998 with 350 radio stations. Mr. Hicks led Capstar Broadcasting Corporation to a successful initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 1998. In August 1999, Capstar Broadcasting Corporation merged with Dallas-based Chancellor Media Corporation in a stock swap valued at $4.1 billion, forming AMFM, where Mr. Hicks remained as the Vice Chairman. In 1993, Mr. Hicks co-founded SFX Broadcasting, building it into one of the largest radio groups in the United States. Mr. Hicks serves on the University of Texas System Board of Regents after being appointed for a six-year term in each of 2009 and 2016. In addition, Mr. Hicks has served on the Board of the University of Texas Investment Management Company since 2009. Mr. Hicks received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972.

        Rodrigo de la Torre has agreed to serve on our board of directors as Lead Director. Mr. de la Torre has over 15 years of business development, finance and strategy experience in top tier multinational organizations, predominantly in the consumer and retail sectors. He has been the Head of Finance and Strategy for Taco Bell Global since April 2019 and previously served as Global Director of Finance and Head of M&A at Pizza Hut International from March 2016 to April 2019. During his time at Yum! Brands, Mr. de la Torre has executed landmark master franchise agreements and partnerships such as the 2018 strategic alliance with Telepizza across Latin America & Iberia. Prior to joining Yum! Brands, Mr. de la Torre was a Vice President in the Consumer & Retail Investment Banking Group of Credit Suisse in New York, where he worked from 2010 to March 2016. During his time at Credit Suisse, Mr. de la Torre advised corporations and financial sponsors in a range of high-profile consumer sector transactions. Mr. de la Torre additionally held M&A and strategy roles at Fonterra Co-operative, a leading dairy products manufacturer, from 2004 to 2007 and was an analyst at ANZ Bank from 2003 to 2004. Mr. de la Torre received a Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth in 2010 and a Bachelor of Commerce with Honors in Economics and Finance from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand in 2003. We believe Mr. de la Torre is well qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his extensive leadership and business experience, including his management positions in public restaurant businesses and financial services positions.

        Jamie Weinstein has agreed to serve on our board of directors. Since September 2019, Mr. Weinstein has served as a managing director, portfolio manager and head of corporate special

120


Table of Contents

situations at PIMCO, focusing on PIMCO's opportunistic and alternative strategies within corporate credit. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2019, Mr. Weinstein worked for KKR as a portfolio manager for the firm's special situations funds and portfolios, which he managed since their inception in 2009. Mr. Weinstein was also a member of KKR's special situations, real estate, and India NBFC investment committees and the KKR credit portfolio management committee. Previously, Mr. Weinstein was a portfolio manager with responsibility across KKR's credit strategies. Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Weinstein was with Tishman Speyer Properties as director of acquisitions for Northern California and at Boston Consulting Group as a consultant. He has 18 years of investment experience and received a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University in 2002 and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Operations Research from Princeton University in 1998. We believe Mr. Weinstein is well qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his extensive leadership and business experience, including his expertise in investment management and acquisitions.

        Kathryn Cavanaugh has agreed to serve on our board of directors. Since January 2019, Ms. Cavanaugh has served as the Managing Partner of Capstar Ventures GP, LLC, an early stage venture capital firm that invests in the next generation of innovative consumer companies. From April 2016 to December 2018, Ms. Cavanaugh was a Partner at Grace Beauty Capital where she advised and invested in early stage companies in the consumer and retail sectors, including Rothy's, Inc., Parachute Home, Inc., Primary Kids, Inc., Supergoop!, LLC, MM.LaFleur, Inc., ThirdLove (MeCommerce, Inc.), Vengo, Inc., and Pixlee, Inc. From April 2015 to March 2016, Ms. Cavanaugh served as Director of Franchise Growth Strategy, Sales and Operations, and from March 2013 to February 2014 as a Board Director, for The Bar Method, Inc. From October 2011 to February 2014, Ms. Cavanaugh served as Vice President of Talent for Mainsail Partners, a growth equity firm. From September 2005 to June 2010, Ms. Cavanaugh worked at De Novo Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm, where she evaluated, executed and supported more than $350 million of equity investments in early to late stage healthcare companies. Ms. Cavanaugh received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 2005 and Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry from the University of Notre Dame in 1997. We believe Ms. Cavanaugh is well qualified to serve on our board of directors based on her extensive leadership and business experience, including her management positions and investment management background in the healthcare and consumer sectors.

        John Ghiselli has agreed to serve on our board of directors. In June 2019, Mr. Ghiselli founded Waterloo Capital Private Equity, LLC, an investment firm that invests in small cap companies through private equity and mezzanine debt, where he serves as a partner. Since January 2006, Mr. Ghiselli has served as the President of Waterloo Real Estate Investments Inc., a commercial real estate mortgage and investment company. In January 2013, Mr. Ghiselli co-founded Red Hook Capital Partners, LLC, a real estate investment and development firm focused on the charter school sector, where he was a principal until January 2018. Previously, Mr. Ghiselli was an Executive Vice President at Lincoln Property Company in charge of its commercial investment and development business in Southern California. Mr. Ghiselli received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1988 and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1986. We believe Mr. Ghiselli is well qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his extensive leadership and business experience, including his management positions and investment management background.

        James Whittenburg has agreed to serve on our board of directors. Since October 2015, Mr. Whittenburg has served as Executive Chairman of Longhorn Health Solutions, Inc., a home medical supplies distributor in the Medicaid market. From October 2016 to September 2018, Mr. Whittenburg served as President and Chief Executive Officer of SunTree Snack Foods, LLC. Since November 2017, Mr. Whittenburg has served as a director and Vice President of each of Trek Exploration, Inc. and North Hills Corporation of Amarillo Texas. From March 2004 to January 2012,

121


Table of Contents

Mr. Whittenberg held a variety of executive management roles with HealthTronics, Inc. (formerly NASDAQ: HTRN), a healthcare services and medical device company, including serving as a director and Chief Executive Officer from May 2007 to January 2012. In July 2010, Mr. Whittenburg led the sale of HealthTronics to Endo Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENDP) and thereafter served as HealthTronics' Group President from July 2010 through January 2012. Previously, Mr. Whittenburg was counsel at the international law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP from August 1997 until February 2004. Mr. Whittenburg also served as an independent board member and audit committee member of Harden Healthcare, LLC from September 2009 to October 2013. Mr. Whittenburg received a Juris Doctor from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law in 1997, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1997 and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin in 1993 and was previously a Certified Public Accountant. We believe Mr. Whittenburg is well qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his extensive leadership and business experience, including his management positions in the healthcare sector and accounting expertise.

Special Advisor and Board Observer

        Clayton Christopher, our special advisor, is passionate about the natural foods industry and entrepreneurship. Mr. Christopher is the co-founder and an advisor to CAVU Venture Partners, an investment firm focused on best in class, better-for-you, food and beverage brands. Prior to CAVU, Mr. Christopher was the co-founder and CEO of Deep Eddy Vodka, which became one of the fastest growing spirits brands in the United States before being purchased by Heaven Hill Distilleries in August of 2015. He started his entrepreneurial journey at Sweet Leaf Tea, a company he started in 1998 with $12,000 in savings and a recipe from his grandmother. Sweet Leaf grew to a nationally recognized brand and was acquired by Nestle in 2011. Mr. Christopher is also the co-founder and Chairman of Waterloo Sparkling. He has also served on or currently serves on the board of directors of Nulo Pet Foods, Kite Hill, Rhythm Super Foods, REBBL, Kettle & Fire, Austin Eastciders, Good Culture, Bridge Equipment Leasing and SKU, a consumer products accelerator. In 2006, Mr. Christopher was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the year for Central Texas and is a recipient of Austin Under 40 Austinite of the Year Award. Mr. Christopher has also served on a number of non-profit boards over the years, including Mission Capital, Naturally Austin, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the University of Texas President's Innovation Board.

        We currently expect Mr. Christopher, as our special advisor, to (i) assist us in sourcing and negotiating with potential business combination targets, (ii) provide business insights when we assess potential business combination targets and (iii) upon our request, provide business insights as we work to create additional value in the business or businesses that we acquire. In this regard, he will fulfill some of the same functions as our board members; however, he will not owe any fiduciary obligations to us nor will he perform board or committee functions or have any voting or decision-making capacity on our behalf. He will also not be required to devote any specific amount of time to our efforts or be subject to the fiduciary requirements to which our board members are subject. Mr. Christopher has no employment, consulting fee or other similar compensation arrangements with us.

        Dan Degtyar, PIMCO's initial board observer, is an Executive Vice President, portfolio manager and senior analyst for PIMCO's Global Credit Opportunity Strategy, where he focuses on credit relative value opportunities and special situations. Prior to joining PIMCO, Mr. Degtyar was a senior analyst at Beach Point Capital, a private equity associate at Ares Management and an investment banking associate at Credit Suisse. Mr. Degtyar is a CFA charterholder with 14 years of investment experience and holds an undergraduate degree in business economics from the University of California, Los Angeles. Mr. Degtyar has no employment, consulting fee or other similar compensation arrangements with us.

122


Table of Contents

Designated Director and Board Observer

        The PIMCO private funds have the right to designate one director to our board of directors. The PIMCO private funds' initial designee on our board of directors is Mr. Weinstein. Prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we will nominate the PIMCO private funds' designee for election at each annual meeting, so long as PIMCO, together with its affiliates, beneficially owns not less than 50% of the ownership interests in our sponsor. The PIMCO private funds will also have the right to have a board observer attend all of the meetings of our board of directors and receive all information provided to our board of directors during this time. The PIMCO private funds' initial board observer is expected to be Mr. Degtyar.

Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors

        We will have six directors upon completion of this offering. Our board of directors will be divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of stockholders) serving a three-year term. In accordance with the NYSE corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until one full year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Ms. Cavanaugh and Mr. Ghiselli, will expire at our first annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Mr. Whittenburg and Mr. Weinstein, will expire at the second annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the third class of directors, consisting of Mr. Hicks and Mr. de la Torre, will expire at the third annual meeting of stockholders. We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders until after we consummate our initial business combination.

        Prior to the completion of an initial business combination, any vacancy on the board of directors may be filled by a nominee chosen by holders of a majority of our founder shares. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason.

        Pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, our sponsor, upon consummation of an initial business combination, will be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors.

        Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in our bylaws as it deems appropriate. Our bylaws provide that our officers may consist of a Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretaries and such other offices as may be determined by the board of directors.

Director Independence

        The NYSE listing standards require that a majority of our board of directors be independent within one year of our initial public offering. An "independent director" is defined generally as a person that, in the opinion of the company's board of directors, has no material relationship with the listed company (either directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the company). Our board of directors has determined that each of each of Ms. Cavanaugh, Mr. Ghiselli, Mr. Whittenburg and Mr. de la Torre are "independent directors" as defined in the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.

123


Table of Contents

Officer and Director Compensation

        Commencing on the date of this prospectus, we have agreed to pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. In no event will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or any entity with which our sponsor or officers are affiliated, be paid any finder's fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation by the company prior to, or in connection with any services rendered for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. We do not have a policy that prohibits our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, from negotiating for the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses by a target business. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the trust account. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such payments, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and executive officers for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination.

        After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to stockholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our stockholders in connection with a proposed initial business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed initial business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.

        We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management team's motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.

Committees of the Board of Directors

        Our board of directors will have three standing committees: an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee. Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, the NYSE rules and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and the NYSE rules require that the compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee of a listed company each be comprised solely of independent directors. Each committee will operate under a charter that complies with the NYSE rules, will be approved by our board of directors and will have

124


Table of Contents

the composition and responsibilities described below. The charter of each committee will be available on our website following the closing of this offering.

Audit Committee

        Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will establish an audit committee of the board of directors. Ms. Cavanaugh, Mr. Ghiselli and Mr. Whittenburg will serve as members of our audit committee, and Mr. Whittenburg will chair the audit committee. Under the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least three members of the audit committee, all of whom must be independent. Each of Ms. Cavanaugh, Mr. Ghiselli and Mr. Whittenburg meet the independent director standard under the NYSE listing standards and under Rule 10-A-3(b)(1) of the Exchange Act.

        Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Mr. Whittenburg qualifies as an "audit committee financial expert" as defined in applicable SEC rules and has accounting or related financial management expertise.

        We will adopt an audit committee charter, which will detail the principal functions of the audit committee, including:

125


Table of Contents

Compensation Committee

        Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will establish a compensation committee of the board of directors. Ms. Cavanaugh, Mr. Ghiselli and Mr. Whittenburg will serve as members of our compensation committee. Under the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules, all members of the compensation committee must be independent. Ms. Cavanaugh, Mr. Ghiselli and Mr. Whittenburg are independent and Ms. Cavanaugh will chair the compensation committee.

        We will adopt a compensation committee charter, which will detail the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:

        Notwithstanding the foregoing, as indicated above, until the earlier of the consummation of our initial business combination or our liquidation and the payment to an affiliate of our sponsor of $10,000 per month, for up to 24 months, for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support and reimbursement of expenses, and in connection with potentially providing financing or other investments in connection with our initial business combination, no compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be paid to any of our existing stockholders, officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates, prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate the consummation of an initial business combination. Accordingly, it is likely that prior to the consummation of an initial business combination, the compensation committee will only be responsible for the review and recommendation of any compensation arrangements to be entered into in connection with such initial business combination.

126


Table of Contents

        The charter will also provide that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by the NYSE and the SEC.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

        Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will establish a nominating and corporate governance committee of the board of directors. Ms. Cavanaugh, Mr. Ghiselli and Mr. Whittenburg will serve as members of our nominating and corporate governance committee. Under the NYSE listing standards, all members of the nominating and corporate governance committee must be independent. Ms. Cavanaugh, Mr. Ghiselli and Mr. Whittenburg are independent, and Mr. Ghiselli will chair the nominating and corporate governance committee.

        We will adopt a nominating and corporate governance committee charter, which will detail the principal functions of the nominating and corporate governance committee, including:

        The charter will also provide that the nominating and corporate governance committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of, and terminate, any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, and will be directly responsible for approving the search firm's fees and other retention terms.

Director Nominations

        Our nominating and corporate governance committee will recommend to the board of directors candidates for nomination for election at the annual meeting of the stockholders. We have not formally established any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met or skills that are necessary for directors to possess. In general, in identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the board of directors considers educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our stockholders.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

        None of our officers currently serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more officers serving on our board of directors.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

        Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees, which will be available on our website

127


Table of Contents

following the closing of this offering. We will file a copy of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and our committee charters as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You will be able to review these documents by accessing our public filings at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics will be provided without charge upon request from us. We intend to disclose any amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics in a Current Report on Form 8-K. See the section of this prospectus entitled "Where You Can Find Additional Information."

Corporate Governance Guidelines

        Our board of directors will adopt corporate governance guidelines in accordance with the corporate governance rules of the NYSE that serve as a flexible framework within which our board of directors and its committees operate. These guidelines will cover a number of areas including board membership criteria and director qualifications, director responsibilities, board agenda, roles of the chairman of the board, chief executive officer and presiding director, meetings of independent directors, committee responsibilities and assignments, board member access to management and independent advisors, director communications with third parties, director compensation, director orientation and continuing education, evaluation of senior management and management succession planning. A copy of our corporate governance guidelines will be available on our website following the closing of this offering.

Conflicts of Interest

        Mr. Hicks has agreed not to participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director of any other special purpose acquisition company with a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act, until we have entered into a definitive agreement regarding our initial business combination or we have failed to complete our initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of this offering, as such may be extended by stockholder approval. Potential investors should also be aware of the following other potential conflicts of interest:

128


Table of Contents

        The conflicts described above may not be resolved in our favor.

        In general, officers and directors of a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware are required to present business opportunities to a corporation if:

        Accordingly, as a result of multiple business affiliations, our officers and directors may have similar legal obligations relating to presenting business opportunities meeting the above-listed criteria to multiple entities. Furthermore, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation.

129


Table of Contents

        Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our executive officers and directors currently have fiduciary duties or contractual obligations:

Individual
  Entity   Entity's Business   Affiliation
R. Steven Hicks   Capstar Partners, LLC   Finance   Chairman
Rodrigo de la Torre   Yum! Brands, Inc.   Food Services   Head of Finance & Strategy
Jamie Weinstein   PIMCO   Finance   Managing Director
Kathryn Cavanaugh   Capstar Ventures GP, LLC   Finance   Managing Partner
    St. Frank, Ltd.   Home goods   Director
John Ghiselli   Waterloo Capital Private Equity, LLC   Finance   Partner
    Waterloo Real Estate Investments Inc.   Finance   President
James Whittenburg   Longhorn Health Solutions, Inc.   Home medical supplies   Executive Chairman
    Trek Exploration, Inc.   Oil and gas   Vice President and Director
    North Hills Corporation of Amarillo Texas   Mineral holdings   Vice President and Director
    Estates of Roy Whittenburg and Grace Whittenburg   Ranching, real estate, mineral holdings   Co-Executor

        We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or their respective affiliates. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or their respective affiliates, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that our initial business combination is fair to our company and our stockholders from a financial point of view.

        We have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor and the PIMCO private funds. In the event that we submit our initial business combination to our public stockholders for a vote, pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased during or after the offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination.

Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that our officers and directors will be indemnified by us to the fullest extent authorized by Delaware law, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that our directors will not be personally liable for monetary damages to us or our stockholders for breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors, unless they violated their duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders, acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized unlawful payments of dividends, unlawful stock purchases or unlawful redemptions, or derived an improper personal benefit from their actions as directors.

        We will enter into agreements with our officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated certificate

130


Table of Contents

of incorporation. Our bylaws also will permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director or employee for any liability arising out of his or her actions, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit such indemnification. We will purchase a policy of directors' and officers' liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors. Except with respect to any public shares they may acquire in this offering or thereafter (in the event we do not consummate an initial business combination), our officers and directors have agreed to waive (and any other persons who may become an officer or director prior to the initial business combination will also be required to waive) any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, and not to seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever, including with respect to such indemnification.

        These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder's investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

        We believe that these provisions, the directors' and officers' liability insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.

131


Table of Contents


PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

        The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of the date of this prospectus, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of our common stock included in the units offered by this prospectus, and assuming no purchase of units in this offering, by:

        Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record or beneficial ownership of the private placement warrants as these warrants are not exercisable within 60 days of the date of this prospectus.

        In February 2020, our sponsor purchased 5,750,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. In March 2020, our sponsor transferred an aggregate of 15,000 founder shares to each of Ms. Cavanaugh and Mr. Ghiselli and 22,500 founder shares to Mr. Whittenburg, our independent directors. These 52,500 founder shares are not subject to forfeiture in the event the underwriters' overallotment option is not exercised. The following table presents the number of shares and percentage of our common stock owned by our initial stockholders before and after this offering. The post-offering numbers and percentages presented assume that the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option, that our sponsor forfeits 750,000 founder shares on a pro rata basis, and that there are 25,000,000 shares of our common stock, consisting of (i) 20,000,000 shares of our Class A common stock and (ii) 5,000,000 shares of our Class B common stock, issued and outstanding after this offering.

 
  Before Offering   After Offering  
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1)
  Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned(2)
  Approximate
Percentage of
Outstanding
Common Stock
  Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned(2)
  Approximate
Percentage of
Outstanding
Common Stock
 

Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC(3)

    5,697,500     99.1 %   4,947,500     19.8 %

R. Steven Hicks(3)

    5,697,500     99.1 %   4,947,500     19.8 %

Rodrigo de la Torre(4)

                 

Jamie Weinstein(4)

                 

Kathryn Cavanaugh

    15,000     *     15,000     *  

John Ghiselli(4)

    15,000     *     15,000     *  

James Whittenburg

    22,500     *     22,500     *  

All executive officers and directors as a group (six individuals)

    5,750,000     100 %   5,000,000     20.0 %

*
less than 1%

(1)
Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is c/o Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., 405 West 14th Street, Austin, TX 78701.

(2)
Interests shown consist solely of founder shares, classified as shares of Class B common stock. Such shares are convertible into shares of Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment, as described in the section of this prospectus entitled "Description of Securities."

132


Table of Contents

(3)
Our sponsor is the record holder of such shares. Mr. Hicks is a manager of our sponsor, and as such shares voting and investment discretion with respect to the common stock held of record by our sponsor and may be deemed to have shared beneficial ownership of the common stock held directly by our sponsor. Mr. Hicks disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.

(4)
Such individual holds a direct or indirect economic interest in our sponsor and a pecuniary interest in certain of the shares held by our sponsor. Such individual disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.

        Immediately after this offering, our initial stockholders will beneficially own 20% of the then-issued and outstanding shares of our common stock (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering). Neither our sponsor nor any of our officers or directors have expressed an intention to purchase any units in this offering. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering, we will effect a stock dividend or a share contribution back to capital, or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B common stock immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial stockholders at 20% of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock upon the consummation of this offering. Because of this ownership block, our initial stockholders may be able to effectively influence the outcome of all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors, amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and approval of significant corporate transactions, including approval of our initial business combination.

        The holders of the founder shares have agreed (A) to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed initial business combination and (B) not to redeem any shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination.

        Our sponsor and our executive officers and directors are deemed to be our "promoters" as such term is defined under the federal securities laws.

Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants

        The founder shares, private placement warrants and any shares of Class A common stock issued upon conversion or exercise thereof are each subject to transfer restrictions pursuant to lock-up provisions in a letter agreement with us to be entered into by our sponsor, officers and directors. Those lock-up provisions provide that such securities are not transferable or salable (i) in the case of the founder shares, until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last sale price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) in the case of the private placement warrants and the Class A common stock underlying such warrants, until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, except in each case (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members of our sponsor, or any affiliates of our sponsor, as well as affiliates of such members and funds and accounts advised by such members), (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to such individual's immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of such individual's immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of an initial business

133


Table of Contents

combination at prices no greater than the price at which the shares or warrants were originally purchased; (f) in the event of our liquidation prior to the completion of our initial business combination; (g) by virtue of the laws of Delaware or our sponsor's limited liability company agreement upon dissolution of our sponsor; or (h) in the event of our liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of our stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (e) or (g) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained in the letter agreements and by the same agreements entered into by our sponsor with respect to such securities (including provisions relating to voting, the trust account and liquidation distributions described elsewhere in this prospectus).

Registration and Stockholder Rights

        The holders of the founder shares, private placement warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans will have registration rights to require us to register a sale of any of our securities held by them pursuant to a registration and stockholder rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering. These holders will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that we register such securities for sale under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders will have "piggy-back" registration rights to include their securities in other registration statements filed by us.

        In addition, pursuant to the registration and stockholder rights agreement, our sponsor, upon consummation of an initial business combination, will be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors.

134


Table of Contents


CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

        In February 2020, we issued an aggregate of 5,750,000 founder shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 in cash, or approximately $0.004 per share. In March 2020, our sponsor transferred 15,000 founder shares to each of Ms. Cavanaugh and Mr. Ghiselli and 22,500 founder shares to Mr. Whittenburg. Ms. Cavanaugh, Mr. Ghiselli and Mr. Whittenburg are expected to serve as our independent directors. These 52,500 founder shares are not subject to forfeiture in the event the underwriters' overallotment option is not exercised. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares upon completion of this offering. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering we will effect a stock dividend or a share contribution back to capital or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B common stock immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial stockholders at 20% of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock upon the consummation of this offering. Up to 750,000 founder shares are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised. The founder shares (including the Class A common stock issuable upon conversion thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder.

        Our sponsor has committed to purchase an aggregate of 6,000,000 warrants (or 6,600,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per warrant ($6,000,000 in the aggregate, or $6,600,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering. As such, our sponsor's interest in this transaction is valued at between $6,000,000 and $6,600,000, depending on the number of private placement warrants purchased. Each private placement warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of our Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. The private placement warrants (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder.

        As more fully discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled "Management—Conflicts of Interest," if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such other entity. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.

        Commencing on the date of this prospectus, we have agreed to pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.

        No compensation of any kind, including any finder's fee, reimbursement, consulting fee or monies in respect of any payment of a loan, will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers and directors, or any affiliate of our sponsor or officers, prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of an initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). We do not have a policy that prohibits our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, from negotiating for the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses by a target business. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.

135


Table of Contents

        Our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $250,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of March 31, 2020, we had $90,000 outstanding under the promissory note with our sponsor to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of July 31, 2020 or the closing of this offering. The loan will be repaid upon the closing of this offering out of the estimated $750,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated to the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions). The value of our sponsor's interest in this transaction corresponds to the principal amount outstanding under any such loan.

        In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.

        After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our stockholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our stockholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a stockholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.

        We will enter into a registration and stockholder rights agreement with respect to the private placement warrants, the warrants issuable upon conversion of working capital loans (if any) and the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the foregoing and upon conversion of the founder shares, and, upon consummation of our initial business combination, to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors, which is described under the section of this prospectus entitled "Description of Securities—Registration and Stockholder Rights."

        Pursuant to a letter agreement that we will enter into with our sponsor in connection with the closing of this offering, we will provide a right of first offer to our sponsor if, in connection with or prior to the closing of our initial Business Combination, we propose to raise additional capital by issuing any equity securities, or securities convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for equity securities (other than warrants in respect of working capital loans as described above or to any seller in such Business Combination).

Related Party Policy

        We have not yet adopted a formal policy for the review, approval or ratification of related party transactions. Accordingly, the transactions discussed above were not reviewed, approved or ratified in accordance with any such policy.

        Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will adopt a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics requiring us to avoid, wherever possible, all conflicts of interests, except under guidelines or resolutions approved by our board of directors (or the appropriate committee of our board) or as disclosed in our

136


Table of Contents

public filings with the SEC. Under our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, conflict of interest situations will include any financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the company.

        In addition, our audit committee, pursuant to a written charter that we will adopt prior to the consummation of this offering, will be responsible for reviewing and approving related party transactions to the extent that we enter into such transactions. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the audit committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present will be required in order to approve a related party transaction. A majority of the members of the entire audit committee will constitute a quorum. Without a meeting, the unanimous written consent of all of the members of the audit committee will be required to approve a related party transaction. We also require each of our directors and executive officers to complete a directors' and officers' questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.

        These procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee or officer.

        To further minimize conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to consummate an initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our sponsor, officers or directors unless we, or a committee of independent directors, have obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that our initial business combination is fair to our company and our stockholders from a financial point of view. No finder's fees, reimbursements, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers or directors, or any affiliate of our sponsor or officers, for services rendered to us prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, the following payments will be made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, none of which will be made from the proceeds of this offering held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination:

        Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates.

137


Table of Contents


DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

        Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our authorized capital stock consists of 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value, 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value, and 1,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, $0.0001 par value. The following description summarizes the material terms of our capital stock. Because it is only a summary, it may not contain all the information that is important to you.

Units

        Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one whole share of Class A common stock and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of our Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described in this prospectus. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of shares of Class A common stock. This means that only a whole warrant may be exercised at any given time by a warrant holder. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant.

        We expect the Class A common stock and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless the representatives inform us of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Once the shares of Class A common stock and warrants commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into shares of Class A common stock and warrants.

        In no event will the Class A common stock and warrants be traded separately until we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering. We will file a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes this audited balance sheet upon the completion of this offering, which is anticipated to take place three business days after the date of this prospectus. If the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option.

Common Stock

        Upon the closing of this offering, 25,000,000 shares of our common stock will be outstanding (assuming no exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of 750,000 founder shares by our sponsor), consisting of:

        If we increase or decrease the size of the offering we will effect a stock dividend or a share contribution back to capital or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B common stock immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial stockholders at 20% of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock upon the consummation of this offering.

138


Table of Contents

        Common stockholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by stockholders. Other than with regard to our directors prior to our initial business combination as described below under the heading, "Founder Shares," holders of the Class A common stock and holders of the Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders, except as required by law. Unless specified in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or as required by applicable provisions of the DGCL or applicable stock exchange rules, the affirmative vote of a majority of our shares of common stock that are voted is required to approve any such matter voted on by our stockholders. Our board of directors will be divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voted for the election of directors can elect all of the directors. Our stockholders are entitled to receive ratable dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason.

        Because our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, if we were to enter into an initial business combination, we may (depending on the terms of such an initial business combination) be required to increase the number of shares of Class A common stock which we are authorized to issue at the same time as our stockholders vote on the initial business combination to the extent we seek stockholder approval in connection with our initial business combination.

        In accordance with the NYSE corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until no later than one full year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE. Under Section 211(b) of the DGCL, we are, however, required to hold an annual meeting of stockholders for the purposes of electing directors in accordance with our bylaws, unless such election is made by written consent in lieu of such a meeting. We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, and thus we may not be in compliance with Section 211(b) of the DGCL, which requires an annual meeting. Therefore, if our stockholders want us to hold an annual meeting prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, they may attempt to force us to hold one by submitting an application to the Delaware Court of Chancery in accordance with Section 211(c) of the DGCL.

        We will provide our stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be approximately $10.00 per public share. The per-share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. Unlike many blank check companies that hold stockholder votes and conduct proxy solicitations in conjunction with their initial business combinations and provide for related redemptions of public shares for cash upon completion of such initial business combinations even when a vote is not required by law, if a stockholder vote is not required by law and

139


Table of Contents

we do not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will require these tender offer documents to contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC's proxy rules. If, however, a stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek stockholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the initial business combination. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of outstanding capital stock of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the company entitled to vote at such meeting.

        However, the participation of our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates in privately-negotiated transactions (as described in this prospectus), if any, could result in the approval of our initial business combination even if a majority of our public stockholders vote, or indicate their intention to vote, against such business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our outstanding shares of common stock voted, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. We intend to give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial stockholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination.

        If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a "group" (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares of common stock sold in this offering, which we refer to as the Excess Shares. However, we would not be restricting our stockholders' ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Our stockholders' inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination, and such stockholders could suffer a material loss in their investment if they sell such Excess Shares on the open market. Additionally, such stockholders will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete the initial business combination. And, as a result, such stockholders will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose such shares would be required to sell their stock in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.

        If we seek stockholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, pursuant to the letter agreement our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote their founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial stockholders' founder shares, we would need only 7,500,001, or 37.5%, of the 20,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination (assuming all outstanding shares are voted) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised). Additionally, each public stockholder may elect to redeem its

140


Table of Contents

public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction (subject to the limitation described in the preceding paragraph).

        Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders' rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering. However, if our initial stockholders acquire public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time period.

        In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the company after an initial business combination, our stockholders are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining available for distribution to them after payment of liabilities and after provision is made for each class of stock, if any, having preference over the common stock. Our stockholders have no preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock, except that we will provide our stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein.

Founder Shares

        The founder shares are identical to the shares of Class A common stock included in the units being sold in this offering, and holders of founder shares have the same stockholder rights as public stockholders, except that (i) the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below, (ii) our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed (A) to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (B) to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (x) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (y) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business combination activity and (C) to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within such time period, (iii) the founder shares are shares of our Class B common stock that will automatically convert into shares of our Class A common stock at the time of our initial business combination, or at any time prior thereto

141


Table of Contents

at the option of the holder, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as described herein, and (iv) are entitled to registration rights. If we submit our initial business combination to our public stockholders for a vote, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed pursuant to the letter agreement to vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased during or after this offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination.

        The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis (subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like), and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in this prospectus and related to the closing of the initial business combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock shall convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock agree to waive such adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of the total number of all shares of common stock outstanding upon completion of this offering plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with the initial business combination (excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination, and any private placement-equivalent warrants issued to our sponsor or its affiliates upon conversion of loans made to us). We cannot determine at this time whether a majority of the holders of our Class B common stock at the time of any future issuance would agree to waive such adjustment to the conversion ratio. They may waive such adjustment due to (but not limited to) the following: (i) closing conditions which are part of the agreement for our initial business combination; (ii) negotiation with Class A stockholders on structuring an initial business combination; or (iii) negotiation with parties providing financing which would trigger the anti-dilution provisions of the Class B common stock If such adjustment is not waived, the issuance would not reduce the percentage ownership of holders of our Class B common stock, but would reduce the percentage ownership of holders of our Class A common stock. If such adjustment is waived, the issuance would reduce the percentage ownership of holders of both classes of our common stock. Holders of founder shares may also elect to convert their shares of Class B common stock into an equal number of shares of Class A common stock, subject to adjustment as provided above, at any time. The term "equity-linked securities" refers to any debt or equity securities that are convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Class A common stock issues in a financing transaction in connection with our initial business combination, including but not limited to a private placement of equity or debt. Securities could be "deemed issued" for purposes of the conversion rate adjustment if such shares are issuable upon the conversion or exercise of convertible securities, warrants or similar securities.

        With certain limited exceptions, the founder shares are not transferable, assignable or salable (except to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with our sponsor, each of whom will be subject to the same transfer restrictions) until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last sale price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property.

142


Table of Contents

        Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may only be amended by a resolution passed by a majority of our Class B common stock. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our stockholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law, holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote.

Preferred Stock

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that shares of preferred stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Our board of directors will be authorized to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences, the relative, participating, optional or other special rights and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, applicable to the shares of each series. Our board of directors will be able to, without stockholder approval, issue preferred stock with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of the common stock and could have anti-takeover effects. The ability of our board of directors to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or the removal of existing management. We have no preferred stock outstanding at the date hereof. Although we do not currently intend to issue any shares of preferred stock, we cannot assure you that we will not do so in the future. No shares of preferred stock are being issued or registered in this offering.

Redeemable Warrants

Public Stockholders' Warrants

        Each whole warrant entitles the registered holder to purchase one whole share of our Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as discussed below, at any time commencing on the later of 12 months from the closing of this offering or 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of shares of Class A common stock. This means that only a whole warrant may be exercised at any given time by a warrant holder. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant. The warrants will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.

        We will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to our satisfying our obligations described below with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable and we will not be obligated to issue shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of a warrant unless Class A common stock issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants. In the event that the conditions in the two immediately preceding sentences are not satisfied with respect to a warrant, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant. In the event that a registration statement is not effective for the exercised warrants, the purchaser of a unit

143


Table of Contents

containing such warrant will have paid the full purchase price for the unit solely for the share of Class A common stock underlying such unit.

        We are not registering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants at this time. However, we have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, to cause such registration statement to become effective and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a "cashless basis" in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis.

        Once the warrants become exercisable, we may call the warrants for redemption:

        If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of shares of common stock upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such shares of common stock under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering.

        We have established the last of the redemption criteria discussed above to prevent a redemption call unless there is at the time of the call a significant premium to the warrant exercise price. If the foregoing conditions are satisfied and we issue a notice of redemption of the warrants, each warrant holder will be entitled to exercise its warrant prior to the scheduled redemption date. However, the price of the Class A common stock may fall below the $18.00 redemption trigger price (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) as well as the $11.50 warrant exercise price after the redemption notice is issued.

        If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise its warrant to do so on a "cashless basis." In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a "cashless basis," our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our stockholders of issuing the maximum number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of our warrants. If our management takes advantage of this option, all holders of warrants would pay the exercise price by surrendering their warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the

144


Table of Contents

"fair market value" (defined below) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The "fair market value" shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. If our management takes advantage of this option, the notice of redemption will contain the information necessary to calculate the number of shares of Class A common stock to be received upon exercise of the warrants, including the "fair market value" in such case. Requiring a cashless exercise in this manner will reduce the number of shares to be issued and thereby lessen the dilutive effect of a warrant redemption. We believe this feature is an attractive option to us if we do not need the cash from the exercise of the warrants after our initial business combination. If we call our warrants for redemption and our management does not take advantage of this option, our sponsor and its permitted transferees would still be entitled to exercise their private placement warrants for cash or on a cashless basis using the same formula described above that other warrant holders would have been required to use had all warrant holders been required to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis, as described in more detail below.

        A holder of a warrant may notify us in writing in the event it elects to be subject to a requirement that such holder will not have the right to exercise such warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such person's affiliates), to the warrant agent's actual knowledge, would beneficially own in excess of 4.9% or 9.8% (or such other amount as a holder may specify) of the shares of Class A common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise.

        If the number of outstanding shares of Class A common stock is increased by a stock dividend payable in shares of Class A common stock, or by a split-up of shares of Class A common stock or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such stock dividend, split-up or similar event, the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable on exercise of each warrant will be increased in proportion to such increase in the outstanding shares of Class A common stock. A rights offering to holders of Class A common stock entitling holders to purchase shares of Class A common stock at a price less than the fair market value will be deemed a stock dividend of a number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of Class A common stock actually sold in such rights offering (or issuable under any other equity securities sold in such rights offering that are convertible into or exercisable for Class A common stock) and (ii) one (1) minus the quotient of (x) the price per share of Class A common stock paid in such rights offering divided by (y) the fair market value. For these purposes (i) if the rights offering is for securities convertible into or exercisable for Class A common stock, in determining the price payable for Class A common stock, there will be taken into account any consideration received for such rights, as well as any additional amount payable upon exercise or conversion and (ii) fair market value means the volume weighted average price of Class A common stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the first date on which the shares of Class A common stock trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive such rights.

        In addition, if we, at any time while the warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pay a dividend or make a distribution in cash, securities or other assets to all or substantially all of the holders of Class A common stock on account of such shares of Class A common stock (or other shares of our capital stock into which the warrants are convertible), other than (a) as described above, (b) certain ordinary cash dividends (initially defined as up to $0.50 per share in a 365 day period), (c) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of Class A common stock in connection with a proposed initial business combination, (d) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of Class A common stock in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our Class A common stock if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders' rights or pre-initial business

145


Table of Contents

combination activity, or (e) in connection with the redemption of our public shares upon our failure to complete our initial business combination, then the warrant exercise price will be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such event, by the amount of cash and/or the fair market value of any securities or other assets paid on each share of Class A common stock in respect of such event.

        If the number of outstanding shares of our Class A common stock is decreased by a consolidation, combination, reverse stock split or reclassification of shares of Class A common stock or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, reverse stock split, reclassification or similar event, the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable on exercise of each warrant will be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding shares of Class A common stock.

        Whenever the number of shares of Class A common stock purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants is adjusted, as described above, the warrant exercise price will be adjusted by multiplying the warrant exercise price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which will be the number of shares of Class A common stock purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants immediately prior to such adjustment, and (y) the denominator of which will be the number of shares of Class A common stock so purchasable immediately thereafter.

        In addition, if (x) we issue additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the Market Value is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described above will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.

        In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding shares of Class A common stock (other than those described above or that solely affects the par value of such shares of Class A common stock), or in the case of any merger or consolidation of us with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which we are the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of our outstanding shares of Class A common stock), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the assets or other property of us as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which we are dissolved, the holders of the warrants will thereafter have the right to purchase and receive, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in the warrants and in lieu of the shares of our Class A common stock immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented thereby, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, that the holder of the warrants would have received if such holder had exercised their warrants immediately prior to such event. If less than 70% of the consideration receivable by the holders of Class A common stock in such a transaction is payable in the form of Class A common stock in the successor entity that is listed for trading on a national securities exchange or is quoted in an established over-the-counter market, or is to be so listed for trading or quoted immediately following such event, and if the registered holder of the warrant properly exercises the warrant within thirty days following public disclosure of such transaction, the warrant exercise price will be reduced as specified in the warrant agreement based on the Black-Scholes value (as defined in the warrant agreement) of the warrant. The purpose of such exercise price reduction is to provide additional value to holders of the warrants when an extraordinary transaction occurs during the exercise period of the

146


Table of Contents

warrants pursuant to which the holders of the warrants otherwise do not receive the full potential value of the warrants in order to determine and realize the option value component of the warrant. This formula is to compensate the warrant holder for the loss of the option value portion of the warrant due to the requirement that the warrant holder exercise the warrant within 30 days of the event. The Black-Scholes model is an accepted pricing model for estimating fair market value where no quoted market price for an instrument is available.

        The warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. You should review a copy of the warrant agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, for a complete description of the terms and conditions applicable to the warrants. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions of the warrant agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement set forth in this prospectus, or defective provision, but requires the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants.

        The warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the warrant certificate on or prior to the expiration date at the offices of the warrant agent, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated, accompanied by full payment of the exercise price (or on a cashless basis, if applicable), by certified or official bank check payable to us, for the number of warrants being exercised. The warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of Class A common stock and any voting rights until they exercise their warrants and receive shares of Class A common stock. After the issuance of shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of the warrants, each holder will be entitled to one (1) vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by stockholders.

        No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the warrants. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number of shares of Class A common stock to be issued to the warrant holder.

Private Placement Warrants

        The private placement warrants (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants) will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except, among other limited exceptions as described under the section of this prospectus entitled "Principal Stockholders—Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants," to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with our sponsor) and they will not be redeemable by us so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees. Our sponsor, or its permitted transferees, has the option to exercise the private placement warrants on a cashless basis. Except as described below, the private placement warrants have terms and provisions that are identical to those of the warrants being sold as part of the units in this offering, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. If the private placement warrants are held by holders other than the sponsor or its permitted transferees, the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units being sold in this offering.

        If holders of the private placement warrants elect to exercise them on a cashless basis, they would pay the exercise price by surrendering their warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the "fair market value" (defined

147


Table of Contents

below) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The "fair market value" shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of warrant exercise is sent to the warrant agent. The reason that we have agreed that these warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis so long as they are held by the sponsor or its permitted transferees is because it is not known at this time whether they will be affiliated with us following an initial business combination. If they remain affiliated with us, their ability to sell our securities in the open market will be significantly limited. We expect to have policies in place that prohibit insiders from selling our securities except during specific periods of time. Even during such periods of time when insiders will be permitted to sell our securities, an insider cannot trade in our securities if he or she is in possession of material non-public information. Accordingly, unlike public stockholders who could sell the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants freely in the open market, the insiders could be significantly restricted from doing so. As a result, we believe that allowing the holders to exercise such warrants on a cashless basis is appropriate.

        In order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. The terms of such working capital loans by our sponsor or its affiliates, or our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans.

        Our sponsor has agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the private placement warrants (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of any of these warrants) until the date that is 30 days after the date we complete our initial business combination, except that, among other limited exceptions as described under the section of this prospectus entitled "Principal Stockholders—Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants" made to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with our sponsor.

Dividends

        We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of an initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial conditions subsequent to completion of an initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to an initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering we will effect a stock dividend or a share contribution back to capital or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B common stock immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial stockholders at 20% of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock upon the consummation of this offering. Further, if we incur any indebtedness, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.

Our Transfer Agent and Warrant Agent

        The transfer agent for our common stock and warrant agent for our warrants is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. We have agreed to indemnify Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company in its roles as transfer agent and warrant agent, its agents and each of its stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of the indemnified person or entity.

148


Table of Contents

Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will contain certain requirements and restrictions relating to this offering that will apply to us until the completion of our initial business combination. These provisions cannot be amended without the approval of the holders of 65% of our common stock. Our initial stockholders, who will collectively beneficially own 20% of our common stock upon the closing of this offering (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering), will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. Specifically, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides, among other things, that:

149


Table of Contents

        In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that under no circumstances will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters' fees and commissions.

Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions of Delaware Law and our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

        We have opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL. However, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains similar provisions providing that we may not engage in certain "business combinations" with any "interested stockholder" for a three-year period following the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

        Generally, a "business combination" includes a merger, asset or stock sale or certain other transactions resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an "interested stockholder" is a person who, together with that person's affiliates and associates, owns, or within the previous three years owned, 15% or more of our voting stock.

        Under certain circumstances, this provision will make it more difficult for a person who would be an "interested stockholder" to effect various business combinations with a corporation for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring our company to negotiate in advance with our board of directors because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if our board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our board of directors and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions which stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the sponsor and its affiliates, any of its respective direct or indirect transferees who hold at least 15% of our outstanding common

150


Table of Contents

stock after such transfer and any group as to which such persons are party to, do not constitute "interested stockholders" for purposes of this provision.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that our board of directors will be classified into three classes of directors. As a result, in most circumstances, a person can gain control of our board only by successfully engaging in a proxy contest at two or more annual meetings.

        Our authorized but unissued common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuances without stockholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

Exclusive forum for certain lawsuits

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name, actions against directors, officers and employees for breach of fiduciary duty and other similar actions may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware, except any action (A) as to which the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), (B) which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, (C) for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction, or (D) any action arising under the Securities Act, as to which the Court of Chancery and the federal district court for the District of Delaware shall have concurrent jurisdiction. If an action is brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder's counsel. Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, a court may determine that this provision is unenforceable, and to the extent it is enforceable, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the exclusive forum provision will be applicable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.

Special meeting of stockholders

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority vote of our board of directors, by either our Chief Executive Officer or by our Chairman.

Advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and director nominations

        Our bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders, or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders, must provide timely notice of their intent in writing. To be timely, a stockholder's notice will need to be received by the company secretary at our principal executive offices not later than the close of business on the 90th day nor earlier than the opening of business on the 120th day prior to the anniversary date

151


Table of Contents

of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. Pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, proposals seeking inclusion in our annual proxy statement must comply with the notice periods contained therein. Our bylaws also specify certain requirements as to the form and content of a stockholders' meeting. These provisions may preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders.

Action by written consent

        Subsequent to the consummation of the offering, any action required or permitted to be taken by our common stockholders must be effected by a duly called annual or special meeting of such stockholders and may not be effected by written consent of the stockholders other than with respect to our Class B common stock.

Classified Board of Directors

        Our board of directors will initially be divided into three classes, Class I, Class II and Class III, with members of each class serving staggered three-year terms. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution of the board of directors. Subject to the terms of any preferred stock, any or all of the directors may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. Any vacancy on our board of directors, including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of our board of directors, may be filled only by vote of a majority of our directors then in office. However, prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason.

Class B Common Stock Consent Right

        For so long as any shares of Class B common stock remain outstanding, we may not, without the prior vote or written consent of the holders of a majority of the shares of Class B common stock then outstanding, voting separately as a single class, amend, alter or repeal any provision of our certificate of incorporation, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, if such amendment, alteration or repeal would alter or change the powers, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other or special rights of the Class B common stock. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the holders of Class B common stock may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of the outstanding Class B common stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of Class B common stock were present and voted.

Securities Eligible for Future Sale

        Immediately after the consummation of this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option) we will have 25,000,000 (or 28,750,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) shares of common stock outstanding. Of these shares, the 20,000,000 shares (or 23,000,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any shares purchased by one of our affiliates within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. All of the remaining 5,000,000 (or 5,750,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) shares

152


Table of Contents

and all 6,000,000 private placement warrants (or 6,600,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) are restricted securities under Rule 144, in that they were issued in private transactions not involving a public offering, and the shares of Class B common stock and private placement warrants are subject to transfer restrictions as set forth elsewhere in this prospectus. These restricted securities will be entitled to registration rights as more fully described below under "—Registration and Stockholder Rights."

Rule 144

        Pursuant to Rule 144, a person who has beneficially owned restricted shares of our common stock or warrants for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and (ii) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale and have filed all required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the 12 months (or such shorter period as we were required to file reports) preceding the sale.

        Persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares of our common stock or warrants for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of:

        Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also limited by manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.

Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies

        Rule 144 is not available for the resale of securities initially issued by shell companies (other than business combination related shell companies) or issuers that have been at any time previously a shell company. However, Rule 144 also includes an important exception to this prohibition if the following conditions are met:

        As a result, our initial stockholders will be able to sell their founder shares and private placement warrants, as applicable, pursuant to Rule 144 without registration one year after we have completed our initial business combination.

153


Table of Contents

Registration and Stockholder Rights

        The holders of the founder shares, private placement warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans (and any shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the private placement warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans and upon conversion of the founder shares) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration and stockholder rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering, requiring us to register such securities for resale (in the case of the founder shares, only after conversion to our Class A common stock). The holders of the majority of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain "piggy-back" registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination and rights to require us to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

        In addition, pursuant to the registration and stockholder rights agreement, our sponsor, upon consummation of an initial business combination, will be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors.

Listing of Securities

        We have applied to list our units, Class A common stock and warrants on the NYSE under the symbols "CPSR.U," "CPSR" and "CPSR WS," respectively. We expect that our units will be listed on the NYSE on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. Following the date the shares of our Class A common stock and warrants are eligible to trade separately, we anticipate that the shares of our Class A common stock and warrants will be listed separately and as a unit on the NYSE. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on the NYSE.

154


Table of Contents


U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

        The following discussion is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our units, shares of Class A common stock and warrants, which we refer to collectively as our securities. Because the components of a unit are separable at the option of the holder, the holder of a unit generally should be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as the owner of the underlying Class A common stock and one-half of one redeemable warrant components of the unit, as the case may be. As a result, the discussion below with respect to actual holders of Class A common stock and warrants should also apply to holders of units (as the deemed owners of the underlying Class A common stock and warrants that comprise the units). This discussion applies only to securities that are held as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is applicable only to holders who purchased units in this offering.

        This discussion is a summary only and does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances, including but not limited to the alternative minimum tax, the Medicare tax on certain investment income and the different consequences that may apply if you are subject to special rules that apply to certain types of investors, including but not limited to:

        If a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) or other pass-through entity holds our units, shares of Class A common stock or warrants, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership or equityholder in the pass-through entity generally will depend upon the status of the partner or equityholder, upon the activities of the partnership or other pass-through entity and upon certain determinations made at the partner or equityholder level. Accordingly, we urge partners in partnerships (including entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and equityholders in such other pass-through entities considering the purchase of our securities to consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax considerations of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our securities by such partnership or pass-through entity

155


Table of Contents

        This discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions and final, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations as of the date hereof, which are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis, and changes to any of which subsequent to the date of this prospectus may affect the tax consequences described herein. This discussion does not address any aspect of state, local or non-U.S. taxation, or any U.S. federal taxes other than income taxes (such as gift and estate taxes).

        You are urged to consult your tax advisor with respect to the application of U.S. federal tax laws to your particular situation, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or foreign jurisdiction.

Personal Holding Company Status

        We could be subject to a second level of U.S. federal income tax on a portion of our income if we are determined to be a personal holding company, or PHC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. corporation generally will be classified as a PHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes in a given taxable year if (i) at any time during the last half of such taxable year, five or fewer individuals (without regard to their citizenship or residency and including as individuals for this purpose certain entities such as certain tax-exempt organizations, pension funds and charitable trusts) own or are deemed to own (pursuant to certain constructive ownership rules) more than 50% of the stock of the corporation by value and (ii) at least sixty percent of the corporation's adjusted ordinary gross income, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, for such taxable year consists of PHC income (which includes, among other things, dividends, interest, certain royalties, annuities and, under certain circumstances, rents).

        Depending on the date and size of our initial business combination, it is possible that at least 60% of our adjusted ordinary gross income may consist of PHC income. In addition, depending on the concentration of our stock in the hands of individuals, including the members of our sponsor and certain tax-exempt organizations, pension funds and charitable trusts, it is possible that more than fifty percent of our stock may be owned or deemed owned (pursuant to the constructive ownership rules) by such persons during the last half of a taxable year. Thus, no assurance can be given that we will not be a PHC following this offering or in the future. If we are or were to become a PHC in a given taxable year, we would be subject to an additional PHC tax, currently twenty percent, on our undistributed PHC income, which generally includes our taxable income, subject to certain adjustments.

Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit

        No statutory, administrative or judicial authority directly addresses the treatment of a unit or instruments similar to a unit for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, that treatment is not entirely clear. The acquisition of a unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as the acquisition of one share of our Class A common stock and one-half of one redeemable warrant to acquire one share of our Class A common stock. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, each holder of a unit must allocate the purchase price paid by such holder for such unit between the one share of Class A common stock and the one-half of one redeemable warrant based on the relative fair market value of each at the time of issuance. The price allocated to each share of Class A common stock and the one-half of one redeemable warrant should be the stockholder's tax basis in such share or one-half of one redeemable warrant, as the case may be. Any disposition of a unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a disposition of the share of Class A common stock and one-half of one redeemable warrant comprising the unit, and the amount realized on the disposition should be allocated between the Class A common stock and the one-half of one redeemable warrant based on their respective relative fair market values at the time of disposition. The separation of shares of Class A common stock and warrants comprising units should not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

156


Table of Contents

        The foregoing treatment of the shares of Class A common stock and warrants and a holder's purchase price allocation are not binding on the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") or the courts. Because there are no authorities that directly address instruments that are similar to the units, no assurance can be given that the IRS or the courts will agree with the characterization described above or the discussion below. Accordingly, each prospective investor is urged to consult its own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of an investment in a unit (including alternative characterizations of a unit). The balance of this discussion assumes that the characterization of the units described above is respected for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

U.S. Holders

        This section applies to you if you are a "U.S. holder." A U.S. holder is a beneficial owner of our units, shares of Class A common stock or warrants who or that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

        Taxation of Distributions.    If we pay distributions in cash or other property to U.S. holders of shares of our Class A common stock, such distributions generally will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits will constitute a return of capital that will be applied against and reduce (but not below zero) the U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis in our Class A common stock. Any remaining excess will be treated as gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the Class A common stock and will be treated as described under "U.S. Holders—Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock and Warrants" below.

        Dividends we pay to a U.S. holder that is a taxable corporation generally will qualify for the dividends received deduction if the requisite holding period is satisfied. With certain exceptions (including, but not limited to, dividends treated as investment income for purposes of investment interest deduction limitations), and provided certain holding period requirements are met, dividends we pay to a non-corporate U.S. holder generally will constitute "qualified dividends" that will be subject to tax at preferential long-term capital gains rates. It is unclear whether the redemption rights prior to our initial business combination with respect to the Class A common stock described in this prospectus may prevent a U.S. holder from satisfying the applicable holding period requirements with respect to the dividends received deduction or the preferential tax rate on qualified dividend income, as the case may be. If the holding period requirements are not satisfied, then a corporation may not be able to qualify for the dividends received deduction and would have taxable income equal to the entire dividend amount, and non-corporate holders may be subject to tax on such dividend at regular ordinary income tax rates instead of the preferential rate that applies to qualified dividend income.

        Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock and Warrants.    Upon a sale or other taxable disposition of our Class A common stock or warrants which, in

157


Table of Contents

general, would include a redemption of Class A common stock or warrants that is treated as a sale of such securities as described below, and including as a result of a dissolution and liquidation in the event we do not consummate an initial business combination within the required time period, a U.S. holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis in the Class A common stock or warrants. Any such capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder's holding period for the Class A common stock or warrants so disposed of exceeds one year. It is unclear, however, whether the redemption rights with respect to the Class A common stock described in this prospectus may suspend the running of the applicable holding period for this purpose. If the running of the holding period for the Class A common stock is suspended, then non-corporate U.S. holders may not be able to satisfy the one-year holding period requirement for long-term capital gain treatment, in which case any gain on a sale or taxable disposition of the shares or warrants would be subject to short-term capital gain treatment and would be taxed at regular ordinary income tax rates. Long-term capital gains recognized by non-corporate U.S. holders will be eligible to be taxed at reduced rates. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

        Generally, the amount of gain or loss recognized by a U.S. holder is an amount equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received in such disposition (or, if the Class A common stock or warrants are held as part of units at the time of the disposition, the portion of the amount realized on such disposition that is allocated to the Class A common stock or the warrants based upon the then fair market values of the Class A common stock and the warrants included in the units) and (ii) the U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis in its Class A common stock or warrants transferred in such disposition. A U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis in its Class A common stock or warrants generally will equal the U.S. holder's acquisition cost (that is, as discussed above, the portion of the purchase price of a unit allocated to a share of Class A common stock or one-half of one warrant or, as discussed below, the U.S. holder's initial basis for Class A common stock received upon exercise of warrants) less, in the case of a share of Class A common stock, any prior distributions treated as a return of capital.

        Redemption of Class A Common Stock.    In the event that a U.S. holder's Class A common stock is redeemed pursuant to the redemption provisions described in this prospectus under the section of this prospectus entitled "Description of Securities—Common Stock" or if we purchase a U.S. holder's Class A common stock in an open market transaction (each of which we refer to as a "redemption"), the treatment of the transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes will depend on whether the redemption qualifies as a sale of the Class A common stock under Section 302 of the Code. If the redemption qualifies as a sale of common stock, the U.S. holder will be treated as described under "U.S. Holders—Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock and Warrants" above. If the redemption does not qualify as a sale of common stock, the U.S. holder will be treated as receiving a corporate distribution with the tax consequences described above under "U.S. Holders—Taxation of Distributions". Whether a redemption qualifies for sale treatment will depend largely on the total number of shares of our stock treated as held by the U.S. holder (including any stock constructively owned by the U.S. holder as a result of owning warrants) relative to all of our shares outstanding both before and after the redemption. The redemption of Class A common stock generally will be treated as a sale of the Class A common stock (rather than as a corporate distribution) if the redemption (i) is "substantially disproportionate" with respect to the U.S. holder, (ii) results in a "complete termination" of the U.S. holder's interest in us or (iii) is "not essentially equivalent to a dividend" with respect to the U.S. holder. These tests are explained more fully below.

        In determining whether any of the foregoing tests are satisfied, a U.S. holder takes into account not only stock actually owned by the U.S. holder, but also shares of our stock that are constructively owned by it. A U.S. holder may constructively own, in addition to stock owned directly, stock owned by

158


Table of Contents

certain related individuals and entities in which the U.S. holder has an interest or that have an interest in such U.S. holder, as well as any stock the U.S. holder has a right to acquire by exercise of an option, which would generally include Class A common stock which could be acquired pursuant to the exercise of the warrants. In order to meet the substantially disproportionate test, the percentage of our outstanding voting stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder immediately following the redemption of Class A common stock must, among other requirements, be less than eighty percent of the percentage of our outstanding voting stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder immediately before the redemption. There will be a complete termination of a U.S. holder's interest if either (i) all of the shares of our stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder are redeemed or (ii) all of the shares of our stock actually owned by the U.S. holder are redeemed and the U.S. holder is eligible to waive, and effectively waives in accordance with specific rules, the attribution of stock owned by certain family members and the U.S. holder does not constructively own any other shares of our stock. The redemption of the Class A common stock will not be essentially equivalent to a dividend if the redemption results in a "meaningful reduction" of the U.S. holder's proportionate interest in us. Whether the redemption will result in a meaningful reduction in a U.S. holder's proportionate interest in us will depend on the particular facts and circumstances. However, the IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate interest of a small minority stockholder in a publicly held corporation who exercises no control over corporate affairs may constitute such a "meaningful reduction." A U.S. holder should consult with its own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of a redemption.

        If none of the foregoing tests is satisfied, then the redemption will be treated as a corporate distribution and the tax effects will be as described under "U.S. Holders—Taxation of Distributions," above. After the application of those rules, any remaining tax basis of the U.S. holder in the redeemed Class A common stock will be added to the U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis in its remaining stock, or, if it has none, to the U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis in its warrants or possibly in other stock constructively owned by it.

        Exercise or Lapse of a Warrant.    Except as discussed below with respect to the cashless exercise of a warrant, a U.S. holder generally will not recognize taxable gain or loss as a result of the acquisition of common stock upon exercise of a warrant for cash. The U.S. holder's tax basis in the share of our Class A common stock received upon exercise of the warrant generally will be an amount equal to the sum of the U.S. holder's initial investment in the warrant (i.e., the portion of the U.S. holder's purchase price for a unit that is allocated to the warrant, as described above under "—Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit") and the exercise price of such warrant. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, it is unclear whether the U.S. holder's holding period for the Class A common stock received upon exercise of the warrants will begin on the date following the date of exercise or on the date of exercise of the warrants; in either case, the holding period will not include the period during which the U.S. holder held the warrants. If a warrant is allowed to lapse unexercised, a U.S. holder generally will recognize a capital loss equal to such holder's tax basis in the warrant.

        The tax consequences of a cashless exercise of a warrant are not clear under current tax law. A cashless exercise may be tax-free, either because the exercise is not a realization event or because the exercise is treated as a recapitalization for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In either tax-free situation, a U.S. holder's basis in the Class A common stock received would equal the holder's basis in the warrants exercised therefor. If the cashless exercise were treated as not being a realization event, it is unclear whether a U.S. holder's holding period in the Class A common stock would be treated as commencing on the date following the date of exercise or on the date of exercise of the warrant. If the cashless exercise were treated as a recapitalization, the holding period of the Class A common stock would include the holding period of the warrants exercised therefor.

        It is also possible that a cashless exercise could be treated in whole or in part as a taxable exchange in which gain or loss would be recognized. In such event, a U.S. holder could be deemed to

159


Table of Contents

have surrendered a number of warrants having an aggregate fair market value equal to the exercise price for the total number of warrants to be exercised. The U.S. holder would recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the Class A common stock received in respect of the warrants deemed surrendered and the U.S. holder's tax basis in the warrants deemed surrendered. In this case, a U.S. holder's tax basis in the Class A common stock received would equal the sum of the U.S. holder's initial investment in the warrants exercised (i.e., the portion of the U.S. holder's purchase price for a unit that is allocated to the warrant, as described above under "—Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit") and the exercise price of such warrants. It is unclear whether a U.S. holder's holding period for the Class A common stock would commence on the date following the date of exercise or on the date of exercise of the warrant; in either case, the holding period would not include the period during which the U.S. holder held the warrant.

        Due to the absence of authority on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise, including when a U.S. holder's holding period would commence with respect to the Class A common stock received, there can be no assurance as to which, if any, of the alternative tax consequences and holding periods described above would be adopted by the IRS or a court of law. Accordingly, U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of a cashless exercise.

        Possible Constructive Distributions.    The terms of each warrant provide for an adjustment to the number of shares of Class A common stock for which the warrant may be exercised or to the exercise price of the warrant in certain events (including if we issue additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per share), as discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled "Description of Securities—Redeemable Warrants—Public Stockholders' Warrants." An adjustment which has the effect of preventing dilution generally is not taxable. The U.S. holders of the warrants would, however, be treated as receiving a constructive distribution from us if, for example, the adjustment to the number of such shares or to such exercise price increases the warrant holders' proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits (e.g., through an increase in the number of shares of Class A common stock that would be obtained upon exercise or through a decrease in the exercise price of the warrant) as a result of a distribution of cash or other property, such as other securities, to the holders of shares of our Class A common stock, or as a result of the issuance of a stock dividend to holders of shares of our Class A common stock, in each case which is taxable to the U.S. holders of such shares as a distribution. Such constructive distribution would be subject to tax in the same manner as if the U.S. holders of the warrants received a cash distribution from us equal to the fair market value of such increased interest resulting from the adjustment.

        Information Reporting and Backup Withholding.    In general, information reporting requirements may apply to dividends paid to a U.S. holder and to the proceeds of the sale or other disposition of our units, shares of Class A common stock and warrants, unless the U.S. holder is an exempt recipient. Backup withholding may apply to such payments if the U.S. holder fails to provide a taxpayer identification number, a certification of exempt status or has been notified by the IRS that it is subject to backup withholding (and such notification has not been withdrawn).

        Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against a U.S. holder's U.S. federal income tax liability provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

        All U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of information reporting and backup withholding to them.

160


Table of Contents

Non-U.S. Holders

        This section applies to you if you are a "Non-U.S. holder." As used herein, the term "Non-U.S. holder" means a beneficial owner of our units, Class A common stock or warrants who or that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

but generally does not include an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition. If you are such an individual, you should consult your tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership or sale or other disposition of our securities.

        Taxation of Distributions.    In general, any distributions (including constructive distributions) we make to a Non-U.S. holder of shares of our Class A common stock, to the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles), will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, provided such dividends are not effectively connected with the Non-U.S. holder's conduct of a trade or business within the United States, we will be required to withhold tax from the gross amount of the dividend at a rate of thirty percent, unless such Non-U.S. holder is eligible for a reduced rate of withholding tax under an applicable income tax treaty and provides proper certification of its eligibility for such reduced rate (usually on an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E). In the case of any constructive dividend, it is possible that this tax would be withheld from any amount owed to a Non-U.S. holder by the applicable withholding agent, including cash distributions on other property or sales proceeds from warrants or other property subsequently paid or credited to such holder. Any distribution not constituting a dividend will be treated first as reducing (but not below zero) the Non-U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis in its shares of our Class A common stock and, to the extent such distribution exceeds the Non-U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis, as gain realized from the sale or other disposition of the Class A common stock, which will be treated as described under "Non-U.S. Holders—Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock and Warrants" below. In addition, if we determine that we are classified as a "United States real property holding corporation" (see "Non-U.S. Holders—Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock and Warrants" below), we will withhold fifteen percent of any distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits.

        The withholding tax does not apply to dividends paid to a Non-U.S. holder who provides a properly completed and duly executed IRS Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. holder's conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, such effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax as if the Non-U.S. holder were a United States resident, subject to an applicable income tax treaty providing otherwise. A Non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to an additional "branch profits tax" imposed at a rate of thirty percent (or a lower applicable treaty rate).

        Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock and Warrants.    A Non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax in respect of gain recognized on a sale, taxable exchange or other taxable disposition of our Class A common stock, which would include a dissolution and liquidation in the event we do not complete an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, or warrants (including

161


Table of Contents

an expiration or redemption of our warrants), in each case without regard to whether those securities were held as part of a unit, unless:

        Unless an applicable treaty provides otherwise, gain described in the first bullet point above will be subject to tax at generally applicable U.S. federal income tax rates as if the Non-U.S. holder were a United States resident. Any gains described in the first bullet point above of a Non-U.S. holder that is a foreign corporation may also be subject to an additional "branch profits tax" at a thirty percent rate (or lower treaty rate).

        If the second bullet point above applies to a Non-U.S. holder, gain recognized by such holder on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our Class A common stock or warrants will be subject to tax at generally applicable U.S. federal income tax rates. In addition, a buyer of our Class A common stock or warrants from such holder may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax at a rate of fifteen percent of the amount realized upon such disposition. We cannot determine whether we will be a United States real property holding corporation in the future until we complete an initial business combination. We will be classified as a United States real property holding corporation if the fair market value of our "United States real property interests" equals or exceeds fifty percent of the sum of the fair market value of our worldwide real property interests plus our other assets used or held for use in a trade or business, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

        Redemption of Class A Common Stock.    The characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes of the redemption of a Non-U.S. holder's Class A common stock generally will correspond to the U.S. federal income tax characterization of such a redemption of a U.S. holder's Class A common stock, as described under "U.S. Holders—Redemption of Class A Common Stock" above, and the consequences of the redemption to the Non-U.S. holder will be as described above under "Non-U.S. Holders—Taxation of Distributions" and "Non-U.S. Holders—Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock and Warrants," as applicable.

        Exercise of a Warrant.    The U.S. federal income tax treatment of a Non-U.S. holder's exercise of a warrant, or the lapse of a warrant held by a Non-U.S. holder, generally will correspond to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the exercise or lapse of a warrant by a U.S. holder, as described under "U.S. holders—Exercise or Lapse of a Warrant" above, although to the extent a cashless exercise results in a taxable exchange, the consequences would be similar to those described below in "Non-U.S. Holders—Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock and Warrants."

        Possible Constructive Distributions.    The terms of each warrant provide for an adjustment to the number of shares of Class A common stock for which the warrant may be exercised or to the exercise price of the warrant in certain events, as discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled "Description of Securities—Redeemable Warrants—Public Stockholders' Warrants." An adjustment

162


Table of Contents

which has the effect of preventing dilution generally is not taxable. The Non-U.S. holders of the warrants would, however, be treated as receiving a constructive distribution from us if, for example, the adjustment to the number of such shares or to such exercise price increases the warrantholders' proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits (e.g., through an increase in the number of shares of Class A common stock that would be obtained upon exercise or through a decrease in the exercise price of the warrant) as a result of a distribution of cash or other property, such as other securities, to the holders of shares of our Class A common stock, or as a result of the issuance of a stock dividend to holders of shares of our Class A common stock, in each case which is taxable to the holders of such shares as a distribution. Such constructive distribution would be subject to tax in the same manner as if the Non-U.S. holders of the warrants received a cash distribution from us equal to the fair market value of such increased interest resulting from the adjustment.

        Information Reporting and Backup Withholding.    Information returns will be filed with the IRS in connection with payments of dividends and the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our units, shares of Class A common stock and warrants. A Non-U.S. holder may have to comply with certification procedures to establish that it is not a United States person in order to avoid information reporting and backup withholding requirements. The certification procedures required to claim a reduced rate of withholding under a treaty generally will satisfy the certification requirements necessary to avoid the backup withholding as well.

        Backup withholding is not an additional tax. The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a Non-U.S. holder will be allowed as a credit against such holder's U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such holder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

        All Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of information reporting and backup withholding to them.

        FATCA Withholding Taxes.    Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations and administrative guidance promulgated thereunder (commonly referred as the "Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act" or "FATCA") generally impose withholding at a rate of thirty percent in certain circumstances on dividends in respect of our securities which are held by or through certain foreign financial institutions (including investment funds), unless any such institution (1) enters into, and complies with, an agreement with the IRS to report, on an annual basis, information with respect to interests in, and accounts maintained by, the institution that are owned by certain U.S. persons and by certain non-U.S. entities that are wholly or partially owned by U.S. persons and to withhold on certain payments, or (2) if required under an intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country, reports such information to its local tax authority, which will exchange such information with the U.S. authorities. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify these requirements. Accordingly, the entity through which our securities are held will affect the determination of whether such withholding is required. Similarly, dividends in respect of our securities held by an investor that is a non-financial non-U.S. entity that does not qualify under certain exceptions will generally be subject to withholding at a rate of thirty percent, unless such entity either (1) certifies to us or the applicable withholding agent that such entity does not have any "substantial United States owners" or (2) provides certain information regarding the entity's "substantial United States owners," which will in turn be provided to the U.S. Department of Treasury. All prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of FATCA on their investment in our securities.

163


Table of Contents


UNDERWRITING

        Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement dated as of the date of this prospectus between us and the underwriters named below, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us, the respective number of units shown opposite its name below:

Underwriter
  Number of Units  

Citigroup

       

UBS Securities LLC

       

BTIG, LLC

       

Total

    20,000,000  

        The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters are subject to certain conditions precedent such as the receipt by the underwriters of officers' certificates and legal opinions and approval of certain legal matters by their counsel. The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters will purchase all of the units if any of them are purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the non-defaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated. We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters and certain of their controlling persons against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

        The underwriters have advised us that, following the completion of this offering, they currently intend to make a market in the units as permitted by applicable laws and regulations. However, the underwriters are not obligated to do so, and the underwriters may discontinue any market-making activities at any time without notice in their sole discretion. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the units, that you will be able to sell any of the units held by you at a particular time or that the prices that you receive when you sell will be favorable.

        The underwriters are offering the units subject to their acceptance of the units from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part. In addition, the underwriters have advised us that they do not intend to confirm sales to any account over which they exercise discretionary authority.

Commission and Expenses

        The underwriters have advised us that they propose to offer the units to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers, which may include the underwriters, at that price less a concession not in excess of $            per unit. After the offering, the initial public offering price, concession and reallowance to dealers may be reduced by the representative. No such reduction will change the amount of proceeds to be received by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

        The following table summarizes the compensation and estimated expenses we will pay. $0.35 per unit, or $7,000,000 (or up to $8,050,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full),

164


Table of Contents

of deferred underwriting commissions will be paid upon the completion of our initial business combination.

 
  Per Unit(1)   Total(1)  
 
  Without Over-
allotment
  With Over-
allotment
  Without Over-
allotment
  With Over-
allotment
 

Underwriting Discounts and Commissions paid by us

  $ 0.55   $ 0.55   $ 11,000,000   $ 12,650,000  

(1)
Includes $0.35 per unit, or $7,000,000 (or up to $8,050,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) in the aggregate payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions to be placed in a trust account located in the United States as described herein. The deferred commissions will be released to the underwriters only on completion of an initial business combination, in an amount equal to $0.35 multiplied by the number of shares of Class A common stock sold as part of the units in this offering, as described in this prospectus.

        If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, the underwriters have agreed that (i) they will forfeit any rights or claims to their deferred underwriting discounts and commissions, including any accrued interest thereon, then in the trust account and (ii) that the deferred underwriters' discounts and commissions will be distributed on a pro rata basis, together with any accrued interest thereon (which interest will be net of taxes payable) to the public stockholders.

        We estimate expenses payable by us in connection with this offering, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions referred to above, will be approximately $750,000. We have agreed to pay certain out-of-pocket expenses of the underwriter, including background checks, road show expenses, FINRA-related fees and expenses of the underwriters' legal counsel.

Determination of Offering Price

        Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our securities. Consequently, the initial public offering price for our units was determined by negotiations between us and the representative. Among the factors considered in these negotiations were the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies, prior offerings of those companies, our management, our capital structure, and currently prevailing general conditions in equity securities markets, including current market valuations of publicly traded companies considered comparable to our company.

        We offer no assurances that the initial public offering price will correspond to the price at which the units will trade in the public market subsequent to the offering or that an active trading market for the units will develop and continue after the offering.

Listing

        We have applied to list our units on the NYSE under the trading symbol "CPSR.U". We expect that our units will be listed on the NYSE on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We anticipate that our Class A common stock and warrants will be listed under the symbols "CPSR" and "CPSR WS", respectively, once the Class A common stock and warrants begin separate trading. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on the NYSE.

165


Table of Contents

Stamp Taxes

        If you purchase units offered in this prospectus, you may be required to pay stamp taxes and other charges under the laws and practices of the country of purchase, in addition to the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus.

Option to Purchase Additional Units

        We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 45 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase, from time to time, in whole or in part, up to an aggregate of 3,000,000 units from us at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, less underwriting discounts and commissions. If the underwriters exercise this option, each underwriter will be obligated, subject to specified conditions, to purchase a number of additional units proportionate to that underwriters' initial purchase commitment as indicated in the table above. This option may be exercised only if the underwriters sell more units than the total number set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

Letter Agreements

        We, our sponsor and our officers and directors have agreed that, for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, we and they will not, without the prior written consent of the representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any units, warrants, shares of common stock or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of common stock, provided, however, that we may (1) issue and sell the private placement warrants, (2) issue and sell the additional units to cover our underwriters' over-allotment option (if any), (3) register with the SEC pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, the resale of the private placement warrants and shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and the founder shares and (4) issue securities in connection with an initial business combination. The representatives in their discretion may unanimously release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time without notice.

        Our initial stockholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earlier to occur of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property (except as described herein under the section of this prospectus entitled "Principal Stockholders—Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants"). Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial stockholders with respect to any founder shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up.

        The private placement warrants (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants) will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except with respect to permitted transferees as described herein under the section of this prospectus entitled "Principal Stockholders—Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants").

166


Table of Contents

Stabilization

        The underwriters have advised us that they, pursuant to Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and certain persons participating in the offering may engage in short sale transactions, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions or the imposition of penalty bids in connection with this offering. These activities may have the effect of stabilizing or maintaining the market price of the units at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Establishing short sales positions may involve either "covered" short sales or "naked" short sales.

        "Covered" short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters' option to purchase additional units in this offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional units or purchasing units in the open market. In determining the source of units to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of units available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase units through the option to purchase additional units.

        "Naked" short sales are sales in excess of the option to purchase additional units. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of our units in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.

        A stabilizing bid is a bid for the purchase of units on behalf of the underwriters for the purpose of fixing or maintaining the price of the units. A syndicate covering transaction is the bid for or the purchase of units on behalf of the underwriters to reduce a short position incurred by the underwriters in connection with the offering. Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters' purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our units or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our units. As a result, the price of our units may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. A penalty bid is an arrangement permitting the underwriters to reclaim the selling concession otherwise accruing to a syndicate member in connection with the offering if the units originally sold by such syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction and therefore have not been effectively placed by such syndicate member.

        Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our units. The underwriters are not obligated to engage in these activities and, if commenced, any of the activities may be discontinued at any time.

        The underwriters may also engage in passive market making transactions in our units on the NYSE in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of our units in this offering and extending through the completion of distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of that security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker's bid, that bid must then be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.

Electronic Distribution

        A prospectus in electronic format may be made available by e-mail or on the web sites or through online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters or their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of units for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the underwriters on the

167


Table of Contents

same basis as other allocations. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on the underwriters' web sites and any information contained in any other web site maintained by any of the underwriters is not part of this prospectus, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the underwriters and should not be relied upon by investors.

Other Activities and Relationships

        We are not under any contractual obligation to engage any of the underwriters to provide any services for us after this offering, and have no present intent to do so. However, any of the underwriters may introduce us to potential target businesses or assist us in raising additional capital in the future. If any of the underwriters provide services to us after this offering, we may pay such underwriter fair and reasonable fees that would be determined at that time in an arm's length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with any of the underwriters and no fees for such services will be paid to any of the underwriters prior to the date that is 90 days from the date of this prospectus, unless FINRA determines that such payment would not be deemed underwriters' compensation in connection with this offering and we may pay the underwriters of this offering or any entity with which they are affiliated a finder's fee or other compensation for services rendered to us in connection with the completion of a business combination.

        The underwriters and certain of their affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters and certain of their affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various commercial and investment banking and financial advisory services for us and our affiliates, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses.

        In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and certain of their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments issued by us and our affiliates. The underwriters and certain of their respective affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Selling Restrictions

Canada

Resale Restrictions

        The distribution of the securities in Canada is being made only in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia on a private placement basis exempt from the requirement that we prepare and file a prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in each province where trades of these securities are made. Any resale of the securities in Canada must be made under applicable securities laws which may vary depending on the relevant jurisdiction, and which may require resales to be made under available statutory exemptions or under a discretionary exemption granted by the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authority. Purchasers are advised to seek legal advice prior to any resale of the securities.

168


Table of Contents

Representations of Canadian Purchasers

        By purchasing the securities in Canada and accepting delivery of a purchase confirmation, a purchaser is representing to us and the dealer from whom the purchase confirmation is received that:

    the purchaser is entitled under applicable provincial securities laws to purchase the securities without the benefit of a prospectus qualified under those securities laws as it is an "accredited investor" as defined under National Instrument 45-106—Prospectus Exemptions,

    the purchaser is a "permitted client" as defined in National Instrument 31-103—Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations,

    where required by law, the purchaser is purchasing as principal and not as agent, and

    the purchaser has reviewed the text above under Resale Restrictions.

Conflicts of Interest

        Canadian purchasers are hereby notified that the underwriters are relying on the exemption set out in section 3A.3 or 3A.4, if applicable, of National Instrument 33-105—Underwriting Conflicts from having to provide certain conflict of interest disclosure in this document.

Statutory Rights of Action

        Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if the prospectus (including any amendment thereto) such as this document contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser's province or territory. The purchaser of these securities in Canada should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser's province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Enforcement of Legal Rights

        All of our directors and officers as well as the experts named herein may be located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible for Canadian purchasers to effect service of process within Canada upon us or those persons. All or a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of those persons may be located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible to satisfy a judgment against us or those persons in Canada or to enforce a judgment obtained in Canadian courts against us or those persons outside of Canada.

Taxation and Eligibility for Investment

        Canadian purchasers of the securities should consult their own legal and tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the securities in their particular circumstances and about the eligibility of the securities for investment by the purchaser under relevant Canadian legislation.

Australia

        This prospectus is not a disclosure document for the purposes of Australia's Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) of Australia, or Corporations Act, has not been lodged with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission and is only directed to the categories of exempt persons set out below. Accordingly, if you receive this prospectus in Australia:

        You confirm and warrant that you are either:

    a "sophisticated investor" under section 708(8)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act;

169


Table of Contents

    a "sophisticated investor" under section 708(8)(c) or (d) of the Corporations Act and that you have provided an accountant's certificate to the Company which complies with the requirements of section 708(8)(c)(i) or (ii) of the Corporations Act and related regulations before the offer has been made;

    a person associated with the Company under Section 708(12) of the Corporations Act; or

    a "professional investor" within the meaning of section 708(11)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act.

        To the extent that you are unable to confirm or warrant that you are an exempt sophisticated investor, associated person or professional investor under the Corporations Act any offer made to you under this prospectus is void and incapable of acceptance.

        You warrant and agree that you will not offer any of the securities issued to you pursuant to this prospectus for resale in Australia within 12 months of those securities being issued unless any such resale offer is exempt from the requirement to issue a disclosure document under section 708 of the Corporations Act.

European Economic Area

        The units are not intended to be offered or sold to and should not be offered or sold to any retail investor in the European Economic Area (the "EEA"). For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU, as amended ("MiFID II"); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC, as amended (the "Insurance Mediation Directive"), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in the Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, the "Prospectus Directive"). No key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014, as amended (the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the units or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared. Offering or selling the units or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPS Regulation. This prospectus has been prepared on the basis that any offer of the units in any Member State of the EEA will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Directive from a requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of units. This prospectus is not a prospectus for the purpose of the Prospectus Directive.

Hong Kong

        No securities have been offered or sold, and no securities may be offered or sold, in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than to persons whose ordinary business is to buy or sell shares or debentures, whether as principal or agent; or to "professional investors" as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong ("SFO") and any rules made under that Ordinance; or in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a "prospectus" as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong ("CO") or which do not constitute an offer or invitation to the public for the purpose of the CO or the SFO. No document, invitation or advertisement relating to the securities has been issued or may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to securities which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to "professional investors" as defined in the SFO and any rules made under that Ordinance.

        This prospectus has not been registered with the Registrar of Companies in Hong Kong. Accordingly, this prospectus may not be issued, circulated or distributed in Hong Kong, and the

170


Table of Contents

securities may not be offered for subscription to members of the public in Hong Kong. Each person acquiring the securities will be required, and is deemed by the acquisition of the securities, to confirm that he is aware of the restriction on offers of the securities described in this prospectus and the relevant offering documents and that he is not acquiring, and has not been offered any securities in circumstances that contravene any such restrictions.

Israel

        This document does not constitute a prospectus under the Israeli Securities Law, 5728-1968, or the Securities Law, and has not been filed with or approved by the Israel Securities Authority. In Israel, this prospectus is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer of the units is directed only at, (i) a limited number of persons in accordance with the Israeli Securities Law and (ii) investors listed in the first addendum, or the Addendum, to the Israeli Securities Law, consisting primarily of joint investment in trust funds, provident funds, insurance companies, banks, portfolio managers, investment advisors, members of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, underwriters, venture capital funds, entities with equity in excess of NIS 50 million and "qualified individuals," each as defined in the Addendum (as it may be amended from time to time), collectively referred to as qualified investors (in each case, purchasing for their own account or, where permitted under the Addendum, for the accounts of their clients who are investors listed in the Addendum). Qualified investors are required to submit written confirmation that they fall within the scope of the Addendum, are aware of the meaning of same and agree to it.

Japan

        The offering has not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948 of Japan, as amended), or FIEL, and the Initial Purchaser will not offer or sell any securities, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the FIEL and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.

Singapore

        This prospectus has not been and will not be lodged or registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the securities may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the securities be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the "SFA"), (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275, of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

        Where the securities are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

    a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

171


Table of Contents

    a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor,

securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries' rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the securities pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

    to an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;

    where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

    where the transfer is by operation of law;

    as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or

    as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.

Switzerland

        The securities may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange ("SIX") or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This prospectus has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the securities or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

        Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company or the securities have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this prospectus will not be filed with, and the offer of securities will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, and the offer of securities has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes ("CISA"). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of securities.

United Kingdom

        This prospectus is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that are qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive that are also (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") and/or (ii) high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated (each such person being referred to as a "relevant person").

        This prospectus and its contents are confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by recipients to any other persons in the United Kingdom. Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

172


Table of Contents


LEGAL MATTERS

        Greenberg Traurig, LLP, New York, New York, has passed upon the validity of the securities offered hereby on behalf of us. Certain legal matters will be passed upon on behalf of the underwriters by Kirkland & Ellis LLP, New York, New York.


EXPERTS

        The financial statements of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. as of February 27, 2020, and for the period from February 14, 2020 (inception) through February 27, 2020, have been audited by Marcum LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report, thereon (which contains an explanatory paragraph relating to substantial doubt about the ability of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. to continue as a going concern as described in Note 1 to the financial statements) appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, and are included in reliance on the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

        We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities we are offering by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information about us and our securities, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement. Whenever we make reference in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the references are materially complete but may not include a description of all aspects of such contracts, agreements or other documents, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or other document.

        Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and will file annual, quarterly and current event reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the Internet at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. You may also read and copy any document we file with the SEC at its public reference facility at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.

        You may also obtain copies of the documents at prescribed rates by writing to the Public Reference Section of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference facilities.

173


Table of Contents


INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 
  Page  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

    F-2  

Balance Sheets

    F-3  

Statements of Operations

    F-4  

Statements of Changes in Stockholder's Equity

    F-5  

Statements of Cash Flows

    F-6  

Notes to Financial Statements

    F-7  

F-1


Table of Contents


REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholder and Board of Directors of
Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

        We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the "Company") as of February 27, 2020, the related statements of operations, changes in stockholder's equity and cash flows for the period from February 14, 2020 (inception) through February 27, 2020, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of February 27, 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from February 14, 2020 (inception) through February 27, 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Explanatory Paragraph—Going Concern

        The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As more fully described in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company's ability to execute its business plan is dependent on the completion of the proposed initial public offering described in Note 3 to the financial statements. The Company has a working capital deficiency of $26,000 as of February 27, 2020 and lacks the financial resources it needs to sustain operations for a reasonable period of time, which is considered to be one year from the issuance date of the financial statements. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. Management's plans with regard to these matters are also described in Notes 1 and 3. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might become necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.

Basis for Opinion

        These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

        We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

        Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Marcum LLP

Marcum LLP

We have served as the Company's auditor since 2020.

New York, NY
March 6, 2020

F-2


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

BALANCE SHEETS

 
  March 31,
2020
  February 27,
2020
 
 
  (Unaudited)
  (Audited)
 

ASSETS

             

Current asset—cash

  $ 11,975   $ 25,000  

Deferred offering costs

    174,825     50,000  

Total Assets

  $ 186,800   $ 75,000  

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY

             

Current liabilities

             

Accrued expenses

  $ 1,000   $ 1,000  

Accrued offering costs

    71,800     50,000  

Promissory note—related party

    90,000      

Total Current Liabilities

    162,800     51,000  

Commitments

             

Stockholder's Equity

   
 
   
 
 

Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding

         

Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding

         

Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; 5,750,000 shares issued and outstanding(1)

    575     575  

Additional paid-in capital

    24,425     24,425  

Accumulated deficit

    (1,000 )   (1,000 )

Total Stockholder's Equity

    24,000     24,000  

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY

  $ 186,800   $ 75,000  

(1)
Includes an aggregate of 750,000 shares that are subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters' over-allotment is not exercised in full or in part (see Note 7).

   

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

F-3


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

 
  For the Period from
February 14, 2020
(inception) Through
 
 
  March 31,
2020
  February 27,
2020
 
 
  (Unaudited)
  (Audited)
 

Formation costs

  $ 1,000   $ 1,000  

Net Loss

  $ (1,000 ) $ (1,000 )

Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted(1)

    5,000,000     5,000,000  

Basic and diluted net loss per common share

  $ (0.00 ) $ (0.00 )

(1)
Excludes an aggregate of 750,000 shares that are subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters' over-allotment is not exercised in full or in part (see Note 7).

   

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

F-4


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY

 
  Common Stock(1)    
   
   
 
 
  Additional
Paid-in
Capital
  Accumulated
Deficit
  Total
Stockholder's
Equity
 
 
  Shares   Amount  

Balance—February 14, 2020 (inception)

      $   $   $   $  

Issuance of Class B common stock to Sponsor(1)

    5,750,000     575     24,425         25,000  

Net loss

                (1,000 )   (1,000 )

Balance—February 27, 2020 (audited)

    5,750,000   $ 575   $ 24,425   $ (1,000 ) $ 24,000  

Net loss

                     

Balance—March 31, 2020 (unaudited)

    5,750,000   $ 575   $ 24,425   $ (1,000 ) $ 24,000  

(1)
Includes an aggregate of 750,000 shares that are subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters' over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part (see Note 7).

   

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

F-5


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 
  For the Period from
February 14, 2020
(inception) Through
 
 
  March 31,
2020
  February 27,
2020
 
 
  (Unaudited)
  (Audited)
 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities:

             

Net loss

  $ (1,000 ) $ (1,000 )

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

             

Accrued expenses

    1,000     1,000  

Net cash used in operating activities

         

Cash Flows from Financing Activities:

             

Proceeds from issuance of Class B common stock to Sponsor

    25,000     25,000  

Proceeds from promissory note—related party

    100,000      

Repayment of promissory note—related party

    (10,000 )    

Payment of offering costs

    (103,025 )    

Net cash provided by financing activities

    11,975     25,000  

Net Change in Cash

    11,975     25,000  

Cash—Beginning

         

Cash—Ending

  $ 11,975   $ 25,000  

Non-Cash investing and financing activities:

             

Deferred offering costs included in accrued offering costs

  $ 71,800   $ 50,000  

   

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

F-6


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1—DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS

        Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the "Company") was incorporated in Delaware on February 14, 2020. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the "Business Combination").

        Although the Company is not limited to a particular industry or geographic region for purposes of consummating a Business Combination, the Company intends to focus on businesses in the consumer, healthcare and technology, media and telecommunications ("TMT") industries. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.

        As of March 31, 2020, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from February 14, 2020 (inception) through March 31, 2020 relates to the Company's formation and the proposed initial public offering ("Proposed Public Offering"), which is described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Proposed Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.

        The Company's ability to commence operations is contingent upon obtaining adequate financial resources through a Proposed Public Offering of 20,000,000 units (the "Units" and, with respect to the shares of Class A common stock included in the Units being offered, the "Public Shares") at $10.00 per Unit (or 23,000,000 Units if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full), which is discussed in Note 3, and the sale of 6,000,000 warrants (or 6,600,000 warrants if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) (each, a "Private Placement Warrant" and, collectively, the "Private Placement Warrants") at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC (the "Sponsor") that will close simultaneously with the Proposed Public Offering.

        The Company's management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Proposed Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. The Company's initial Business Combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding taxes payable on interest income earned from the Trust Account and the deferred underwriting commissions) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination. The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"). Upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering, management has agreed that an amount equal to at least $10.00 per Unit sold in the Proposed Public Offering, including the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, will be held in a trust account ("Trust Account"), located in the United States and invested only in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by

F-7


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 1—DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS (Continued)

the Company meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination or (ii) the distribution of the funds in the Trust Account, as described below.

        The Company will provide its holders of the outstanding Public Shares (the "public stockholders") with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The public stockholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $10.00 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its tax obligations). The per-share amount to be distributed to public stockholders who redeem their Public Shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriters (as discussed in Note 6). There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company's warrants. The Public Shares subject to redemption will be recorded at redemption value and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering in accordance with the Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 480 "Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity."

        The Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks stockholder approval, a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a stockholder vote is not required by law or stock exchange requirements and the Company does not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the "Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation"), conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or the Company decides to obtain stockholder approval for business or legal reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If the Company seeks stockholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Company's Sponsor has agreed to vote its Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Proposed Public Offering in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each public stockholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.

        Notwithstanding the above, if the Company seeks stockholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a "group" (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% or more of the Public Shares, without the prior consent of the Company.

        The Sponsor has agreed (i) to waive its redemption rights with respect to its Founder Shares and Public Shares held by it in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) not to

F-8


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 1—DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS (Continued)

propose an amendment to the Company's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of the Company's obligation to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination, unless the Company provides the public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares in conjunction with any such amendment.

        The Company will have until 24 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering to consummate a Business Combination (the "Combination Period"). If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay taxes (less up to $100,000 to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders' rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company's remaining stockholders and the Company's board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company's obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company's warrants, which will expire worthless if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.

        The Sponsor has agreed to waive its right to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Sponsor acquires Public Shares in or after the Proposed Public Offering, such Public Shares will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission (see Note 6) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the other funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the Proposed Public Offering price per Unit ($10.00).

        In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per Public Share and (ii) the actual amount per Public Share held in the Trust Account as of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.00 per Public Share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account nor will it apply to any claims under the Company's indemnity of the underwriters of the Proposed Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company will seek to reduce

F-9


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 1—DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS (Continued)

the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.

Going Concern Consideration

        At March 31, 2020, the Company had $11,975 in cash and working capital deficit of $150,825. The Company has incurred and expects to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of its financing and acquisition plans. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. Management plans to address this uncertainty through a Proposed Public Offering as discussed in Note 3. There is no assurance that the Company's plans to raise capital or to consummate a Business Combination will be successful within the Combination Period. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

NOTE 2—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

        The accompanying financial statements are presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.

        In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of a normal recurring nature, which are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, operating results and cash flows for the period presented. The interim results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020 or for any future interim periods.

Emerging Growth Company

        The Company is an "emerging growth company," as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the "JOBS Act"), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

        Further, section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of

F-10


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 2—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company's financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

Use of Estimates

        The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company's management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.

        Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

        The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash equivalents as of March 31, 2020 or February 27, 2020.

Deferred Offering Costs

        Deferred offering costs consist of legal, accounting, underwriting fees and other costs incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Proposed Public Offering and that will be charged to stockholder's equity upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. Should the Proposed Public Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses to be incurred, will be charged to operations.

Income Taxes

        The Company follows the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes under ASC 740, "Income Taxes." Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statements carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that included the enactment date. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

        ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.

F-11


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 2—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of March 31, 2020 and February 27, 2020. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position. The Company is subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities since inception.

        The provision for income taxes was deemed to be de minimis for the period from February 14, 2020 (inception) through March 31, 2020.

Net Loss Per Common Share

        Net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period, excluding shares of common stock subject to forfeiture. Weighted average shares were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 750,000 shares of common stock that are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised by the underwriters (see Note 7). At March 31, 2020 and February 27, 2020, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into shares of common stock and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per share is the same as basic loss per share for the periods presented.

Concentration of Credit Risk

        Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Coverage of $250,000. The Company has not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.

Financial Instruments

        The fair value of the Company's assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC Topic 820, "Fair Value Measurement," approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheets, primarily due to their short-term nature.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

        Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company's financial statements.

NOTE 3—PUBLIC OFFERING

        Pursuant to the Proposed Public Offering, the Company intends to offer for sale 20,000,000 Units (or 23,000,000 Units if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and one-half of one redeemable warrant ("Public Warrant"). Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 7).

F-12


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 4—PRIVATE PLACEMENT

        The Sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 6,000,000 Private Placement Warrants (or 6,600,000 Private Placement Warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $6,000,000, or $6,600,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. The proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants will be added to the proceeds from the Proposed Public Offering to be held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and the Private Placement Warrants will expire worthless. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to the Private Placement Warrants.

NOTE 5—RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Founder Shares

        On February 26, 2020, the Sponsor purchased 5,750,000 shares of the Company's Class B common stock (the "Founder Shares") for an aggregate price of $25,000. The Founder Shares include an aggregate of up to 750,000 shares subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters' over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part, so that the Sponsor will own, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares after the Proposed Public Offering (assuming the Sponsor does not purchase any Public Shares in the Proposed Public Offering).

        The Sponsor has agreed, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of its Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of a Business Combination or (B) subsequent to a Business Combination, (x) if the last sale price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after a Business Combination, or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company's stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property.

Promissory Note—Related Party

        On February 14, 2020, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company an aggregate of up to $250,000 to cover expenses related to the Proposed Public Offering pursuant to a promissory note (the "Promissory Note"). The Promissory Note is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of July 31, 2020 or the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. As of March 31, 2020 and February 27, 2020, there was $90,000 and $0 outstanding, respectively, under the Promissory Note.

Administrative Support Agreement

        The Company will agree, commencing on the effective date of the Proposed Public Offering through the earlier of the Company's consummation of a Business Combination and its liquidation, to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support.

F-13


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 5—RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Continued)

Related Party Loans

        In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor, or the Company's officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required ("Working Capital Loans"). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender's discretion, up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants.

NOTE 6—COMMITMENTS

Registration and Stockholder Rights

        The holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans (and any shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants or warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans and upon conversion of the Founder Shares) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration and stockholder rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of Proposed Public Offering requiring the Company to register such securities for resale (in the case of the Founder Shares, only after conversion to Class A common stock). The holders of the majority of these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain "piggy-back" registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of a Business Combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

Underwriting Agreement

        The Company will grant the underwriters a 45-day option from the date of Proposed Public Offering to purchase up to 3,000,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Proposed Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions.

        The underwriters will be entitled to a cash underwriting discount of $0.20 per Unit, or $4,000,000 in the aggregate (or $4,600,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. In addition, the underwriters will be entitled to a deferred fee of $0.35 per Unit, or $7,000,000 in the aggregate (or $8,050,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full). The deferred fee will be waived by the underwriters in the event that the Company does not complete a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.

F-14


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 7—STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY

        Preferred Stock—The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company's board of directors. At March 31, 2020 and February 27, 2020, there were no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.

        Class A Common Stock—On February 26, 2020, the Company amended its Certificate of Incorporation such that the Company is authorized to issue 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. At March 31, 2020 and February 27, 2020, there were no shares of Class A common stock issued or outstanding.

        Class B Common Stock—On February 26, 2020, the Company amended its Certificate of Incorporation such that the Company is authorized to issue 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of Class B common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. At March 31, 2020 and February 27, 2020, there were 5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding, of which an aggregate of up to 750,000 shares are subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters' over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part, so that the Sponsor will collectively own 20% of the Company's issued and outstanding common stock after the Proposed Public Offering (assuming the Sponsor does not purchase any Public Shares in the Proposed Public Offering).

        Holders of Class B common stock will have the right to elect all of the Company's directors prior to a Business Combination. Holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all other matters submitted to a vote of stockholders except as required by law.

        The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of a Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in the Proposed Public Offering and related to the closing of a Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock shall convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock agree to waive such adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of the total number of all shares of common stock outstanding upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with a Business Combination (excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in a Business Combination, and any private placement-equivalent warrants issued to the Sponsor or its affiliates upon conversion of loans made to the Company).

        Warrants—Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the Units and only whole warrants will trade. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination or (b) 12 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.

F-15


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 7—STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY (Continued)

        The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the shares of Class A common issuable upon exercise of the warrants is then effective and a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock is available, subject to the Company satisfying its obligations with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable and we will not be obligated to issue shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of a warrant unless Class A common stock issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants.

        The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of a Business Combination, the Company will use its best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the issuance of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants to cause such registration statement to become effective and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of a Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a "cashless basis" in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis.

        Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the Public Warrants:

        If and when the warrants become redeemable by the Company, the Company may not exercise its redemption right if the issuance of shares of common stock upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or the Company is unable to effect such registration or qualification.

        If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a "cashless basis," as described in the warrant agreement. The exercise price and number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuance of Class A common stock at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the

F-16


Table of Contents


CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 7—STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY (Continued)

funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company's assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.

        In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of a Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company's board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the "Newly Issued Price"), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of a Business Combination on the date of the consummation of a Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company's common stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates a Business Combination (such price, the "Market Value") is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.

        The Private Placement Warrants will be identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units being sold in the Proposed Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Placement Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis and be non-redeemable so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.

NOTE 8—SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

        The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date and through June 10, 2020, the date that the interim financial statements were issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.

F-17


Table of Contents

 





$200,000,000

 



Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.





PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
                        , 2020

 



Joint Book-Running Managers

Citigroup   UBS Investment Bank   BTIG

 



        Until                , 2020 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that buy, sell or trade our Class A common stock, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers' obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

 



   


Table of Contents


PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13.    Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

        The estimated expenses payable by us in connection with the offering described in this registration statement (other than the underwriting discount and commissions) will be as follows:

Legal fees and expenses

  $ 300,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

  $ 40,000  

SEC/FINRA expenses

  $ 65,000  

Travel and road show

  $ 20,000  

NYSE listing expenses

  $ 85,000  

Director and Officer insurance

  $ 100,000  

Printing and engraving expenses

  $ 40,000  

Miscellaneous(1)

  $ 100,000  

Total

  $ 750,000  

(1)
This amount represents additional expenses that may be incurred by the Company in connection with the offering over and above those specifically listed above, including transfer agent and trustee fees.

Item 14.    Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that all of our directors, officers, employees and agents shall be entitled to be indemnified by us to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL").

        Section 145 of the DGCL concerning indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents is set forth below.

        Section 145. Indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents; insurance.

    (a)
    A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person's conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that the person's conduct was unlawful.

    (b)
    A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in

II-1


Table of Contents

      the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

    (c)
    To the extent that a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

    (d)
    Any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of this section (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because the person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such determination, (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (3) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (4) by the stockholders.

    (e)
    Expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by an officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in this section. Such expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by former officers and directors or other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the corporation deems appropriate.

    (f)
    The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of this section shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person's official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. A right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses arising under a provision of the certificate of incorporation or a bylaw shall not be eliminated or impaired by an amendment to such provision after the occurrence of the act or omission that is the subject of the civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification or advancement of expenses is sought, unless the provision in effect at the time of such act or omission explicitly authorizes such elimination or impairment after such action or omission has occurred.

II-2


Table of Contents

    (g)
    A corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person's status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under this section.

    (h)
    For purposes of this section, references to "the corporation" shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this section with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

    (i)
    For purposes of this section, references to "other enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the corporation" shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the corporation" as referred to in this section.

    (j)
    The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this section shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

    (k)
    The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine all actions for advancement of expenses or indemnification brought under this section or under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise. The Court of Chancery may summarily determine a corporation's obligation to advance expenses (including attorneys' fees).

        Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers, and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in a successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to the court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

        In accordance with Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that no director shall be personally liable to us or any of our stockholders for monetary damages resulting from breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors, except to the extent

II-3


Table of Contents

such limitation on or exemption from liability is not permitted under the DGCL. The effect of this provision of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation is to eliminate our rights and those of our stockholders (through stockholders' derivative suits on our behalf) to recover monetary damages against a director for breach of the fiduciary duty of care as a director, including breaches resulting from negligent or grossly negligent behavior, except, as restricted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL. However, this provision does not limit or eliminate our rights or the rights of any stockholder to seek non-monetary relief, such as an injunction or rescission, in the event of a breach of a director's duty of care.

        If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the liability of directors, then, in accordance with our certificate of incorporation, the liability of our directors to us or our stockholders will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as so amended. Any repeal or amendment of provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation limiting or eliminating the liability of directors, whether by our stockholders or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provisions inconsistent therewith, will (unless otherwise required by law) be prospective only, except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits us to further limit or eliminate the liability of directors on a retroactive basis.

        Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will also provide that we will, to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by applicable law, indemnify our current and former officers and directors, as well as those persons who, while directors or officers of our corporation, are or were serving as directors, officers, employees or agents of another entity, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, in connection with any threatened, pending or completed proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, against all expense, liability and loss (including, without limitation, attorney's fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by any such person in connection with any such proceeding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person eligible for indemnification pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will be indemnified by us in connection with a proceeding initiated by such person only if such proceeding was authorized by our Board of Directors, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification.

        The right to indemnification conferred by our amended and restated certificate of incorporation is a contract right that includes the right to be paid by us the expenses incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding referenced above in advance of its final disposition, provided, however, that if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by our officer or director (solely in the capacity as an officer or director of our corporation) will be made only upon delivery to us of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such officer or director, to repay all amounts so advanced if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or otherwise.

        The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses will not be deemed exclusive of any other rights which any person covered by our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may have or hereafter acquire under law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our bylaws, an agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

        Any repeal or amendment of provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation affecting indemnification rights, whether by our stockholders or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provisions inconsistent therewith, will (unless otherwise required by law) be prospective only, except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits us to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis, and will not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will also permit us, to the

II-4


Table of Contents

extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than those specifically covered by our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.

        Our bylaws include provisions relating to advancement of expenses and indemnification rights consistent with those set forth in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. In addition, our bylaws provide for a right of indemnity to bring a suit in the event a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses is not paid in full by us within a specified period of time. Our bylaws also permit us to purchase and maintain insurance, at our expense, to protect us and/or any director, officer, employee or agent of our corporation or another entity, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not we would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.

        Any repeal or amendment of provisions of our bylaws affecting indemnification rights, whether by our board of directors, stockholders or by changes in applicable law, or the adoption of any other provisions inconsistent therewith, will (unless otherwise required by law) be prospective only, except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits us to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis, and will not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing thereunder with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

        We will enter into indemnification agreements with each of our officers and directors a form of which is filed as Exhibit 10.6 to this registration statement. These agreements will require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified.

        Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this registration statement, we have agreed to indemnify the underwriters and the underwriters have agreed to indemnify us against certain civil liabilities that may be incurred in connection with this offering, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act.

Item 15.    Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

        In February 2020, Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC, our sponsor, purchased from us, prior to the consummation of this offering, an aggregate of 5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock, or founder shares, for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share, in a private placement. Such securities were issued pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

        In addition, our sponsor has committed to purchase an aggregate of 6,000,000 warrants (or 6,600,000 warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full), at $1.00 per warrant ($6,000,000 in the aggregate, or $6,600,000 if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full). This purchase will take place on a private placement basis simultaneously with the completion of our initial public offering. This issuance will be made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

        Our sponsor is an accredited investor for purposes of Rule 501 of Regulation D. No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sales.

II-5


Table of Contents

Item 16.    Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

        (a)   The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement:

Exhibit
No.
  Description
  1.1   Form of Underwriting Agreement*
        
  3.1   Certificate of Incorporation*
        
  3.2   Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation*
        
  3.3   Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation*
        
  3.4   Bylaws*
        
  4.1   Specimen Unit Certificate*
        
  4.2   Specimen Class A Common Stock Certificate*
        
  4.3   Specimen Warrant Certificate*
        
  4.4   Form of Warrant Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company and the Registrant*
        
  5.1   Opinion of Greenberg Traurig, LLP*
        
  10.1   Form of Letter Agreement among the Registrant, Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC and each of the executive officers and directors of the Registrant*
        
  10.2   Form of Investment Management Trust Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company and the Registrant*
        
  10.3   Founder Shares Subscription Agreement, dated February 26, 2020, between the Registrant and Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC*
        
  10.4   Form of Warrant Purchase Agreement between the Registrant and Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC*
        
  10.5   Form of Registration and Stockholder Rights Agreement between the Registrant and certain securityholders*
        
  10.6   Form of Indemnity Agreement*
        
  10.7   Promissory Note issued in favor of Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC, dated February 14, 2020*
        
  10.8   Form of Administrative Services Agreement*
        
  14   Form of Code of Business Conduct and Ethics*
        
  23.1   Consent of Marcum, LLP*
        
  23.2   Consent of Greenberg Traurig, LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)*
        
  99.1   Audit Committee Charter*
        
  99.2   Compensation Committee Charter*
        
  99.3   Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter*
        
  99.4   Consent of Kathryn Cavanaugh**
        
  99.5   Consent of Rodrigo de la Torre**
        
  99.6   Consent of James Whittenburg**
        
  99.7   Consent of Jamie Weinstein**
        
  99.8   Consent of John Ghiselli**

*
Filed herewith.

**
Previously filed.

II-6


Table of Contents

Item 17.    Undertakings.

        (a)   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

        (b)   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

        (c)   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

      (1)
      To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

      (i)
      To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

      (ii)
      To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement;

      (iii)
      To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.

      (2)
      For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

      (3)
      To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

      (4)
      For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

II-7


Table of Contents

      (5)
      For the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, if the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

      (6)
      For the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of an undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

      (i)
      Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

      (ii)
      Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by an undersigned registrant;

      (iii)
      The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

      (iv)
      Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

II-8


Table of Contents


SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on the 24th day of June, 2020.

  CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

By:

 

/s/ R. STEVEN HICKS


      Name:   R. Steven Hicks

      Title:   Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following person in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Name
 
Position
 
Date

 

 

 

 

 
/s/ R. STEVEN HICKS

R. Steven Hicks
  Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer (Principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting officer)   June 24, 2020



Exhibit 1.1

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.
20,000,000 Units
1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

New York, New York

June [  ], 2020

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013

 

UBS Securities LLC

1285 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10019

 

BTIG, LLC
65 E 55th Street
New York, New York 10022

 

As Representatives of the several underwriters listed

in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”)

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as Representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of 20,000,000 units (the “Units”) of the Company (said Units to be issued and sold by the Company being hereinafter called the “Underwritten Securities”) (the “Offering”). The Company also proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 3,000,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments (the “Option Securities”; the Option Securities, together with the Underwritten Securities, being hereinafter called the “Securities”). To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the term Underwriter shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. Certain capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined are defined in Section 22 hereof.

 

Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company and one-half of one warrant, where each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock (the “Warrant(s)”). The Common Stock and the Warrants included in the Units will not trade separately until the 52nd day following the date of the Prospectus (as defined herein) unless the Representatives inform the Company of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to (a) the preparation of an audited balance sheet of the Company reflecting receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering, (b) the filing by the Company of such audited balance sheet with the Commission on a Current Report on Form 8-K (the “Closing Form 8-K”) and (c) the issuance by the Company of a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Each whole Warrant entitles its holder, upon exercise, to purchase one share of Common Stock for $11.50, subject to certain adjustments, during the period commencing on the later of thirty (30) days after the completion by the Company of its Initial Business Combination (as defined below) and twelve (12) months from the date of the consummation of the Offering and terminating on the five-year anniversary of the completion by the Company of its Initial Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation of the Trust Account (as defined herein). As used herein, the term “Initial Business Combination” (as described more fully in the Registration Statement) shall mean any merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (collectively, a “Target Business”).

 


1                   Plus an option to purchase from the Company up to 3,000,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any.

 


 

Pursuant to the Founder Shares Subscription Agreement, dated February 26, 2020 (the “Securities Subscription Agreement”), the Company issued to Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC (the “Sponsor”) an aggregate of 5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (such shares, as well as the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof, where applicable, the “Founder Shares”) in a private placement for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 in cash. Up to 750,000 of the Founder Shares are subject to forfeiture to the extent the Underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option.

 

The Company has entered into a Warrant Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “Warrant Purchase Agreement”) with the Sponsor, a form of which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, pursuant to which the Sponsor has agreed to purchase from the Company an aggregate of 6,000,000 warrants (or up to 6,600,000 warrants depending on the extent to which the Underwriters exercise their right to purchase Option Securities), each entitling the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per warrant ($6,000,000 in the aggregate, or $6,600,000 in the aggregate if the Underwriters exercise their right to purchase Option Securities in full) in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the consummation of the Offering. The Private Placement Warrants are substantially similar to the Warrants included in the Units, except as described in the Prospectus.

 

The Company has entered into a Warrant Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, with respect to the Warrants, the Private Placement Warrants and certain warrants that may be issued to the Company’s executive officers or directors, the Sponsor or their permitted transferees or affiliates upon conversion of working capital loans made to the Company (the “Working Capital Warrants”) with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Warrant Agreement”), pursuant to which Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company will act as warrant agent in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange, redemption and exercise of the Warrants, Private Placement Warrants and Working Capital Warrants.

 

The Company has entered into an Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as trustee (the “Trustee”), in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Trust Agreement”), pursuant to which a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and certain proceeds of the Offering will be deposited and held in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) for the benefit of the Company, the Underwriters and holders of the Securities.

 

The Company has issued a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note for an aggregate amount of up to $250,000 to the Sponsor in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Promissory Note”), in exchange for the payment of the equivalent amount by the Sponsor to the Company. These monies have been used to cover expenses relating to the Offering. The Promissory Note will be payable on the earlier to occur of July 31, 2020 or the date of the consummation of the Offering.

 

The Company has entered into a Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company has granted certain registration rights in respect of the Founder Shares, the Private Placement Warrants and the Working Capital Warrants (and any shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants or the Working Capital Warrants and upon the conversion of the Founder Shares).

 

The Company has caused the Sponsor and each of the Company’s directors, director nominees, and executive officers to enter into a letter agreement, in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Insider Letter”).

 

The Company has entered into an Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, with an affiliate of the Sponsor, in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Administrative Services Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company will pay to such affiliate of the Sponsor an aggregate monthly fee of $10,000 for certain office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support from the Effective Date until the earlier of the consummation of an initial Business Combination and the Company’s liquidation.

 

2


 

1.                                      Representations and Warranties.

 

(a)                                 The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 1(a).

 

(1)                                 Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission the Registration Statement (file number 333-239094) on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”), including the related Preliminary Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, has become effective. The Company may have filed one or more amendments thereto, including the related Preliminary Prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to the Representatives. The Company will file with the Commission the Prospectus in accordance with Rule 424(b). As filed, such Prospectus shall contain all information required by the Act and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to the Representatives prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the Statutory Prospectus) as the Company has advised the Representatives, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information.

 

(2)                                 Effective Date. On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined herein) and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Prospectus (and any supplements thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act; on the Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

 

(3)                                 Execution Time. At the Execution Time, the Statutory Prospectus, each road show when taken together as a whole with the Statutory Prospectus, and any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as defined below), when taken together as a whole with the Statutory Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Statutory Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Statutory Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

(4)                                 Compliance with Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (file number 001-[    ]) providing for the registration under the Exchange Act of the Securities, the Common Stock included as part of the Securities and the Warrants included as part of the Securities. The registration of such securities under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement. The Securities have been authorized for listing, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, on the New York Stock Exchange, and the Company knows of no reason or set of facts that is likely to adversely affect such authorization.

 

3


 

(5)                                 No Stop Orders, Etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order or threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any part thereof, or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an order including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 8A of the Act.

 

(6)                                 Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Statutory Prospectus, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein. There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, which is not described or filed as required (and the Statutory Prospectus contains in all material respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Prospectus); and the statements in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus under the headings “Principal Stockholders,” “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” and “Description of Securities,” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are in all material respects accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required by the Act to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus that have not been described as required.

 

(7)                                 Capitalization. The Company’s authorized equity capitalization is as set forth in the Statutory Prospectus, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The share capital of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Statutory Prospectus, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

(8)                                 Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The offers and sales of the outstanding shares of Common Stock and Warrants were at all relevant times either registered under the Act, the applicable state securities and blue sky laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares of Common Stock and Warrants, exempt from such registration requirements. The holders of outstanding securities of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities arising by operation of law or under the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended from time to time, the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”); and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares or other ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.

 

(9)                                 Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(i)                                     The Securities have been duly authorized and when issued and delivered against payment therefor by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued.

 

(ii)                                  The shares of Common Stock included in the Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment for the Securities by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The holders of such shares of Common Stock are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; such shares of Common Stock are not and will not be subject to any preemptive or other similar contractual rights granted by the Company.

 

(iii)                               The Warrants included in the Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in the manner set forth in the Warrant Agreement against payment for the Securities by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws

 

4


 

affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

 

(iv)                              The shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants included in the Securities have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor pursuant to the Warrants and the Warrant Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The holders of such shares of Common Stock are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; such Shares of Common Stock are not and will not be subject to any preemptive or other similar contractual rights granted by the Company.

 

(10)                          Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.

 

(11)                          Prior Securities Transactions.

 

(i)                                     No securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company from its inception through and including the date hereof, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus.

 

(ii)                                  Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has, prior to the date hereof, made any offer or sale of any securities that are required to be “integrated” pursuant to the Act with the offer and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

(12)                          Securities Sold to Founders, Sponsor and Insiders. The Founder Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and, except with respect to the forfeiture of certain Founder Shares as described in the Registration Statement upon the failure by the Underwriters to purchase any or all of the Option Securities, non-assessable. The Private Placement Warrants have been duly authorized and, when delivered upon the consummation of the Offering, will be duly issued and delivered, and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability. The shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor pursuant to the Warrant Purchase Agreement, the Private Placement Warrants, and the Warrant Agreement will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

Each of the Sponsor and the Company’s executive officers and directors have agreed to: (a) waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and shares of Common Stock sold as part of the Units in the Offering (the “Public Shares”) held by them in connection with the completion of an Initial Business Combination, (b) waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and Public Shares held by them in connection with a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to provide for the redemption of the Public Shares in connection with an Initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company has not consummated an Initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation; (c) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Founder Shares held by them if the Company fails to complete an Initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Public Shares held by them if the Company fails to complete an Initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation); and (d) vote any Founder Shares and any Public Shares held by them in favor of an initial

 

5


 

Business Combination if the Company submits an Initial Business Combination to its public stockholders for a vote.

 

(13)                          Due Incorporation; Power and Authority. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of Delaware with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(14)                          Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements.

 

(i)                                     This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

 

(ii)                                  The Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

 

(iii)                               The Warrant Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

 

(iv)                              The Warrant Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Sponsor, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Sponsor, enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Sponsor in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

 

(v)                                 The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability and except that the indemnification and contribution provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement may be unenforceable.

 

(vi)                              The Administrative Services Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

 

(vii)                           To the knowledge of the Company, the Insider Letter has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Sponsor and each of the Company’s directors and executive officers, respectively, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Sponsor and each of the Company’s directors and executive officers respectively, enforceable against the Sponsor and each of the Company’s directors and executive officers, respectively, in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting

 

6


 

creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

 

(viii)                        The Securities Subscription Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

 

(15)                          Consents, Approvals, Etc. No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein or in the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Securities Subscription Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, or the Insider Letter, except for the registration under the Act and the Exchange Act of the Securities, and such as may be required under the state securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(16)                          No Breach or Violation. Neither the issue and sale of the Securities nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or of the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Securities Subscription Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, Administrative Services Agreement, or the Insider Letter will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to (i) the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties; except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above for any such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”) and that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the ability of the Underwriters to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(17)                          No Conflicts, Etc. The Company is not in violation or default of (i) any provision of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, or judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company; except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above for any such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(18)                          Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(19)                          Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and the supporting schedules, if any, of the Company included in the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles

 

7


 

applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). There are no pro forma or as adjusted financial statements that are required to be included in the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement in accordance with Regulation S-X that have not been included as so required.

 

(20)                          Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. The Company is not party to any off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), or other relationships with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses.

 

(21)                          Other Data. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, if any, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.

 

(22)                          Independent Accountants. Marcum LLP (“Marcum”) are independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (including the rules and regulations promulgated by such entity). Marcum has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.

 

(23)                          Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company maintains effective “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to the extent required by such rule.

 

(24)                          Sarbanes-Oxley. Solely to the extent that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) have been applicable to the Company, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that it is in compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are in effect and with which the Company is required to comply and is making commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that it will be in compliance with other provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act not currently in effect or which will become applicable to the Company.

 

(25)                          Transfer Taxes. There are no transfer, stamp, issue, registration, documentary or other similar taxes, duties, fees or charges under U.S. federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, or under the laws of any non-U.S. jurisdiction, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance or sale by the Company of the Securities.

 

(26)                          Ownership. The Company owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted.

 

(27)                          Litigation; Government Proceedings. No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company, or to the Company’s knowledge, the Sponsor, or any executive officer or director of the Company, or its or their property is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

 

(28)                          Tax Returns. The Company has filed all U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof and has paid all taxes required to be paid thereon, and no

 

8


 

tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company (nor does the Company have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company), except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(29)                          Licenses and Permits. The Company possesses all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate U.S. federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct its business, and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

 

(30)                          Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(31)                          Certain Regulatory Matters.

 

(i)                                     Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company, the Sponsor, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, director nominee, executive officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or the Sponsor is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that could result in a violation or a sanction for violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, each as may be amended, or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction, or the rules or regulations thereunder; and the Company has instituted and maintains policies and procedures to ensure compliance therewith. No part of the proceeds of the Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, each as may be amended, or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction, or the rules or regulations thereunder.

 

(ii)                                  Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and the money laundering statutes and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(iii)                               OFAC. Neither the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, the Sponsor nor any director, director nominee, executive officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Sponsor (i) is, or is controlled or 50% or more owned in the aggregate by or is acting on behalf of, one or more individuals or entities that are currently the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States (including any administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State or the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, a member state of the European Union (including sanctions administered or enforced by Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions” and such persons, “Sanctioned Persons” and each such person, a “Sanctioned Person”), (ii) is located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries” and each, a “Sanctioned Country”) or (iii) will (either directly or through the Trust Account), directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other individual or entity in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by, or could result in the

 

9


 

imposition of Sanctions against, any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the Offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).  In the preceding three years, except as has been disclosed to the Underwriters or is not material to the analysis under any Sanctions, neither the Company nor any Sponsor has engaged in any dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country, in the preceding 3 years, nor does the Company or any Sponsor have any plans to engage in dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country.

 

(iv)                              Bank Secrecy Act; Money Laundering; Patriot Act. None of the Company, the Sponsor or any executive officer, director or director nominee of the Company has violated: (a) the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended, (b) the Money Laundering Laws, or (c) the Uniting and Strengthening of America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001, and/or the rules and regulations promulgated under any such law, or any successor law.

 

(32)                          D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s executive officers, director nominees and directors and provided to the Underwriters is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires completed by the Company’s executive officers, director nominees or directors to become inaccurate and incorrect in any material respect.

 

(33)                          Initial Business Combination. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, prior to the date hereof, the Company has not identified any business combination target and it has not, nor has anyone on its behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target.

 

(34)                          FINRA Matters.

 

(i)                                     Except as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, contracts, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a brokerage commission or finder’s, consulting, origination or similar fee by the Company, the Sponsor or any executive officer, director nominee or director of the Company, or their respective affiliates, with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, the Sponsor or any executive officer, director nominee or director of the Company, or their respective affiliates, that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

 

(ii)                                  The Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or any other “item of value” as defined in Rule 5110(c)(3) of FINRA’s Conduct Rules) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) to any person that, to the Company’s knowledge, has been accepted by FINRA as a member of FINRA (a “Member”); or (iii) to any person or entity that, to the Company’s knowledge, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any Member, within the twelve months prior to the Effective Date, other than payments to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(iii)                               Except as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, during the period beginning 180 days prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement and ending on the Effective Date, no Member and/or any person associated or affiliated with a Member has provided any investment banking, financial advisory and/or consulting services to the Company.

 

(iv)                              Except as disclosed in the FINRA questionnaires provided to the Representatives, to the Company’s knowledge, no executive officer, director, or beneficial owner

 

10


 

of any class of the Company’s securities (whether debt or equity, registered or unregistered, regardless of the time acquired or the source from which derived) (any such individual or entity, a “Company Affiliate”) is a Member or a person associated or affiliated with a Member.

 

(v)                                 Except as disclosed in the FINRA questionnaires provided to the Representatives, to the Company’s knowledge, no Company Affiliate is an owner of stock or other securities of any Member (other than securities purchased on the open market).

 

(vi)                              To the knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, no Company Affiliate has made a subordinated loan to any Member.

 

(vii)                           Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no proceeds from the sale of the Securities (excluding underwriting compensation as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus) will be paid by the Company to any Member, or any persons associated or affiliated with a Member.

 

(viii)                        The Company has not issued any warrants or other securities, or granted any options, directly or indirectly to anyone who is a potential underwriter in the Offering or a related person (as defined by FINRA rules) of such an underwriter within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement.

 

(ix)                              No person to whom securities of the Company have been privately issued within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement has, to the Company’s knowledge, any relationship or affiliation or association with any Member intending to participate in the Offering.

 

(x)                                 To the Company’s knowledge, no Member intending to participate in the Offering has a conflict of interest with the Company. For this purpose, a “conflict of interest” means, if at the time of the Member’s participation in the Offering, any of the following applies: (A) the securities are to be issued by the Member; (B) the Company controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Member or the Member’s associated persons; (C) at least 5% of the net offering proceeds, not including underwriting compensation, are intended to be: (i) used to reduce or retire the balance of a loan or credit facility extended by the Member, its affiliates and its associated persons, in the aggregate; or (ii) otherwise directed to the Member, its affiliates and associated persons, in the aggregate; or (D) as a result of the Offering and any transactions contemplated at the time of the Offering: (i) the Member will be an affiliate of the Company; (ii) the Member will become publicly owned; or (iii) the Company will become a Member or form a broker-dealer subsidiary. “Member intending to participate in the Offering” includes any associated person of a Member that is participating in the Offering, any members of such associated person’s immediate family, and any affiliate of a Member that is participating in the Offering.

 

(35)                          Non-Competition Agreements. Except as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, none of the Sponsor, directors or executive officers of the Company is subject to a non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer which could materially affect his, her or its ability to be and act in the capacity of stockholder, executive officer or director of the Company, as applicable.

 

(36)                          Subsidiaries. The Company does not own an interest in any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other entity.

 

(37)                          Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and the Sponsor or any director, director nominee, executive officer, stockholder, special advisor, customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the other hand, which is required by the Act or the Exchange Act to be described in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus which is not described as

 

11


 

required. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the executive officers, director nominees or directors of the Company or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company has not extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or officer of the Company.

 

(38)                          Free Writing Prospectus. The Company has not prepared or used a Free Writing Prospectus.

 

(39)                          Rule 419. Upon delivery and payment for the Underwritten Securities on the Closing Date and the filing of the Closing Form 8-K, the Company will not be subject to Rule 419 under the Act and none of the Company’s outstanding securities will be deemed to be a “penny stock” as defined in Rule 3a51-1 under the Exchange Act.

 

(40)                          Compliance with Exchange Rules. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s executive officers or directors, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and when applicable), and immediately following the Effective Date the Company will be in compliance with, the requirements of Section 303A of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual. Further, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s executive officers or directors, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and when applicable), and immediately following the Effective Date the Company will be in compliance with, the phase-in requirements and all other provisions of the New York Stock Exchange corporate governance requirements set forth in the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual.

 

(41)                          Emerging Growth Company. From the time of the initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the Execution Time, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) or Rule 163B of the Act.

 

(42)                          Testing-the-Waters. The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule III hereto. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.

 

(43)                          Cybersecurity; Data Protection.  The Company’s information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants.  The Company has implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with its business, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any incidents under internal

 

12


 

review or investigations relating to the same. The Company is currently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except where the failure to be in compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the Offering shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

 

2.                                      Purchase and Sale.

 

(a)                                 Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $9.80 per Unit, the amount of the Underwritten Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.

 

(b)                                 Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties set forth herein, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 3,000,000 Option Securities at the same purchase price per Unit as the Underwriters shall pay for the Underwritten Securities. This option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters. This option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 45th day after the date of the Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date. Each Underwriter shall purchase the same percentage of the total number of Option Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten Securities, subject to such adjustments as the Representatives in their absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional shares.

 

(c)                                  In addition to the discount from the public offering price represented by the purchase price set forth in the first sentence of Section 2(a) of this Agreement, the Company hereby agrees to pay to the Underwriters a deferred discount of $0.35 per Unit (for both Underwritten Securities and Option Securities) purchased hereunder (the “Deferred Discount”). The Deferred Discount will be paid directly to the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, by the Trustee from amounts on deposit in the Trust Account by wire transfer if and when the Company consummates an Initial Business Combination in the same percentages of the total number of Underwritten Securities such Representatives purchased as set forth in Schedule I hereto. The Underwriters hereby agree that if no Initial Business Combination is consummated within the time period provided in the Trust Agreement and the funds held under the Trust Agreement are distributed to the holders of the shares of Common Stock included in the Securities sold pursuant to this Agreement (the “Public Stockholders”), (i) the Underwriters will forfeit any rights or claims to the Deferred Discount and (ii) the Trustee under the Trust Agreement is authorized to distribute the Deferred Discount to the Public Stockholders on a pro rata basis.

 

3.                                      Delivery and Payment.

 

(a)                                 Delivery of and payment for the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities (if the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the second Business Day prior to the Closing Date) shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on June [·], 2020, or at such time on such later date at least two Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company and to the Trust Account as described below in this Section 3. Delivery of the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

 

13


 

(b)                                 Payment for the Underwritten Securities shall be made as follows: $196,000,000 of the proceeds received by the Company for the Underwritten Securities, including $7,000,000 of the Deferred Discount, shall be deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement along with such portion of the gross proceeds of the Private Placement Warrants in order for the Trust Account to equal the product of the number of Units sold and the public offering price per Unit as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus upon delivery to the Representatives of the Underwritten Securities through the facilities of DTC or, if the Representatives have otherwise instructed, upon delivery to the Representatives of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) representing the Underwritten Securities, in each case for the account of the Underwriters. The Underwritten Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representatives may request in writing at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date. If delivery is not made through the facilities of DTC, the Company will permit the Representatives to examine and package the Underwritten Securities for delivery, at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Underwritten Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representatives for all the Underwritten Securities. Payment by the Underwriters for the Underwritten Securities is contingent on the payment by the Sponsor to the Trust Account for the Private Placement Warrants at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date.

 

(c)                                  Payment for the Option Securities shall be made as follows: $9.80 per Option Security (including any Deferred Discount attributable to the Option Securities), shall be deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement along with such portion of the gross proceeds of the Private Placement Warrants in order for the Trust Account to equal the product of the number of Units sold and the public offering price per Unit as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus upon delivery to the Representatives of the Option Securities through the facilities of DTC or, if the Representatives have otherwise instructed, upon delivery to the Representatives of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) representing the Option Securities (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representatives may request in writing at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date. If delivery is not made through the facilities of DTC, the Company will permit the Representatives to examine and package the Option Securities for delivery, at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representatives for all the Option Securities. Payment by the Underwriters for the Option Securities is contingent on the payment by the Sponsor to the Trust Account for the Private Placement Warrants at least one Business Day prior to the applicable settlement date.

 

(d)                                 If the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof is exercised after the second Business Day prior to the Closing Date, the Company will deliver the Option Securities (at the expense of the Company) to the Representatives, at c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc., at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, on the date specified by the Representatives (which shall be within three Business Days after exercise of said option) for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to the Trust Account as described above in Section 3(c). If settlement for the Option Securities occurs after the Closing Date, the Company will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for the Option Securities, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option Securities shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.

 

4.                                      Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Prospectus.

 

5.                                      Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

 

(a)                                 Filing of Prospectus; Notice to Representatives; Stop Orders. Prior to the termination of the Offering, the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object. The Company will cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The

 

14


 

Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication shall have been filed with the Commission, (ii) when, prior to termination of the Offering, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 8A of the Act,  and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.

 

(b)                                 Statutory Prospectus. If, at any time prior to the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Statutory Prospectus would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Statutory Prospectus may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Statutory Prospectus to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

 

(c)                                  Amendment to Prospectus. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event; (ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and (iii) supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

 

(d)                                 Delivery of Earnings Statements. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.

 

(e)                                  Delivery of Documents. The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents s relating to the Offering.

 

(f)                                   Qualification of Securities. The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

 

15


 

(g)                                  Lock-Up. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, lend, pledge, hedge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction that is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to, any other Units, shares of Common Stock, Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company may (1) issue and sell the Private Placement Warrants, (2) issue and sell the Option Securities on exercise of the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof, (3) issue shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock in connection with a Business Combination, and (4) register with the Commission pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, the resale of the Founder Shares, the Private Placement Warrants and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise thereof.

 

(h)                                 No Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(i)                                     Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates, if any, for the Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the Offering; (v) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (vi) the printing and delivery of a preliminary blue sky memorandum, any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several U.S. States (including filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) any filings required to be made with FINRA (including filing fees and up to $20,000 for the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings); (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by the Company and its executive officers (and not the Underwriters) in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (ix) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder.

 

(j)                                    Use of Free Writing Prospectus. The Company agrees that it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433.

 

(k)                                 Maintenance of Registration. For a period of at least five (5) years from the Effective Date, or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company will use its best efforts to maintain the registration of the Units, Common Stock and Warrants under the provisions of the Exchange Act, except after giving effect to a going private transaction after the completion of an Initial Business Combination. The Company will not deregister the Units, Common Stock or Warrants under the Exchange Act (except in connection with a going private transaction after the completion of an Initial Business Combination) without the prior consent of the Representatives.

 

16


 

(l)                                     Form 8-K. The Company shall, on the date hereof, retain its independent registered public accounting firm to audit the balance sheet of the Company as of the Closing Date (the “Audited Balance Sheet”) reflecting the receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering on the Closing Date. As soon as the Audited Balance Sheet becomes available, the Company shall promptly, but not later than four Business Days after the Closing Date, file the Closing Form 8-K with the Commission, which shall contain the Company’s Audited Balance Sheet. Additionally, if not disclosed on the Closing Form 8-K, upon the Company’s receipt of the proceeds from the exercise of all or any portion of the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof, the Company shall promptly, but not later than four Business Days after the receipt of such proceeds, file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which report shall disclose the Company’s sale of the Option Securities and its receipt of the proceeds therefrom.

 

(m)                             Review of Financial Statements. For a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending at least five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Initial Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the Company is required to be liquidated or the Common Stock and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the first three fiscal quarters prior to the announcement of quarterly financial information, the filing of the Company’s Form 10-Q quarterly report and the mailing, if any, of quarterly financial information to stockholders.

 

(n)                                 Publicly Available Statements and Reports. For a period of five (5) years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time that the Company is required to be liquidated or the Common Stock and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, the Company will furnish to the Representatives such copies of financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and such additional documents and information with respect to the Company as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request. Any financial statements and reports filed on the Commission’s EDGAR website or otherwise available on the Company’s website will be considered furnished for purposes of this section.

 

(o)                                 Affiliate Transactions. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Company shall not pay the Sponsor, any of the Company’s directors or executive officers, any special advisor, or any of the Company’s or their respective affiliates any fees or compensation of any kind (including finder’s and consulting fees reimbursement, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation paid by the Company to the Sponsor, the Company’s executive officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates, except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement) for services rendered to the Company prior to, or in connection with, the consummation of the Initial Business Combination.

 

(p)                                 Net Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants received by it in a manner consistent with the applications described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(q)                                 Notice to FINRA.

 

(1)                                 For a period of 90 days following the Effective Date, in the event any person or entity (regardless of any FINRA affiliation or association) is engaged to assist the Company in its search for a merger candidate or to provide any other merger and acquisition services, or has provided or will provide any investment banking, financial, advisory and/or consulting services to the Company, the Company agrees that it shall promptly provide to FINRA (via a FINRA submission), the Representatives and its counsel a notification prior to entering into the agreement or transaction relating to a potential Business Combination: (i) the identity of the person or entity providing any such services; (ii) complete details of all such services and copies of all agreements governing such services; and (iii) justification as to why the value received by any person or entity for such services is not underwriting compensation for the Offering. The Company also agrees that proper disclosure of such arrangement or potential arrangement will be made in the tender offer materials or proxy statement, as applicable, which the Company may file in connection with the Initial Business Combination for purposes of offering redemption of shares held by its stockholders or for soliciting stockholder approval, as applicable.

 

17


 

(2)                                 The Company shall advise FINRA, the Representatives and its counsel if it is aware that any 5% or greater stockholder of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of a Member participating in the distribution of the Company’s Securities.

 

(r)                                    Investment Company. The Company shall cause the proceeds of the Offering and the sale of Private Placement Warrants to be held in the Trust Account to be invested only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, as set forth in the Trust Agreement and disclosed in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company will otherwise conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act. Furthermore, once the Company consummates the Initial Business Combination, it will be engaged in a business other than that of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading securities.

 

(s)                                   Reservation of Shares. The Company will reserve and keep available that maximum number of its authorized but unissued securities which are issuable upon the exercise of any of the Warrants and the Private Placement Warrants outstanding from time to time and the conversion of the Founder Shares.

 

(t)                                    Issuance of Shares. Prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination or the liquidation of the Trust Account, the Company shall not issue any Common Stock, Warrants or any options or other securities convertible into Common Stock, or any shares of preferred stock, in each case, which participate in any manner in the Trust Account or which vote as a class with the shares of Common Stock on an Initial Business Combination.

 

(u)                                 Independent Director Review of Expenses. Prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination or the liquidation of the Trust, the Company shall cause its Board of Directors to review and approve all payments made to the Sponsor, any of the Company’s directors or executive officers, any special advisor, or any of the Company’s or their respective affiliates, with any interested directors abstaining from such review and approval.

 

(v)                                 Rule 419. The Company agrees that it will use its best efforts to prevent the Company from becoming subject to Rule 419 under the Act prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination, including, but not limited to, using its best efforts to prevent any of the Company’s outstanding securities from being deemed to be a “penny stock” as defined in Rule 3a-51-1 under the Exchange Act during such period.

 

(w)                               Internal Controls. The Company will maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined under Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (2) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

 

(x)                                 Sarbanes-Oxley, New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual. As soon as legally required to do so, the Company and its directors and executive officers, in their capacities as such, shall take all actions necessary to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications, and to comply with the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual.

 

(y)                                 No Violation of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. The Company shall not take any action or omit to take any action that would cause the Company to be in breach or violation of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

(z)                                  Transfer and Warrant Agent. For a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending at least five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination or until such earlier time

 

18


 

at which the company is required to be liquidated or the Common Stock and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, the Company shall retain a transfer and warrant agent.

 

(aa)                          Initial Business Combination.

 

(1)                                 Trust Account Waiver Acknowledgment. The Company will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than independent accountants), prospective target businesses or other entities with which it does business enter into agreements waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account for the benefit of the Public Stockholders. If a prospective target business or vendors, service providers or third party were to refuse to enter into such a waiver, management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial than any alternative.

 

(2)                                 Initial Business Combination/Distribution Procedure. The Company may consummate the Initial Business Combination and conduct redemptions of Common Stock for cash upon consummation of such Initial Business Combination without a stockholder vote pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, including the filing of tender offer documents with the Commission. Such tender offer documents will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the Initial Business Combination and the redemption rights as is required under the Commission’s proxy rules and will provide each stockholder of the Company with the opportunity prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination to redeem the Common Stock held by such stockholder for an amount of cash equal to (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account as of two Business Days prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination representing (x) the proceeds held in the Trust Account from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and (y) any interest, divided by (B) the total number of Public Shares then outstanding. In the event the Company conducts redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Company’s offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 Business Days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and the Company will not be permitted to complete the Initial Business Combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. If, however, the Company elects not to file such tender offer documents, a stockholder vote is required by law or stock exchange listing requirement in connection with the Initial Business Combination, or the Company decides to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will submit such Initial Business Combination to the Company’s stockholders for their approval (“Business Combination Vote”). The company will give not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a Business Combination Vote shall be taken. With respect to the Business Combination Vote, the Sponsor and the Company’s initial stockholders, executive officers and directors have agreed to vote all of their Founder Shares and Public Shares in favor of the Company’s initial Business Combination. If the Company seeks stockholder approval of the Initial Business Combination, the Company will offer to each Public Stockholder holding shares of Common Stock the right to have its shares redeemed in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules of the Commission at a per share redemption price (the “Redemption Price”) equal to (I) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account as of two Business Days prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination representing (1) the proceeds held in the Trust Account from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and (2) any interest, divided by (II) the total number of Public Shares then outstanding. The Company may proceed with such Initial Business Combination only if a majority of the shares voted are voted to approve such Initial Business Combination. If, after seeking and receiving such stockholder approval, the Company elects to so proceed, it will redeem shares, at the Redemption Price, from those Public Stockholders who affirmatively requested such redemption. Only Public Stockholders holding Common Stock who properly exercise their redemption rights, in accordance with the applicable tender offer or proxy materials related to such Initial Business Combination, shall be entitled to receive distributions from the Trust Account in connection with an Initial Business Combination, and the Company shall pay no distributions with respect to any other holders or shares of capital stock of the Company in connection therewith. In the event that the Company does not effect an Initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten (10) Business Days thereafter, redeem 100% of the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the

 

19


 

Trust Account, including any interest (which shall be net of amounts withdrawn to pay taxes and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Only Public Stockholders holding Common Stock included in the Securities shall be entitled to receive such redemption amounts and the Company shall pay no such redemption amounts or any distributions in liquidation with respect to any other shares of capital stock of the Company. The Company will not propose any amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to provide for the redemption of the Public Shares in connection with an Initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if it does not complete its initial business combination within the time period set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, unless it provides its public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment, as described in the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus.

 

(3)                                 In the event that the Company desires or is required by an applicable law or regulation to cause an announcement (“Business Combination Announcement”) to be placed in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times or any other news or media publication or outlet or to be made via a public filing with the Commission announcing the consummation of the Initial Business Combination that indicates that the Underwriters were the underwriters in the Offering, the Company shall supply the Representatives with a draft of the Business Combination Announcement and provide the Representatives with a reasonable advance opportunity to comment thereon, subject to the agreement of the Underwriters to keep confidential such draft announcement in accordance with the Representatives’ standard policies regarding confidential information.

 

(bb)                          Deferred Compensation. Upon the consummation of the Initial Business Combination, the Company will cause the Trustee to pay to the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, the Deferred Discount. Payment of the Deferred Discount will be made out of the proceeds of the Offering held in the Trust Account. The Underwriters shall have no claim to payment of any interest earned on the portion of the proceeds held in the Trust Account representing the Deferred Discount. If the Company fails to consummate its Initial Business Combination within the time period prescribed in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Deferred Discount will not be paid to the Representatives and will, instead, be included in the liquidation distribution of the proceeds held in the Trust Account made to the Public Stockholders. In connection with any such liquidation distribution, the Underwriters will forfeit any rights or claims to the Deferred Discount.

 

(cc)                            The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to effect and, for a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending at least five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Initial Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the liquidation occurs or the Common Stock and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, maintain the listing of the Securities, Common Stock and Warrants on the New York Stock Exchange (or another national securities exchange).

 

(dd)                          If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any event occurs as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that use of the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Representatives in such quantities as may be reasonably requested.

 

(ee)                            The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (a) completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the Act and (b) completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 5(g) hereof.

 

20


 

(ff)                              If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the transfer restrictions set forth in any Insider Letter for an executive officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto through a major news service at least two Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

(gg)                            Upon the earlier to occur of the expiration or termination of the Underwriters’ over-allotment option, the Company shall cancel or otherwise effect the forfeiture of Founder Shares from the Sponsor, in an aggregate amount equal to the number of Founder Shares determined by multiplying (a) 750,000 by (b) a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is 3,000,000 minus the number of shares of Common Stock purchased by the Underwriters upon the exercise of their over-allotment option, and (ii) the denominator of which is 3,000,000. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, the Company shall not cancel or otherwise effect the forfeiture of the Founder Shares pursuant to this subsection.

 

(hh)                          The Company will deliver to the Representatives executed copies of the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Securities Subscription Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreement, the Administrative Services Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Insider Letter.

 

(ii)                                  In no event will the amounts payable by the Company under the Administrative Services Agreement be more than $10,000 per month in the aggregate for office space, utilities, secretarial and administrative support until the earlier of the date of the consummation of the Initial Business Combination or until the time that the Company is required to liquidate.

 

6.                                      Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities, as the case may be, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

 

(a)                                 Filing of Prospectus; No Stop Order. The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened, including, without limitation in each case pursuant to Section 8A of the Act.

 

(b)                                 Opinion of U.S. Counsel for the Company. The Company shall have requested and caused Greenberg Traurig, LLP, counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives its opinions dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives in form and substance acceptable to the Representatives.

 

(c)                                  Opinion of Counsel for the Representatives. The Representatives shall have received from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

 

(d)                                 Officer’s Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as well as each electronic road show used in connection with the Offering, and this Agreement and that:

 

21


 

(1)                                 the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

 

(2)                                 no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, including without limitation in each case pursuant to Section 8A of the Act; and

 

(3)                                 since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

 

(e)                                  Secretary’s Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate signed by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date, certifying (i) that the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect, (ii) that the resolutions relating to the Offering contemplated by this Agreement are in full force and effect and have not been modified, (iii) copies of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission, and (iv) as to the incumbency of the executive officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.

 

(f)                                   Comfort Letters. The Company shall have requested and caused Marcum to have furnished to the Representatives, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm that is independent with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder and that they have performed a review of the audited financial statements of the Company for the period February 14, 2020 (the date of inception) through February 27, 2020, provided that the cutoff date shall not be more than two Business Days prior to such Execution Time or Closing Date, as applicable, and stating in effect that:

 

(i)                                     in their opinion the audited financial statements and financial statement schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus and reported on by them comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission;

 

(ii)                                  they have performed certain other specified procedures as a result of which they determined that certain information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical information derived from the general accounting records of the Company) set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, including the information set forth under the captions “Dilution” and “Capitalization” in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, agrees with the accounting records of the Company, excluding any questions of legal interpretation; and

 

(iii)                               statements as to such other matters incident to the transaction contemplated hereby as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (f) include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.

 

(g)                                  Material Change. Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been (1) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (f) of this Section 6 or (2) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings,

 

22


 

business or properties of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (1) or (2) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(h)                                 Further Information. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

(i)                                     FINRA. FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness or reasonableness of the underwriting or other arrangements of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(j)                                    New York Stock Exchange. The Securities shall be duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the New York Stock Exchange, satisfactory evidence of which shall have been provided to the Representatives.

 

(k)                                 Delivery of Agreements. On the Effective Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives executed copies of the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Securities Subscription Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreement, the Administrative Services Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Insider Letter.

 

(l)                                     No Brokers. On the Closing Date, the Company shall have requested and caused the Sponsor and the Company’s directors and executive officers to have executed and furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, contracts, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a brokerage commission or finder’s, consulting, origination or similar fee by the Sponsor or the Company’s directors or executive officers with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings by the Sponsor or the Company’s directors or executive officers that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.

 

(m)                             Trust Account. On the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives one or more certificates signed by an authorized officer of the Trustee to the effect of certifying that $4,000,000 shall have been deposited in the Trust Account.

 

(n)                                 No stop orders. No order preventing or suspending the sale of the Units in any jurisdiction designated by the Representatives shall have been issued as of the Closing Date, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall have been threatened.

 

(o)                                 Deposit. At least one (1) Business Day prior to the Closing Date, the Sponsor shall have paid to the Company the purchase price for the Private Placement Warrants, including the deposit of the net proceeds thereof into the Trust Account.

 

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

 

The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at 601 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022, on the Closing Date.

 

7.                                      Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied,

 

23


 

because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through the Representatives on demand for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

 

8.                                      Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)                                 The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of each Underwriter, each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each affiliate of each Underwriter against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other U.S. federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any “road show” as defined in Section 433(h) of the Act or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein, it being understood and agreed that only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described in the last sentence of Section 8(b) hereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

 

(b)                                 Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its executive officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth (i) in the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of Securities and (ii) in the section entitled “Underwriting” of the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus, and the 11th and 12th paragraphs concerning the purchase and sale of Units in the open market and other stabilizing transactions by the underwriters and penalty bids, constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(c)                                  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such

 

24


 

separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(d)                                 In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively, “Losses”) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the Offering. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the Offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the Offering exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee, affiliate and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).

 

9.                                      Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions that the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate amount of Securities that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the Underwritten Securities, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any,

 

25


 

of the Securities. If within one Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Underwritten Securities the remaining Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Underwritten Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one Business Day within which to procure another party or parties reasonably satisfactory to you to purchase said Underwritten Securities. In the event that neither the remaining Underwriters nor the Company purchase or arrange for the purchase of all of the Underwritten Securities to which a default relates as provided in this Section 9, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

 

10.                               Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading in the Company’s Units, Common Stock or Warrants shall have been suspended by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange (or successor trading market) or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange (or successor trading market) shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange or trading market, (ii) the Company shall not have obtained authorization for quotation of the Common Stock, Warrants or Units on the New York Stock Exchange (or successor trading market), (iii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by U.S. federal or New York State authorities, (iv) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other national or international calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

 

11.                               Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

 

(a)                                 In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

(b)                                 In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

12.                               Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its executive officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the executive officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

 

13.                               Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, 10013, Attention: General Counsel (fax no.: (646) 291-1469), UBS Securities LLC, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate (fax: (212) 713-3371); and BTIG, LLC, 65 E 55th Street, New York, New York 10022, Attn: General Counsel, Facsimile: (415) 248-2260 and confirmed to Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 601 Lexington, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Christian O. Nagler and Peter Seligson (fax no.: (212) 446-4900); or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., 405 West 14th Street, Austin, TX 78701, Attention: R. Steven Hicks, and confirmed to Greenberg

 

26


 

Traurig, LLP, 1750 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 1000, McLean, VA 22102, Attention: Alan Annex and Jason Simon (fax no.: 703-749-1301).

 

14.                               Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the executive officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

 

15.                               No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent, financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company or any other person, (c) neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction, and (d) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the Offering and the process leading up to the Offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the Offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

 

16.                               Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

17.                               Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

 

18.                               Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any suit, action or proceeding against the Company brought by any Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of any Underwriter, or by any person who controls any Underwriter, arising out of or based upon this Agreement, and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related thereto or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in any State or U.S. federal court in the City of New York and County of New York, and waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding, and irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding.

 

19.                               Waiver of Jury Trial. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

20.                               Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

21.                               Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

22.                               Definitions. The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

 

Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

BHC Act Affiliate” shall mean “affiliate” as defined in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

 

27


 

Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.

 

Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Covered Entity” shall mean any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b), (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b) or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

 

Default Right” shall mean default right as defined and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

 

Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or becomes effective.

 

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

Execution Time” shall mean June [·], 2020, at [4]:[·] pm, New York City time.

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.

 

Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean the preliminary prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above and any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date that omits Rule 430A Information.

 

Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus relating to the Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time.

 

Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any information deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A, as amended or supplemented at the Execution Time and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be.

 

Rule 158”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 419”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430A”, “Rule 430B”, “Rule 433” and “Rule 462” refer to such rules under the Act.

 

Rule 430A Information” shall mean information with respect to the Securities and the Offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A.

 

Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” shall mean a registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the Offering covered by the registration statement referred to in Section 1(a) hereof.

 

Statutory Prospectus” shall mean the (i) Preliminary Prospectus dated June [·], 2020, relating to the Securities and (ii) the Time of Delivery Information, if any, set forth on Schedule II hereto.

 

U.S. Special Resolution Regime” shall mean each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.

 

28


 

[Signature Page follows]

 

29


 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 


 

The foregoing Agreement is hereby

confirmed and accepted as of the

date first above written.

 

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

UBS SECURITIES LLC.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

BTIG, LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 


 

For themselves and the other several Underwriters

named in Schedule I to the foregoing Agreement.

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 


 

SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriters

 

Number of
Underwritten
Securities to be
Purchased

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

 

[•]

 

UBS Securities LLC

 

[•]

 

BTIG, LLC

 

[•]

 

Total

 

20,000,000

 

 

Schedule I-1


 

SCHEDULE II

 

Time of Delivery Information

 

1.                                      The initial price to the public of the Securities: $10.00 per Unit.

 

2.                                      Number of Underwritten Securities offered: 20,000,000.

 

3.                                      The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters to purchase an aggregate of not more than 3,000,000 Option Securities.

 

4.                                      The Sponsor and the Company’s executive officers and directors have agreed to purchase additional Private Placement Warrants if and when the Underwriters exercise their over-allotment option as necessary to maintain 100% of the Offering proceeds in the Trust Account.

 

Schedule II-1


 

SCHEDULE III

 

Schedule of Written Testing-the-Waters Communications

 

Reference is made to the materials used in the testing the waters presentation made to potential investors by the Company, to the extent such materials are deemed to be a “written communication” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.

 

Schedule III-1


 

EXHIBIT A

 

[Form of Press Release]

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

[Date]

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.  (the “Company”) announced today that Citigroup Global Markets Inc., UBS Securities LLC and BTIG, LLC, joint book-running managers in the Company’s recent public sale of 20,000,000 units, each unit consisting of one share of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and one-half of one warrant, where each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to [ ] units held by [certain executive officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on                         , 20         , and the units may be sold on or after such date.

 

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Exhibit A-1




Exhibit 3.1

 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

THE UNDERSIGNED, acting as the incorporator of a corporation under and in accordance with the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended from time to time (the “DGCL”), hereby adopts the following Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate”) for such corporation:

 

ARTICLE I
NAME

 

The name of the corporation is CapStar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Corporation”).

 

ARTICLE II
REGISTERED AGENT

 

The street address of the initial registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, 19808, and the name of the Corporation’s initial registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.

 

ARTICLE III
PURPOSE

 

The purpose for which the Corporation is organized is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE IV
CAPITALIZATION

 

Section 4.1            Authorized Capital Stock.  The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Corporation is authorized to issue is 101,000,000 shares, consisting of 100,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).  The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of the respective classes of the Corporation’s capital stock or the holders thereof and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof are as follows:

 

Section 4.2            Preferred Stock.

 

(a)           The Preferred Stock may be issued in one or more series from time to time, with each such series to consist of such number of shares and to have such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such series

 


 

adopted by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) and included in a certificate of designations (a “Preferred Stock Designation”) filed pursuant to the DGCL, and the Board is hereby expressly vested with the authority, to the full extent now or hereafter provided by law, to adopt any such resolution or resolutions.

 

(b)           The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, without a vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holders of Preferred Stock is required pursuant to another provision of this Certificate, including any Preferred Stock Designation.

 

Section 4.3            Common Stock.

 

(a)           The holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders on which the holders of shares of Common Stock are entitled to vote.  Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders the Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including a Preferred Stock Designation), holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate (including any amendment to any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation).

 

(b)           Subject to the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions (payable in cash, property or capital stock of the Corporation) when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.

 

(c)           In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, and subject to the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock in respect thereof, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock held by them.

 

2


 

ARTICLE V
INCORPORATOR

 

The name and mailing address of the incorporator is as follows:

 

Name

 

Address

Brian Wheaton

 

Greenberg Traurig, LLP
200 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10166

 

ARTICLE VI
DIRECTORS

 

Section 6.1            Board Powers.  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by, or under the direction of, the Board.  In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon the Board by statute, this Certificate or the By Laws (the “By Laws”) of the Corporation, the Board is hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the DGCL, this Certificate and any By Laws adopted by the stockholders; provided, however, that no By Laws hereafter adopted by the stockholders shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such By Laws had not been adopted.

 

Section 6.2            Election.  Unless and except to the extent that the By Laws shall so require, the election of directors need not be by written ballot.

 

ARTICLE VII
BY LAWS

 

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by law, the Board shall have the power to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the By Laws.  The By Laws also may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders.

 

ARTICLE VIII
LIMITED LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 8.1            Limitation of Personal Liability.  No person who is or was a director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or any of its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted by the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended.  If the DGCL is hereafter amended to authorize corporate action further limiting or eliminating the liability of directors, then the liability of a director to the Corporation or its stockholders shall be limited or eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.  Any repeal or amendment of this Section 8.1 by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provision of this Certificate inconsistent with this Section 8.1 will, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to further limit or eliminate the liability of directors) and shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the

 

3


 

Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

 

Section 8.2            Indemnification.

 

(a)           Each person who is or was made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or, while a director or officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter a “Covered Person”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, against all expense, liability and loss (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Covered Person in connection with such proceeding, and such right to indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify a Covered Person in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Covered Person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.  The right to indemnification conferred by this Section 8.2 shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition.

 

(b)           The rights conferred on any Covered Person by this Section 8.2 shall not be exclusive of any other rights which any Covered Person may have or hereafter acquire under law, this Certificate, the By Laws, an agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

 

(c)           Any repeal or amendment of this Section 8.2 by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provision of this Certificate inconsistent with this Section 8.2, will, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and will not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

 

(d)           This Section 8.2 shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than Covered Persons.

 

4


 

ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Certificate and the DGCL; and except as set forth in ARTICLE VIII, all rights, preferences and privileges herein conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons by and pursuant to this Certificate in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

5


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the incorporator of the Corporation hereto has caused this Certificate of Incorporation to be duly executed as of February 14, 2020.

 

 

By:

/s/ Brian Wheaton

 

 

Name:

Brian Wheaton

 

 

Title:

Incorporator

 

6




Exhibit 3.2

 

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

OF THE

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

February 26, 2020

 

The corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware does hereby certify:

 

FIRST: That by unanimous written consent in lieu of a meeting of the board of directors of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Corporation”), pursuant to Section 141(f) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), the following amendment to the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with Section 241 of the DGCL by a majority of the directors who have been elected and qualified.

 

The resolutions setting forth the proposed amendment is as follows:

 

RESOLVED, that the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation be amended by changing Article IV thereof so that, as amended, said Article shall be and read as follows:

 

ARTICLE IV
CAPITALIZATION

 

Section 4.1            Authorized Capital Stock.  The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Corporation is authorized to issue is 111,000,000 shares, consisting of (a) 110,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), including (i) 100,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Class A Common Stock”) and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock (the “Class B Common Stock”), and (b) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).  The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of the respective classes of the Corporation’s capital stock or the holders thereof and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof are as follows:

 

Section 4.2            Preferred Stock.

 

(a)   The Preferred Stock may be issued in one or more series from time to time, with each such series to consist of such number of shares and to have such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such series adopted by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) and included in a certificate of designations (a “Preferred Stock Designation”) filed pursuant to the DGCL, and the Board is hereby expressly vested with the authority, to the full extent now or hereafter provided by law, to adopt any such resolution or resolutions.

 

(b)   The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, without a vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holders of Preferred Stock is required pursuant to another provision of this Certificate, including any Preferred Stock Designation.

 


 

Section 4.3            Common Stock.

 

(a)   Voting.

 

(i)    Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of the Common Stock shall exclusively possess all voting power with respect to the Corporation.

 

(ii)   Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders on which the holders of the Common Stock are entitled to vote.

 

(iii)  Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, holders of the Class A Common Stock and holders of the Class B Common Stock, voting together as a single class, shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), holders of shares of any series of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate (including any amendment to any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock or other series of Common Stock if the holders of such affected series of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, as applicable, are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL.

 

(b)   Class B Common Stock.

 

(i)    Shares of Class B Common Stock shall be convertible into shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis (the “Initial Conversion Ratio”) (A) at any time and from time to time at the option of the holder thereof and (B) automatically on the business day following the closing of the Business Combination (as defined below).

 

(ii)   Notwithstanding the Initial Conversion Ratio, in the case that additional shares of Class A Common Stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts sold in the Corporation’s initial public offering of securities and related to the closing of the initial Business Combination, all issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock shall automatically convert into shares of Class A Common Stock at the time of the closing of the Corporation’s initial merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”) at a ratio for which:

 

·                  the numerator shall be equal to the sum of (A) 25% of all shares of Class A Common Stock issued or issuable (upon the conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or otherwise) by the Corporation, related to or in connection with the consummation of the initial Business Combination (excluding any securities issued or issuable to any seller in the initial Business Combination) plus (B) the number of shares of Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding prior to the closing of the initial Business Combination; and

 

·                  the denominator shall be the number of shares of Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding prior to the closing of the initial Business Combination.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) the foregoing adjustment to the Initial Conversion Ratio may be waived as to any particular issuance or deemed issuance of additional shares of Class A Common Stock or equity-linked securities by the written consent or agreement of holders of a majority of the shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding consenting or agreeing separately as

 

2


 

a single class in the manner provided in Section 4.3(b)(iii), and (ii) in no event shall the Class B Common Stock convert into Class A Common Stock at a ratio that is less than one-for-one.

 

The foregoing conversion ratio shall also be adjusted to account for any subdivision (by stock split, subdivision, exchange, stock dividend, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock split, exchange, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) or similar reclassification or recapitalization of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares occurring after the original filing of this Certificate without a proportionate and corresponding subdivision, combination or similar reclassification or recapitalization of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock.

 

Each share of Class B Common Stock shall convert into its pro rata number of shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to this Section 4.3(b). The pro rata share for each holder of Class B Common Stock will be determined as follows: Each share of Class B Common Stock shall convert into such number of shares of Class A Common Stock as is equal to the product of one (1) multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Class A Common Stock into which all of the issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock shall be converted pursuant to this Section 4.3(b) and the denominator of which shall be the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock at the time of conversion.

 

(iii)  Voting. Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), for so long as any shares of Class B Common Stock shall remain outstanding, the Corporation shall not, without the prior vote or written consent of the holders of a majority of the shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding, voting separately as a single class, amend, alter or repeal any provision of this Certificate, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, if such amendment, alteration or repeal would alter or change the powers, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other or special rights of the Class B Common Stock. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the holders of Class B Common Stock may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of the outstanding Class B Common Stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of Class B Common Stock were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which minutes of proceedings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. Prompt written notice of the taking of corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent of the holders of Class B Common Stock shall, to the extent required by law, be given to those holders of Class B Common Stock who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for notice of such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders of Class B Common Stock to take the action were delivered to the Corporation.

 

(c)   Dividends. Subject to applicable law, the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions (payable in cash, property or capital stock of the Corporation) when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.

 

(d)   Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up of the Corporation. Subject to applicable law, the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Class A Common Stock (on an as converted basis with respect to the Class B Common Stock) held by them.

 

3


 

Section 4.4            Rights and Options. The Corporation has the authority to create and issue rights, warrants and options entitling the holders thereof to acquire from the Corporation any shares of its capital stock of any class or classes, with such rights, warrants and options to be evidenced by or in instrument(s) approved by the Board. The Board is empowered to set the exercise price, duration, times for exercise and other terms and conditions of such rights, warrants or options; provided, however, that the consideration to be received for any shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise thereof may not be less than the par value thereof.

 

SECOND: The Corporation has not received any payment for any of its stock.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

4


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this certificate to be duly executed as of the date first set forth above.

 

 

By:

/s/ Benjamin M. Hanson

 

 

Name:

Benjamin M. Hanson

 

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer

 

5




Exhibit 3.3

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

          , 2020

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY AS FOLLOWS:

 

1.  The name of the Corporation is “Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.”.  The original certificate of incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February 14, 2020 (as subsequently amended prior to the date hereof, the “Original Certificate”).

 

2.  This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate”), which both restates and further amends the provisions of the Original Certificate, was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time (the “DGCL”), and by written consent of the Corporation’s stockholders in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.

 

3.  This Amended and Restated Certificate shall become effective on the date of filing with the Secretary of State of Delaware.

 

4.  The text of the Original Certificate is hereby restated and amended in its entirety to read as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
NAME

 

The name of the corporation is Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Corporation”).

 

ARTICLE II
PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.  In addition to the powers and privileges conferred upon the Corporation by law and those incidental thereto, the Corporation shall possess and may exercise all the powers and privileges that are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business or purposes of the Corporation, including, but not limited to, effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Corporation and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”).

 

ARTICLE III
REGISTERED AGENT

 

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19808.  The name of its registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.

 

ARTICLE IV
CAPITALIZATION

 

Section 4.1 Authorized Capital Stock.  The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock, each with a par value of $0.0001 per share, which the Corporation is authorized to issue is 111,000,000 shares, consisting of (a) 110,000,000 shares of common stock (the “Common Stock”), including (i) 100,000,000 shares of Class A

 


 

Common Stock (the “Class A Common Stock”) and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock (the “Class B Common Stock”), and (b) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock (the “Preferred Stock”).

 

Section 4.2 Preferred Stock.  Subject to Article IX of this Amended and Restated Certificate, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) is hereby expressly authorized to provide out of the unissued shares of the Preferred Stock for one or more series of Preferred Stock and to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series and to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional, special and other rights, if any, of each such series and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as shall be stated in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board providing for the issuance of such series and included in a certificate of designation (a “Preferred Stock Designation”) filed pursuant to the DGCL, and the Board is hereby expressly vested with the authority to the full extent provided by law, now or hereafter, to adopt any such resolution or resolutions.

 

Section 4.3 Common Stock.

 

(a) Voting.

 

(i) Except as otherwise required by law or this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of the Common Stock shall exclusively possess all voting power with respect to the Corporation.

 

(ii) Except as otherwise required by law or this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders on which the holders of the Common Stock are entitled to vote.

 

(iii) Except as otherwise required by law or this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, holders of the Class A Common Stock and holders of the Class B Common Stock, voting together as a single class, shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise required by law or this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), holders of shares of any series of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any amendment to any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock or other series of Common Stock if the holders of such affected series of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, as applicable, are entitled exclusively, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL.

 

(b) Class B Common Stock.

 

(i) Shares of Class B Common Stock shall be convertible into shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis (the “Initial Conversion Ratio”) (A) at any time and from time to time at the option of the holder thereof and (B) automatically upon the closing of the Business Combination.

 

(ii) Notwithstanding the Initial Conversion Ratio, in the case that additional shares of Class A Common Stock, or equity-linked securities (as defined below), are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts sold in the Corporation’s initial public offering of securities (the “Offering”) and related to the closing of the initial Business Combination, all issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock shall automatically convert into shares of Class A Common Stock at the time of the closing of the initial Business Combination at a ratio for which:

 

2


 

·                  the numerator shall be equal to the sum of (A) 25% of all shares of Class A Common Stock issued or issuable (upon the conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or otherwise) by the Corporation, related to or in connection with the consummation of the initial Business Combination (excluding any securities issued or issuable to any seller in the initial Business Combination and any private placement warrants issued to Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC (the “Sponsor”) or its affiliates upon conversion of loans to the Corporation) plus (B) the number of shares of Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding prior to the closing of the initial Business Combination; and

 

·                  the denominator shall be the number of shares of Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding prior to the closing of the initial Business Combination.

 

As used herein, the term “equity-linked securities” means any securities of the Corporation which are convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) the foregoing adjustment to the Initial Conversion Ratio may be waived as to any particular issuance or deemed issuance of additional shares of Class A Common Stock or equity-linked securities by the written consent or agreement of holders of a majority of the shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding consenting or agreeing separately as a single class in the manner provided in Section 4.3(b)(iii), and (ii) in no event shall the Class B Common Stock convert into Class A Common Stock at a ratio that is less than one-for-one.

 

The foregoing conversion ratio shall also be adjusted to account for any subdivision (by stock split, subdivision, exchange, stock dividend, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock split, exchange, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) or similar reclassification or recapitalization of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares occurring after the original filing of this Amended and Restated Certificate without a proportionate and corresponding subdivision, combination or similar reclassification or recapitalization of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock.

 

Each share of Class B Common Stock shall convert into its pro rata number of shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to this Section 4.3(b).  The pro rata share for each holder of Class B Common Stock will be determined as follows:  Each share of Class B Common Stock shall convert into such number of shares of Class A Common Stock as is equal to the product of one (1) multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Class A Common Stock into which all of the issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock shall be converted pursuant to this Section 4.3(b) and the denominator of which shall be the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock at the time of conversion.

 

(iii) Voting.  Except as otherwise required by law or this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), for so long as any shares of Class B Common Stock shall remain outstanding, the Corporation shall not, without the prior vote or written consent of the holders of a majority of the shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding, voting separately as a single class, amend, alter or repeal any provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, if such amendment, alteration or repeal would alter or change the powers, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other or special rights of the Class B Common Stock.  Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the holders of Class B Common Stock may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of the outstanding Class B Common Stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of Class B Common Stock were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which minutes of proceedings of stockholders are recorded.  Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  Prompt written notice of the taking of corporate action without a

 

3


 

meeting by less than unanimous written consent of the holders of Class B Common Stock shall, to the extent required by law, be given to those holders of Class B Common Stock who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for notice of such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders of Class B Common Stock to take the action were delivered to the Corporation.

 

(c) Dividends.  Subject to applicable law, the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock and the provisions of Article IX hereof, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions (payable in cash, property or capital stock of the Corporation) when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.

 

(d) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up of the Corporation.  Subject to applicable law, the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock and the provisions of Article IX hereof, in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Class A Common Stock (on an as converted basis with respect to the Class B Common Stock) held by them.

 

Section 4.4 Rights and Options.  The Corporation has the authority to create and issue rights, warrants and options entitling the holders thereof to acquire from the Corporation any shares of its capital stock of any class or classes, with such rights, warrants and options to be evidenced by or in instrument(s) approved by the Board.  The Board is empowered to set the exercise price, duration, times for exercise and other terms and conditions of such rights, warrants or options; provided, however, that the consideration to be received for any shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise thereof may not be less than the par value thereof.

 

ARTICLE V
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 5.1 Board Powers.  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by, or under the direction of, the Board.  In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon the Board by statute, this Amended and Restated Certificate or the Bylaws of the Corporation then in effect (the “Bylaws”), the Board is hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the DGCL, this Amended and Restated Certificate, and any Bylaws adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation; provided, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.

 

Section 5.2 Number, Election and Term.

 

(a) The number of directors of the Corporation, other than those who may be elected by the holders of one or more series of the Preferred Stock voting separately by class or series, shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board.

 

(b) Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, the Board shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible and designated Class I, Class II and Class III.  The term of the initial Class I Directors shall expire at the first annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Amended and Restated Certificate; the term of the initial Class II Directors shall expire at the second annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Amended and Restated Certificate; and the term of the initial Class III Directors shall expire at the third annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Amended and Restated Certificate.  At each succeeding annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, beginning with the first annual

 

4


 

meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Amended and Restated Certificate, each of the successors elected to the class of directors whose term expires at that annual meeting shall be elected for a three-year term or until the election and qualification of their respective successors in office, subject to their earlier death, resignation or removal.  Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, if the number of directors that constitutes the Board is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned by the Board among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, but in no case shall a decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board shorten the term of any incumbent director.  Subject to any contractual rights of stockholders, in accordance with the DGCL, or the rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, voting separately by class or series, to elect directors pursuant to the terms of one or more series of Preferred Stock, the election of directors shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon.  The Board is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions thereof, to assign members of the Board already in office to the aforesaid classes at the time this Amended and Restated Certificate (and therefore such classification) becomes effective in accordance with the DGCL.

 

(c) Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, a director shall hold office until the annual meeting for the year in which his or her term expires and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.

 

(d) Unless and except to the extent that the Bylaws shall so require, the election of directors need not be by written ballot.

 

Section 5.3 Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies.  Subject to Section 5.5 hereof and the contractual rights of any stockholder, in accordance with the DGCL, newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on the Board resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal or other cause may be filled solely and exclusively by a majority vote of the remaining directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by stockholders), and any director so chosen shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors to which the new directorship was added or in which the vacancy occurred and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.

 

Section 5.4 Removal.  Subject to Section 5.5 hereof and the contractual rights of any stockholder, in accordance with the DGCL, any or all of the directors may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

 

Section 5.5 Preferred Stock - Directors.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article V, and except as otherwise required by law, whenever the holders of one or more series of the Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect one or more directors, the term of office, the filling of vacancies, the removal from office and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of such series of the Preferred Stock as set forth in this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) and such directors shall not be included in any of the classes created pursuant to this Article V unless expressly provided by such terms.

 

ARTICLE VI
BYLAWS

 

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by law, the Board shall have the power and is expressly authorized to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws.  The affirmative vote of a majority of the Board shall be required to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws.  The Bylaws also may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders; provided, however, that in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws;

 

5


 

and provided further, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.

 

ARTICLE VII
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS; ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT

 

Section 7.1 Special Meetings.  Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, or the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board, and the ability of the stockholders of the Corporation to call a special meeting is hereby specifically denied.  Except as provided in the foregoing sentence, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may not be called by another person or persons.

 

Section 7.2 Advance Notice.  Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

 

Section 7.3 Action by Written Consent.  Except as may be otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) relating to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, subsequent to the consummation of the Offering, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected by a duly called annual or special meeting of such stockholders and may not be effected by written consent of the stockholders other than with respect to our Class B Common Stock with respect to which action may be taken by written consent.

 

ARTICLE VIII
LIMITED LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 8.1 Limitation of Director Liability.  A director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended unless they violated their duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized unlawful payments of dividends, unlawful stock purchases or unlawful redemptions, or derived improper personal benefit from their actions as directors.  Any amendment, modification or repeal of the foregoing sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment, modification or repeal.

 

Section 8.2 Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses.

 

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who is or was made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with such proceeding.  The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an indemnitee in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, to the extent required by applicable law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of the indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately

 

6


 

be determined that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section 8.2 or otherwise.  The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Section 8.2 shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.2(a), except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to an indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.

 

(b) The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred on any indemnitee by this Section 8.2 shall not be exclusive of any other rights that any indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under law, this Amended and Restated Certificate, the Bylaws, an agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

 

(c) Any repeal or amendment of this Section 8.2 by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate inconsistent with this Section 8.2, shall, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision in respect of any proceeding (regardless of when such proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

 

(d) This Section 8.2 shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than indemnitees.

 

ARTICLE IX
BUSINESS COMBINATION REQUIREMENTS; EXISTENCE

 

Section 9.1 General.

 

(a) The provisions of this Article IX shall apply during the period commencing upon the effectiveness of this Amended and Restated Certificate and terminating upon the consummation of the Corporation’s initial Business Combination and no amendment to this Article IX shall be effective prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination unless approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-five percent (65%) of all then outstanding shares of the Common Stock.

 

(b) Immediately after the Offering, a certain amount of the net offering proceeds received by the Corporation in the Offering (including the proceeds of any exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) and certain other amounts specified in the Corporation’s registration statement on Form S-1, as initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 11, 2020, as amended (the “Registration Statement”), shall be deposited in a trust account (the “Trust Account”), established for the benefit of the Public Stockholders (as defined below) pursuant to a trust agreement described in the Registration Statement.  Except for the withdrawal of interest to pay franchise and income taxes, none of the funds held in the Trust Account (including the interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account) will be released from the Trust Account until the earliest to occur of (i) the completion of the initial Business Combination, (ii) the redemption of 100% of the Offering Shares (as defined below) if the Corporation does not complete its initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Offering and (iii) the redemption of Offering Shares in connection with a vote seeking to amend any provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity (as described in Section 9.7).  Holders of shares of the Common Stock included as part of the units sold in the Offering (the “Offering Shares”) (whether such Offering Shares were purchased in the Offering or in the secondary market following the Offering and whether or not such holders are the Sponsor or officers or directors of the Corporation, or any affiliates of any of the foregoing) are referred to herein as “Public Stockholders.”

 

7


 

Section 9.2 Redemption Rights.

 

(a) Prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, the Corporation shall provide all holders of Offering Shares with the opportunity to have their Offering Shares redeemed upon the consummation of the initial Business Combination pursuant to, and subject to the limitations of, Sections 9.2(b) and 9.2(c) (such rights of such holders to have their Offering Shares redeemed pursuant to such Sections, the “Redemption Rights”) hereof for cash equal to the applicable redemption price per share determined in accordance with Section 9.2(b) hereof (the “Redemption Price”); provided, however, that the Corporation shall not redeem Offering Shares to the extent that such redemption would result in the Corporation’s failure to have net tangible assets (as determined in accordance with Rule 3a51-1(g)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (or any successor rule)) of at least $5,000,001 or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to the initial Business Combination upon consummation of the initial Business Combination (such limitation hereinafter called the “Redemption Limitation”).  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate, there shall be no Redemption Rights or liquidating distributions with respect to any warrant issued pursuant to the Offering.

 

(b) If the Corporation offers to redeem the Offering Shares other than in conjunction with a stockholder vote on an initial Business Combination with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act (or any successor rules or regulations) and filing proxy materials with the SEC, the Corporation shall offer to redeem the Offering Shares upon the consummation of the initial Business Combination, subject to lawfully available funds therefor, in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.2(a) hereof, pursuant to a tender offer in accordance with Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act (or any successor rule or regulation) (such rules and regulations hereinafter called the “Tender Offer Rules”) which it shall commence prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination and shall file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination that contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial Business Combination and the Redemption Rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act (or any successor rule or regulation) (such rules and regulations hereinafter called the “Proxy Solicitation Rules”), even if such information is not required under the Tender Offer Rules; provided, however, that if a stockholder vote is required by law to approve the proposed initial Business Combination, or the Corporation decides to submit the proposed initial Business Combination to the stockholders for their approval for business or other legal reasons, the Corporation shall offer to redeem the Offering Shares, subject to lawfully available funds therefor, in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.2(a) hereof, in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the Proxy Solicitation Rules (and not the Tender Offer Rules) at a price per share equal to the Redemption Price calculated in accordance with the following provisions of this Section 9.2(b).  In the event that the Corporation offers to redeem the Offering Shares pursuant to a tender offer in accordance with the Tender Offer Rules, the Redemption Price per share of the Common Stock payable to holders of the Offering Shares tendering their Offering Shares pursuant to such tender offer shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing:  (i) the aggregate amount on deposit in the Trust Account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, including interest not previously released to the Corporation to pay its franchise and income taxes, by (ii) the total number of then outstanding Offering Shares.  If the Corporation offers to redeem the Offering Shares in conjunction with a stockholder vote on the proposed initial Business Combination pursuant to a proxy solicitation, the Redemption Price per share of the Common Stock payable to holders of the Offering Shares exercising their Redemption Rights shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the aggregate amount on deposit in the Trust Account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, including interest not previously released to the Corporation to pay its franchise and income taxes, by (b) the total number of then outstanding Offering Shares.

 

(c) If the Corporation offers to redeem the Offering Shares in conjunction with a stockholder vote on an initial Business Combination pursuant to a proxy solicitation, a Public Stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), shall be restricted from seeking

 

8


 

Redemption Rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the Offering Shares without the prior consent of the Corporation.

 

(d) In the event that the Corporation has not consummated an initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Offering, the Corporation shall (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the Offering Shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest not previously released to the Corporation to pay its franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of such net interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding Offering Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of the Public Stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Corporation’s obligations under the DGCL to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.

 

(e) If the Corporation offers to redeem the Offering Shares in conjunction with a stockholder vote on an initial Business Combination, the Corporation shall consummate the proposed initial Business Combination only if (i) such initial Business Combination is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the Common Stock that are voted at a stockholder meeting held to consider such initial Business Combination and (ii) the Redemption Limitation is not exceeded.

 

(f) If the Corporation conducts a tender offer pursuant to Section 9.2(b), the Corporation shall consummate the proposed initial Business Combination only if the Redemption Limitation is not exceeded.

 

Section 9.3 Distributions from the Trust Account.

 

(a) A Public Stockholder shall be entitled to receive funds from the Trust Account only as provided in Sections 9.2(a), 9.2(b), 9.2(d) or 9.7 hereof.  In no other circumstances shall a Public Stockholder have any right or interest of any kind in or to distributions from the Trust Account, and no stockholder other than a Public Stockholder shall have any interest in or to the Trust Account.

 

(b) Each Public Stockholder that does not exercise its Redemption Rights shall retain its interest in the Corporation and shall be deemed to have given its consent to the release of the remaining funds in the Trust Account to the Corporation, and following payment to any Public Stockholders exercising their Redemption Rights, the remaining funds in the Trust Account shall be released to the Corporation.

 

(c) The exercise by a Public Stockholder of the Redemption Rights shall be conditioned on such Public Stockholder following the specific procedures for redemptions set forth by the Corporation in any applicable tender offer or proxy materials sent to the Public Stockholders relating to the proposed initial Business Combination, including the requirement that any Public Stockholder holder that holds Offering Shares beneficially through a nominee must identify itself to the Corporation in connection with any redemption election in order to validly redeem such Offering Shares.  Holders of Offering Shares seeking to exercise their Redemption Rights may be required to either tender their certificates (if any) to the Corporation’s transfer agent or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, in each case up to two business days prior to the originally scheduled vote on the proposal to approve a Business Combination.  Payment of the amounts necessary to satisfy the Redemption Rights properly exercised shall be made as promptly as practical after the consummation of the initial Business Combination.

 

Section 9.4 Share Issuances.  Prior to the consummation of the Corporation’s initial Business Combination, the Corporation shall not issue any additional shares of capital stock of the Corporation that would entitle the holders thereof to receive funds from the Trust Account or vote on any initial Business Combination, on any pre-Business Combination activity or on any amendment to this Article IX.

 

9


 

Section 9.5 Transactions with Affiliates.  In the event the Corporation enters into an initial Business Combination with a target business that is affiliated with the Sponsor, or the directors or officers of the Corporation, the Corporation, or a committee of the independent directors of the Corporation, shall obtain an opinion from an independent accounting firm or an independent investment banking firm that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority that such Business Combination is fair to the Corporation from a financial point of view.

 

 

Section 9.6 No Transactions with Other Blank Check Companies.  The Corporation shall not enter into an initial Business Combination with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.

 

Section 9.7 Additional Redemption Rights.  If, in accordance with Section 9.1(a), any amendment is made to Section 9.2(d) to modify the substance or timing of the Corporation’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Corporation has not consummated an initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Offering or with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, the Public Stockholders shall be provided with the opportunity to redeem their Offering Shares upon the approval of any such amendment, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest not previously released to the Corporation to pay its franchise and income taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding Offering Shares; provided, however, that any such amendment will be voided, and this Article IX will remain unchanged, if any stockholders who wish to redeem are unable to redeem due to the Redemption Limitation.

 

Section 9.8 Appointment and Removal of Directors.  Notwithstanding any other provision in this Amended and Restated Certificate, prior to the closing of the initial Business Combination, the holders of Class B Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to elect, remove and replace any director, and the holders of Class A Common Stock shall have no right to vote on the election, removal or replacement of any director.  This Section 9.8 may only be amended by a resolution passed by holders of a majority of the shares of outstanding Class B Common Stock.

 

Section 9.9 Minimum Value of Target.  The Corporation’s initial Business Combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (excluding the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination.

 

ARTICLE X
CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY

 

To the extent allowed by law, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any other analogous doctrine, shall not apply with respect to the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, in circumstances where the application of any such doctrine would conflict with any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations they may have as of the date of this Amended and Restated Certificate or in the future, and the Corporation renounces any expectancy that any of the directors or officers of the Corporation will offer any such corporate opportunity of which he or she may become aware to the Corporation, except, the doctrine of corporate opportunity shall apply with respect to any of the directors or officers of the Corporation only with respect to a corporate opportunity that was offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation and (i) such opportunity is one the Corporation is legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for the Corporation to pursue and (ii) the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to the Corporation without violating any legal obligation.

 

ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENT OF AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

The Corporation reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), and other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force that may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Amended and Restated Certificate and the DGCL; and, except as set forth in Article VIII, all rights, preferences and privileges of whatever nature herein conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons by and pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate in its present form or as

 

10


 

hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article XI; provided, however, that Article IX of this Amended and Restated Certificate may be amended only as provided therein.

 

ARTICLE XII
EXCLUSIVE FORUM FOR CERTAIN LAWSUITS

 

Section 12.1 Forum.  Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Amended and Restated Certificate or the Bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine, except for, as to each of (i) through (iv) above, any claim as to which the Court of Chancery determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, or for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction.  This exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.  Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder and Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.  As a result, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act, the Securities Act, or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.

 

Section 12.2 Consent to Jurisdiction.  If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of Section 12.1 is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce Section 12.1 (an “FSC Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such FSC Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

 

Section 12.3 Severability.  If any provision or provisions of this Article XII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article XII (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Article XII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.  Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XII.

 

ARTICLE XIII
APPLICATION OF DGCL SECTION 203

 

Section 13.1 Section 203 of the DGCL.  The Corporation hereby expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.

 

Section 13.2 Limitation on Business Combinations.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall not engage in any business combination (as defined below), at any point in time at which the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act with any interested stockholder (as defined below) for a period of three (3) years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

11


 

(a) prior to such time, the Board approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; or

 

(b) upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned by (i) persons who are directors and also officers of the Corporation and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

(c) at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by the Board and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

 

Section 13.3 Certain Definitions.  Solely for purposes of this Article XIII, references to:

 

(a) “affiliate” means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another person.

 

(b) “associate,” when used to indicate a relationship with any person, means:  (i) any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity of which such person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of any class of voting stock; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such person has at least a twenty percent (20%) beneficial interest or as to which such person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (iii) any relative or spouse of such person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same residence as such person.

 

(c) “business combination,” when used in reference to the Corporation and any interested stockholder of the Corporation, means:

 

(i) any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (a) with the interested stockholder, or (b) with any other corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the interested stockholder and as a result of such merger or consolidation Section 13.2 is not applicable to the surviving entity;

 

(ii) any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions), except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation, to or with the interested stockholder, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which assets have an aggregate market value equal to ten percent (10%) or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding stock of the Corporation;

 

(iii) any transaction which results in the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or by any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation of any stock of the Corporation or of such subsidiary to the interested stockholder, except:  (a) pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which securities were outstanding prior to the time that the interested stockholder became such; (b) pursuant to a merger under Section 251(g) of the DGCL; (c) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made, or the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which security is distributed, pro rata to all stockholders of a class or series of stock of the Corporation subsequent to the time the interested stockholder became such; (d) pursuant to an exchange offer by the Corporation to purchase stock made on the same terms to

 

12


 

all stockholders of said stock; or (e) any issuance or transfer of stock by the Corporation; provided, however, that in no case under items (c)-(e) of this subsection (iii) shall there be an increase in the interested stockholder’s proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the Corporation or of the voting stock of the Corporation (except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments); or

 

(iv) any transaction involving the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into the stock of any class or series, of the Corporation or of any such subsidiary which is owned by the interested stockholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments or as a result of any purchase or redemption of any shares of stock not caused, directly or indirectly, by the interested stockholder.

 

(d) “control,” including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting stock, by contract, or otherwise.  A person who is the owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity shall be presumed to have control of such entity, in the absence of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a presumption of control shall not apply where such person holds voting stock, in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this Article XIII, as an agent, bank, broker, nominee, custodian or trustee for one or more owners who do not individually or as a group have control of such entity.

 

(e) “Exempted Person” means Capstar Partners, LLC, the Sponsor, their respective members and affiliates, any of their respective direct or indirect transferees of at least 15% of the Corporation’s outstanding common stock and any “group” of which any such person is a part under Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act.

 

(f) “interested stockholder” means any person (other than the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that (i) is the owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the voting stock of the Corporation, or (ii) is an affiliate or associate of the Corporation and was the owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the voting stock of the Corporation at any time within the three (3) year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such person is an interested stockholder; and the affiliates and associates of such person; but “interested stockholder” shall not include (a) any Exempted Person, or (b) any person whose ownership of shares in excess of the fifteen percent (15%) limitation set forth herein is the result of any action taken solely by the Corporation; provided that with respect to clause (b) such person shall be an interested stockholder if thereafter such person acquires additional shares of voting stock of the Corporation, except as a result of further corporate action not caused, directly or indirectly, by such person.  For the purpose of determining whether a person is an interested stockholder, the voting stock of the Corporation deemed to be outstanding shall include stock deemed to be owned by the person through application of the definition of “owner” below but shall not include any other unissued stock of the Corporation which may be issuable pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise.

 

(g) “owner,” including the terms “own” and “owned,” when used with respect to any stock, means a person that individually or with or through any of its affiliates or associates:

 

(1) beneficially owns such stock, directly or indirectly; or

 

(2) has (a) the right to acquire such stock (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of

 

13


 

stock tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such person or any of such person’s affiliates or associates until such tendered stock is accepted for purchase or exchange; or (b) the right to vote such stock pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of any stock because of such person’s right to vote such stock if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such stock arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to ten (10) or more persons; or

 

(3) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in item (b) of subsection (2) above), or disposing of such stock with any other person that beneficially owns, or whose affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such stock.

 

(h) “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity.

 

(i) “stock” means, with respect to any corporation, capital stock and, with respect to any other entity, any equity interest.

 

(j) “voting stock” means stock of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

 

14


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate to be duly executed and acknowledged in its name and on its behalf by an authorized officer as of the date first set forth above.

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

R. Steven Hicks

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]

 




Exhibit 3.4

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

Incorporated under the laws

 

of the State of Delaware

 

BY-LAWS

 

Dated as of February 14, 2020

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

Page

ARTICLE I OFFICES

1

 

 

 

1.1.

Registered Office

1

1.2.

Other Offices

1

1.3.

General

1

 

 

 

ARTICLE II MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS; STOCKHOLDERS’ CONSENT IN LIEU OF MEETING

1

 

 

 

2.1.

Annual Meetings

1

2.2.

Special Meetings

1

2.3.

Notice of Meetings

2

2.4.

Remote Communication

2

2.5.

Quorum

3

2.6.

Organization

3

2.7.

Order of Business

4

2.8.

Voting

4

2.9.

Inspection

4

2.10.

List of Stockholders

5

2.11.

Stockholders’ Consent in Lieu of Meeting

5

 

 

 

ARTICLE III BOARD OF DIRECTORS

6

 

 

 

3.1.

General Powers

6

3.2.

Number and Term of Office

6

3.3.

Election of Directors

6

3.4.

Resignation, Removal and Vacancies

6

3.5.

Meetings

7

3.6.

Directors’ Consent in Lieu of Meeting

8

3.7.

Action by Means of Conference Telephone or Similar Communications Equipment

8

3.8.

Compensation of Directors

8

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV OFFICERS

8

 

 

 

4.1.

Executive Officers

8

4.2.

Authority and Duties

9

4.3.

Other Officers

9

4.4.

Salaries of Officers

9

4.5.

Term of Office, Resignation and Removal

9

4.6.

Vacancies

9

4.7.

The Chairman

10

4.8.

The President

10

 

i


 

4.9.

The Treasurer or Chief Financial Officer

10

4.10.

The Secretary

10

 

 

 

ARTICLE V CHECKS, DRAFTS, BANK ACCOUNTS, ETC.

11

 

 

 

5.1.

Deposits

11

5.2.

Proxies with Respect to Stock or Other Securities of Other Corporations

11

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI SHARES AND THEIR TRANSFER; FIXING RECORD DATE

11

 

 

 

6.1.

Certificates for Shares

11

6.2.

Record

11

6.3.

Transfer of Stock

12

6.4.

Lost, Destroyed and Mutilated Certificates

12

6.5.

Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record

12

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII SEAL

13

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII FISCAL YEAR

13

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE

13

 

 

 

9.1.

Right to Indemnification of Directors and Officers

13

9.2.

Prepayment of Expenses of Directors and Officers

13

9.3.

Claims by Directors and Officers

14

9.4.

Indemnification of Employees and Agents

14

9.5.

Advancement of Expenses of Employees and Agents

14

9.6.

Non-Exclusivity of Rights

14

9.7.

Other Indemnification

14

9.8.

Insurance

15

9.9.

Amendment or Repeal

15

 

 

 

ARTICLE X AMENDMENT

15

 

ii


 

BYLAWS

 

OF

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

(a Delaware corporation)

 

ARTICLE I
OFFICES

 

1.1.         Registered Office.

 

The registered office of CapStar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware shall be at 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, 19808. The name of the registered agent at such location is Corporation Service Company.

 

1.2.         Other Offices.

 

The Corporation may also have an office or offices at any other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware.

 

1.3.         General.

 

Whenever the masculine or feminine gender is used in these Bylaws (the “Bylaws”), it shall equally, where the context permits, include the other, as well as include entities.

 

ARTICLE II
MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS; STOCKHOLDERS’
CONSENT IN LIEU OF MEETING

 

2.1.         Annual Meetings.

 

The annual meeting of the stockholders for the election of directors, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, if any, by such means of remote communication, if any, and at such date and hour as shall be fixed by the board of directors (the “Board”) and designated in the notice thereof, except that no annual meeting need be held if all actions, including the election of directors, required by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) to be taken at a stockholders’ annual meeting are taken by unanimous written consent of the stockholders in lieu of a meeting pursuant to Section 2.11 of this Article II.

 

2.2.         Special Meetings.

 

A special meeting of the stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called by the Board, the Chairman or the President, and not by any other person or persons, to be held at such

 


 

place, if any, by such means of remote communication, if any, and at such date and hour as shall be designated in the notice thereof.

 

2.3.         Notice of Meetings.

 

(a)           Except as otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “Certificate”) or these Bylaws, notice of each annual or special meeting of the stockholders shall be given not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to note at such meeting, as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting.  If such notice is mailed, it shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States Mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at his address as it appears in the records of the Corporation. Every such notice shall state the place, if any, the date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.  Attendance of a stockholder at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when a stockholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called as convened.  Any waiver of notice signed by the stockholder entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by a stockholder entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any such waiver of notice. Notice of any adjourned meeting of stockholders shall not be required to be given, except when expressly required by law.

 

(b)           For purposes of these Bylaws, “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

 

2.4.         Remote Communication.

 

For the purposes of these Bylaws, if authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board may adopt, stockholders and proxyholders not physically present at a meeting of stockholder may, by means of remote communication:

 

(a)           participate in a meeting of stockholders; and

 

(b)           be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of stockholders whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication, provided that (i) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a stockholder or proxyholder, (ii) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxyholders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to

 

2


 

vote on matters submitted to the stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings, and (iii) if any stockholder or proxyholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such vote or other action shall be maintained by the Corporation.

 

2.5.         Quorum.

 

At each meeting of the stockholders, except where otherwise provided by law, the Certificate or these Bylaws, the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority in voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a quorum, a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote, or, any officer entitled to preside at, or act as secretary of, such meeting, shall have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, until stockholders holding the requisite amount of stock to constitute a quorum shall be present or represented, and notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken.  If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.  At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally called.

 

2.6.         Organization.

 

(a)           Unless otherwise determined by the Board, at each meeting of the stockholders, one of the following shall act as chairman of the meeting and preside thereat, in the following order of precedence:

 

(i)            the Chairman;

 

(ii)           the President;

 

(iii)          any director, officer or stockholder of the Corporation designated by the Board to act as chairman of such meeting and to preside thereat if the Chairman or the President shall be absent from such meeting;

 

(iv)          or a stockholder of record who shall be chosen chairman of such meeting by a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereat.

 

(b)           The Secretary or, if he shall be presiding over such meeting in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.6 or if he shall be absent from such meeting, the person (who shall be an Assistant Secretary, if an Assistant Secretary has been appointed and is present) whom the chairman of such meeting shall appoint, shall act as secretary of such meeting and keep the minutes thereof.

 

3


 

2.7.         Order of Business.

 

The order of business at each meeting of the stockholders shall be determined by the chairman of such meeting, but such order of business may be changed by a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation present in person or by proxy at such meeting and entitled to vote thereat.

 

2.8.         Voting.

 

Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate or these Bylaws, at each meeting of the stockholders, each stockholder of the Corporation shall be entitled to one vote in person or by proxy for each share of stock of the Corporation held by him which has voting power upon the matter in question. Persons holding stock in a fiduciary capacity shall be entitled to vote the shares so held.

 

Shares of its own stock belonging to the Corporation or to another Corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other Corporation is held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor counted for quorum purposes; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation to vote stock, including but not limited to its own stock, held by it in a fiduciary capacity.  Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy; provided, however, that no proxy shall be voted after three years from its date, unless said proxy provides for a longer period.  At all meetings of the stockholders, all matters (except where other provision is made by law, the Certificate or these Bylaws) shall be decided by the vote of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation present in person or by proxy at such meeting and entitled to vote thereon, a quorum being present.  Unless demanded by a stockholder present in person or by proxy at any meeting and entitled to vote thereon, the vote on any question need not be by ballot.

 

2.9.         Inspection.

 

The chairman of the meeting may at any time appoint one or more inspectors to serve at any meeting of the stockholders.  Any inspector may be removed, and a new inspector or inspectors appointed, by the Board at any time.  Such inspectors shall (i) ascertain the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, (ii) determine the shares represented at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots, (iii) count all votes and ballots, (iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors, and (v) certify their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting, and their count of all votes and ballots.  The inspectors need not be stockholders of the Corporation, and any director or officer of the Corporation may be an inspector on any question other than a vote for or against his election to any position with the Corporation or on any other matter in which he may be directly interested.  Before acting as herein provided, each inspector shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of an inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability.

 

4


 

2.10.       List of Stockholders.

 

It shall be the duty of the Secretary or other officer of the Corporation who shall have charge of its stock ledger to prepare and make, at least 10 days before every meeting of the stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote thereat; provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than 10 days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the 10th day before the meeting date, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder.  Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to any such meeting for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting:  (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the Corporation.  If the meeting is held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.  If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to gain access to such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting.

 

2.11.       Stockholders’ Consent in Lieu of Meeting.

 

(a)           Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which minutes of proceedings of the stockholders are recorded.  Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  Prompt notice of the taking of corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall, to the extent required by law, be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for notice of such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation.

 

(b)           An electronic transmission consenting to an action to be taken and transmitted by a stockholder or proxyholder or by a person or persons authorized to act for a stockholder or proxyholder, shall be deemed to be written, signed and dated for the purposes of this Section 2.11, provided that any such electronic transmission sets forth or is delivered with information from which the Corporation can determine (i) that the electronic transmission was transmitted by the stockholder or proxyholder or a person or persons authorized to act for the stockholder or proxyholder, and (ii) the date on which such stockholder or proxyholder or

 

5


 

authorized person or persons transmitted such electronic transmission. The date on which such electronic transmission is transmitted shall be deemed to be the date on which such consent was signed.  No consent given by electronic transmission shall be deemed to have been delivered until such consent is reproduced in paper form and until such paper form shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceeds or meetings of stockholders are recorded.  Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  Notwithstanding the foregoing limitations on delivery, consents given by electronic transmission may be otherwise delivered to the principal place of business of the Corporation or to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded if, to the extent and in the manner provided by resolution of the Board.

 

ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

3.1.         General Powers.

 

The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.

 

3.2.         Number and Term of Office.

 

The Board shall consist of one or more members, the number thereof to be determined from time to time by the resolution of the Board or the stockholders.  Each director shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death or resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided.

 

3.3.         Election of Directors.

 

At each meeting of the stockholders for the election of directors at which a quorum is present, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director; provided, however, that for purposes of such vote no stockholder shall be allowed to cumulate his votes.

 

3.4.         Resignation, Removal and Vacancies.

 

(a)           Any director may resign at any time from the Board by delivering notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation.  Any such resignation shall be effective upon delivery thereof unless it is specified to be effective at some later time or upon the occurrence of some other event or events.  The Board’s acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

 

(b)           Any director or the entire Board may be removed, with or without cause, at any time by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote at an election of directors or by written consent of the stockholders pursuant to Section 2.11 of Article II.

 

6


 

(c)           Unless otherwise required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, any newly created directorship or any vacancy occurring on the Board for any cause may be filled by a majority of the remaining members of the Board, although such a majority is less than a quorum, or by a plurality of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders, and each director so elected shall hold office until the expiration of the term of office of the director whom he has replaced and until his successor is elected and qualified.

 

3.5.         Meetings.

 

(a)           Annual Meetings.  As soon as practicable after each annual election of directors, the Board shall meet for the purpose of organization and the transaction of other business, unless it shall have transacted all such business by written consent pursuant to Section 3.6 of this Article III.

 

(b)           Other Meetings.  In addition to the annual meeting, regular meetings of the Board may be held at such places within or without the State of Delaware and at such times as the Board may from time to time determine; provided, that, the Board shall meet no less than four (4) times a year.  Special meetings of the Board may be held at any time or place within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the Chairman, the President, the Secretary or any director.

 

(c)           Notice of Meetings.  Notice of a special meeting of the Board shall be given by the person or persons calling the meeting.  Notice of each such meeting shall be given to each director by mail, addressed to him at his residence or usual place of business, and sent at least two days before the date on which such meeting is to be held, by facsimile telecommunications or other electronic transmission, by personal delivery, or by telephone not later than the day before the day on which such meeting is to be held, but notice need not be given to any director who shall attend such meeting.  A waiver of notice in writing or by electronic transmission, signed by the director entitled thereto, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice.

 

(d)           Place of Meetings. The Board may hold its meetings at such place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the person or persons calling the meeting may from time to time determine; provided, however, that the majority of the meetings of the Board each year shall be held in the United States.

 

(e)           Quorum and Manner of Acting.  Those directors having a majority in voting power (in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation and assuming a fully constituted Board) shall be present in person at any meeting of the Board in order to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at such meeting, and the vote of a majority in voting power (in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation) of those directors present at any such meeting at which a quorum is present shall be necessary for the passage of any resolution or act of the Board, except as otherwise expressly required the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.  In the absence of a quorum for any such meeting, a majority of the directors present thereat may adjourn such meeting from time to time until a quorum shall be present.

 

7


 

(f)            Organization.  At each meeting of the Board, one of the following shall act as chairman of the meeting and preside thereat, in the following order of precedence:

 

(i)            the Chairman;

 

(ii)           the President (if a director); or

 

(iii)          any director designated by a majority of the directors present.

 

The Secretary or, in the case of his absence, an Assistant Secretary, if an Assistant Secretary has been appointed and is present, or any person whom the chairman of the meeting shall appoint shall act as secretary of such meeting and keep the minutes thereof

 

3.6.         Directors’ Consent in Lieu of Meeting.

 

Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or electronic transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or such committee.  Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

3.7.         Action by Means of Conference Telephone or Similar Communications Equipment.

 

Any one or more members of the Board, or any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting thereof by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

3.8.         Compensation of Directors.

 

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate or these Bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.  The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board or a stated salary as director.  No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.  Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending committee meetings.

 

ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS

 

4.1.         Executive Officers.

 

The principal officers of the Corporation shall be a Chairman, if one is appointed (and any references to the Chairman shall not apply if a Chairman has not been appointed), a President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer or Chief Financial Officer, and may include such other

 

8


 

officers as the Board may appoint pursuant to Section 4.3 of this Article IV.  Any two or more offices may be held by the same person.

 

4.2.         Authority and Duties.

 

All officers, as between themselves and the Corporation, shall have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the Corporation as may be provided in these Bylaws or, to the extent so provided, by the Board.

 

4.3.         Other Officers.

 

The Corporation may have such other officers as the Board may deem necessary, each of whom shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as the Board may from time to time determine.  The Board may delegate to any principal officer the power to appoint and define the authority and duties of, or remove, any such officers.

 

4.4.         Salaries of Officers.

 

The salaries of all officers of the Corporation shall be determined from time to time by the Board.

 

4.5.         Term of Office, Resignation and Removal.

 

(a)           All officers shall be elected or appointed by the Board and shall hold office for such term as may be prescribed by the Board.  Each officer shall hold office until his successor has been elected or appointed and qualified or until his earlier death or resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided.

 

(b)           Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation.  Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or, if the time be not specified, at the time it is accepted by action of the Board.  Except as aforesaid, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

 

(c)           All officers elected or appointed by the Board shall be subject to removal at any time by the Board with or without cause.

 

4.6.         Vacancies.

 

If the office of Chairman, President, Secretary or Treasurer becomes vacant for any reason, the Board shall fill such vacancy, and if any other office becomes vacant, the Board may fill such vacancy.  Any officer so appointed or elected by the Board shall hold office until the expiration of the term of office of the officer whom he has replaced and until his successor is elected and qualified.

 

9


 

4.7.                            The Chairman.

 

The Chairman shall give counsel and advice to the Board and the officers of the Corporation on all subjects concerning the welfare of the Corporation and the conduct of its business and shall perform such other duties as the Board may from time to time determine.  Unless otherwise determined by the Board, he shall preside at meetings of the Board and of the stockholders at which he is present.

 

4.8.                            The President.

 

The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation.  The President shall have general and active management and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation subject to the control of the Board and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried into effect.  The President shall from time to time make such reports of the affairs of the Corporation as the Board may require and shall perform such other duties as the Board may from time to time determine.

 

4.9.                            The Treasurer or Chief Financial Officer.

 

The Treasurer or Chief Financial Officer shall have the care and custody of the corporate funds and other valuable effects, including securities, shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be selected in accordance with Section 5 of Article V.  The Treasurer or Chief Financial Officer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, shall render to the Chairman, President and directors, at the regular meetings of the Board, or whenever they may require it, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer or Chief Financial Officer and of the financial condition of the Corporation and shall perform all other duties incident to the office of Treasurer or Chief Financial Officer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Board, the Chairman or the President.

 

4.10.                     The Secretary.

 

The Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, attend all meetings of the Board and all meetings of the stockholders and shall record all votes and the minutes of all proceedings in a book to be kept for that purpose.  He may give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board, the Chairman or the President, under whose supervision he shall act.  He shall keep in safe custody the seal of the Corporation and affix the same to any duly authorized instrument requiring it.  He shall keep in safe custody the certificate books and stockholder records and such other books and records as the Board may direct, and shall perform all other duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Board, the Chairman or the President.

 

10


 

ARTICLE V
CHECKS, DRAFTS, BANK ACCOUNTS, ETC.

 

5.1.                            Deposits.

 

All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation or otherwise as the Board or Treasurer, or any other officer of the Corporation to whom power in this respect shall have been given by the Board, shall select.

 

5.2.                            Proxies with Respect to Stock or Other Securities of Other Corporations.

 

The Board shall designate the officers of the Corporation who shall have authority from time to time to appoint an agent or agents of the Corporation to exercise in the name and on behalf of the Corporation the powers and rights which the Corporation may have as the holder of stock or other securities in any other corporation, and to vote or consent with respect to such stock or securities.  Such designated officers may instruct the person or persons so appointed as to the manner of exercising such powers and rights, and such designated officers may execute or cause to be executed in the name and on behalf of the Corporation and under its corporate seal or otherwise, such written proxies, powers of attorney or other instruments as they may deem necessary or proper in order that the Corporation may exercise its powers and rights.

 

ARTICLE VI
SHARES AND THEIR TRANSFER; FIXING RECORD DATE

 

6.1.                            Certificates for Shares.

 

Every holder of stock of the Corporation represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate certifying the number and class of shares owned by him in the Corporation, which shall be in such form as shall be prescribed by the Board.  Certificates shall be numbered and issued in consecutive order and shall be signed by, or in the name of, the Corporation by the Chairman, the President or any Vice President, and by the Treasurer (or an Assistant Treasurer, if appointed) or the Secretary (or an Assistant Secretary, if appointed).  In case any officer or officers who shall have signed any such certificate or certificates shall cease to be such officer or officers of the Corporation, whether because of death, resignation or otherwise, before such certificate or certificates shall have been issued by the Corporation, such certificate or certificates may nevertheless be issued by the Corporation as though the person or persons who signed such certificate had not ceased to be such officer or officers of the Corporation.

 

6.2.                            Record.

 

A record in one or more counterparts shall be kept of the name of the person, firm or corporation owning the shares represented by each certificate for stock of the Corporation issued, the number of shares represented by each such certificate, the date thereof and, in the case of cancellation, the date of cancellation.  Except as otherwise expressly required by law, the person in whose name shares of stock stand on the stock record of the Corporation shall be deemed the owner thereof for all purposes regarding the Corporation.

 

11


 

6.3.                            Transfer of Stock.

 

The transfer of shares of stock and certificates which represent the shares of stock of the Corporation shall be governed by Article 8 of Subtitle 1 of Title 6 of the Delaware Code (the Uniform Commercial Code), as amended from time to time.

 

6.4.                            Lost, Destroyed and Mutilated Certificates.

 

The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.

 

6.5.                            Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record.

 

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date: (1) in the case of determination of stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting and, unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of such meeting shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting; (2) in the case of determination of stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, shall not be more than 10 days from the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board; and (3) in the case of any other action, shall not be more than 60 days prior to such other action. If no record date is fixed: (1) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held; (2) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action of the Board is required by law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the corporation in accordance with applicable law, or, if prior action by the Board is required by law, shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action; and (3) the record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the determination of stockholders entitled

 

12


 

to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for the stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 6.5 at the adjourned meeting.

 

ARTICLE VII
SEAL

 

The corporate seal shall have the name of the Corporation inscribed thereon and shall be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board.

 

ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL YEAR

 

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on December 31 of each year unless otherwise determined by the Board.

 

ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE

 

9.1.                            Right to Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any person (an “Indemnified Person”) who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”), by reason of the fact that such person, or a person for whom such person is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorney’s fees) reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in such Proceeding.  Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.3, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify an Indemnified Person in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) commenced by such Indemnified Person only if the commencement of such Proceeding (or part thereof) by the Indemnified Person was authorized in advance by the Board.

 

9.2.                            Prepayment of Expenses of Directors and Officers.

 

The Corporation shall pay the expenses (including attorney’s fees) incurred by an Indemnified Person in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition, provided, however, that, to the extent required by law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the Indemnified Person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the Indemnified Person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article IX or otherwise.

 

13


 

9.3.                            Claims by Directors and Officers.

 

If a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article IX is not paid in full within 30 days after a written claim therefor by the Indemnified Person has been received by the Corporation, the Indemnified Person may file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim.  In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the Indemnified Person is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses under applicable law.

 

9.4.                            Indemnification of Employees and Agents.

 

The Corporation may (but shall not be required to) indemnify and advance expenses to any person who was or is made or is threatened to be made or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that such person, or a person for whom such person is the legal representative, is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or, while an employee or agent of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorney’s fees) reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such Proceeding.  The ultimate determination of entitlement to indemnification of persons who are employees or agents of the Corporation shall be made in such manner as is determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

9.5.                            Advancement of Expenses of Employees and Agents.

 

The Corporation may (but shall not be required to) pay the expenses (including attorney’s fees) incurred by an employee or agent of the Corporation in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Board.

 

9.6.                            Non-Exclusivity of Rights.

 

The rights conferred on any person by this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

9.7.                            Other Indemnification.

 

The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify any person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer or employee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity shall be reduced by any amount such person may collect as indemnification from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity.

 

14


 

9.8.                            Insurance.

 

The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under this Article IX or the DGCL.

 

9.9.                            Amendment or Repeal.  Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification.  The rights provided by this Article IX shall inure to the benefit of any Indemnified Person and such person’s heirs, executors and administrators.

 

ARTICLE X
AMENDMENT

 

Any bylaw (including these Bylaws) may be adopted, amended or repealed by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Corporation then entitled to vote or by the stockholders’ written consent pursuant to Section 2.11 of Article II, or by the vote of the Board or by the directors’ written consent pursuant to Section 3.6 of Article III.

 

* * * * * *

 

15




Exhibit 4.1

 

NUMBER

U-

UNITS

CUSIP 14070Y 200

 

SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

UNITS CONSISTING OF ONE SHARE OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK AND ONE-
HALF OF ONE WARRANT, EACH WHOLE WARRANT ENTITLING THE HOLDER
TO PURCHASE ONE SHARE OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK

 

THIS CERTIFIES THAT            is the owner of           Units.

 

Each Unit (“Unit”) consists of one (1) share of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and one-half of one redeemable warrant (“Warrant”).  Each whole Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) share (subject to adjustment) of Common Stock for $11.50 per share (subject to adjustment).  Each Warrant will become exercisable on the later of (i) thirty (30) days after the Company’s completion of a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses (each a “Business Combination”), or (ii) twelve (12) months from the closing of the Company’s initial public offering, and will expire unless exercised before 5:00 p.m., New York City Time, on the date that is five (5) years after the date on which the Company completes its initial Business Combination, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.  The Common Stock and Warrants comprising the Units represented by this certificate are not transferable separately prior to           , 2020, unless the representatives of the underwriters elect to allow separate trading earlier, subject to the Company’s filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission containing an audited balance sheet reflecting the Company’s receipt of the gross proceeds of the Company’s initial public offering and issuing a press release announcing when separate trading will begin.  The terms of the Warrants are governed by a Warrant Agreement, dated as of           , 2020, between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Warrant Agent, and are subject to the terms and provisions contained therein, all of which terms and provisions the holder of this certificate consents to by acceptance hereof.  Copies of the Warrant Agreement are on file at the office of the Warrant Agent at 1 State Street, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10004, and are available to any Warrant holder on written request and without cost.

 

This certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer Agent and Registrar of the Company.

 

This certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

 

Witness the facsimile signatures of the duly authorized officers of the Company.

 

 

 

 

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

Chief Financial Officer

 


 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

 

The Company will furnish without charge to each unitholder who so requests, a statement of the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof of the Company and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.

 

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN COM

as tenants in common

UNIF GIFT

MIN ACT

 

Custodian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEN ENT

as tenants by the entireties

 

 

(Cust)

 

(Minor)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JT TEN

as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common

 

 

under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act

 

 

 

 

 

(State)

 

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

 

For value received,             hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto

 

 

(PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE)

 

 

(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE)

 

                              Units represented by the within Certificate, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint               Attorney to transfer the said Units on the books of the within named Company with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

Dated

 

 

 

 

 

Notice:  The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.

 

Signature(s) Guaranteed:

 

 

 

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15 (OR ANY SUCCESSOR RULE) UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED).

 

 

 


 

In each case, as more fully described in the Company’s final prospectus dated           , 2020, the holder(s) of this certificate shall be entitled to receive a pro-rata portion of certain funds held in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering only in the event that (i) the Company redeems the shares of Class A common stock sold in the Company’s initial public offering and liquidates because it does not consummate an initial business combination by           , 2022, (ii) the Company redeems the shares of Class A common stock sold in its initial public offering in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (a) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Class A common stock if it does not consummate an initial business combination by           , 2022 or (b) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, or (iii) if the holder(s) seek(s) to redeem for cash his, her or its respective shares of Class A common stock in connection with a tender offer (or proxy solicitation, solely in the event the Company seeks stockholder approval of the proposed initial business combination) setting forth the details of a proposed initial business combination.  In no other circumstances shall the holder(s) have any right or interest of any kind in or to the trust account.

 




Exhibit 4.2

 

NUMBER

SHARES

C-

 

 

CUSIP 14070Y 101

 

 

 

SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
CLASS A COMMON STOCK

 

This Certifies that                                 is the owner of                                 

 

FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF THE PAR VALUE OF $0.0001 EACH OF THE CLASS A COMMON STOCK OF CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.
(THE “COMPANY”)

 

transferable on the books of the Company in person or by duly authorized attorney upon surrender of this certificate properly endorsed.

 

The Company will be forced to redeem all of its shares of Class A common stock if it does not complete a business combination by           , 2022, all as more fully described            in the Company’s final prospectus dated           , 2020.

 

This certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer Agent and registered by the Registrar.

 

Witness the facsimile seal of the Company and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers.

 

[Corporate Seal]

Delaware

 

 

 

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

Chief Financial Officer

 


 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

The Company will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof of the Company and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. This certificate and the shares represented thereby are issued and shall be held subject to all the provisions of the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and all amendments thereto and resolutions of the Board of Directors providing for the issue of securities (copies of which may be obtained from the secretary of the Company), to all of which the holder of this certificate by acceptance hereof assents. The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN COM 

as tenants in common

UNIF GIFT

MIN ACT

 

Custodian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEN ENT

as tenants by the entireties

 

 

(Cust)

 

(Minor)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JT TEN

as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common

 

 

under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act

 

 

 

 

 

(State)

 

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

 

For value received,               hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto

 

 

(PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER(S) OF ASSIGNEE(S))

 

 

(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES), INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE(S))

 

shares of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints                  Attorney to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Company with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

Dated:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.

 

Signature(s) Guaranteed:

 

By:

 

 

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15 (OR ANY SUCCESSOR RULE) UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED).

 

 

 


 

In each case, as more fully described in the Company’s final prospectus dated           , 2020, the holder(s) of this certificate shall be entitled to receive a pro-rata portion of certain funds held in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering only in the event that (i) the Company redeems the shares of Class A common stock sold in the Company’s initial public offering and liquidates because it does not consummate an initial business combination by           , 2022, (ii) the Company redeems the shares of Class A common stock sold in its initial public offering in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (a) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Class A common stock if it does not consummate an initial business combination by           , 2022 or (b) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, or (iii) if the holder(s) seek(s) to redeem for cash his, her or its respective shares of Class A common stock in connection with a tender offer (or proxy solicitation, solely in the event the Company seeks stockholder approval of the proposed initial business combination) setting forth the details of a proposed initial business combination. In no other circumstances shall the holder(s) have any right or interest of any kind in or to the trust account.

 




Exhibit 4.3

 

[FACE]

 

Number

 

WARRANTS

 

THIS WARRANT SHALL BE VOID IF NOT EXERCISED PRIOR TO
THE EXPIRATION OF THE EXERCISE PERIOD PROVIDED FOR
IN THE WARRANT AGREEMENT DESCRIBED BELOW
CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

Incorporated Under the Laws of the State of Delaware

 

CUSIP 14070Y 119

 

Warrant Certificate

 

This Warrant Certificate certifies that           , or its registered assigns, is the registered holder of            warrant(s) evidenced hereby (the “Warrants” and each, a “Warrant”) to purchase shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).  Each Warrant entitles the holder, upon exercise during the period set forth in the Warrant Agreement referred to below, to receive from the Company that number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock as set forth below, at the exercise price (the “Exercise Price”) as determined pursuant to the Warrant Agreement, payable in lawful money (or through “cashless exercise” as provided for in the Warrant Agreement) of the United States of America upon surrender of this Warrant Certificate and payment of the Exercise Price at the office or agency of the Warrant Agent referred to below, subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the Warrant Agreement.  Defined terms used in this Warrant Certificate but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Warrant Agreement.

 

Each whole Warrant is initially exercisable for one fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock.  No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of any Warrant.  If, upon the exercise of Warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share of Common Stock, the Company will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to the Warrant holder.  The number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events set forth in the Warrant Agreement.

 

The initial Exercise Price per share of Common Stock for any Warrant is equal to $11.50 per share.  The Exercise Price is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events set forth in the Warrant Agreement.

 

Subject to the conditions set forth in the Warrant Agreement, the Warrants may be exercised only during the Exercise Period and to the extent not exercised by the end of such Exercise Period, such Warrants shall become void.

 

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Warrant Certificate set forth on the reverse hereof and such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

 

This Warrant Certificate shall not be valid unless countersigned by the Warrant Agent, as such term is used in the Warrant Agreement.

 

This Warrant Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof.

 


 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Warrant Agent

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

2


 

[Form of Warrant Certificate]

 

[Reverse]

 

The Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate are part of a duly authorized issue of Warrants entitling the holder on exercise to receive shares of Common Stock and are issued or to be issued pursuant to a Warrant Agreement dated as of           , 2020 (the “Warrant Agreement”), duly executed and delivered by the Company to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York limited purpose trust company, as warrant agent (the “Warrant Agent”), which Warrant Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference in and made a part of this instrument and is hereby referred to for a description of the rights, limitation of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Warrant Agent, the Company and the holders (the words “holders” or “holder” meaning the Registered Holders or Registered Holder, respectively) of the Warrants.  A copy of the Warrant Agreement may be obtained by the holder hereof upon written request to the Company.  Defined terms used in this Warrant Certificate but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Warrant Agreement.

 

Warrants may be exercised at any time during the Exercise Period set forth in the Warrant Agreement.  The holder of Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate may exercise them by surrendering this Warrant Certificate, with the form of election to purchase set forth hereon properly completed and executed, together with payment of the Exercise Price as specified in the Warrant Agreement (or through “cashless exercise” as provided for in the Warrant Agreement) at the principal corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent.  In the event that upon any exercise of Warrants evidenced hereby the number of Warrants exercised shall be less than the total number of Warrants evidenced hereby, there shall be issued to the holder hereof or his, her or its assignee, a new Warrant Certificate evidencing the number of Warrants not exercised.

 

Notwithstanding anything else in this Warrant Certificate or the Warrant Agreement, no Warrant may be exercised unless at the time of exercise (i) a registration statement covering the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise is effective under the Securities Act and (ii) a prospectus thereunder relating to the shares of Common Stock is current, except through “cashless exercise” as provided for in the Warrant Agreement.

 

The Warrant Agreement provides that upon the occurrence of certain events the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants set forth on the face hereof may, subject to certain conditions, be adjusted.  If, upon exercise of a Warrant, the holder thereof would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share of Common Stock, the Company shall, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to the holder of the Warrant.

 

Warrant Certificates, when surrendered at the principal corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent by the Registered Holder thereof in person or by legal representative or attorney duly authorized in writing, may be exchanged, in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement, but without payment of any service charge, for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates of like tenor evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Warrants.

 

Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of this Warrant Certificate at the office of the Warrant Agent a new Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates of like tenor and evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Warrants shall be issued to the transferee(s) in exchange for this Warrant Certificate, subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement, without charge except for any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection therewith.

 

The Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the Registered Holder(s) hereof as the absolute owner(s) of this Warrant Certificate (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone), for the purpose of any exercise hereof, of any distribution to the holder(s) hereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.  Neither the Warrants nor this Warrant Certificate entitles any holder hereof to any rights of a stockholder of the Company.

 

3


 

Election to Purchase

 

(To Be Executed Upon Exercise of Warrant)

 

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by this Warrant Certificate, to receive            shares of Common Stock and herewith tenders payment for such shares of Common Stock to the order of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) in the amount of $            in accordance with the terms hereof.  The undersigned requests that a certificate for such shares of Common Stock be registered in the name of           , whose address is            and that such shares of Common Stock be delivered to            whose address is           .  If said number of shares of Common Stock is less than all of the shares of Common Stock purchasable hereunder, the undersigned requests that a new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining balance of such shares of Common Stock be registered in the name of           , whose address is            and that such Warrant Certificate be delivered to           , whose address is           .

 

In the event that the Warrant has been called for redemption by the Company pursuant to Section 6 of the Warrant Agreement and the Company has required cashless exercise pursuant to Section 6.3 of the Warrant Agreement, the number of shares of Common Stock that this Warrant is exercisable for shall be determined in accordance with subsection 3.3.1(b) and Section 6.3 of the Warrant Agreement.

 

In the event that the Warrant is a Private Placement Warrant or a Working Capital Warrant that is to be exercised on a “cashless” basis pursuant to subsection 3.3.1(c) of the Warrant Agreement, the number of shares of Common Stock that this Warrant is exercisable for shall be determined in accordance with subsection 3.3.1(c) of the Warrant Agreement.

 

In the event that the Warrant is to be exercised on a “cashless” basis pursuant to Section 7.4 of the Warrant Agreement, the number of shares of Common Stock that this Warrant is exercisable for shall be determined in accordance with Section 7.4 of the Warrant Agreement.

 

In the event that the Warrant may be exercised, to the extent allowed by the Warrant Agreement, through cashless exercise (i) the number of shares of Common Stock that this Warrant is exercisable for would be determined in accordance with the relevant section of the Warrant Agreement which allows for such cashless exercise and (ii) the holder hereof shall complete the following:  The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by this Warrant Certificate, through the cashless exercise provisions of the Warrant Agreement, to receive shares of Common Stock.  If said number of shares of Common Stock is less than all of the shares of Common Stock purchasable hereunder (after giving effect to the cashless exercise), the undersigned requests that a new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining balance of such shares of Common Stock be registered in the name of           , whose address is            and that such Warrant Certificate be delivered to           , whose address is           .

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

4


 

Date:            , 20

 

 

 

 

(Signature)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Address)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Tax Identification Number)

 

 

 

Signature Guaranteed:

 

 

 

 

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15 (OR ANY SUCCESSOR RULE) UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED).

 

 

 

5




Exhibit 4.4

 

WARRANT AGREEMENT

 

THIS WARRANT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of            , 2020, is by and between Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York limited purpose trust company, as warrant agent (the “Warrant Agent”, also referred to herein as the “Transfer Agent”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company is engaged in an initial public offering (the “Offering”) of units of the Company’s equity securities, each such unit comprised of one share of Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), and one-half of one redeemable Public Warrant (as defined below) (the “Units”) and, in connection therewith, has determined to issue and deliver up to 10,000,000 warrants (or up to 11,500,000 warrants if the Over-allotment Option (as defined below) is exercised in full) to public investors in the Offering (the “Public Warrants”), each whole Public Warrant entitling the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein;

 

WHEREAS, on            , 2020, the Company entered into that certain Warrant Purchase Agreement with Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), pursuant to which the Sponsor agreed to purchase an aggregate of 6,000,000 warrants (or up to 6,600,000 warrants if the Over-allotment Option is exercised in full) simultaneously with the closing of the Offering (and the closing of the Over-allotment Option, if applicable), bearing the legend set forth in Exhibit B hereto (the “Private Placement Warrants”), at a purchase price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant;

 

WHEREAS, in order to finance the Company’s transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination (as defined below), the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s executive officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as the Company may require, of which up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into up to an additional 1,500,000 warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender (the “Working Capital Warrants”);

 

WHEREAS, following consummation of the Offering, the Company may issue additional warrants (“Post-IPO Warrants” and, together with the Private Placement Warrants, the Working Capital Warrants and the Public Warrants, the “Warrants”) in connection with, or following the consummation by the Company of, a Business Combination (defined below);

 

WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-239094, and a prospectus (the “Prospectus”), for the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the Units, the Public Warrants and the Common Stock included in the Units;

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange, redemption and exercise of the Warrants;

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the form and provisions of the Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants; and

 

WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Warrants, when executed on behalf of the Company and countersigned by or on behalf of the Warrant Agent, as provided herein, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1


 

1.             Appointment of Warrant Agent.

 

The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company for the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

2.             Warrants.

 

2.1          Form of Warrant.  Each Warrant shall initially be issued in registered form only.

 

2.2          Effect of Countersignature.  If a physical certificate is issued, unless and until countersigned by the Warrant Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Warrant certificate shall be invalid and of no effect and may not be exercised by the holder thereof.

 

2.3          Registration.

 

2.3.1       Warrant Register.  The Warrant Agent shall maintain books (the “Warrant Register”) for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Warrants.  Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants, the Warrant Agent shall issue and register the Warrants in the names of the respective holders thereof in such denominations and otherwise in accordance with instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company.  Ownership of beneficial interests in the Public Warrants shall be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained by institutions that have accounts with The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”).

 

If the Depositary subsequently ceases to make its book-entry settlement system available for the Public Warrants, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding making other arrangements for book-entry settlement.  In the event that the Public Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have the Public Warrants available in, book-entry form, the Warrant Agent shall provide written instructions to the Depositary to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation each book-entry Public Warrant, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to deliver to the Depositary definitive certificates in physical form evidencing such Warrants which shall be in the form annexed hereto as Exhibit A.

 

Physical certificates, if issued, shall be signed by, or bear the facsimile signature of, the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary or other principal officer of the Company.  In the event the person whose facsimile signature has been placed upon any Warrant shall have ceased to serve in the capacity in which such person signed the Warrant before such Warrant is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he or she had not ceased to be such at the date of issuance.

 

2.3.2       Registered Holder.  Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name such Warrant is registered in the Warrant Register (the “Registered Holder”) as the absolute owner of such Warrant and of each Warrant represented thereby (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing on any physical certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Warrant Agent), for the purpose of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

2.4          Detachability of Warrants.  The Common Stock and Public Warrants comprising the Units shall begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of the Prospectus or, if such 52nd day is not on a day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday, on which banks in New York City are generally open for normal business (a “Business Day”), then on the immediately succeeding Business Day following such date, or earlier (the “Detachment Date”) with the consent of the representatives of the several underwriters, but in no event shall the Common Stock and the Public Warrants comprising the Units be separately traded until (A) the Company has filed a current report on Form 8-K with the Commission containing an audited balance sheet reflecting the receipt by the Company of the gross proceeds of the Offering, including the proceeds received by the Company from the exercise by the underwriters of their right to purchase additional Units in the Offering (the “Over-allotment Option”), if the Over-allotment Option is exercised prior to the filing of the current report on Form 8-K, and (B) the Company issues a press release announcing when such separate trading shall begin.

 

2


 

2.5          No Fractional Warrants Other Than as Part of Units.  The Company shall not issue fractional Warrants other than as part of the Units, each of which is comprised of one share of Common Stock and one-half of one Public Warrant.  If, upon the detachment of Public Warrants from Units or otherwise, a holder of Warrants would be entitled to receive a fractional Warrant, the Company shall round down to the nearest whole number the number of Warrants to be issued to such holder.

 

2.6          Private Placement Warrants and Working Capital Warrants.  The Private Placement Warrants and the Working Capital Warrants shall be identical to the Public Warrants, except that so long as they are held by the original purchasers thereof or any Permitted Transferees (as defined below) they:  (i) may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis, pursuant to subsection 3.3.1(c) hereof, (ii) subject to certain exceptions, may not be transferred, assigned or sold until thirty (30) days after the completion by the Company of an initial Business Combination (as defined below), and (iii) shall not be redeemable by the Company; provided, however, that in the case of (ii), the Private Placement Warrants and the Working Capital Warrants and any shares of Common Stock held by the original purchasers thereof or any Permitted Transferees and issued upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants or the Working Capital Warrants may be transferred by the holders thereof:

 

(a)           to the Company’s officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of the Company’s officers or directors, any affiliate of the Sponsor or to any member(s) of the Sponsor, any affiliates of such members and funds and accounts advised by such members;

 

(b)           in the case of an individual, by gift to a member such individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of such individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such individual or to a charitable organization;

 

(c)           in the case of an individual, by virtue of the laws of descent and distribution upon death of such person;

 

(d)           in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order;

 

(e)           by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of an initial Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the securities were originally purchased;

 

(f)            in the event of the Company’s liquidation prior to consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination;

 

(g)           by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware or the Sponsor’s limited liability company agreement upon dissolution of the Sponsor; or

 

(h)           in the event of the Company’s liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the Company’s completion of its initial Business Combination;

 

provided, however, that, in the case of clauses (a) through (e) or (g), any such transferees (the “Permitted Transferees”) enter into a written agreement with the Company agreeing to be bound by the transfer restrictions in this Agreement.

 

2.7          Post-IPO Warrants.  The Post-IPO Warrants, when and if issued, shall have the same terms and be in the same form as the Public Warrants except as may be agreed upon by the Company.

 

3.             Terms and Exercise of Warrants.

 

3.1          Warrant Price.  Each Warrant shall, when countersigned by the Warrant Agent, entitle the Registered Holder thereof, subject to the provisions of such Warrant and of this Agreement, to purchase from the Company the number of shares of Common Stock stated therein, at the price of $11.50 per share, subject to the adjustments provided in Section 4 hereof and in the last sentence of this Section 3.1.  The term “Warrant Price” as used in this Agreement shall mean the price per share (including in cash or by payment of Warrants pursuant to a

 

3


 

“cashless exercise,” to the extent permitted hereunder) at which shares of Common Stock may be purchased at the time a Warrant is exercised.  The Company in its sole discretion may lower the Warrant Price at any time prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below) for a period of not less than twenty (20) Business Days, provided, that the Company shall provide at least three (3) days prior written notice of such reduction to Registered Holders of the Warrants and, provided further that any such reduction shall be identical among all of the Warrants.

 

3.2          Duration of Warrants.  A Warrant may be exercised only during the period (the “Exercise Period”) commencing on the later of:  (i) the date that is thirty (30) days after the first date on which the Company completes a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), or (ii) the date that is twelve (12) months from the date of the closing of the Offering, and terminating at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the earlier to occur of:  (x) the date that is five (5) years after the date on which the Company completes its initial Business Combination, (y) the liquidation of the Company in accordance with the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended from time to time, if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination, or (z) other than with respect to the Private Placement Warrants and the Working Capital Warrants to the extent then held by the original purchasers thereof or their Permitted Transferees, the Redemption Date (as defined below) as provided in Section 6.2 hereof (the “Expiration Date”); provided, however, that the exercise of any Warrant shall be subject to the satisfaction of any applicable conditions, as set forth in subsection 3.3.2 below with respect to an effective registration statement.  Except with respect to the right to receive the Redemption Price (as defined below) (other than with respect to a Private Placement Warrant or a Working Capital Warrant) to the extent then held by the original purchasers thereof or their Permitted Transferees in the event of a redemption (as set forth in Section 6 hereof), each outstanding Warrant (other than a Private Placement Warrant or a Working Capital Warrant to the extent then held by the original purchasers thereof or their Permitted Transferees in the event of a redemption) not exercised on or before the Expiration Date shall become void, and all rights thereunder and all rights in respect thereof under this Agreement shall cease at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date.  The Company in its sole discretion may extend the duration of the Warrants by delaying the Expiration Date; provided, that the Company shall provide at least twenty (20) days prior written notice of any such extension to Registered Holders of the Warrants and, provided further that any such extension shall be identical in duration among all the Warrants.

 

3.3          Exercise of Warrants.

 

3.3.1       Payment.  Subject to the provisions of the Warrant and this Agreement, a Warrant, when countersigned by the Warrant Agent, may be exercised by the Registered Holder thereof by surrendering it, at the office of the Warrant Agent, or at the office of its successor as Warrant Agent, in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, with the subscription form, as set forth in the Warrant, duly executed, and by paying in full the Warrant Price for each full share of Common Stock as to which the Warrant is exercised and any and all applicable taxes due in connection with the exercise of the Warrant, the exchange of the Warrant for the shares of Common Stock and the issuance of such shares of Common Stock, as follows:

 

(a)           in lawful money of the United States, in good certified check or wire payable to the Warrant Agent;

 

(b)           in the event of a redemption pursuant to Section 6 hereof in which the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) has elected to require all holders of the Warrants to exercise such Warrants on a “cashless basis,” by surrendering the Warrants for that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “Fair Market Value”, as defined in this subsection 3.3.1(b), over the Warrant Price by (y) the Fair Market Value.  Solely for purposes of this subsection 3.3.1(b) and Section 6.3, the “Fair Market Value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Common Stock for the ten (10) trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of the Warrants, pursuant to Section 6 hereof;

 

(c)           with respect to any Private Placement Warrant or Working Capital Warrant, so long as such Private Placement Warrant or Working Capital Warrant is held by the Sponsor or a Permitted Transferee, by surrendering the Warrants for that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “Fair Market Value”, as defined in this subsection 3.3.1(c), over the Warrant Price by (y) the Fair Market

 

4


 

Value.  Solely for purposes of this subsection 3.3.1(c), the “Fair Market Value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Common Stock for the ten (10) trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which notice of exercise of the Warrant is sent to the Warrant Agent; or

 

(d)           as provided in Section 7.4 hereof.

 

3.3.2       Issuance of Shares of Common Stock upon Exercise.  As soon as practicable after the exercise of any Warrant and the clearance of the funds in payment of the Warrant Price (if payment is pursuant to subsection 3.3.1(a)), the Company shall issue to the Registered Holder of such Warrant a book-entry position or certificate, as applicable, for the number of full shares of Common Stock to which he, she or it is entitled, registered in such name or names as may be directed by him, her or it, and if such Warrant shall not have been exercised in full, a new book-entry position or countersigned Warrant, as applicable, for the number of shares of Common Stock as to which such Warrant shall not have been exercised.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to deliver any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Warrant and shall have no obligation to settle such Warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Common Stock underlying the Public Warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Company’s satisfying its obligations under Section 7.4.  No Warrant shall be exercisable and the Company shall not be obligated to issue shares of Common Stock upon exercise of a Warrant unless the Common Stock issuable upon such Warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt from registration or qualification under the securities laws of the state of residence of the Registered Holder of the Warrants, except pursuant to Section 7.4.  In the event that the conditions in the two immediately preceding sentences are not satisfied with respect to a Warrant, the holder of such Warrant shall not be entitled to exercise such Warrant and such Warrant may have no value and expire worthless, in which case the purchaser of a Unit containing such Public Warrants shall have paid the full purchase price for the Unit solely for the shares of Common Stock underlying such Unit.  In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the exercise of a Warrant.  The Company may require holders of Public Warrants to settle the Warrant on a “cashless basis” pursuant to subsection 3.3.1(b) and Section 7.4.  If, by reason of any exercise of Warrants on a “cashless basis”, the holder of any Warrant would be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in a share of Common Stock, the Company shall round down to the nearest whole number, the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to such holder.

 

3.3.3       Valid Issuance.  All shares of Common Stock issued upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

3.3.4       Date of Issuance.  Each person in whose name any book-entry position or certificate, as applicable, for shares of Common Stock is issued shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such shares of Common Stock on the date on which the Warrant, or book-entry position representing such Warrant, was surrendered and payment of the Warrant Price was made, irrespective of the date of delivery of such certificate in the case of a certificated Warrant, except that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date when the share transfer books of the Company or book-entry system of the Warrant Agent are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of such shares of Common Stock at the close of business on the next succeeding date on which the share transfer books or book-entry system are open.

 

3.3.5       Maximum Percentage.  A holder of a Warrant may notify the Company in writing in the event he, she or it elects to be subject to the provisions contained in this subsection 3.3.5; however, no holder of a Warrant shall be subject to this subsection 3.3.5 unless he, she or it makes such election.  If the election is made by a holder, the Warrant Agent shall not effect the exercise of the holder’s Warrant, and such holder shall not have the right to exercise such Warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such person’s affiliates or any other person subject to aggregation with such person for purposes of the “beneficial ownership” test under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or any “group” (within the meaning of Section 13 of the Exchange Act) of which such person is or may be deemed to be a part), to the Warrant Agent’s actual knowledge, would beneficially own (within the meaning of Section 13 of the Exchange Act) (or to the extent that for any reason the equivalent calculation under Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder would result in a higher ownership percentage, such higher percentage would be) in excess of 4.9% or 9.8% (or such other amount as a holder may specify) (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise.  For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such person and his, her or its affiliates or any such other person or group shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon

 

5


 

exercise of the Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude shares of Common Stock that would be issuable upon (x) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of the Warrant beneficially owned by such person and his, her or its affiliates and (y) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company beneficially owned by such person and his, her or its affiliates (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein.  Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this paragraph, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act.  For purposes of the Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, the holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (1) the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly report on Form 10-Q, current report on Form 8-K or other public filing with the Commission as the case may be, (2) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (3) any other notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding.  For any reason at any time, upon the written request of the holder of the Warrant, the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days, confirm orally and in writing to such holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding.  In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of equity securities of the Company by the holder and his, her or its affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported.  By written notice to the Company, the holder of a Warrant may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage applicable to such holder to any other percentage specified in such notice; provided, however, that any such increase shall not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company.

 

4.             Adjustments.

 

4.1          Stock Dividends.

 

4.1.1       Split-Ups.  If after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.6 below, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock is increased by a stock dividend payable in shares of Common Stock, or by a split-up of shares of Common Stock or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such stock dividend, split-up or similar event, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Warrant shall be increased in proportion to such increase in the outstanding shares of Common Stock.  A rights offering to holders of the Common Stock entitling holders to purchase shares of Common Stock at a price less than the “Fair Market Value” (as defined below) shall be deemed a stock dividend of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of Common Stock actually sold in such rights offering (or issuable under any other equity securities sold in such rights offering that are convertible into or exercisable for the Common Stock) and (ii) one (1) minus the quotient of (x) the price per share of Common Stock paid in such rights offering divided by (y) the Fair Market Value.  For purposes of this subsection 4.1.1, (i) if the rights offering is for securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, in determining the price payable for Common Stock, there shall be taken into account any consideration received for such rights, as well as any additional amount payable upon exercise or conversion and (ii) “Fair Market Value” means the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the first date on which the shares of Common Stock trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive such rights.

 

4.1.2       Extraordinary Dividends.  If the Company, at any time while the Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, shall pay a dividend or make a distribution in cash, securities or other assets to all or substantially all of the holders of the Common Stock on account of such shares of Common Stock (or other shares of the Company’s capital stock into which the Warrants are convertible), other than (a) as described in subsection 4.1.1 above, (b) Ordinary Cash Dividends (as defined below), (c) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of the Common Stock in connection with a proposed initial Business Combination, (d) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of Common Stock in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation to (i) modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the shares of Common Stock included in the Units sold in the Offering if the Company does not complete the Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity or (e) in connection with the redemption of the shares of Common Stock included in the Units sold in the Offering upon the failure of the Company to complete its initial Business Combination and any subsequent distribution of its assets upon its liquidation (any such non-

 

6


 

excluded event being referred to herein as an “Extraordinary Dividend”), then the Warrant Price shall be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such Extraordinary Dividend, by the amount of cash and/or the fair market value (as determined by the Board, in good faith) of any securities or other assets paid on each share of Common Stock in respect of such Extraordinary Dividend.  For purposes of this subsection 4.1.2, “Ordinary Cash Dividends” means any cash dividend or cash distribution which, when combined on a per share basis with the per share amounts of all other cash dividends and cash distributions paid on the Common Stock during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such dividend or distribution (as adjusted to appropriately reflect any of the events referred to in other subsections of this Section 4 and excluding cash dividends or cash distributions that resulted in an adjustment to the Warrant Price or to the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Warrant) does not exceed $0.50 (being 5% of the offering price of the Units in the Offering).  Solely for purposes of illustration, if the Company, at a time while the Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pays a cash dividend of $0.35 per share and previously paid an aggregate of $0.40 of cash dividends and cash distributions on the shares of Common Stock during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such $0.35 per share dividend, then the Warrant Price will be decreased, effectively immediately after the effective date of such $0.35 per share dividend, by $0.25 (the absolute value of the difference between $0.75 per share (the aggregate amount of all cash dividends and cash distributions paid or made in such 365- day period, including such $0.35 dividend) and $0.50 per share (the greater of (x) $0.50 per share and (y) the aggregate amount of all cash dividends and cash distributions paid or made in such 365-day period prior to such $0.35 dividend)).

 

4.2          Aggregation of Shares.  If after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.6 hereof, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock is decreased by a consolidation, combination, reverse stock split or reclassification of shares of Common Stock or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, reverse stock split, reclassification or similar event, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Warrant shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding shares of Common Stock.

 

4.3          Adjustments in Exercise Price.

 

4.3.1       Whenever the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants is adjusted, as provided in subsection 4.1.1 or Section 4.2 above, the Warrant Price shall be adjusted (to the nearest cent) by multiplying such Warrant Price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants immediately prior to such adjustment, and (y) the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock so purchasable immediately thereafter.

 

4.3.2       If (x) the Company issues additional shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of its initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of Common Stock, with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Board (and in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Offering and held by the Sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of an initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of such initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates an initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the Warrant Price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price (as described in Section 6) will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price the Warrant Price.

 

4.4          Replacement of Securities upon Reorganization, etc.  In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (other than a change under subsections 4.1.1 or 4.1.2 or Section 4.2 hereof or that solely affects the par value of such shares of Common Stock), or in the case of any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity or conversion of the Company as another entity (other than a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding shares of Common Stock), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the assets or other property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an

 

7


 

entirety in connection with which the Company is dissolved, the holders of the Warrants shall thereafter have the right to purchase and receive, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in the Warrants and in lieu of the shares of Common Stock of the Company immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented thereby, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, that the holder of the Warrants would have received if such holder had exercised his, her or its Warrant(s) immediately prior to such event (the “Alternative Issuance” ); provided, however, that (i) if the holders of the Common Stock were entitled to exercise a right of election as to the kind or amount of securities, cash or other assets receivable upon such consolidation or merger, then the kind and amount of securities, cash or other assets constituting the Alternative Issuance for which each Warrant shall become exercisable shall be deemed to be the weighted average of the kind and amount received per share by the holders of the Common Stock in such consolidation or merger that affirmatively make such election, and (ii) if a tender, exchange or redemption offer shall have been made to and accepted by the holders of the Common Stock (other than a tender, exchange or redemption offer made by the Company in connection with redemption rights held by stockholders of the Company as provided for in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation or as a result of the repurchase of shares of Common Stock by the Company if a proposed initial Business Combination is presented to the stockholders of the Company for approval) under circumstances in which, upon completion of such tender or exchange offer, the maker thereof, together with members of any group (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule)) of which such maker is a part, and together with any affiliate or associate of such maker (within the meaning of Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule)) and any members of any such group of which any such affiliate or associate is a part, own beneficially (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule)) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the holder of a Warrant shall be entitled to receive as the Alternative Issuance, the highest amount of cash, securities or other property to which such holder would actually have been entitled as a stockholder if such Warrant holder had exercised the Warrant prior to the expiration of such tender or exchange offer, accepted such offer and all of the Common Stock held by such holder had been purchased pursuant to such tender or exchange offer, subject to adjustments (from and after the consummation of such tender or exchange offer) as nearly equivalent as possible to the adjustments provided for in this Section 4; provided, further, that if less than 70% of the consideration receivable by the holders of the Common Stock in the applicable event is payable in the form of common stock in the successor entity that is listed for trading on a national securities exchange or is quoted in an established over-the-counter market, or is to be so listed for trading or quoted immediately following such event, and if the Registered Holder properly exercises the Warrant within thirty (30) days following the public disclosure of the consummation of such applicable event by the Company pursuant to a current report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission, the Warrant Price shall be reduced by an amount (in dollars) (but in no event less than zero) equal to the difference of (i) the Warrant Price in effect prior to such reduction minus (ii) (A) the Per Share Consideration (as defined below) minus (B) the Black-Scholes Warrant Value (as defined below).  The “Black-Scholes Warrant Value” means the value of a Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of the applicable event based on the Black-Scholes Warrant Model for a Capped American Call on Bloomberg Financial Markets (“Bloomberg”).  For purposes of calculating such amount, (1) Section 6 of this Agreement shall be taken into account, (2) the price of each share of Common Stock shall be the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the effective date of the applicable event, (3) the assumed volatility shall be the 90 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg determined as of the trading day immediately prior to the day of the announcement of the applicable event, and (4) the assumed risk-free interest rate shall correspond to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the remaining term of the Warrant.  “Per Share Consideration” means (i) if the consideration paid to holders of the Common Stock consists exclusively of cash, the amount of such cash per share of Common Stock, and (ii) in all other cases, the amount of cash per share of Common Stock, if any, plus the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the effective date of the applicable event.  If any reclassification or reorganization also results in a change in shares of Common Stock covered by subsection 4.1.1, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to subsection 4.1.1 or Sections 4.2, 4.3 and this Section 4.4.  The provisions of this Section 4.4 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, mergers or consolidations, sales or other transfers.  In no event will the Warrant Price be reduced to less than the par value per share issuable upon exercise of the Warrant.

 

4.5          Notices of Changes in Warrant.  Upon every adjustment of the Warrant Price or the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, the Company shall give written notice thereof to the Warrant Agent, which notice shall state the Warrant Price resulting from such adjustment and the increase or decrease,

 

8


 

if any, in the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable at such price upon the exercise of a Warrant, setting forth in reasonable detail the method of calculation and the facts upon which such calculation is based.  Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 or 4.4, the Company shall give written notice of the occurrence of such event to each holder of a Warrant, at the last address set forth for such holder in the Warrant Register, of the record date or the effective date of the event.  Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such event.

 

4.6          No Fractional Shares.  Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not issue fractional shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of Warrants.  If, by reason of any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 4, the holder of any Warrant would be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in a share, the Company shall, upon such exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to such holder.

 

4.7          Form of Warrant.  The form of Warrant need not be changed because of any adjustment pursuant to this Section 4, and Warrants issued after such adjustment may state the same Warrant Price and the same number of shares of Common Stock as is stated in the Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company may at any time in its sole discretion make any change in the form of Warrant that the Company may deem appropriate and that does not affect the substance thereof, and any Warrant thereafter issued or countersigned, whether in exchange or substitution for an outstanding Warrant or otherwise, may be in the form as so changed.

 

4.8          Other Events.  In case any event shall occur affecting the Company as to which none of the provisions of the preceding subsections of this Section 4 are strictly applicable, but which would require an adjustment to the terms of the Warrants in order to (i) avoid an adverse impact on the Warrants and (ii) effectuate the intent and purpose of this Section 4, then, in each such case, the Company shall appoint a firm of independent public accountants, investment banking or other appraisal firm of recognized national standing, which shall give its opinion as to whether or not any adjustment to the rights represented by the Warrants is necessary to effectuate the intent and purpose of this Section 4 and, if they determine that an adjustment is necessary, the terms of such adjustment; provided, however, that under no circumstances shall the Warrants be adjusted pursuant to this Section 4.8 as a result of any issuance of securities in connection with a Business Combination.  The Company shall adjust the terms of the Warrants in a manner that is consistent with any adjustment recommended in such opinion.

 

4.9          No Adjustment.  For the avoidance of doubt, no adjustment shall be made to the terms of the Warrants solely as a result of an adjustment to the conversion ratio of the Company’s Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class B Common Stock”), into shares of Common Stock or the conversion of the shares of Class B Common Stock into shares of Common Stock, in each case, pursuant to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as further amended from time to time.

 

5.             Transfer and Exchange of Warrants.

 

5.1          Registration of Transfer.  The Warrant Agent shall register the transfer, from time to time, of any outstanding Warrant upon the Warrant Register, upon surrender of such Warrant for transfer, in the case of certificated Warrants, properly endorsed with signatures properly guaranteed and accompanied by appropriate instructions for transfer.  Upon any such transfer, a new Warrant representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants shall be issued and the old Warrant shall be cancelled by the Warrant Agent.  In the case of certificated Warrants, the Warrants so cancelled shall be delivered by the Warrant Agent to the Company from time to time upon request.

 

5.2          Procedure for Surrender of Warrants.  Warrants may be surrendered to the Warrant Agent, together with a written request for exchange or transfer, and thereupon the Warrant Agent shall issue in exchange therefor one or more new Warrants as requested by the Registered Holder of the Warrants so surrendered, representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants; provided, however, that in the event that a Warrant surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend (as in the case of the Private Placement Warrants and the Working Capital Warrants), the Warrant Agent shall not cancel such Warrant and issue new Warrants in exchange thereof until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the new Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend.

 

9


 

5.3                               Fractional Warrants.  The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which shall result in the issuance of a warrant certificate or book-entry position for a fraction of a warrant, except as part of the Units.

 

5.4                               Service Charges.  No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Warrants.

 

5.5                               Warrant Execution and Countersignature.  The Warrant Agent is hereby authorized to countersign and to deliver, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Warrants required to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5, and the Company, whenever required by the Warrant Agent, shall supply the Warrant Agent with Warrants duly executed on behalf of the Company for such purpose.

 

5.6                               Transfer of Warrants.  Prior to the Detachment Date, the Public Warrants may be transferred or exchanged only together with the Unit in which such Warrant is included, and only for the purpose of effecting, or in conjunction with, a transfer or exchange of such Unit.  Furthermore, each transfer of a Unit on the register relating to such Units shall operate also to transfer the Warrants included in such Unit.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 5.6 shall have no effect on any transfer of Warrants on and after the Detachment Date.

 

6.                                      Redemption.

 

6.1                               Redemption.  Subject to Section 6.4 hereof, not less than all of the outstanding Warrants may be redeemed, at the option of the Company, at any time while they are exercisable and prior to their expiration, at the office of the Warrant Agent, upon notice to the Registered Holders of the Warrants, as described in Section 6.2 below, at the price of $0.01 per Warrant (the “Redemption Price”), provided that the last sales price of the Common Stock reported has been at least $18.00 per share (subject to adjustment in compliance with Section 4 hereof), on each of twenty (20) trading days within the thirty (30) trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which notice of the redemption is given and provided that there is an effective registration statement covering the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, and a current prospectus relating thereto, available throughout the 30-day Redemption Period (as defined in Section 6.2 below) or the Company has elected to require the exercise of the Warrants on a “cashless basis” pursuant to subsection 3.3.1; provided, however, that if and when the Warrants become redeemable by the Company, the Company may not exercise such redemption right if the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or the Company is unable to effect such registration or qualification.

 

6.2                               Date Fixed for, and Notice of, Redemption.  In the event that the Company elects to redeem all of the Warrants, pursuant to Section 6.1, the Company shall fix a date for the redemption (the “Redemption Date”).  Notice of redemption shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, by the Company not less than thirty (30) days prior to the Redemption Date (the “30-day Redemption Period”) to the Registered Holders of the Warrants to be redeemed at their last addresses as they shall appear on the registration books.  Any notice mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given whether or not the Registered Holder received such notice.

 

6.3                               Exercise After Notice of Redemption.  The Warrants may be exercised, for cash (or on a “cashless basis” in accordance with subsection 3.3.1(b) of this Agreement) at any time after notice of redemption shall have been given by the Company pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof and prior to the Redemption Date.  In the event that the Company determines to require all holders of Warrants to exercise their Warrants on a “cashless basis” pursuant to subsection 3.3.1, the notice of redemption shall contain the information necessary to calculate the number of shares of Common Stock to be received upon exercise of the Warrants, including the “Fair Market Value” (as such term is defined in subsection 3.3.1(b) hereof) in such case.  On and after the Redemption Date, the record holder of the Warrants shall have no further rights except to receive, upon surrender of the Warrants, the Redemption Price.

 

6.4                               Exclusion of Private Placement Warrants and Working Capital Warrants.  The Company agrees that the redemption rights provided in this Section 6 shall not apply to the Private Placement Warrants or the Working Capital Warrants if at the time of the redemption such Private Placement Warrants or the Working Capital Warrants continue to be held by the original purchasers thereof or their Permitted Transferees.  However, once such Private Placement Warrants or Working Capital Warrants are transferred (other than to a Permitted Transferee), the

 

10


 

Company may redeem the Private Placement Warrants and the Working Capital Warrants, provided that the criteria for redemption are met, including the opportunity of the holder of such Private Placement Warrants or the Working Capital Warrants to exercise such Private Placement Warrants or Working Capital Warrants prior to redemption pursuant to Section 6.3.  Private Placement Warrants and Working Capital Warrants that are transferred to persons other than Permitted Transferees shall upon such transfer cease to be Private Placement Warrants or Working Capital Warrants and shall become Public Warrants under this Agreement.

 

7.                                      Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants.

 

7.1                               No Rights as Stockholder.  A Warrant does not entitle the Registered Holder thereof to any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to receive dividends, or other distributions, exercise any preemptive rights to vote or to consent or to receive notice as a stockholder in respect of the meetings of stockholders or the election of directors of the Company or any other matter.

 

7.2                               Lost, Stolen, Mutilated, or Destroyed Warrants.  If any Warrant is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed, the Company and the Warrant Agent may on such terms as to indemnity or otherwise as they may in their discretion impose (which shall, in the case of a mutilated Warrant, include the surrender thereof), issue a new Warrant of like denomination, tenor, and date as the Warrant so lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed.  Any such new Warrant shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the allegedly lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed Warrant shall be at any time enforceable by anyone.

 

7.3                               Reservation of Common Stock.  The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock that shall be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Agreement.

 

7.4                               Registration of Common Stock; Cashless Exercise at Company’s Option.

 

7.4.1                     Registration of the Common Stock.  The Company agrees that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than fifteen (15) Business Days after the closing of its initial Business Combination, it shall use its best efforts to file with the Commission a registration statement for the registration, under the Securities Act, of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.  The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the same to become effective and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement, and a current prospectus relating thereto, until the expiration of the Warrants in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.  If any such registration statement has not been declared effective by the 60th Business Day following the closing of the Business Combination, holders of the applicable Warrants shall have the right, during the period beginning on the 61st Business Day after the closing of the Business Combination and ending upon such registration statement being declared effective by the Commission, and during any other period when the Company shall fail to have maintained an effective registration statement covering the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the applicable Warrants, to exercise such Warrants on a “cashless basis,” by exchanging the Warrants (in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act (or any successor rule) or another exemption) for that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “Fair Market Value” (as defined below) over the Warrant Price by (y) the Fair Market Value.  Solely for purposes of this subsection 7.4.1, “Fair Market Value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Common Stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the date that notice of exercise is received by the Warrant Agent from the holder of such Warrants or his, her or its securities broker or intermediary.  The date that notice of cashless exercise is received by the Warrant Agent shall be conclusively determined by the Warrant Agent.  In connection with the “cashless exercise” of a Public Warrant, the Company shall, upon request, provide the Warrant Agent with an opinion of counsel for the Company (which shall be an outside law firm with securities law experience) stating that (i) the exercise of the Warrants on a cashless basis in accordance with this subsection 7.4.1 is not required to be registered under the Securities Act and (ii) the shares of Common Stock issued upon such exercise shall be freely tradable under United States federal securities laws by anyone who is not an affiliate (as such term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or any successor statute)) of the Company and, accordingly, shall not be required to bear a restrictive legend.  Except as provided in subsection 7.4.2, for the avoidance of any doubt, unless and until all of the Warrants have been exercised or have expired, the Company shall continue to be obligated to comply with its registration obligations under the first three sentences of this subsection 7.4.1.

 

11


 

7.4.2                     Cashless Exercise at Company’s Option.  If the Common Stock is at the time of any exercise of a Warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that it satisfies the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act (or any successor statute), the Company may, at its option, (i) require holders of Public Warrants who exercise Public Warrants to exercise such Public Warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act (or any successor statute) as described in subsection 7.4.1 and (ii) in the event the Company so elects, the Company shall not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement for the registration, under the Securities Act, of the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary.  If the Company does not elect at the time of exercise to require a holder of Public Warrants who exercises Public Warrants to exercise such Public Warrants on a “cashless basis,” it agrees to use its best efforts to register or qualify for sale the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrant under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the Public Warrants were initially offered by the Company of the exercising Public Warrant holder to the extent an exemption is not available.

 

8.                                      Concerning the Warrant Agent and Other Matters.

 

8.1                               Payment of Taxes.  The Company shall from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of the Warrants, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such shares of Common Stock.

 

8.2                               Resignation, Consolidation, or Merger of Warrant Agent.

 

8.2.1                     Appointment of Successor Warrant Agent.  The Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving sixty (60) days’ notice in writing to the Company.  If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the Warrant Agent.  If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of a Warrant (who shall, with such notice, submit his, her or its Warrant for inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Warrant may apply to the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at the Company’s cost.  Any successor Warrant Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, in good standing and having its principal office in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority.  After appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed; but if for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder; and upon request of any successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.

 

8.2.2                     Notice of Successor Warrant Agent.  In the event a successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock not later than the effective date of any such appointment.

 

8.2.3                     Merger or Consolidation of Warrant Agent.  Any corporation into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Agreement without any further act.

 

8.3                               Fees and Expenses of Warrant Agent.

 

8.3.1                     Remuneration.  The Company agrees to pay the Warrant Agent reasonable remuneration for its services as such Warrant Agent hereunder and shall, pursuant to its obligations under this

 

12


 

Agreement, reimburse the Warrant Agent upon demand for all expenditures that the Warrant Agent may reasonably incur in the execution of its duties hereunder.

 

8.3.2                     Further Assurances.  The Company agrees to perform, execute, acknowledge, and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged, and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments, and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

8.4                               Liability of Warrant Agent.

 

8.4.1                     Reliance on Company Statement.  Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Warrant Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, Secretary or Chairman of the Board of the Company and delivered to the Warrant Agent.  The Warrant Agent may rely upon such statement for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

 

8.4.2                     Indemnity.  The Warrant Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.  The Company agrees to indemnify the Warrant Agent and save it harmless against any and all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees, for anything done or omitted by the Warrant Agent in the execution of this Agreement, except as a result of the Warrant Agent’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.

 

8.4.3                     Exclusions.  The Warrant Agent shall have no responsibility with respect to the validity of this Agreement or with respect to the validity or execution of any Warrant (except its countersignature thereof).  The Warrant Agent shall not be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Warrant.  The Warrant Agent shall not be responsible to make any adjustments required under the provisions of Section 4 hereof or responsible for the manner, method, or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment; nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Warrant or as to whether any shares of Common Stock shall, when issued, be valid and fully paid and non-assessable.

 

8.5                               Acceptance of Agency.  The Warrant Agent hereby accepts the agency established by this Agreement and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions herein set forth and among other things, shall account promptly to the Company with respect to Warrants exercised and concurrently account for, and pay to the Company, all monies received by the Warrant Agent for the purchase of shares of Common Stock through the exercise of the Warrants.

 

8.6                               Waiver.  The Warrant Agent has no right of set-off or any other right, title, interest or claim of any kind (“Claim”) in, or to any distribution of, the Trust Account (as defined in that certain Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Company and the Warrant Agent as trustee thereunder) and hereby agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction for any Claim against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.  The Warrant Agent hereby waives any and all Claims against the Trust Account and any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account.

 

9.                                      Miscellaneous Provisions.

 

9.1                               Successors.  All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Warrant Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.

 

9.2                               Notices.  Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of any Warrant to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five (5) days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Warrant Agent), as follows:

 

13


 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.
405 West 14th Street
Austin, TX 78701
Attn:
                   R. Steven Hicks
Email:            shicks@capstarpartners.com

 

Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the holder of any Warrant or by the Company to or on the Warrant Agent shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five (5) days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Warrant Agent with the Company), as follows:

 

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attn:                   Compliance Department

 

With a copy in each case to:

 

Greenberg Traurig, LLP
1750 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 1000
McLean, VA 22102
Attn:
                   Jason T. Simon, Esq.
Email:            simonj@gtlaw.com

 

and

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10013

Attn:                   [·]

Email:            [·]

 

and

 

UBS Securities LLC

1285 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10019

Attn:                   [·]

Email:            [·]

 

and

 

BTIG, LLC
65 E 55th Street
New York, NY 10022
Email:
            equitycapitalmarkets@btig.com

 

and

 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Attn:
                   Christian O. Nagler, Esq.            
Email:            cnagler@kirkland.com

 

9.3                               Applicable Law.  The validity, interpretation, and performance of this Agreement and of the Warrants shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction.  The Company

 

14


 

hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive.  The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.

 

9.4                               Persons Having Rights under this Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto and the Registered Holders of the Warrants any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof.  All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises, and agreements contained in this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and assigns and of the Registered Holders of the Warrants.

 

9.5                               Examination of the Warrant Agreement.  A copy of this Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Warrant Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, for inspection by the Registered Holder of any Warrant.  The Warrant Agent may require any such holder to submit such holder’s Warrant for inspection by the Warrant Agent.

 

9.6                               Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

9.7                               Effect of Headings.  The section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.

 

9.8                               Amendments.  This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto without the consent of any Registered Holder (i) for the purpose of curing any ambiguity or to correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions hereof to the description of the terms of the Warrants and this Agreement set forth in the Prospectus, or curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the Registered Holders, and (ii) to provide for the delivery of Alternative Issuance pursuant to Section 4.4.  All other modifications or amendments, including any amendment to increase the Warrant Price or shorten the Exercise Period, shall require the vote or written consent of the Registered Holders of 50% of the then outstanding Public Warrants and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the Private Placement Warrants or Working Capital Warrants or any provision of this Agreement with respect to the Private Placement Warrants or Working Capital Warrants, 50% of the number of then outstanding Private Placement Warrants and Working Capital Warrants.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may lower the Warrant Price or extend the duration of the Exercise Period pursuant to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, without the consent of the Registered Holders.

 

9.9                               Severability.  This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof.  Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be valid and enforceable.

 

Exhibit A — Form of Warrant Certificate

 

Exhibit B — Legend

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

15


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

R. Steven Hicks

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Warrant Agent

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

James F. Kiszka

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Warrant Agreement]

 


 

EXHIBIT A

 

[Form of Warrant Certificate]

 

[FACE]

 

Number

 

WARRANTS

 

THIS WARRANT SHALL BE VOID IF NOT EXERCISED PRIOR TO
THE EXPIRATION OF THE EXERCISE PERIOD PROVIDED FOR
IN THE WARRANT AGREEMENT DESCRIBED BELOW
CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

Incorporated Under the Laws of the State of Delaware

 

CUSIP 14070Y 119

 

Warrant Certificate

 

This Warrant Certificate certifies that           , or its registered assigns, is the registered holder of            warrant(s) evidenced hereby (the “Warrants” and each, a “Warrant”) to purchase shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).  Each Warrant entitles the holder, upon exercise during the period set forth in the Warrant Agreement referred to below, to receive from the Company that number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock as set forth below, at the exercise price (the “Exercise Price”) as determined pursuant to the Warrant Agreement, payable in lawful money (or through “cashless exercise” as provided for in the Warrant Agreement) of the United States of America upon surrender of this Warrant Certificate and payment of the Exercise Price at the office or agency of the Warrant Agent referred to below, subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the Warrant Agreement.  Defined terms used in this Warrant Certificate but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Warrant Agreement.

 

Each whole Warrant is initially exercisable for one fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock.  No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of any Warrant.  If, upon the exercise of Warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share of Common Stock, the Company will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to the Warrant holder.  The number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events set forth in the Warrant Agreement.

 

The initial Exercise Price per share of Common Stock for any Warrant is equal to $11.50 per share.  The Exercise Price is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events set forth in the Warrant Agreement.

 

Subject to the conditions set forth in the Warrant Agreement, the Warrants may be exercised only during the Exercise Period and to the extent not exercised by the end of such Exercise Period, such Warrants shall become void.

 

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Warrant Certificate set forth on the reverse hereof and such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

 

This Warrant Certificate shall not be valid unless countersigned by the Warrant Agent, as such term is used in the Warrant Agreement.

 

This Warrant Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof.

 

A-1


 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Warrant Agent

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

A-2


 

[Form of Warrant Certificate]

 

[Reverse]

 

The Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate are part of a duly authorized issue of Warrants entitling the holder on exercise to receive shares of Common Stock and are issued or to be issued pursuant to a Warrant Agreement dated as of           , 2020 (the “Warrant Agreement”), duly executed and delivered by the Company to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York limited purpose trust company, as warrant agent (the “Warrant Agent”), which Warrant Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference in and made a part of this instrument and is hereby referred to for a description of the rights, limitation of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Warrant Agent, the Company and the holders (the words “holders” or “holder” meaning the Registered Holders or Registered Holder, respectively) of the Warrants.  A copy of the Warrant Agreement may be obtained by the holder hereof upon written request to the Company.  Defined terms used in this Warrant Certificate but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Warrant Agreement.

 

Warrants may be exercised at any time during the Exercise Period set forth in the Warrant Agreement.  The holder of Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate may exercise them by surrendering this Warrant Certificate, with the form of election to purchase set forth hereon properly completed and executed, together with payment of the Exercise Price as specified in the Warrant Agreement (or through “cashless exercise” as provided for in the Warrant Agreement) at the principal corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent.  In the event that upon any exercise of Warrants evidenced hereby the number of Warrants exercised shall be less than the total number of Warrants evidenced hereby, there shall be issued to the holder hereof or his, her or its assignee, a new Warrant Certificate evidencing the number of Warrants not exercised.

 

Notwithstanding anything else in this Warrant Certificate or the Warrant Agreement, no Warrant may be exercised unless at the time of exercise (i) a registration statement covering the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise is effective under the Securities Act and (ii) a prospectus thereunder relating to the shares of Common Stock is current, except through “cashless exercise” as provided for in the Warrant Agreement.

 

The Warrant Agreement provides that upon the occurrence of certain events the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants set forth on the face hereof may, subject to certain conditions, be adjusted.  If, upon exercise of a Warrant, the holder thereof would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share of Common Stock, the Company shall, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to the holder of the Warrant.

 

Warrant Certificates, when surrendered at the principal corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent by the Registered Holder thereof in person or by legal representative or attorney duly authorized in writing, may be exchanged, in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement, but without payment of any service charge, for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates of like tenor evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Warrants.

 

Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of this Warrant Certificate at the office of the Warrant Agent a new Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates of like tenor and evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Warrants shall be issued to the transferee(s) in exchange for this Warrant Certificate, subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement, without charge except for any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection therewith.

 

The Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the Registered Holder(s) hereof as the absolute owner(s) of this Warrant Certificate (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone), for the purpose of any exercise hereof, of any distribution to the holder(s) hereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.  Neither the Warrants nor this Warrant Certificate entitles any holder hereof to any rights of a stockholder of the Company.

 

A-3


 

Election to Purchase

 

(To Be Executed Upon Exercise of Warrant)

 

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by this Warrant Certificate, to receive            shares of Common Stock and herewith tenders payment for such shares of Common Stock to the order of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) in the amount of $            in accordance with the terms hereof.  The undersigned requests that a certificate for such shares of Common Stock be registered in the name of           , whose address is            and that such shares of Common Stock be delivered to            whose address is           .  If said number of shares of Common Stock is less than all of the shares of Common Stock purchasable hereunder, the undersigned requests that a new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining balance of such shares of Common Stock be registered in the name of           , whose address is            and that such Warrant Certificate be delivered to           , whose address is           .

 

In the event that the Warrant has been called for redemption by the Company pursuant to Section 6 of the Warrant Agreement and the Company has required cashless exercise pursuant to Section 6.3 of the Warrant Agreement, the number of shares of Common Stock that this Warrant is exercisable for shall be determined in accordance with subsection 3.3.1(b) and Section 6.3 of the Warrant Agreement.

 

In the event that the Warrant is a Private Placement Warrant or a Working Capital Warrant that is to be exercised on a “cashless” basis pursuant to subsection 3.3.1(c) of the Warrant Agreement, the number of shares of Common Stock that this Warrant is exercisable for shall be determined in accordance with subsection 3.3.1(c) of the Warrant Agreement.

 

In the event that the Warrant is to be exercised on a “cashless” basis pursuant to Section 7.4 of the Warrant Agreement, the number of shares of Common Stock that this Warrant is exercisable for shall be determined in accordance with Section 7.4 of the Warrant Agreement.

 

In the event that the Warrant may be exercised, to the extent allowed by the Warrant Agreement, through cashless exercise (i) the number of shares of Common Stock that this Warrant is exercisable for would be determined in accordance with the relevant section of the Warrant Agreement which allows for such cashless exercise and (ii) the holder hereof shall complete the following:  The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by this Warrant Certificate, through the cashless exercise provisions of the Warrant Agreement, to receive shares of Common Stock.  If said number of shares of Common Stock is less than all of the shares of Common Stock purchasable hereunder (after giving effect to the cashless exercise), the undersigned requests that a new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining balance of such shares of Common Stock be registered in the name of           , whose address is            and that such Warrant Certificate be delivered to           , whose address is           .

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

A-4


 

Date:           , 20

 

 

(Signature)

 

 

 

 

 

(Address)

 

 

 

 

 

(Tax Identification Number)

 

 

Signature Guaranteed:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15 (OR ANY SUCCESSOR RULE) UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED).

 

A-5


 

EXHIBIT B

 

LEGEND

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF UNLESS REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE.  IN ADDITION, SUBJECT TO ANY ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER AGREEMENT BY AND AMONG CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.  (THE “COMPANY”), CAPSTAR SPONSOR GROUP, LLC AND THE OTHER PARTIES THERETO, THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE DATE UPON WHICH THE COMPANY COMPLETES ITS INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3 OF THE WARRANT AGREEMENT REFERRED TO HEREIN) EXCEPT TO A PERMITTED TRANSFEREE (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 2 OF THE WARRANT AGREEMENT) WHO AGREES IN WRITING WITH THE COMPANY TO BE SUBJECT TO SUCH TRANSFER PROVISIONS.

 

SECURITIES EVIDENCED HEREBY AND SHARES OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY ISSUED UPON EXERCISE OF SUCH SECURITIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS UNDER A REGISTRATION AND STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT TO BE EXECUTED BY THE COMPANY.”

 

B-1




Exhibit 5.1

 

 

June 24, 2020

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

405 West 14th Street

Austin, TX 78701

 

Re:                             Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

Registration Statement on Form S-1

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (the “Registration Statement”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”). The Registration Statement relates to the underwritten public offering by the Company of up to 23,000,000 units of the Company (the “Units”) (including up to 3,000,000 Units subject to the Underwriters’ (as defined below) option to purchase additional Units), each Unit consisting of:

 

(i)            one share of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock,” and the shares of Common Stock underlying the Units, the “Shares”), for an aggregate of up to 23,000,000 Shares (including up to 3,000,000 Shares included in the Units subject to the Underwriters’ option to purchase additional Units); and

 

(ii)           one-half of one redeemable warrant (each whole warrant, a “Warrant”) with each Warrant entitling the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock, for an aggregate of up to 11,500,000 Warrants (including up to 1,500,000 Warrants included in the Units subject to the Underwriters’ option to purchase additional Units) to be issued under a Warrant Agreement (the “Warrant Agreement”) to be entered into by the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Warrant Agent, pursuant to the terms of an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) to be executed by the Company and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., UBS Securities LLC and BTIG, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”).  We have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement and this opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act.

 

We have examined copies of such corporate records, agreements, documents and other instruments of the Company and other certificates and documents of officials of the Company, public officials, and others, as we have deemed appropriate for purposes of this letter. We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all copies submitted to us as conformed, certified, or reproduced copies. We have also assumed that (i) upon sale and delivery of the Units, the Shares, and the Warrants, the certificates representing such Units, Shares, and Warrants will conform to the specimens thereof filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement and will have been duly countersigned by the transfer agent and duly registered by the registrar or, if uncertificated, valid book-entry notations for the issuance of the Units, the Shares, and the Warrants in uncertificated form will have been duly made in the register of the Company and (ii) at the time of execution, countersigning, issuance, and delivery of the Warrants, the Warrant Agreement will be a valid and binding obligation of the Warrant Agent, enforceable against the Warrant Agent in accordance with its terms. In addition, in providing the opinions herein, we have relied, with respect to matters related to the Company’s existence, upon the certificates referenced above.

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications, and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that:

 

1. When the Underwriting Agreement and the Warrant Agreement have been duly executed and delivered by the respective parties thereto and the Units, the Shares, and the Warrants have been issued and delivered in

 


 

accordance with the Underwriting Agreement against payment in full of the consideration payable therefor as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof and as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, the Units and the Shares and Warrants included in the Units will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

2. When the Underwriting Agreement and the Warrant Agreement have been duly executed and delivered by the respective parties thereto and the Warrants have been duly executed by the Company and duly countersigned by the Warrant Agent in accordance with the terms of the Warrant Agreement and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Warrants will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

The opinions and other matters in this letter are qualified in their entirety and subject to the following:

 

A. We express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than (i) the laws of the State of New York and (ii) the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. As used herein, the term “General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware” includes the statutory provisions contained therein and all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting these laws.

 

B. The matters expressed in this letter are subject to and qualified and limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer and conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally; and (ii) general principles of equity, including without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

 

C. This opinion letter is limited to the matters expressly stated herein and no opinion is to be inferred or implied beyond the opinions expressly set forth herein. We undertake no, and hereby disclaim any, obligation to make any inquiry after the date hereof or to advise you of any changes in any matter set forth herein, whether based on a change in the law, a change in any fact relating to the Company or any other person or any other circumstance.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to us under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus comprising a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

/s/ Greenberg Traurig, LLP

 

 

 

GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP

 




Exhibit 10.1

 

, 2020

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.
405 West 14th Street

Austin, TX 78701

 

Re:          Initial Public Offering

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This letter (this “Letter Agreement”) is being delivered to you in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) to be entered into by and among Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., UBS Securities LLC and BTIG, LLC, as representatives (the “Representatives”) of the several underwriters (each, an “Underwriter” and collectively, the “Underwriters”), relating to an underwritten initial public offering (the “Public Offering”), of 23,000,000 of the Company’s units (including up to 3,000,000 units that may be purchased to cover over-allotments, if any) (the “Units”), each comprised of one share of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and one half of one redeemable warrant.  Each whole warrant (each, a “Warrant”) entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of Common Stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment.  The Units will be sold in the Public Offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 and a prospectus (the “Prospectus”), filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and the Company has applied to have the Units listed on the New York Stock Exchange.  Certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in paragraph 12 hereof.

 

In order to induce the Company and the Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the Public Offering and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each of Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), GCCU VI LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“GCOF”)  and TOCU XXIX LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“TacOpps” together with GCOF, the “Investors”) and the undersigned individuals, each of whom is a member of the Company’s board of directors and/or management team (each, an “Insider” and collectively, the “Insiders”), hereby agrees with the Company as follows:

 

1.                                      It is acknowledged and agreed that the Company shall not enter into a definitive agreement regarding a proposed Business Combination without the prior consent of the Sponsor and the Investors.  The Sponsor and each Insider agrees that if the Company seeks stockholder approval of a proposed Business Combination, then in connection with such proposed Business Combination, it, he or she shall (i) vote any shares of Capital Stock owned by it, him or her in favor of any proposed Business Combination and (ii) not redeem any shares of Common Stock owned by it, him or her in connection with such stockholder approval.  If the Company engages in a tender offer in connection with any proposed Business Combination, each Insider agrees that it, he or she will not seek to sell its, his or her shares of Common Stock to the Company in connection with such tender offer.

 

2.                                      The Sponsor and each Insider hereby agrees that in the event that the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Public Offering, or such later period approved by the Company’s stockholders in accordance with the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Charter”), the Sponsor and each Insider shall take all reasonable steps to cause the Company to (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the Common Stock sold as part of the Units in the Public Offering (the “Offering Shares”), at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account (as defined below), including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution

 


 

expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Offering Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish all Public Stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.  The Sponsor and each Insider agrees not to propose any amendment to the Charter to (a) modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter or (b) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, unless the Company provides Public Stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Common Stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its franchise and income taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding Offering Shares.

 

The Sponsor and each Insider acknowledges that it, he or she has no right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or any other asset of the Company as a result of any liquidation of the Company with respect to the Founder Shares held by it, him or her.  The Sponsor and each Insider hereby further waives, with respect to any shares of Common Stock held by it, him or her, if any, any redemption rights it, he or she may have in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, including, without limitation, any such rights available in the context of (i) a stockholder vote to approve such Business Combination, (ii) a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to the Charter to (a) modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter or (b) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, or (iii) in the context of a tender offer made by the Company to purchase shares of Common Stock (although the Sponsor, the Insiders and their respective affiliates shall be entitled to redemption and liquidation rights with respect to any Offering Shares it or they hold if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter).

 

3.                                      The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that prior to entering into a definitive agreement for a Business Combination with a target business that is affiliated with the undersigned or any other Insiders of the Company or their affiliates, such transaction must be approved by a majority of the Company’s disinterested independent directors and the Company must obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or an independent accounting firm that such Business Combination is fair to the Company’s unaffiliated stockholders from a financial point of view.

 

4.                                      During the period commencing on the effective date of the Underwriting Agreement and ending 180 days after such date, the Sponsor and each Insider shall not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to any Units, shares of Common Stock, Founder Shares, Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock owned by it, him or her, (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any Units, shares of Common Stock, Founder Shares, Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock owned by it, him or her, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii).  Each of the Insiders and the Sponsor acknowledges and

 

2


 

agrees that, prior to the effective date of any release or waiver, of the restrictions set forth in this paragraph 4 or paragraph 8 below, the Company shall announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.  Any release or waiver granted shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release.  The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Letter Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

 

5.                                      In the event of the liquidation of the Trust Account upon the failure of the Company to consummate its initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter, the Sponsor (the “Indemnitor”), which for purposes of clarification shall not extend to any other shareholders, members or managers of the Sponsor, or any of the other undersigned, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, whether pending or threatened) to which the Company may become subject as a result of any claim by (i) any third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company or (ii) any prospective target business with which the Company has entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or Business Combination agreement (a “Target”); provided, however, that such indemnification of the Company by the Indemnitor shall (x) apply only to the extent necessary to ensure that such claims by a third party for services rendered (other than the Company’s independent public accountants) or products sold to the Company or a Target do not reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per Offering Share and (ii) the actual amount per Offering Share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.00 per Offering Share is then held in the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less interest earned on the funds in the Trust Account which may be withdrawn to pay franchise and income taxes, (y) shall not apply to any claims by a third party or a Target which executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) and (z) shall not apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).  In the event that any such executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against such third party, the Indemnitor shall not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims.  The Indemnitor shall have the right to defend against any such claim with counsel of its choice reasonably satisfactory to the Company if, within 15 days following written receipt of notice of the claim to the Indemnitor, the Indemnitor notifies the Company in writing that it shall undertake such defense.

 

6.                                      To the extent that the Underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 Units within 45 days from the date of the Prospectus (and as further described in the Prospectus), the Sponsor agrees to forfeit, at no cost, a number of Founder Shares in the aggregate equal to 750,000 multiplied by a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is 3,000,000 minus the number of Units purchased by the Underwriters upon the exercise of their over-allotment option, and (ii) the denominator of which is 3,000,000.  The forfeiture will be adjusted to the extent that the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the Underwriters so that the Initial Stockholders will own an aggregate of 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of Capital Stock after the Public Offering (assuming the Initial Stockholders do not purchase any Units in the Public Offering).

 

7.                                      (a)           R. Steven Hicks hereby agrees not to participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director of, any other any other special purpose acquisition company with a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act until the Company has entered into a definitive agreement regarding an initial Business Combination or unless the Company has failed to complete a Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter.

 

3


 

(b)           The Sponsor and each Insider hereby agrees and acknowledges that:  (i) the Underwriters and the Company would be irreparably injured in the event of a breach by such Sponsor or an Insider of its, his or her obligations under paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7(a), 8(a), 8(b) and 10, as applicable, of this Letter Agreement, (ii) monetary damages may not be an adequate remedy for such breach and (iii) the non-breaching party shall be entitled to injunctive relief, in addition to any other remedy that such party may have in law or in equity, in the event of such breach.

 

8.                                      (a)           The Sponsor and each Insider agrees that it, he or she shall not Transfer any Founder Shares (or shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof) until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination or (B) subsequent to the Business Combination, (x) if the last sale price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company’s initial Business Combination or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property (the “Founder Shares Lock-up Period”).

 

(b)           The Sponsor and each Insider agrees that it, he or she shall not Transfer any Private Placement Warrants (or shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants), until 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination (the “Private Placement Warrants Lock-up Period”, together with the Founder Shares Lock-up Period, the “Lock-up Periods”).

 

(c)           Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in paragraphs 8(a) and (b), Transfers of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise or conversion of the Private Placement Warrants or the Founder Shares and that are held by the Sponsor, any Insider or any of their permitted transferees (that have complied with this paragraph 8(c)), are permitted (a) to the Company’s officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of the Company’s officers or directors, any affiliate of the Sponsor or to any member(s) of the Sponsor, any affiliates of such members and funds and accounts advised by such members; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of such individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of such individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such individual or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of the laws of descent and distribution upon death of such person; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of an initial Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the securities were originally purchased; (f) in the event of the Company’s liquidation prior to the completion of an initial Business Combination; (g) by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware or the Sponsor’s limited liability company agreement upon dissolution of the Sponsor; or (h) in the event of the Company’s liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the completion of an initial Business Combination; provided, however, that, in the case of clauses (a) through (e) or (g), these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement with the Company agreeing to be bound by the transfer restrictions herein.

 

9.                                      Prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, the Investors shall have the right to appoint one representative to the Board of Directors of the Company and one observer of the Board of Directors of the Company commencing on the effective date of the registration statement on Form S-1 related to the Public Offering until the earlier to occur of (i) any Business Combination or (ii) the Investors or their affiliates ceasing to own membership units in the Sponsor.  The Sponsor agrees to vote the Founder Shares in favor of the Investors’ appointee to the Board when the Investors’ appointee is up for election.

 

4


 

10.                               Each of the Insiders agrees to be a director or officer of the Company, as applicable, until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of an initial Business Combination, the liquidation of the Company, or his or her removal, death or incapacity.  The Sponsor and each Insider represents and warrants that it, he or she has never been suspended or expelled from membership in any securities or commodities exchange or association or had a securities or commodities license or registration denied, suspended or revoked.  Each Insider’s biographical information furnished to the Company (including any such information included in the Prospectus) is true and accurate in all material respects and does not omit any material information with respect to the Insider’s background and contains all of the information required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 401 of Regulation S-K, promulgated under the Securities Act.  Each Insider’s questionnaire furnished to the Company and the Representatives is true and accurate in all material respects.  Each Insider represents and warrants that:  it, he or she is not subject to or a respondent in any legal action for, any injunction, cease-and-desist order or order or stipulation to desist or refrain from any act or practice relating to the offering of securities in any jurisdiction; it, he or she has never been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any crime (i) involving fraud, (ii) relating to any financial transaction or handling of funds of another person, or (iii) pertaining to any dealings in any securities and it, he or she is not currently a defendant in any such criminal proceeding.

 

11.                               Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Sponsor nor any Insider, nor any affiliate of the Sponsor or any Insider, shall receive from the Company any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect of any repayment of a loan or other compensation prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is), other than the following, none of which will be made from the proceeds held in the Trust Account prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination:  repayment of a loan and advances up to an aggregate of $250,000 made to the Company by the Sponsor; payment to an affiliate of the Sponsor for certain office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support as may be reasonably required by the Company for a total of $10,000 per month; reimbursement for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and consummating an initial Business Combination, and repayment of loans, if any, and on such terms as to be determined by the Company from time to time, made by the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor or any of the Company’s officers or directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination, provided, that, if the Company does not consummate an initial Business Combination, a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account may be used by the Company to repay such loaned amounts so long as no proceeds from the Trust Account are used for such repayment.  Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender.  Such warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period.

 

12.                               The Sponsor and each Insider has full right and power, without violating any agreement to which it is bound (including, without limitation, any non-competition or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or former employer), to enter into this Letter Agreement and, as applicable, to serve as an officer and/or director on the board of directors of the Company and hereby consents to being named in the Prospectus as an officer and/or director of the Company.

 

13.                               As used herein, (i) “Business Combination” shall mean a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses; (ii) “Capital Stock” shall mean, collectively, the Common Stock and the Founder Shares; (iii) “Founder Shares” shall mean (a) the 5,750,000 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, initially issued to the Sponsor (up to 750,000 shares of which are subject to complete or partial forfeiture by the Sponsor if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the Underwriters); (iv) “Initial Stockholders” shall mean the Sponsor and any Insider that holds Founder Shares; (v) “Private Placement Warrants” shall mean the Warrants to purchase up to 6,000,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company (or 6,600,000 shares of Common Stock if the over-allotment option is

 

5


 

exercised in full by the Underwriters) that the Sponsor has agreed to purchase for an aggregate purchase price of $6,000,000 (or $6,600,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full by the Underwriters), or $1.00 per Warrant, in a private placement that shall occur simultaneously with the consummation of the Public Offering; (vi) “Public Stockholders” shall mean the holders of securities issued in the Public Offering; (vii) “Trust Account” shall mean the trust account into which the net proceeds of the Public Offering and certain proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants shall be deposited; and (viii) “Transfer” shall mean the (a) sale of, offer to sell, contract or agreement to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agreement to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establishment or increase of a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease of a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any security, (b) entry into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) public announcement of any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b).

 

14.                               Subject to the terms and conditions of this paragraph 13, if, in connection with or prior to the closing of the initial Business Combination, the Company proposes to raise additional capital by issuing any equity securities, or securities convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for equity securities other than Excluded Securities (as defined below) (such securities, “New Equity Securities”), the Company shall first make an offer of the New Equity Securities to the Sponsor in accordance with the following provisions of this paragraph 13 (the “Right of First Offer”):

 

(a)           Offer Notice.

 

(i)            The Company shall give written notice (the “Offering Notice”) to the Sponsor stating its bona fide intention to offer the New Equity Securities and specifying the number of New Equity Securities and the material terms and conditions, including the price, pursuant to which the Company proposes to offer the New Equity Securities.

 

(ii)           The Offering Notice shall constitute the Company’s offer to sell the New Equity Securities to the Sponsor, which offer shall be irrevocable for a period of three (3) business days (the “ROFO Notice Period”).

 

(b)           Exercise of Right of First Offer.

 

(i)            Upon receipt of the Offering Notice, the Sponsor shall have until the end of the ROFO Notice Period to offer to purchase any or all of the New Equity Securities by delivering a written notice (a “ROFO Offer Notice”) to the Company stating that it offers to purchase such New Equity Securities on the terms specified in the Offering Notice.  Any ROFO Offer Notice so delivered shall be binding upon delivery and irrevocable by the Sponsor.

 

(ii)           If the Sponsor does not deliver a ROFO Offer Notice during the ROFO Notice Period or indicates, in its ROFO Offer Notice its offer to purchase some but not all of the New Equity Securities, the Sponsor shall be deemed to have waived all of the Sponsor’s rights to purchase such number of New Equity Securities that it declined to purchase, and the Company shall thereafter be free to sell or enter into an agreement to sell such number of New Equity Securities to any third party without any further obligation to the Sponsor pursuant to this paragraph 13 within the forty-five (45) day period thereafter (and with respect to an agreement to sell, consummate such sale at any time thereafter) at a price not more favorable to the third party than those set forth in the Offering Notice.  If the Company does not sell or enter into an agreement to sell such number of New Equity Securities within such period, the rights provided hereunder shall be deemed to be revived and such New Equity Securities shall not be offered to any third party unless first re-offered to the Sponsor in accordance with this paragraph 13.

 

6


 

(c)           Excluded Securities.  For purposes hereof, the term “Excluded Securities” means any warrants issued upon the conversion of working capital loans to the Company, if any, made by the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor or any of the Company’s officers or directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination (up to $1,500,000 of which may be convertible at the option of the lender into warrants of the post-Business Combination entity having the same terms as the Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant), and any securities issued by the Company as consideration to any seller in the Business Combination or in satisfaction for any amounts owed by or claims against the Company.

 

(d)           Assignment of Right of First Offer.  The Right of First Offer may be assigned in whole or in part by the Sponsor to any of its members without the prior consent of the Company.  Following any such assignment, the Company and any such assignee shall comply with the provisions set forth in this paragraph 13 with respect to the Right of First Offer as if such assignee were a party hereto.

 

15.                               The Company will maintain an insurance policy or policies providing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, and each Insider shall be covered by such policy or policies, in accordance with its or their terms, to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any of the Company’s directors or officers.

 

16.                               The Company shall not, without the prior consent of the Investors, (i) include the name of the Investors or any of its affiliates in any disclosure, marketing materials, tombstones and other usages in connection with the Public Offering, otherwise related to the activities of the Company, or in connection with the initial Business Combination or thereafter; (ii) amend any term of the Founder Shares, including, but not limited to, the economic terms; (iii) amend any term of the Private Placement Warrants, including, but not limited to, economic terms;  or (iv) amend any terms of the Trust Account.

 

17.                               This Letter Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby.  This Letter Agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived (other than to correct a typographical error) as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by all parties hereto.

 

18.                               No party hereto may assign either this Letter Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other parties.  Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee.  This Letter Agreement shall be binding on the Sponsor and each Insider and their respective successors, heirs and assigns and permitted transferees.

 

19.                               Nothing in this Letter Agreement shall be construed to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto any right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Letter Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise or agreement hereof.  All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises and agreements contained in this Letter Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns and permitted transferees.

 

20.                               This Letter Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

21.                               This Letter Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Letter Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof.  Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Letter

 

7


 

Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be valid and enforceable.

 

22.                               This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction.  The parties hereto (i) all agree that any action, proceeding, claim or dispute arising out of, or relating in any way to, this Letter Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of New York City, in the State of New York, and irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction and venue, which jurisdiction and venue shall be exclusive and (ii) waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and venue or that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.

 

23.                               Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Letter Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery or facsimile transmission.

 

24.                               This Letter Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of the Lock-up Periods or (ii) the liquidation of the Company; provided that paragraph 5 of this Letter Agreement shall survive such liquidation.

 

8


 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPONSOR GROUP, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:  R. Steven Hicks

 

 

Title:    Manager

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

R. Steven Hicks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rodrigo de la Torre

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jamie Weinstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kathryn Cavanaugh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Ghiselli

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Whittenburg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GCCU VI LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOCU XXIX LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Letter Agreement]

 


 

Acknowledged and Agreed:

 

 

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:  R. Steven Hicks

 

 

 

Title:   Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

[Signature Page to Letter Agreement]

 




Exhibit 10.2

 

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT TRUST AGREEMENT

 

This Investment Management Trust Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made effective as of          , 2020, by and between Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York limited purpose trust company (the “Trustee”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-239094 (the “Registration Statement”) and prospectus (the “Prospectus”) for the initial public offering of the Company’s units (the “Units”), each of which consists of one share of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and one-half of one redeemable warrant, each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of Common Stock (such initial public offering hereinafter referred to as the “Offering”), has been declared effective as of the date hereof by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission;

 

WHEREAS, the Company has entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Citigroup Global Markets Inc., UBS Securities LLC and BTIG, LLC as representatives (the “Representatives”) of the several underwriters (the “Underwriters”) named therein;

 

WHEREAS, as described in the Prospectus, $200,000,000 of the proceeds of the Offering and sale of the Private Placement Warrants (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) (or $230,000,000, if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be delivered to the Trustee to be deposited and held in a segregated trust account located at all times in the United States (the “Trust Account”) for the benefit of the Company and the holders of the Common Stock included in the Units issued in the Offering as hereinafter provided (the amount to be delivered to the Trustee (and any interest subsequently earned thereon) is referred to herein as the “Property,” the stockholders for whose benefit the Trustee shall hold the Property will be referred to as the “Public Stockholders,” and the Public Stockholders and the Company will be referred to together as the “Beneficiaries”);

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, a portion of the Property equal to $7,000,000, or $8,050,000 if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, is attributable to deferred underwriting discounts and commissions that will be payable by the Company to the Underwriters upon and concurrently with the consummation of the Business Combination (as defined below) (the “Deferred Discount”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions pursuant to which the Trustee shall hold the Property.

 

NOW THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED:

 

1.             Agreements and Covenants of Trustee.  The Trustee hereby agrees and covenants to:

 

(a)           Hold the Property in trust for the Beneficiaries in accordance with the terms of this Agreement in the Trust Account established by the Trustee in the United States at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., (or at another U.S.-chartered commercial bank with consolidated assets of $100 billion or more) in the United States, maintained by the Trustee and at a brokerage institution selected by the Trustee that is reasonably satisfactory to the Company;

 

(b)           Manage, supervise and administer the Trust Account subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein;

 

(c)           In a timely manner, upon the written instruction of the Company, invest and reinvest the Property solely in United States government securities within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, having a maturity of 185 days or less, or in money market funds meeting the conditions of paragraphs (d)(1), (d)(2), (d)(3) and (d)(4) of Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (or any successor rule), which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, as determined by the Company; it being understood that the Trust Account will earn no interest while account funds are uninvested awaiting the Company’s instructions hereunder and the Trustee may earn bank credits or other consideration;

 


 

(d)           Collect and receive, when due, all principal, interest or other income arising from the Property, which shall become part of the “Property,” as such term is used herein;

 

(e)           Promptly notify the Company and the Representatives of all communications received by the Trustee with respect to any Property requiring action by the Company;

 

(f)            Supply any necessary information or documents as may be requested by the Company (or its authorized agents) in connection with the Company’s preparation of the tax returns relating to assets held in the Trust Account;

 

(g)           Participate in any plan or proceeding for protecting or enforcing any right or interest arising from the Property if, as and when instructed by the Company to do so;

 

(h)           Render to the Company monthly written statements of the activities of, and amounts in, the Trust Account reflecting all receipts and disbursements of the Trust Account;

 

(i)            Commence liquidation of the Trust Account only after and promptly after (x) receipt of, and only in accordance with, the terms of a letter from the Company (“Termination Letter”) in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as either Exhibit A or Exhibit B, as applicable, signed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, Executive Vice President, Vice President, Secretary or Chairman of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) or other authorized officer of the Company, and complete the liquidation of the Trust Account and distribute the Property in the Trust Account, including interest not previously released to the Company to pay its franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest that may be released to the Company to pay dissolution expenses), only as directed in the Termination Letter and the other documents referred to therein, or (y) upon the date which is, the later of (1) 24 months after the closing of the Offering and (2) such later date as may be approved by the Company’s stockholders in accordance with the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation if a Termination Letter has not been received by the Trustee prior to such date, in which case the Trust Account shall be liquidated in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Termination Letter attached as Exhibit B and the Property in the Trust Account, including interest not previously released to the Company to pay its franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest that may be released to the Company to pay dissolution expenses) shall be distributed to the Public Stockholders of record as of such date;

 

(j)            Upon written request from the Company, which may be given from time to time in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit C, withdraw from the Trust Account and distribute to the Company the amount of interest earned on the Property requested by the Company to cover any tax obligation, including any franchise tax obligations, owed by the Company as a result of assets of the Company or interest or other income earned on the Property, which amount shall be delivered directly to the Company by electronic funds transfer or other method of prompt payment, and the Company shall forward such payment to the relevant taxing authority, as applicable; provided, however, that to the extent there is not sufficient cash in the Trust Account to pay such tax obligation, the Trustee shall liquidate such assets held in the Trust Account as shall be designated by the Company in writing to make such distribution, so long as there is no reduction in the principal amount initially deposited in the Trust Account; provided, further, that if the tax to be paid is a franchise tax, the written request by the Company to make such distribution shall be accompanied by a copy of the franchise tax bill from the State of Delaware for the Company (it being acknowledged and agreed that any such amount in excess of interest income earned on the Property shall not be payable from the Trust Account).  The written request of the Company referenced above shall constitute presumptive evidence that the Company is entitled to said funds, and the Trustee shall have no responsibility to look beyond said request;

 

(k)           Upon written request from the Company, which may be given from time to time in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit D, the Trustee shall distribute on behalf of the Company the amount requested by the Company to be used to redeem shares of Common Stock from Public Stockholders properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation to (i) modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the shares of Common Stock included in the Units sold in the Offering if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of

 

2


 

incorporation or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity; and

 

(l)            Not make any withdrawals or distributions from the Trust Account other than pursuant to Section 1(i), (j) or (k) above.

 

2.             Agreements and Covenants of the Company.  The Company hereby agrees and covenants to:

 

(a)           Give all instructions to the Trustee hereunder in writing, signed by the Company’s Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, Executive Vice President, Vice President or Secretary.  In addition, except with respect to its duties under Sections 1(i), 1(j) and 1(k) hereof, the Trustee shall be entitled to rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, any verbal or telephonic advice or instruction which it, in good faith and with reasonable care, believes to be given by any one of the persons authorized above to give written instructions, provided that the Company shall promptly confirm such instructions in writing;

 

(b)           Subject to Section 4 hereof, hold the Trustee harmless and indemnify the Trustee from and against any and all expenses, including reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, or losses suffered by the Trustee in connection with any action taken by it hereunder and in connection with any action, suit or other proceeding brought against the Trustee involving any claim, or in connection with any claim or demand, which in any way arises out of or relates to this Agreement, the services of the Trustee hereunder, or the Property or any interest earned on the Property, except for expenses and losses resulting from the Trustee’s gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct.  Promptly after the receipt by the Trustee of notice of demand or claim or the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, pursuant to which the Trustee intends to seek indemnification under this Section 2(b), it shall notify the Company in writing of such claim (hereinafter referred to as the “Indemnified Claim”).  The Trustee shall have the right to conduct and manage the defense against such Indemnified Claim; provided that the Trustee shall obtain the consent of the Company with respect to the selection of counsel, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.  The Trustee may not agree to settle any Indemnified Claim without the prior written consent of the Company, which such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.  The Company may participate in such action with its own counsel;

 

(c)           Pay the Trustee the fees set forth on Schedule A hereto, including an initial acceptance fee, annual administration fee, and transaction processing fee which fees shall be subject to modification by the parties from time to time.  It is expressly understood that the Property shall not be used to pay such fees unless and until the closing of the Business Combination (defined below).  The Company shall pay the Trustee the initial acceptance fee and the first annual administration fee at the consummation of the Offering.  The Company shall not be responsible for any other fees or charges of the Trustee except as set forth in this Section 2(c), Schedule A and as may be provided in Section 2(b) hereof;

 

(d)           In connection with any vote of the Company’s stockholders regarding a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination involving the Company and one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”), provide to the Trustee an affidavit or certificate of the inspector of elections for the stockholder meeting verifying the vote of such stockholders regarding such Business Combination;

 

(e)           Provide the Representatives with a copy of any Termination Letter(s) and/or any other correspondence that is sent to the Trustee with respect to any proposed withdrawal from the Trust Account promptly after it issues the same;

 

(f)            Unless otherwise agreed among the Company and the Representatives, ensure that any Instruction Letter (as defined in Exhibit A) delivered in connection with a Termination Letter in the form of Exhibit A expressly provides that the Deferred Discount is paid directly to the account or accounts directed by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters prior to any transfer of the funds held in the Trust Account to the Company or any other person;

 

3


 

(g)           Instruct the Trustee to make only those distributions that are permitted under this Agreement, and refrain from instructing the Trustee to make any distributions that are not permitted under this Agreement; and

 

(h)           Within five (5) business days after the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, exercise the over-allotment option (or any unexercised portion thereof) or such over-allotment option expires, provide the Trustee with a notice in writing of the total amount of the Deferred Discount, which shall in no event be less than $7,000,000.

 

3.             Limitations of Liability.  The Trustee shall have no responsibility or liability to:

 

(a)           Imply obligations, perform duties, inquire or otherwise be subject to the provisions of any agreement or document other than this Agreement and that which is expressly set forth herein;

 

(b)           Take any action with respect to the Property, other than as directed in Section 1 hereof, and the Trustee shall have no liability to any third party except for liability arising out of the Trustee’s gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct;

 

(c)           Institute any proceeding for the collection of any principal and income arising from, or institute, appear in or defend any proceeding of any kind with respect to, any of the Property unless and until it shall have received instructions from the Company given as provided herein to do so and the Company shall have advanced or guaranteed to it funds sufficient to pay any expenses incident thereto;

 

(d)           Refund any depreciation in principal of any Property;

 

(e)           Assume that the authority of any person designated by the Company to give instructions hereunder shall not be continuing unless provided otherwise in such designation, or unless the Company shall have delivered a written revocation of such authority to the Trustee;

 

(f)            The other parties hereto or to anyone else for any action taken or omitted by it, or any action suffered by it to be taken or omitted, in good faith and in the Trustee’s best judgment, except for the Trustee’s gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct.  The Trustee may rely conclusively and shall be protected in acting upon any order, notice, demand, certificate, opinion or advice of counsel (including counsel chosen by the Trustee, which counsel may be the Company’s counsel), statement, instrument, report or other paper or document (not only as to its due execution and the validity and effectiveness of its provisions, but also as to the truth and acceptability of any information therein contained) which the Trustee believes, in good faith and with reasonable care, to be genuine and to be signed or presented by the proper person or persons.  The Trustee shall not be bound by any notice or demand, or any waiver, modification, termination or rescission of this Agreement or any of the terms hereof, unless evidenced by a written instrument delivered to the Trustee, signed by the proper party or parties and, if the duties or rights of the Trustee are affected, unless it shall give its prior written consent thereto;

 

(g)           Verify the accuracy of the information contained in the Registration Statement;

 

(h)           Provide any assurance that any Business Combination entered into by the Company or any other action taken by the Company is as contemplated by the Registration Statement;

 

(i)            File information returns with respect to the Trust Account with any local, state or federal taxing authority or provide periodic written statements to the Company documenting the taxes payable by the Company, if any, relating to any interest income earned on the Property;

 

(j)            Prepare, execute and file tax reports, income or other tax returns and pay any taxes with respect to any income generated by, and activities relating to, the Trust Account, regardless of whether such tax is payable by the Trust Account or the Company, including, but not limited to, franchise and income tax obligations, except pursuant to Section 1(j) hereof; or

 

(k)           Verify calculations, qualify or otherwise approve the Company’s written requests for distributions pursuant to Sections 1(i), 1(j) or 1(k) hereof.

 

4


 

4.             Trust Account Waiver.  The Trustee has no right of set-off or any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (“Claim”) to, or to any monies in, the Trust Account, and hereby irrevocably waives any Claim to, or to any monies in, the Trust Account that it may have now or in the future.  In the event the Trustee has any Claim against the Company under this Agreement, including, without limitation, under Section 2(b) or Section 2(c) hereof, the Trustee shall pursue such Claim solely against the Company and its assets outside the Trust Account and not against the Property or any monies in the Trust Account.

 

5.             Termination.  This Agreement shall terminate as follows:

 

(a)           If the Trustee gives written notice to the Company that it desires to resign under this Agreement, the Company shall use its reasonable efforts to locate a successor trustee, pending which the Trustee shall continue to act in accordance with this Agreement.  At such time that the Company notifies the Trustee that a successor trustee has been appointed by the Company and has agreed to become subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Trustee shall transfer the management of the Trust Account to the successor trustee, including but not limited to the transfer of copies of the reports and statements relating to the Trust Account, whereupon this Agreement shall terminate; provided, however, that in the event that the Company does not locate a successor trustee within ninety (90) days of receipt of the resignation notice from the Trustee, the Trustee may submit an application to have the Property deposited with any court in the State of New York or with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and upon such deposit, the Trustee shall be immune from any liability whatsoever; or

 

(b)           At such time that the Trustee has completed the liquidation of the Trust Account and its obligations in accordance with the provisions of Section 1(i) hereof (which section may not be amended under any circumstances) and distributed the Property in accordance with the provisions of the Termination Letter, this Agreement shall terminate except with respect to Section 2(b) and Section 4.

 

6.             Miscellaneous.

 

(a)           The Company and the Trustee each acknowledge that the Trustee will follow the security procedures set forth below with respect to funds transferred from the Trust Account.  The Company and the Trustee will each restrict access to confidential information relating to such security procedures to authorized persons.  Each party must notify the other party immediately if it has reason to believe unauthorized persons may have obtained access to such confidential information, or of any change in its authorized personnel.  In executing funds transfers, the Trustee shall rely upon all information supplied to it by the Company, including, account names, account numbers, and all other identifying information relating to a Beneficiary, Beneficiary’s bank or intermediary bank.  Except for any liability arising out of the Trustee’s gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, the Trustee shall not be liable for any loss, liability or expense resulting from any error in the information or transmission of the funds.

 

(b)           This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction.  This Agreement may be executed in several original or facsimile counterparts, each one of which shall constitute an original, and together shall constitute but one instrument.

 

(c)           This Agreement contains the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.  This Agreement or any provision hereof may only be changed, amended or modified (other than to correct a typographical error) by a writing signed by each of the parties hereto.

 

(d)           This Agreement or any provision hereof may only be changed, amended or modified pursuant to Section 6(c) hereof with the Consent of the Stockholders.  For purposes of this Section 6(d), the “Consent of the Stockholders” means (i) receipt by the Trustee of a certificate from the inspector of elections of the stockholder meeting certifying that the Company’s stockholders of record as of a record date established in accordance with Section 213(a) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended (or any successor rule), who hold sixty-five percent (65%) or more of all then outstanding shares of the Common Stock and Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company voting together as a single class, have voted in favor of such change, amendment or modification, or (ii) the Company’s stockholders of record as of the record date who hold

 

5


 

sixty-five percent (65%) or more of all then outstanding shares of the Common Stock and Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company voting together as a single class, have delivered to the Trustee a signed writing approving such change, amendment or modification.  No such amendment will affect any Public Stockholder who has otherwise indicated his, her or its election to redeem his, her or its shares of Common Stock in connection with a stockholder vote sought to amend this Agreement, including a corresponding change to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation.  Except for any liability arising out of the Trustee’s gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, the Trustee may rely conclusively on the certification from the inspector or elections referenced above and shall be relieved of all liability to any party for executing the proposed amendment in reliance thereon.

 

(e)           The parties hereto consent to the jurisdiction and venue of any state or federal court located in the City of New York, State of New York, for purposes of resolving any disputes hereunder.  AS TO ANY CLAIM, CROSS-CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, EACH PARTY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

(f)            Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery or by electronic mail:

 

if to the Trustee, to:

 

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attn:       Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Email:    fwolf@continentalstock.com
                cgonzalez@continentalstock.com

 

if to the Company, to:

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.
405 West 14th Street

Austin, TX 78701
Attn
:       R. Steven Hicks
Email:    shicks@capstarpartners.com

 

in each case, with copies to:

 

Greenberg Traurig, LLP

1750 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 1000

McLean, VA 22102
Attn:       Jason T. Simon, Esq.
Email:    simonj@gtlaw.com

 

and

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10013

Attn:       [•]

Email:    [•]

 

6


 

and

 

UBS Securities LLC

1285 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10019

Attn:       [•]

Email:    [•]

 

and

 

BTIG, LLC
65 E 55th Street
New York, NY 10022
Email:    equitycapitalmarkets@btig.com

 

and

 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Attn:       Christian O. Nagler, Esq.   
Email:    cnagler@kirkland.com

 

(g)           Each of the Company and the Trustee hereby represents that it has the full right and power and has been duly authorized to enter into this Agreement and to perform its respective obligations as contemplated hereunder.  The Trustee acknowledges and agrees that it shall not make any claims or proceed against the Trust Account, including by way of set-off, and shall not be entitled to any funds in the Trust Account under any circumstance.

 

(h)           This Agreement is the joint product of the Trustee and the Company and each provision hereof has been subject to the mutual consultation, negotiation and agreement of such parties and shall not be construed for or against any party hereto.

 

(i)            This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.  Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or electronic transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.

 

(j)            Each of the Company and the Trustee hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters are third party beneficiaries of this Agreement.

 

(k)           Except as specified herein, no party to this Agreement may assign its rights or delegate its obligations hereunder to any other person or entity.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

7


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Investment Management Trust Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

 

CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Francis Wolf

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

R. Steven Hicks

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page to Investment Management Trust Agreement]

 


 

SCHEDULE A

 

Fee Item

 

Time and method of payment

 

Amount

 

Initial set-up fee

 

Initial closing of Offering by wire transfer

 

$

3,500.00

 

Trustee administration fee

 

First year, initial closing of Offering by wire transfer, thereafter on the anniversary of the effective date of the Offering by wire transfer or check

 

$

10,000.00

 

Transaction processing fee for disbursements to Company under Sections 1(i) and 1(j)

 

Billed to Company following disbursement made to Company under Section 1

 

$

250.00

 

Paying Agent services as required pursuant to Sections 1(i) and 1(k)

 

Billed to Company upon delivery of service pursuant to Sections 1(i) and 1(k)

 

Prevailing rates

 

 


 

EXHIBIT A

 

[Letterhead of Company]

 

[Insert date]

 

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn:  Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez

 

Re:                             Trust Account - Termination Letter

 

Mr. Wolf and Ms. Gonzalez:

 

Pursuant to Section 1(i) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of          , 2020 (the “Trust Agreement”), this is to advise you that the Company has entered into an agreement with [          ] (the “Target Business”) to consummate a business combination with the Target Business (the “Business Combination”) on or about [insert date].  The Company shall notify you at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance (or such shorter time as you may agree) of the actual date of the consummation of the Business Combination (the “Consummation Date”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.

 

In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby authorize you to commence to liquidate all of the assets of the Trust Account and transfer the proceeds to a segregated account held by you on behalf of the Beneficiaries to the effect that, on the Consummation Date, all of the funds held in the Trust Operating Account at JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. will be immediately available for transfer to the account or accounts that the Company shall direct on the Consummation Date (including as directed to it by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters (with respect to the Deferred Discount)).  It is acknowledged and agreed that while the funds are on deposit in the trust operating account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. awaiting distribution, the Company will not earn any interest or dividends.

 

On the Consummation Date (i) counsel for the Company shall deliver to you written notification that the Business Combination has been consummated, or will be consummated substantially concurrently with your transfer of funds to the accounts as directed by the Company (the “Notification”) and (ii) the Company shall deliver to you (a) a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer, which verifies that the Business Combination has been approved by a vote of the Company’s stockholders, if a vote is held and (b) a written instruction signed by the Company with respect to the transfer of the funds held in the Trust Account, including payment of amounts owed to public stockholders who have properly exercised their redemption rights and payment of the Deferred Discount to the Representatives from the Trust Account (the “Instruction Letter”).  You are hereby directed and authorized to transfer the funds held in the Trust Account immediately upon your receipt of the Notification and the Instruction Letter, in accordance with the terms of the Instruction Letter.  In the event that certain deposits held in the Trust Account may not be liquidated by the Consummation Date without penalty, you will notify the Company in writing of the same and the Company shall direct you as to whether such funds should remain in the Trust Account and be distributed after the Consummation Date to the Company.  Upon the distribution of all the funds, net of any payments necessary for reasonable unreimbursed expenses related to liquidating the Trust Account, your obligations under the Trust Agreement shall be terminated.

 

In the event that the Business Combination is not consummated on the Consummation Date described in the notice thereof and we have not notified you on or before the original Consummation Date of a new Consummation Date, then upon receipt by the Trustee of written instructions from the Company, the funds held in

 

A-1


 

the Trust Account shall be reinvested as provided in Section 1(c) of the Trust Agreement on the business day immediately following the Consummation Date as set forth in such notice as soon thereafter as possible.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

cc:                                Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

UBS Securities LLC

BTIG, LLC

 

A-2


 

EXHIBIT B

 

[Letterhead of Company]

 

[Insert date]

 

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn
:  Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez

 

Re:                             Trust Account - Termination Letter

 

Mr. Wolf and Ms. Gonzalez:

 

Pursuant to Section 1(i) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of          , 2020 (the “Trust Agreement”), this is to advise you that the Company did not effect a business combination with a Target Business (the “Business Combination”) within the time frame specified in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as described in the Company’s Prospectus relating to the Offering.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.

 

In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby authorize you to liquidate all of the assets in the Trust Account and transfer the total proceeds into a segregated account held by you on behalf of the Beneficiaries to await distribution to the Public Stockholders.  The Company has selected [         , 20  ]1 as the effective date for the purpose of determining when the Public Stockholders will be entitled to receive their share of the liquidation proceeds.  You agree to be the Paying Agent of record and, in your separate capacity as Paying Agent, agree to distribute said funds directly to the Company’s Public Stockholders in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement and the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation.  Upon the distribution of all the funds, net of any payments necessary for reasonable unreimbursed expenses related to liquidating the Trust Account, your obligations under the Trust Agreement shall be terminated, except to the extent otherwise provided in Section 1(i) of the Trust Agreement.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

cc:                                Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

UBS Securities LLC

BTIG, LLC

 


1  24 months from the closing of the Offering or at a later date, if extended.

 

B-1


 

EXHIBIT C

 

[Letterhead of Company]

 

[Insert date]

 

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn
:  Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez

 

Re:                             Trust Account - Withdrawal Instruction

 

Mr. Wolf and Ms. Gonzalez:

 

Pursuant to Section 1(j) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of          , 2020 (the “Trust Agreement”), the Company hereby requests that you deliver to the Company $[     ] of the interest income earned on the Property as of the date hereof.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.

 

The Company needs such funds [to pay for the tax obligations as set forth on the attached tax return or tax statement].  In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, you are hereby directed and authorized to transfer (via wire transfer) such funds promptly upon your receipt of this letter to the Company’s operating account at:

 

[WIRE INSTRUCTION INFORMATION]

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

cc:                                Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

UBS Securities LLC

BTIG, LLC

 

C-1


 

EXHIBIT D

 

[Letterhead of Company]

 

[Insert date]

 

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn
:  Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez

 

Re:                             Trust Account - Stockholder Redemption Withdrawal Instruction

 

Mr. Wolf and Ms. Gonzalez:

 

Pursuant to Section 1(k) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of          , 2020 (the “Trust Agreement”), the Company hereby requests that you deliver to the redeeming Public Stockholders of the Company $[     ] of the principal and interest income earned on the Property as of the date hereof to a segregated account held by you on behalf of the Beneficiaries for distribution to the Public Stockholders who have requested redemption of their shares of Common Stock.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.

 

The Company needs such funds to pay its Public Stockholders who have properly elected to have their shares of Common Stock redeemed by the Company in connection with a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation to (i) modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the shares of Common Stock included in the Units sold in the Offering if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity.  As such, you are hereby directed and authorized to transfer (via wire transfer) such funds promptly upon your receipt of this letter.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

cc:                                Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

UBS Securities LLC

BTIG, LLC

 

D-1




Exhibit 10.3

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corporation

405 West 14th Street

Austin, Texas 78701

 

February 26, 2020

 

Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC

405 West 14th Street

Austin, Texas 78701

 

RE: Subscription Agreement for Founder Shares

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We are pleased to accept the offer Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC (the “Subscriber” or “you”) has made to purchase 5,750,000 shares (“Founder Shares”) of Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class B Common Stock” together with all other classes of Company (as defined below) common stock, the “Common Stock”), of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), up to 750,000 of which are subject to forfeiture by you if the underwriters of the proposed initial public offering (“IPO”) of the Company pursuant to the registration statement on Form S-1 expected to be filed by the Company in connection with the IPO (the “Registration Statement”) do not fully exercise their over-allotment option (the “Over-allotment Option”) as described below. The terms (this “Agreement”) on which the Company is willing to sell the Founder Shares to the Subscriber, and the Company and the Subscriber’s agreements regarding such Founder Shares, are as follows:

 

1.  Purchase of Founder Shares. For the sum of $25,000.00 (the “Purchase Price”), which the Company acknowledges receiving in cash, the Company hereby sells and issues the Founder Shares to the Subscriber, and the Subscriber hereby purchases the Founder Shares from the Company, subject to the forfeiture provisions of Section 3 below, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement. Concurrently with the Subscriber’s execution of this Agreement, the Company shall, at its option, deliver to the Subscriber a certificate registered in the Subscriber’s name representing the Founder Shares, or effect such delivery in book-entry form.

 

2.  Representations, Warranties and Agreements.

 

2.1.  The Subscriber’s Representations, Warranties and Agreements. To induce the Company to issue the Founder Shares to the Subscriber, the Subscriber hereby represents and warrants to the Company and agrees with the Company as follows:

 

2.1.1.  No Government Recommendation or Approval. The Subscriber understands that no federal or state agency has passed upon or made any recommendation or endorsement of the offering of the Founder Shares.

 

2.1.2.  No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation by the Subscriber of the transactions contemplated hereby do not violate, conflict with or constitute a default under (i) the formation and governing documents of the Subscriber, (ii) any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Subscriber is a party, (iii) any law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Subscriber is subject, or (iv) any agreement, order, judgment or decree to which the Subscriber is subject.

 

2.1.3.  Organization and Authority. The Subscriber is a Delaware limited liability company, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware and possesses all requisite power and authority necessary to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Upon execution and delivery by you, this Agreement will be a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Subscriber, enforceable against the Subscriber in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity).

 

1


 

2.1.4.  Experience, Financial Capability and Suitability. The Subscriber is: (i) sophisticated in financial matters and is able to evaluate the risks and benefits of the investment in the Founder Shares and (ii) able to bear the economic risk of its investment in the Founder Shares for an indefinite period of time because the Founder Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act (as defined below) and therefore cannot be resold unless such transaction is registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from such registration is available. The Subscriber is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its investment in the Company and has the capacity to protect its own interests. The Subscriber must bear the economic risk of this investment until the Founder Shares are sold pursuant to: (x) an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or (y) an exemption from registration available with respect to such sale. The Subscriber is able to bear the economic risks of an investment in the Founder Shares and to afford a complete loss of the Subscriber’s investment in the Founder Shares.

 

2.1.5.  Access to Information; Independent Investigation. Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Subscriber has had the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from representatives of the Company concerning an investment in the Company, as well as the finances, operations, business and prospects of the Company, and the opportunity to obtain additional information to verify the accuracy of all information so obtained. In determining whether to make this investment, the Subscriber has relied solely on the Subscriber’s own knowledge and understanding of the Company and its business based upon the Subscriber’s own due diligence investigation and the information furnished pursuant to this paragraph. The Subscriber understands that no person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations which were not furnished pursuant to this Section 2 and the Subscriber has not relied on any other representations or information in making its investment decision, whether written or oral, relating to the Company, its operations or its prospects.

 

2.1.6.  Regulation D Offering. The Subscriber represents that it is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and acknowledges the sale contemplated hereby is being made in reliance on a private placement exemption applicable to “accredited investors” within the meaning of Section 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act or similar exemptions under federal and state law.

 

2.1.7.  Investment Purposes. The Subscriber is purchasing the Founder Shares solely for investment purposes, for the Subscriber’s own account and not for the account or benefit of any other person, and not with a view towards the distribution or dissemination thereof. The Subscriber did not enter into this Agreement as a result of any general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502 of Regulation D under the Securities Act.

 

2.1.8.  Restrictions on Transfer; Shell Company. The Subscriber understands the Founder Shares are being offered in a transaction not involving a public offering within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Subscriber understands the Founder Shares will be “restricted securities” as defined in Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act and the Subscriber understands that any certificate or book entries representing the Founder Shares will contain a legend in respect of such restrictions. If in the future the Subscriber decides to offer, resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Founder Shares, such Founder Shares may be offered, resold, pledged or otherwise transferred only in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 hereof. The Subscriber agrees that if any transfer of its Founder Shares or any interest therein is proposed to be made, as a condition precedent to any such transfer, the Subscriber may be required to deliver to the Company an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company. Absent registration under the Securities Act or an exemption therefrom, the Subscriber agrees not to resell the Founder Shares. The Subscriber further acknowledges that because the Company is a shell company, Rule 144 may not be available to the Subscriber for the resale of the Founder Shares until at least one year following consummation of the initial business combination of the Company, despite technical compliance with the certain requirements of Rule 144 and the release or waiver of any contractual transfer restrictions.

 

2.1.9.  No Governmental Consents. No governmental, administrative or other third-party consents or approvals are required, necessary or appropriate on the part of the Subscriber in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

2.2.  Company’s Representations, Warranties and Agreements. To induce the Subscriber to purchase the Founder Shares, the Company hereby represents and warrants to the Subscriber and agrees with the Subscriber as follows:

 

2


 

2.2.1.  Organization and Corporate Power. The Company is a Delaware corporation and is qualified to do business in every jurisdiction in which the failure to so qualify would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, operating results or assets of the Company. The Company possesses all requisite corporate power and authority necessary to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

2.2.2.  No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby do not violate, conflict with or constitute a default under (i) the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company, (ii) any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company is a party, (iii) any law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Company is subject, or (iv) any agreement, order, judgment or decree to which the Company is subject.

 

2.2.3.  Title to Securities. Upon issuance in accordance with, and payment pursuant to, the terms hereof, the Founder Shares will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Upon issuance in accordance with, and payment pursuant to, the terms hereof the Subscriber will have or receive good title to the Founder Shares, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind, other than (a) transfer restrictions hereunder and other agreements to which the Founder Shares may be subject which have been notified to the Subscriber in writing, (b) transfer restrictions under federal and state securities laws, and (c) liens, claims or encumbrances imposed due to the actions of the Subscriber.

 

2.2.4.  No Adverse Actions. There are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings pending, threatened against or affecting the Company which: (i) seek to restrain, enjoin, prevent the consummation of or otherwise affect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or (ii) question the validity or legality of any transactions or seek to recover damages or to obtain other relief in connection with any transactions.

 

3.  Forfeiture of Founder Shares.

 

3.1. Partial or No Exercise of the Over-allotment Option. In the event the Over-allotment Option granted to the underwriters of the IPO is not exercised in full, the Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that it (and, if applicable, any transferee of Shares) shall automatically forfeit at the time such Over-allotment Option expires (or earlier if the underwriters of the IPO waive their ability to exercise such Over-allotment Option) any and all rights to such number of Founder Shares (up to an aggregate of 750,000 Founder Shares and pro rata based upon the percentage of the Over-allotment Option exercised) such that immediately following such forfeiture, the Subscriber (and any such transferees), collectively with all other initial stockholders of the Company prior to the IPO, will own an aggregate number of Founder Shares equal to 20% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock immediately following the IPO.

 

3.2.  Termination of Rights as Stockholder. If any of the Founder Shares are forfeited in accordance with this Section 3, then after such time the Subscriber (or its successor in interest), shall no longer have any rights as a holder of such forfeited Founder Shares, and the Company shall take such action as is appropriate to cancel such forfeited Founder Shares.

 

3.3.  Share Certificates. In the event an adjustment to any certificate representing the Founder Shares purchased pursuant hereto is required pursuant to this Section 3, then the Subscriber shall return such certificate to the Company or its designated agent as soon as practicable upon its receipt of notice from the Company advising the Subscriber of such adjustment, following which a new certificate shall be issued in such amount representing the adjusted number of Founder Shares held by the Subscriber. Such new certificate, if any, shall be returned to the Subscriber as soon as practicable. Any such adjustment for any uncertificated securities held by the Subscriber shall be made in book-entry form.

 

4.  Waiver of Liquidation Distributions; Redemption Rights. In connection with the Founder Shares purchased pursuant to this Agreement, the Subscriber hereby waives any and all right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any distributions by the Company from the trust account which will be established for the benefit of the Company’s public stockholders and into which substantially all of the proceeds of the IPO will be deposited (the “Trust Account”), in the event of a liquidation of the Company upon the Company’s failure to timely complete an initial business combination. For purposes of clarity, in the event the Subscriber purchases securities in the IPO or

 

3


 

securities of the Company issued in the IPO in the aftermarket, any additional Common Stock so purchased shall be eligible to receive any liquidating distributions from the Trust Account by the Company. However, in no event will the Subscriber have the right to redeem any shares of Common Stock into funds held in the Trust Account upon the successful completion of an initial business combination.

 

5.  Restrictions on Transfer.

 

5.1.  Securities Law Restrictions. In addition to any restrictions to be contained in that certain letter agreement (commonly known as an “Insider Letter”) to be entered into between the Company and the Subscriber in connection with the consummation of the IPO, the Subscriber agrees not to sell, transfer, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Founder Shares unless, prior thereto (a) a registration statement on the appropriate form under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws with respect to the Founder Shares proposed to be transferred shall then be effective or (b) the Company has received an opinion from counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company, that such registration is not required because such transaction is exempt from registration under the Securities Act and the rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder and with all applicable state securities laws.

 

5.2.  Lock-up.  The Subscriber acknowledges that the Founder Shares will be subject to lock-up provisions (the “Lock-up”) contained in the Insider Letter. Pursuant to the Insider Letter, the Subscriber will agree (subject to certain customary exceptions) not to sell, transfer, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of the Company’s initial business combination or (B) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction after its initial business combination that results in all of its stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the last sale price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company’s initial business combination, the Founder Shares will be released from the Lock-up.

 

5.3.  Restrictive Legends. All certificates representing the Founder Shares shall have endorsed thereon legends substantially as follows:

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS AND NEITHER THE SECURITIES NOR ANY INTEREST THEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER SUCH ACT OR SUCH LAWS OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SUCH ACT AND SUCH LAWS WHICH, IN THE OPINION OF COUNSEL (IF THE COMPANY SO REQUESTS), IS AVAILABLE.”

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO LOCKUP PROVISIONS AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED DURING THE TERM OF THE LOCKUP PERIOD.”

 

5.4.  Additional Founder Shares or Substituted Securities. In the event of the declaration of a stock dividend, the declaration of a special dividend payable in a form other than Common Stock, a spin-off, a stock split, an adjustment in conversion ratio, a recapitalization or a similar transaction affecting the Company’s outstanding Common Stock without receipt of consideration, any new, substituted or additional securities or other property which are by reason of such transaction distributed with respect to any Founder Shares subject to this Section 5 or into which such Founder Shares thereby become convertible shall immediately be subject to this Section 5 and Section 3. Appropriate adjustments to reflect the distribution of such securities or property shall be made to the number or class of Founder Shares subject to this Section 5 and Section 3.

 

5.5.  Registration Rights. The Subscriber acknowledges that the Founder Shares are being purchased pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and will become freely tradable only after certain conditions are met or they are registered pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be entered into with the Company prior to the closing of the IPO (the “Registration Rights Agreement”).

 

4


 

6.  Other Agreements.

 

6.1.  Further Assurances. The Subscriber agrees to execute such further instruments and to take such further action as may reasonably be necessary to carry out the intent of this Agreement.

 

6.2.  Notices. All notices, statements or other documents which are required or contemplated by this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered: (i) personally or sent by first class registered or certified mail, overnight courier service or facsimile or electronic transmission to the address designated in writing, (ii) by facsimile to the number most recently provided to such party or such other address or fax number as may be designated in writing by such party and (iii) by electronic mail, to the electronic mail address most recently provided to such party or such other electronic mail address as may be designated in writing by such party. Any notice or other communication so transmitted shall be deemed to have been given on the day of delivery, if delivered personally, on the business day following receipt of written confirmation, if sent by facsimile or electronic transmission, one (1) business day after delivery to an overnight courier service or five (5) days after mailing if sent by mail.

 

6.3.  Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with that certain Insider Letter to be entered into between the Subscriber and the Company and the Registration Rights Agreement, each substantially in the form to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the Subscriber and the Company with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior oral or written agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof. No statement, representation, warranty, covenant or agreement of any kind not expressly set forth in this Agreement shall affect, or be used to interpret, change or restrict, the express terms and provisions of this Agreement.

 

6.4.  Modifications and Amendments. The terms and provisions of this Agreement may be modified or amended only by written agreement executed by all parties hereto.

 

6.5.  Waivers and Consents. The terms and provisions of this Agreement may be waived, or consent for the departure therefrom granted, only by written document executed by the party entitled to the benefits of such terms or provisions. No such waiver or consent shall be deemed to be or shall constitute a waiver or consent with respect to any other terms or provisions of this Agreement, whether or not similar. Each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which it was given, and shall not constitute a continuing waiver or consent.

 

6.6.  Assignment. The rights and obligations under this Agreement may not be assigned by either party hereto without the prior written consent of the other party.

 

6.7.  Benefit. All statements, representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in this Agreement shall be binding on the parties hereto and shall inure to the benefit of the respective successors and permitted assigns of each party hereto. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create any rights or obligations except among the parties hereto, and no person or entity shall be regarded as a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement.

 

6.8.  Governing Law. This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of New York applicable to contracts wholly performed within the borders of such state.

 

6.9.  Severability. In the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that any provision, or any portion thereof, contained in this Agreement shall be unreasonable or unenforceable in any respect, then such provision shall be deemed limited to the extent that such court deems it reasonable and enforceable, and as so limited shall remain in full force and effect. In the event that such court shall deem any such provision, or portion thereof, wholly unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect.

 

6.10.  No Waiver of Rights, Powers and Remedies. No failure or delay by a party hereto in exercising any right, power or remedy under this Agreement, and no course of dealing between the parties hereto, shall operate as a

 

5


 

waiver of any such right, power or remedy of such party. No single or partial exercise of any right, power or remedy under this Agreement by a party hereto, nor any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce any such right, power or remedy, shall preclude such party from any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy hereunder. The election of any remedy by a party hereto shall not constitute a waiver of the right of such party to pursue other available remedies. No notice to or demand on a party not expressly required under this Agreement shall entitle the party receiving such notice or demand to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances or constitute a waiver of the rights of the party giving such notice or demand to any other or further action in any circumstances without such notice or demand.

 

6.11.  Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made by the parties hereto in this Agreement or in any other agreement, certificate or instrument provided for or contemplated hereby, shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and any investigations made by or on behalf of the parties.

 

6.12.  No Broker or Finder. Each of the parties hereto represents and warrants to the other that no broker, finder or other financial consultant has acted on its behalf in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in such a way as to create any liability on the other. Each of the parties hereto agrees to indemnify and hold the other harmless from any claim or demand for commission or other compensation by any broker, finder, financial consultant or similar agent claiming to have been employed by or on behalf of such party and to bear the cost of legal expenses incurred in defending against any such claim.

 

6.13.  Headings and Captions. The headings and captions of the various sections of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall in no way modify or affect the meaning or construction of any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

6.14.  Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or any other form of electronic delivery, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such signature page were an original thereof.

 

6.15.  Construction. The words “include,” “includes,” and “including” will be deemed to be followed by “without limitation.” Pronouns in masculine, feminine, and neuter genders will be construed to include any other gender, and words in the singular form will be construed to include the plural and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires. The words “this Agreement,” “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereunder,” and words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section unless expressly so limited. The parties hereto intend that each representation, warranty, and covenant contained herein will have independent significance. If any party hereto has breached any representation, warranty, or covenant contained herein in any respect, the fact that there exists another representation, warranty or covenant relating to the same subject matter (regardless of the relative levels of specificity) which such party hereto has not breached will not detract from or mitigate the fact that such party hereto is in breach of the first representation, warranty, or covenant.

 

6.16. Mutual Drafting. This Agreement is the joint product of the Subscriber and the Company and each provision hereof has been subject to the mutual consultation, negotiation and agreement of such parties and shall not be construed for or against any party hereto.

 

7.  Voting and Redemption of Founder Shares. The Subscriber agrees to vote the Founder Shares in favor of an initial business combination that the Company negotiates and submits for approval to the Company’s stockholders and shall not seek redemption with respect to such Founder Shares. Additionally, the Subscriber agrees not to redeem any Founder Shares in connection with a redemption or tender offer presented to the Company’s stockholders in connection with an initial business combination negotiated by the Company.

 

6


 

8.  Indemnification. Each party shall indemnify the other against any loss, cost or damages (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred as a result of such party’s breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement in this Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

7


 

If the foregoing accurately sets forth our understanding and agreement, please sign the enclosed copy of this Agreement and return it to us.

 

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Benjamin M. Hanson

 

 

Benjamin M. Hanson

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

Accepted and agreed this 26th day of February, 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPONSOR GROUP, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Benjamin M. Hanson

 

 

Name: Benjamin M. Hanson

 

 

Title: Manager

 

 

 

 

[Signature Page to Subscription Agreement]

 




Exhibit 10.4

 

WARRANT PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

THIS WARRANT PURCHASE AGREEMENT (as it may from time to time be amended, this “Agreement”), dated as of             , 2020, is entered into by and among Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Purchaser”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company intends to consummate an initial public offering of the Company’s units (the “Public Offering”), each unit consisting of one share of Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (each, a “Share”), and one-half of one redeemable warrant, each whole warrant entitling the holder to purchase one Share at an exercise price of $11.50 per Share, as set forth in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), File Number 333-239094 (the “Registration Statement”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

 

WHEREAS, the Purchaser has agreed to purchase, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, an aggregate of 6,000,000 warrants (and up to 600,000 additional warrants if the underwriters in the Public Offering exercise their over-allotment option in full) (the “Private Placement Warrants”), each Private Placement Warrant entitling the holder to purchase one Share at an exercise price of $11.50 per Share.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby, intending legally to be bound, agree as follows:

 

AGREEMENT

 

Section 1. Authorization, Purchase and Sale; Terms of the Private Placement Warrants.

 

A. Authorization of the Private Placement Warrants.  The Company has duly authorized the issuance and sale of the Private Placement Warrants to the Purchaser.

 

B. Purchase and Sale of the Private Placement Warrants.

 

(i) On the date of the consummation of the Public Offering (the “IPO Closing Date”), the Company shall issue and sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser shall purchase from the Company, 6,000,000 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $6,000,000 (the “Purchase Price”).  The Purchaser shall pay the Purchase Price by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with the Company’s wiring instructions, at least one (1) business day prior to the IPO Closing Date.  On the IPO Closing Date, upon the payment by the Purchaser of the Purchase Price, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the Company, the Company, at its option, shall deliver a certificate evidencing the Private Placement Warrants purchased on such date duly registered in the Purchaser’s name to the Purchaser or effect such delivery in book-entry form.

 

(ii) On the date of the closing of the over-allotment option, if any, in connection with the Public Offering or on such earlier time and date as may be mutually agreed by the Purchaser and the Company (each such date, an “Over-allotment Closing Date”, and each Over-allotment Closing Date (if any) and the IPO Closing Date, a “Closing Date”), the Company shall issue and sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser shall purchase from the Company, up to 600,000 Private Placement Warrants (or, to the extent the over-allotment option is not exercised in full, a lesser number of Private Placement Warrants in proportion to portion of the over-allotment option that is exercised) at a price of $1.00 per warrant for an aggregate purchase price of up to $600,000 (the “Over-allotment Purchase Price”).  The Purchaser shall pay the Over-allotment Purchase Price by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with the Company’s wiring instructions, at least one (1) business day prior to the Over-allotment Closing Date.  On the Over-allotment Closing Date, upon the payment by the Purchaser of the Over-allotment Purchase Price, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the Company, the Company, at its option, shall

 


 

deliver a certificate evidencing the Private Placement Warrants purchased on such date duly registered in the Purchaser’s name to the Purchaser or effect such delivery in book-entry form.

 

C. Terms of the Private Placement Warrants.

 

(i) Each Private Placement Warrant shall have the terms set forth in a Warrant Agreement to be entered into by the Company and a warrant agent, in connection with the Public Offering (the “Warrant Agreement”), and shall be subject to the terms of a letter agreement to be entered into by the Company, the Purchaser and the other parties thereto, in connection with the Public Offering.

 

(ii) At the time of, or prior to, the IPO Closing Date, the Company and the Purchaser shall enter into a registration and stockholder rights agreement (the “Registration and Stockholder Rights Agreement”) pursuant to which the Company will grant certain registration rights to the Purchaser relating to the Private Placement Warrants and the Shares underlying the Private Placement Warrants.

 

Section 2. Representations and Warranties of the Company.

 

As a material inducement to the Purchaser to enter into this Agreement and purchase the Private Placement Warrants, the Company hereby represents and warrants to the Purchaser (which representations and warranties shall survive each Closing Date) that:

 

A. Incorporation and Corporate Power.  The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and is qualified to do business in every jurisdiction in which the failure to so qualify would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, operating results or assets of the Company.  The Company possesses all requisite corporate power and authority necessary to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrant Agreement.

 

B. Authorization; No Breach.

 

(i) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Private Placement Warrants have been duly authorized by the Company as of each Closing Date.  This Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or law).  Upon issuance in accordance with, and payment pursuant to, the terms of the Warrant Agreement and this Agreement, the Private Placement Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms as of each Closing Date.

 

(ii) The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the Private Placement Warrants, the issuance and sale of the Private Placement Warrants, the issuance of the Shares upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants and the fulfillment of and compliance with the respective terms hereof and thereof by the Company, do not and will not as of each Closing Date (a) conflict with or result in a breach of the terms, conditions or provisions of, (b) constitute a default under, (c) result in the creation of any lien, security interest, charge or encumbrance upon the Company’s capital stock or assets under, (d) result in a violation of, or (e) require any authorization, consent, approval, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any court or administrative or governmental body or agency pursuant to the certificate of incorporation or the bylaws of the Company (in effect on the date hereof or as may be amended prior to completion of the Public Offering) or any material law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Company is subject, or any agreement, order, judgment or decree to which the Company is subject, except for any filings required after the date hereof under federal or state securities laws.

 

2


 

C. Title to Securities.  Upon issuance in accordance with, and payment pursuant to, the terms hereof and the Warrant Agreement, the Shares issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.  Upon issuance in accordance with, and payment pursuant to, the terms hereof and the Warrant Agreement, the Purchaser will have good title to the Private Placement Warrants purchased by it and the Shares issuable upon exercise of such Private Placement Warrants, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind, other than (i) transfer restrictions hereunder and under the other agreements contemplated hereby, (ii) transfer restrictions under federal and state securities laws, and (iii) liens, claims or encumbrances imposed due to the actions of the Purchaser.

 

D. Governmental Consents.  No permit, consent, approval or authorization of, or declaration to or filing with, any governmental authority is required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement or the consummation by the Company of any other transactions contemplated hereby.

 

E. Regulation D Qualification.  Neither the Company nor, to its actual knowledge, any of its affiliates, members, officers, directors or beneficial shareholders of 20% or more of its outstanding securities, has experienced a disqualifying event as enumerated pursuant to Rule 506(d) of Regulation D under the Securities Act.

 

Section 3. Representations and Warranties of the Purchaser.

 

As a material inducement to the Company to enter into this Agreement and issue and sell the Private Placement Warrants to the Purchaser, the Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to the Company (which representations and warranties shall survive each Closing Date) that:

 

A. Organization and Requisite Authority.  The Purchaser possesses all requisite power and authority necessary to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

B. Authorization; No Breach.

 

(i) This Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Purchaser, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or law).

 

(ii) The execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the fulfillment of and compliance with the terms hereof by the Purchaser does not and shall not as of each Closing Date (a) conflict with or result in a breach by the Purchaser of the terms, conditions or provisions of, (b) constitute a default under, (c) result in the creation of any lien, security interest, charge or encumbrance upon the Purchaser’s equity or assets under, (d) result in a violation of, or (e) require any authorization, consent, approval, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any court or administrative or governmental body or agency pursuant to the Purchaser’s organizational documents in effect on the date hereof or as may be amended prior to completion of the contemplated Public Offering, or any material law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Purchaser is subject, or any agreement, instrument, order, judgment or decree to which the Purchaser is subject, except for any filings required after the date hereof under federal or state securities laws.

 

C. Investment Representations.

 

(i) The Purchaser is acquiring the Private Placement Warrants and, upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants, the Shares issuable upon such exercise (collectively, the “Securities”) for its own account, for investment purposes only and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, any public sale or distribution thereof.

 

3


 

(ii) The Purchaser is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501(a)(3) of Regulation D, and the Purchaser has not experienced a disqualifying event as enumerated pursuant to Rule 506(d) of Regulation D under the Securities Act.

 

(iii) The Purchaser understands that the Securities are being offered and will be sold to it in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying upon the truth and accuracy of, and the Purchaser’s compliance with, the representations and warranties of the Purchaser set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of the Purchaser to acquire such Securities.

 

(iv) The Purchaser did not decide to enter into this Agreement as a result of any general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) under the Securities Act.

 

(v) The Purchaser has been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Securities which have been requested by the Purchaser.  The Purchaser has been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the executive officers and directors of the Company.  The Purchaser understands that its investment in the Securities involves a high degree of risk and it has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the acquisition of the Securities.

 

(vi) The Purchaser understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Securities by the Purchaser nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.

 

(vii) The Purchaser understands that:  (a) the Securities have not been and are not being registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws, and may not be offered for sale, sold, assigned or transferred unless (1) subsequently registered thereunder or (2) sold in reliance on an exemption therefrom; and (b) except as specifically set forth in the Registration and Stockholder Rights Agreement, neither the Company nor any other person is under any obligation to register the Securities under the Securities Act or any state securities laws or to comply with the terms and conditions of any exemption thereunder.  In this regard, the Purchaser understands that the SEC has taken the position that promoters or affiliates of a blank check company and their transferees, both before and after an initial Business Combination, are deemed to be “underwriters” under the Securities Act when reselling the securities of a blank check company.  Based on that position, Rule 144 adopted pursuant to the Securities Act would not be available for resale transactions of the Securities despite technical compliance with the requirements of such Rule, and the Securities can be resold only through a registered offering or in reliance upon another exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

 

(viii) The Purchaser has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters, knowledge of the high degree of risk associated with investments in the securities of companies in the development stage such as the Company, is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities and is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities in the amount contemplated hereunder for an indefinite period of time.  The Purchaser has adequate means of providing for its current financial needs and contingencies and will have no current or anticipated future needs for liquidity which would be jeopardized by the investment in the Securities.  The Purchaser can afford a complete loss of its investments in the Securities.

 

Section 4. Conditions of the Purchaser’s Obligations.

 

The obligations of the Purchaser to purchase and pay for the Private Placement Warrants are subject to the fulfillment, on or before each Closing Date, of each of the following conditions:

 

4


 

A. Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 2 shall be true and correct at and as of such Closing Date as though then made.

 

B. Performance.  The Company shall have performed and complied with all agreements, obligations and conditions contained in this Agreement that are required to be performed or complied with by it on or before such Closing Date.

 

C. No Injunction.  No litigation, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by or in any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby, which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Warrant Agreement.

 

D. Warrant Agreement and Registration and Stockholder Rights Agreement.  The Company shall have entered into the Warrant Agreement and the Registration and Stockholder Rights Agreement, in each case on terms satisfactory to the Purchaser.

 

Section 5. Conditions of the Company’s Obligations.

 

The obligations of the Company to the Purchaser under this Agreement are subject to the fulfillment, on or before each Closing Date, of each of the following conditions:

 

A. Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained in Section 3 shall be true and correct at and as of such Closing Date as though then made.

 

B. Performance.  The Purchaser shall have performed and complied with all agreements, obligations and conditions contained in this Agreement that are required to be performed or complied with by the Purchaser on or before such Closing Date.

 

C. Corporate Consents.  The Company shall have obtained the consent of its Board of Directors authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Warrant Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Private Placement Warrants hereunder.

 

D. No Injunction.  No litigation, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by or in any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby, which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Warrant Agreement.

 

E. Warrant Agreement and Registration and Stockholder Rights Agreement.  The Company shall have entered into the Warrant Agreement and the Registration and Stockholder Rights Agreement, in each case on terms satisfactory to the Company.

 

Section 6. Termination.

 

This Agreement may be terminated by the Company or the Purchaser at any time after            , 2020 upon written notice to the other party hereto if the closing of the Public Offering does not occur prior to such date.

 

Section 7. Survival of Representations and Warranties.

 

All of the representations and warranties contained herein shall survive each Closing Date.

 

Section 8. Definitions.

 

Terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning assigned to such terms in the Registration Statement.

 

5


 

Section 9. Miscellaneous.

 

A. Successors and Assigns.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement by or on behalf of any of the parties hereto shall bind and inure to the benefit of the respective successors of the parties hereto whether so expressed or not.  Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, the parties may not assign this Agreement, other than assignments by the Purchaser to affiliates thereof (including, without limitation one or more of its members).

 

B. Severability.  Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of this Agreement.

 

C. Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, none of which need contain the signatures of more than one party, but all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

D. Descriptive Headings; Interpretation.  The descriptive headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute a substantive part of this Agreement.  The use of the word “including” in this Agreement shall be by way of example rather than by limitation.

 

E. Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of New York and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.

 

F. Amendments.  This Agreement may not be amended, modified or waived as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by all parties hereto.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

6


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement to be effective as of the date first set forth above.

 

 

COMPANY:

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

R. Steven Hicks

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

PURCHASER:

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPONSOR GROUP, LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

R. Steven Hicks

 

Title:

Manager

 

[Signature Page to Warrant Purchase Agreement]

 




Exhibit 10.5

 

REGISTRATION AND STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

THIS REGISTRATION AND STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of            , 2020, is made and entered into by and among Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), and the undersigned parties listed under Holder on the signature page hereto (each such party, together with the Sponsor, members of the Sponsor and any person or entity who hereafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.2 of this Agreement, a “Holder” and collectively the “Holders”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Sponsor have entered into that certain Founder Shares Subscription Agreement, dated as of February 26, 2020, pursuant to which the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 5,750,000 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Founder Shares”);

 

WHEREAS, the Sponsor subsequently transferred an aggregate of 52,500 Founder Shares to the other Holders;

 

WHEREAS, up to an aggregate of 750,000 Founder Shares are subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor if the over-allotment option in connection with the Company’s initial public offering is not exercised in full;

 

WHEREAS, the Founder Shares are convertible into shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), at the time of the initial Business Combination (as defined below) on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment, on the terms and conditions provided in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as may be amended from time to time;

 

WHEREAS, on            , 2020, the Company and the Sponsor entered into that certain Warrant Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which the Sponsor agreed to purchase 6,000,000 warrants (or up to 6,600,000 warrants if the over-allotment option in connection with the Company’s initial public offering is exercised in full) (the “Private Placement Warrants”), in a private placement transaction occurring simultaneously with the closing of the Company’s initial public offering, each Private Placement Warrant entitling the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Holders desire to enter into this Agreement, pursuant to which the Company shall grant the Holders certain registration rights with respect to certain securities of the Company, as set forth in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual representations, covenants and agreements contained herein, and certain other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

 

1.1          Definitions.  The terms defined in this Article I shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, have the respective meanings set forth below:

 

Adverse Disclosure” shall mean any public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure, in the good faith judgment of the Chief Executive Officer or any principal financial officer of the Company, after consultation with counsel to the Company, (i) would be required to be made in any Registration Statement or Prospectus in order for the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein (in the case of any prospectus and any preliminary prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (ii) would not be required to be made at such time if the Registration Statement were not being filed, and (iii) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public.

 

Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.

 


 

Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

Business Combination” shall mean any merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses, involving the Company.

 

Commission” shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Common Stock” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

 

Company” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.

 

Demand Registration” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.

 

Demanding Holders” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.

 

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Form S-1” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.

 

Form S-3” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.3.

 

Founder Shares” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto and shall be deemed to include the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof.

 

Founder Shares Lock-Up Period” shall mean, with respect to the Founder Shares, the period ending on the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination or (B) subsequent to the Business Combination, (x) if the last sale price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company’s initial Business Combination or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property.

 

Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.

 

Insider Letter” shall mean that certain letter agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company, the Sponsor, certain members of the Sponsor and each of the Company’s officers and directors.

 

Maximum Number of Securities” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.4.

 

Misstatement” shall mean an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact required to be stated in a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or necessary to make the statements in a Registration Statement or Prospectus in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading.

 

Nominee” shall have the meaning given in subsection 5.1.1.

 

Permitted Transferees” shall mean any person or entity to whom a Holder of Registrable Securities is permitted to transfer such Registrable Securities prior to the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-Up Period or Private Placement Lock-Up Period, as the case may be, under the Insider Letter and any other applicable agreement between such Holder and the Company, and to any transferee thereafter.

 

Piggyback Registration” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.2.1.

 

Private Placement Lock-Up Period” shall mean, with respect to Private Placement Warrants that are held by the initial purchasers of such Private Placement Warrants or their Permitted Transferees, and any of the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise or conversion of the Private Placement Warrants and that are held by the initial purchasers of the Private Placement Warrants or their Permitted Transferees, the period ending 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination.

 

2


 

Private Placement Warrants” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

 

Pro Rata” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.4.

 

Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, as supplemented by any and all prospectus supplements and as amended by any and all post-effective amendments and including all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.

 

Registrable Security” shall mean (a) the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the conversion of any Founder Shares, (b) the Private Placement Warrants (including any shares of the Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of any such Private Placement Warrants), (c) any outstanding shares of Common Stock or any other equity security (including the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of any other equity security) of the Company held by a Holder as of the date of this Agreement, (d) any equity securities (including the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of any such equity security) of the Company issuable upon conversion of any working capital loans in an amount up to $1,500,000 made to the Company by a Holder, and (e) any other equity security of the Company issued or issuable with respect to any such shares of Common Stock by way of a stock dividend or stock split or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or reorganization; provided, however, that, as to any particular Registrable Security, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when:  (A) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement; (B) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates for such securities not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent public distribution of such securities shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (C) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; (D) such securities may be sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission) (but with no volume or other restrictions or limitations); or (E) such securities have been sold to, or through, a broker, dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or other public securities transaction.

 

Registration” shall mean a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and such registration statement becoming effective.

 

Registration Expenses” shall mean the out-of-pocket expenses of a Registration, including, without limitation, the following:

 

(A) all registration and filing fees (including fees with respect to filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.) and any securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed;

 

(B) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with blue sky qualifications of Registrable Securities);

 

(C) printing, messenger, telephone and delivery expenses;

 

(D) reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;

 

(E) reasonable fees and disbursements of all independent registered public accountants of the Company incurred specifically in connection with such Registration; and

 

(F) reasonable fees and expenses of one (1) legal counsel selected by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating a Demand Registration to be registered for offer and sale in the applicable Registration.

 

Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement that covers the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus included in such registration statement,

 

3


 

amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registration statement, and all exhibits to and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

 

Requesting Holder” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.

 

Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Sponsor” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.

 

Sponsor Director” means an individual elected to the Board that has been nominated by the Sponsor pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Underwriter” shall mean a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an Underwritten Offering and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.

 

Underwritten Registration” or “Underwritten Offering” shall mean a Registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an Underwriter in a firm commitment underwriting for distribution to the public.

 

ARTICLE II
REGISTRATIONS

 

2.1          Demand Registration.

 

2.1.1       Request for Registration.  Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.1.4 and Section 2.4 hereof, at any time and from time to time on or after the date the Company consummates the Business Combination, the Holders of at least a majority in interest of the then-outstanding number of Registrable Securities (the “Demanding Holders”) may make a written demand for Registration of all or part of their Registrable Securities, which written demand shall describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such Registration and the intended method(s) of distribution thereof (such written demand a “Demand Registration”).  The Company shall, within ten (10) days of the Company’s receipt of the Demand Registration, notify, in writing, all other Holders of Registrable Securities of such demand, and each Holder of Registrable Securities who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration (each such Holder that includes all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Registration, a “Requesting Holder”) shall so notify the Company, in writing, within five (5) days after the receipt by the Holder of the notice from the Company.  Upon receipt by the Company of any such written notification from a Requesting Holder(s) to the Company, such Requesting Holder(s) shall be entitled to have their Registrable Securities included in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration and the Company shall effect, as soon thereafter as practicable, but not more than forty five (45) days immediately after the Company’s receipt of the Demand Registration, the Registration of all Registrable Securities requested by the Demanding Holders and Requesting Holders pursuant to such Demand Registration.  Under no circumstances shall the Company be obligated to effect more than an aggregate of three (3) Registrations pursuant to a Demand Registration under this subsection 2.1.1 with respect to any or all Registrable Securities; provided, however, that a Registration shall not be counted for such purposes unless a Form S-1 or any similar long-form registration statement that may be available at such time (“Form S-1”) has become effective and all of the Registrable Securities requested by the Requesting Holders to be registered on behalf of the Requesting Holders in such Form S-1 Registration have been sold, in accordance with Section 3.1 of this Agreement.

 

2.1.2       Effective Registration.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 2.1.1 above or any other part of this Agreement, a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration shall not count as a Registration unless and until (i) the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration has been declared effective by the Commission and (ii) the Company has complied with all of its obligations under this Agreement with respect thereto; provided, further, that if, after such Registration Statement has been declared effective, an offering of Registrable Securities in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration is subsequently interfered with by any stop order or injunction of the Commission, federal or state court or any other governmental agency the Registration Statement with respect to such Registration shall be deemed not to have been declared effective, unless and until, (i) such stop order or injunction is removed, rescinded or otherwise terminated and (ii) a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating such Demand Registration thereafter

 

4


 

affirmatively elect to continue with such Registration and accordingly notify the Company in writing, but in no event later than five (5) days, of such election; provided, further, that the Company shall not be obligated or required to file another Registration Statement until the Registration Statement that has been previously filed with respect to a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration becomes effective or is subsequently terminated.

 

2.1.3       Underwritten Offering.  Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.1.4 and Section 2.4 hereof, if a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders so advise the Company as part of their Demand Registration that the offering of the Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration shall be in the form of an Underwritten Offering, then the right of such Demanding Holder or Requesting Holder (if any) to include its Registrable Securities in such Registration shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such Underwritten Offering and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering to the extent provided herein.  All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through an Underwritten Offering under this subsection 2.1.3 shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating the Demand Registration.

 

2.1.4       Reduction of Underwritten Offering.  If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration, in good faith, advises the Company, the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) in writing that the dollar amount or number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) desire to sell, taken together with all other Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell and the Common Stock, if any, as to which a Registration has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights held by any other stockholders who desire to sell, exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of equity securities that can be sold in the Underwritten Offering without adversely affecting the proposed offering price, the timing, the distribution method, or the probability of success of such offering (such maximum dollar amount or maximum number of such securities, as applicable, the “Maximum Number of Securities”), then the Company shall include in such Underwritten Offering, as follows:  (i) first, the Registrable Securities of the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) (pro rata based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Demanding Holder and Requesting Holder (if any) has requested be included in such Underwritten Registration and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders and Requesting Holders have requested be included in such Underwritten Registration (such proportion is referred to herein as “Pro Rata”)) that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), the Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (iii) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), the Common Stock or other equity securities of other persons or entities that the Company is obligated to register in a Registration pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with such persons and that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities.

 

2.1.5       Demand Registration Withdrawal.  A majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating a Demand Registration or a majority-in-interest of the Requesting Holders (if any), pursuant to a Registration under subsection 2.1.1 shall have the right to withdraw from a Registration pursuant to such Demand Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of their intention to withdraw from such Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to the Registration of their Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration prior to its withdrawal under this subsection 2.1.5.

 

2.2          Piggyback Registration.

 

2.2.1       Piggyback Rights.  If, at any time on or after the date the Company consummates a Business Combination, the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into equity securities, for its own account or for the account of stockholders of the Company (or by the Company and by the stockholders of the Company including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof), other than a Registration Statement (i) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan, (ii) for an

 

5


 

exchange offer or offering of securities solely to the Company’s existing stockholders, (iii) for an offering of debt that is convertible into equity securities of the Company or (iv) for a dividend reinvestment plan, then the Company shall give written notice of such proposed filing to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but not less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date of such Registration Statement, which notice shall (A) describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, in such offering, and (B) offer to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities the opportunity to register the sale of such number of Registrable Securities as such Holders may request in writing within five (5) days after receipt of such written notice (such Registration a “Piggyback Registration”).  The Company shall, in good faith, cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration and shall use its best efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of a proposed Underwritten Offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested by the Holders pursuant to this subsection 2.2.1 to be included in a Piggyback Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company included in such Registration and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof.  All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through an Underwritten Offering under this subsection 2.2.1 shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering by the Company.

 

2.2.2       Reduction of Piggyback Registration.  If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Registration that is to be a Piggyback Registration, in good faith, advises the Company and the Holders of Registrable Securities participating in the Piggyback Registration in writing that the dollar amount or number of the shares of Common Stock that the Company desires to sell, taken together with (i) the Common Stock, if any, as to which Registration has been demanded pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, (ii) the Registrable Securities as to which registration has been requested pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof, and (iii) the Common Stock, if any, as to which Registration has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights of other stockholders of the Company, exceeds the Maximum Number of Securities, then:

 

(a) If the Registration is undertaken for the Company’s account, the Company shall include in any such Registration (A) first, the Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.2.1 hereof, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Common Stock, if any, as to which Registration has been requested pursuant to written contractual piggy-back registration rights of other stockholders of the Company, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities;

 

(b) If the Registration is pursuant to a request by persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, then the Company shall include in any such Registration (A) first, the Common Stock or other equity securities, if any, of such requesting persons or entities, other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.2.1, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (D) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the Common Stock or other equity securities for the account of other persons or entities that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with such persons or entities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities.

 

2.2.3       Piggyback Registration Withdrawal.  Any Holder of Registrable Securities shall have the right to withdraw from a Piggyback Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of his, her or its intention to withdraw from such Piggyback Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such

 

6


 

Piggyback Registration.  The Company (whether on its own good faith determination or as the result of a request for withdrawal by persons pursuant to separate written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement filed with the Commission in connection with a Piggyback Registration at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with the Piggyback Registration prior to its withdrawal under this subsection 2.2.3.

 

2.2.4       Unlimited Piggyback Registration Rights.  For purposes of clarity, any Registration effected pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof shall not be counted as a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration effected under Section 2.1 hereof.

 

2.3          Registrations on Form S-3.  The Holders of Registrable Securities may at any time, and from time to time, request in writing that the Company, pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission), register the resale of any or all of their Registrable Securities on Form S-3 or any similar short form registration statement that may be available at such time (“Form S-3”); provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect such request through an Underwritten Offering.  Within five (5) days of the Company’s receipt of a written request from a Holder or Holders of Registrable Securities for a Registration on Form S-3, the Company shall promptly give written notice of the proposed Registration on Form S-3 to all other Holders of Registrable Securities, and each Holder of Registrable Securities who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Registration on Form S-3 shall so notify the Company, in writing, within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Holder of the notice from the Company.  As soon as practicable thereafter, but not more than twelve (12) days after the Company’s initial receipt of such written request for a Registration on Form S-3, the Company shall register all or such portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities as are specified in such written request, together with all or such portion of Registrable Securities of any other Holder or Holders joining in such request as are specified in the written notification given by such Holder or Holders; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect any such Registration pursuant to this Section 2.3 if (i) a Form S-3 is not available for such offering; or (ii) the Holders of Registrable Securities, together with the Holders of any other equity securities of the Company entitled to inclusion in such Registration, propose to sell the Registrable Securities and such other equity securities (if any) at any aggregate price to the public of less than $10,000,000.

 

2.4          Restrictions on Registration Rights.  If (A) during the period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Company’s good faith estimate of the date of the filing of, and ending on a date one hundred and twenty (120) days after the effective date of, a Company initiated Registration and provided that the Company has delivered written notice to the Holders prior to receipt of a Demand Registration pursuant to subsection 2.1.1 and it continues to actively employ, in good faith, all reasonable efforts to cause the applicable Registration Statement to become effective; (B) the Holders have requested an Underwritten Registration and the Company and the Holders are unable to obtain the commitment of underwriters to firmly underwrite the offer; or (C) in the good faith judgment of the Board such Registration would be seriously detrimental to the Company and the Board concludes as a result that it is essential to defer the filing of such Registration Statement at such time, then in each case the Company shall furnish to such Holders a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board it would be seriously detrimental to the Company for such Registration Statement to be filed in the near future and that it is therefore essential to defer the filing of such Registration Statement.  In such event, the Company shall have the right to defer such filing for a period of not more than thirty (30) days; provided, however, that the Company shall not defer its obligation in this manner more than once in any 12-month period.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no Registration shall be effected or permitted and no Registration Statement shall become effective, with respect to any Registrable Securities held by any Holder, until after the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-Up Period or the Private Placement Lock-Up Period, as the case may be.

 

ARTICLE III
COMPANY PROCEDURES

 

3.1          General Procedures.  If at any time on or after the date the Company consummates a Business Combination the Company is required to effect the Registration of Registrable Securities, the Company shall use its best efforts to effect such Registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended plan of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company shall, as expeditiously as possible:

 

7


 

3.1.1       prepare and file with the Commission as soon as practicable a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold;

 

3.1.2       prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and such supplements to the Prospectus, as may be reasonably requested by the Holders or any Underwriter of Registrable Securities or as may be required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company or by the Securities Act or rules and regulations thereunder to keep the Registration Statement effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement are sold in accordance with the intended plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus;

 

3.1.3       prior to filing a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the Underwriters, if any, and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration, and such Holders’ legal counsel, copies of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary Prospectus), and such other documents as the Underwriters and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration or the legal counsel for any such Holders may request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holders;

 

3.1.4       prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its best efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may request and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or advisable to enable the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify or take any action to which it would be subject to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then otherwise so subject;

 

3.1.5       cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange or automated quotation system on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;

 

3.1.6       provide a transfer agent or warrant agent, as applicable, and registrar for all such Registrable Securities no later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;

 

3.1.7       advise each seller of such Registrable Securities, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance of any stop order by the Commission suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and promptly use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such stop order should be issued;

 

3.1.8       at least five (5) days prior to the filing of any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document that is to be incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement or Prospectus, furnish a copy thereof to each seller of such Registrable Securities or its counsel;

 

3.1.9       notify the Holders at any time when a Prospectus relating to such Registration Statement is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes a Misstatement, and then to correct such Misstatement as set forth in Section 3.4 hereof;

 

8


 

3.1.10     permit a representative of the Holders, the Underwriters, if any, and any attorney or accountant retained by such Holders or Underwriter to participate, at each such person’s own expense, in the preparation of the Registration Statement, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with the Registration; provided, however, that such representatives or Underwriters enter into a confidentiality agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, prior to the release or disclosure of any such information;

 

3.1.11     obtain a “cold comfort” letter from the Company’s independent registered public accountants in the event of an Underwritten Registration, in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by “cold comfort” letters as the managing Underwriter may reasonably request, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority-in-interest of the participating Holders;

 

3.1.12     on the date the Registrable Securities are delivered for sale pursuant to such Registration, obtain an opinion, dated such date, of counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such Registration, addressed to the Holders, the placement agent or sales agent, if any, and the Underwriters, if any, covering such legal matters with respect to the Registration in respect of which such opinion is being given as the Holders, placement agent, sales agent, or Underwriter may reasonably request and as are customarily included in such opinions and negative assurance letters, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority in interest of the participating Holders;

 

3.1.13     in the event of any Underwritten Offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing Underwriter of such offering;

 

3.1.14     make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the Registration Statement which satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission);

 

3.1.15     if the Registration involves the Registration of Registrable Securities involving gross proceeds in excess of $50,000,000, use its reasonable efforts to make available senior executives of the Company to participate in customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the Underwriter in any Underwritten Offering; and

 

3.1.16     otherwise, in good faith, cooperate reasonably with, and take such customary actions as may reasonably be requested by the Holders, in connection with such Registration.

 

3.2          Registration Expenses.  The Registration Expenses of all Registrations shall be borne by the Company.  It is acknowledged by the Holders that the Holders shall bear all incremental selling expenses relating to the sale of Registrable Securities, such as Underwriters’ commissions and discounts, brokerage fees, Underwriter marketing costs and, other than as set forth in the definition of “Registration Expenses,” all reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel representing the Holders.

 

3.3          Requirements for Participation in Underwritten Offerings.  No person may participate in any Underwritten Offering for equity securities of the Company pursuant to a Registration initiated by the Company hereunder unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Company and (ii) completes and executes all customary questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, lock-up agreements, underwriting agreements and other customary documents as may be reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

 

3.4          Suspension of Sales; Adverse Disclosure.  Upon receipt of written notice from the Company that a Registration Statement or Prospectus contains a Misstatement, each of the Holders shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities until he, she or it has received copies of a supplemented or amended Prospectus correcting the Misstatement (it being understood that the Company hereby covenants to prepare and file such supplement or amendment as soon as practicable after the time of such notice), or until he, she or it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed.  If the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement in respect of any Registration at any time would require the Company to

 

9


 

make an Adverse Disclosure or would require the inclusion in such Registration Statement of financial statements that are unavailable to the Company for reasons beyond the Company’s control, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Holders, delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such Registration Statement for the shortest period of time, but in no event more than thirty (30) days, determined in good faith by the Company to be necessary for such purpose.  In the event the Company exercises its rights under the preceding sentence, the Holders agree to suspend, immediately upon their receipt of the notice referred to above, their use of the Prospectus relating to any Registration in connection with any sale or offer to sell Registrable Securities.  The Company shall immediately notify the Holders of the expiration of any period during which it exercised its rights under this Section 3.4.

 

3.5          Reporting Obligations.  As long as any Holder shall own Registrable Securities, the Company, at all times while it shall be a reporting company under the Exchange Act, covenants to file timely (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and to promptly furnish the Holders with true and complete copies of all such filings.  The Company further covenants that it shall take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell shares of the Common Stock held by such Holder without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission), including providing any legal opinions, to the extent such exemption is available to Holders at such time.  Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with such requirements.

 

ARTICLE IV
INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

 

4.1          Indemnification.

 

4.1.1       The Company agrees to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, each Holder of Registrable Securities, its officers and directors and each person who controls such Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) caused by any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as the same are caused by or contained in any information furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein.  The Company shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers and directors and each person who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to the indemnification of the Holder.

 

4.1.2       In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder of Registrable Securities is participating, such Holder shall furnish to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify the Company, its directors and officers and agents and each person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue statement of material fact contained in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the obligation to indemnify shall be several, not joint and several, among such Holders of Registrable Securities, and the liability of each such Holder of Registrable Securities shall be in proportion to and limited to the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.  The Holders of Registrable Securities shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers, directors and each person who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to indemnification of the Company.

 

4.1.3       Any person entitled to indemnification herein shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give

 

10


 

prompt notice shall not impair any person’s right to indemnification hereunder to the extent such failure has not materially prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party.  If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld).  An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim.  No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which cannot be settled in all respects by the payment of money (and such money is so paid by the indemnifying party pursuant to the terms of such settlement) or which settlement does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.

 

4.1.4       The indemnification provided for under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling person of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of securities.  The Company and each Holder of Registrable Securities participating in an offering also agrees to make such provisions as are reasonably requested by any indemnified party for contribution to such party in the event the Company’s or such Holder’s indemnification is unavailable for any reason.

 

4.1.5       If the indemnification provided under Section 4.1 hereof from the indemnifying party is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative fault of the indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, was made by, or relates to information supplied by, such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the indemnifying party’s and indemnified party’s relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action; provided, however, that the liability of any Holder under this subsection 4.1.5 shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder in such offering giving rise to such liability.  The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses or other liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in subsections 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 above, any legal or other fees, charges or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding.  The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection 4.1.5 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation, which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this subsection 4.1.5.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution pursuant to this subsection 4.1.5 from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

ARTICLE V
STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS

 

5.1          Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, at any time and from time to time on or after the date that the Company consummates a Business Combination and for so long as the Sponsor holds any Registrable Securities:

 

5.1.1       The Sponsor shall have the right, but not the obligation, to designate three individuals to be appointed or nominated, as the case may be, for election to the Board (including any successor, each, a “Nominee”) by giving written notice to the Company on or before the time such information is reasonably requested by the Board or the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board, as applicable, for inclusion in a proxy statement for a meeting of stockholders provided to the Sponsor.

 

11


 

5.1.2       The Company will, as promptly as practicable, use its best efforts to take all necessary and desirable actions (including, without limitation, calling special meetings of the Board and the stockholders and recommending, supporting and soliciting proxies) so that there are three Sponsor Directors serving on the Board at all times.

 

5.1.3       The Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, use its best efforts to take all actions necessary to ensure that:  (i) each Nominee is included in the Board’s slate of nominees to the stockholders of the Company for each election of directors; and (ii) each Nominee is included in the proxy statement prepared by management of the Company in connection with soliciting proxies for every meeting of the stockholders of the Company called with respect to the election of members of the Board, and at every adjournment or postponement thereof, and on every action or approval by written consent of the stockholders of the Company or the Board with respect to the election of members of the Board.

 

5.1.4       If a vacancy occurs because of the death, disability, disqualification, resignation, or removal of a Sponsor Director or for any other reason, the Sponsor shall be entitled to designate such person’s successor, and the Company will, as promptly as practicable following such designation, use its best efforts to take all necessary and desirable actions, to the fullest extent permitted by law, within its control such that such vacancy shall be filled with such successor Nominee.

 

5.1.5       If a Nominee is not elected because of such Nominee’s death, disability, disqualification, withdrawal as a nominee or for any other reason, the Sponsor shall be entitled to designate promptly another Nominee and the Company will take all necessary and desirable actions within its control such that the director position for which such Nominee was nominated shall not be filled pending such designation or the size of the Board shall be increased by one and such vacancy shall be filled with such successor Nominee as promptly as practicable following such designation.

 

5.1.6       As promptly as reasonably practicable following the request of any Sponsor Director, the Company shall enter into an indemnification agreement with such Sponsor Director, in the form entered into with the other members of the Board.  The Company shall pay the reasonable, documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Sponsor Director in connection with his or her services provided to or on behalf of the Company, including attending meetings or events attended explicitly on behalf of the Company at the Company’s request.

 

5.1.7       The Company shall (i) purchase directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in an amount determined by the Board to be reasonable and customary and (ii) for so long as a Sponsor Director serves as a Director of the Company, maintain such coverage with respect to such Sponsor Director; provided that upon removal or resignation of such Sponsor Director for any reason, the Company shall take all actions reasonably necessary to extend such directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage for a period of not less than six years from any such event in respect of any act or omission occurring at or prior to such event.

 

5.1.8       For so long as a Sponsor Director serves as a director of the Company, the Company shall not amend, alter or repeal any right to indemnification or exculpation covering or benefiting any director nominated pursuant to this Agreement as and to the extent consistent with applicable law, whether such right is contained in the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, each as amended, or another document (except to the extent such amendment or alteration permits the Company to provide broader indemnification or exculpation rights on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto).

 

5.1.9       Each Nominee may, but does not need to qualify as “independent” pursuant to listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange.

 

5.1.10     Any Nominee will be subject to the Company’s customary due diligence process, including its review of a completed questionnaire and a background check.  Based on the foregoing, the Company may object to any Nominee provided (a) it does so in good faith, and (b) such objection is based upon any of the following:  (i) such Nominee was convicted in a criminal proceeding or is a named subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses), (ii) such Nominee was the subject of any order, judgment, or decree not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining such proposed director from, or otherwise limiting, the following activities:  (A) engaging in any type of business practice, or (B) engaging in any activity in connection with the purchase or sale

 

12


 

of any security or in connection with any violation of federal or state securities laws, (iii) such Nominee was the subject of any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any federal or state authority barring, suspending or otherwise limiting for more than 60 days the right of such person to engage in any activity described in clause (ii)(B), or to be associated with persons engaged in such activity, (iv) such proposed director was found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Commission to have violated any federal or state securities law, and the judgment in such civil action or finding by the Commission has not been subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, or (v) such proposed director was the subject of, or a party to any federal or state judicial or administrative order, judgment, decree, or finding, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, relating to a violation of any federal or state securities laws or regulations.  In the event the Board reasonably finds the Nominee to be unsuitable based upon one or more of the foregoing clauses (i) through (v) and reasonably objects to the identified director, Sponsor shall be entitled to propose a different nominee to the Board within 30 calendar days of the Company’s notice to Sponsor of its objection to the Nominee and such replacement Nominee shall be subject to the review process outlined above.

 

5.1.11     The Company shall take all necessary action to cause a Nominee chosen by the Sponsor, at the request of such Nominee to be elected to the board of directors (or similar governing body) of each material operating subsidiary of the Company.  The Nominee, as applicable, shall have the right to attend (in person or remotely) any meetings of the board of directors (or similar governing body or committee thereof) of each subsidiary of the Company.

 

ARTICLE VI
MISCELLANEOUS

 

6.1          Notices.  Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be in writing and given by (i) deposit in the United States mail, addressed to the party to be notified, postage prepaid and registered or certified with return receipt requested, (ii) delivery in person or by courier service providing evidence of delivery, or (iii) transmission by hand delivery, electronic mail, telecopy, telegram or facsimile.  Each notice or communication that is mailed, delivered, or transmitted in the manner described above shall be deemed sufficiently given, served, sent, and received, in the case of mailed notices, on the third business day following the date on which it is mailed and, in the case of notices delivered by courier service, hand delivery, electronic mail, telecopy, telegram or facsimile, at such time as it is delivered to the addressee (with the delivery receipt or the affidavit of messenger) or at such time as delivery is refused by the addressee upon presentation.  Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be addressed, if to the Company, to: 405 West 14th Street, Austin, TX 78701, Attention: R. Steven Hicks, with copy to: Greenberg Traurig, LLP, 1750 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 1000, McLean, VA 22102, Attention: Jason T. Simon, Esq., and, if to any Holder, at such Holder’s address or facsimile number as set forth in the Company’s books and records.  Any party may change its address for notice at any time and from time to time by written notice to the other parties hereto, and such change of address shall become effective thirty (30) days after delivery of such notice as provided in this Section 6.1.

 

6.2          Assignment; No Third Party Beneficiaries.

 

6.2.1       This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company in whole or in part.

 

6.2.2       Prior to the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-Up Period or the Private Placement Lock-Up Period, as the case may be, no Holder may assign or delegate such Holder’s rights, duties or obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, except in connection with a transfer of Registrable Securities by such Holder to a Permitted Transferee, but only if such Permitted Transferee agrees to become bound by the transfer restrictions set forth in this Agreement and other applicable agreements.

 

6.2.3       This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties and its successors and the permitted assigns of the Holders, which shall include Permitted Transferees.

 

6.2.4       This Agreement shall not confer any rights or benefits on any persons that are not parties hereto, other than as expressly set forth in this Agreement and Section 6.2 hereof.

 

13


 

6.2.5       No assignment by any party hereto of such party’s rights, duties and obligations hereunder shall be binding upon or obligate the Company unless and until the Company shall have received (i) written notice of such assignment as provided in Section 6.1 hereof and (ii) the written agreement of the assignee, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Agreement (which may be accomplished by an addendum or certificate of joinder to this Agreement).  Any transfer or assignment made other than as provided in this Section 6.2 shall be null and void.

 

6.3          Severability.  This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof.  Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible that is valid and enforceable.

 

6.4          Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts (including facsimile or PDF counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute the same instrument, but only one of which need be produced.

 

6.5          Entire Agreement.  This Agreement (including all agreements entered into pursuant hereto and all certificates and instruments delivered pursuant hereto and thereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, understandings, negotiations and discussions between the parties, whether oral or written.

 

6.6          Governing Law; Venue.  NOTWITHSTANDING THE PLACE WHERE THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE EXECUTED BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO, THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT (I) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AS APPLIED TO AGREEMENTS AMONG NEW YORK RESIDENTS ENTERED INTO AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION AND (II) THE VENUE FOR ANY ACTION TAKEN WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE ANY STATE OR FEDERAL COURT IN NEW YORK COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

6.7          Waiver of Trial by Jury.  Each party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives the right to a trial by jury in any action, suit, counterclaim or other proceeding (whether based on contract, tort or otherwise) arising out of, connected with or relating to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby, or the actions of the Sponsor in the negotiation, administration, performance or enforcement hereof.

 

6.8          Amendments and Modifications.  Upon the written consent of the Company and the Holders of at least a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities at the time in question, compliance with any of the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth in this Agreement may be waived, or any of such provisions, covenants or conditions may be amended or modified; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment hereto or waiver hereof that adversely affects one Holder, solely in his, her or its capacity as a holder of the shares of capital stock of the Company, in a manner that is materially different from the other Holders (in such capacity) shall require the consent of the Holder so affected.  No course of dealing between any Holder or the Company and any other party hereto or any failure or delay on the part of a Holder or the Company in exercising any rights or remedies under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any rights or remedies of any Holder or the Company.  No single or partial exercise of any rights or remedies under this Agreement by a party shall operate as a waiver or preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies hereunder or thereunder by such party.

 

6.9          Titles and Headings.  Titles and headings of sections of this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of any provision of this Agreement.

 

6.10        Remedies Cumulative.  In the event that the Company fails to observe or perform any covenant or agreement to be observed or performed under this Agreement, the Holders may proceed to protect and enforce its rights by suit in equity or action at law, whether for specific performance of any term contained in this Agreement or for an injunction against the breach of any such term or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Agreement or to enforce any other legal or equitable right, or to take any one or more of such actions, without being required to post a bond.  None of the rights, powers or remedies conferred under this Agreement shall be mutually

 

14


 

exclusive, and each such right, power or remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to any other right, power or remedy, whether conferred by this Agreement or now or hereafter available at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise.

 

6.11        Other Registration Rights.  The Company represents and warrants that no person, other than a Holder of Registrable Securities, has any right to require the Company to register any securities of the Company for sale or to include such securities of the Company in any Registration filed by the Company for the sale of securities for its own account or for the account of any other person.  Further, the Company represents and warrants that this Agreement supersedes any other registration rights agreement or agreement with similar terms and conditions and in the event of a conflict between any such agreement or agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.

 

6.12        Term.  This Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier of (i) the tenth anniversary of the date of this Agreement or (ii) the date as of which (A) all of the Registrable Securities have been sold pursuant to a Registration Statement (but in no event prior to the applicable period referred to in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act and Rule 174 thereunder (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission)) or (B) the Holders of all of the Registrable Securities are permitted to sell the Registrable Securities under Rule 144 (or any similar provision) under the Securities Act without limitation on the amount of securities sold or the manner of sale.  The provisions of Section 3.5 and Article IV shall survive any termination.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

15


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above.

 

 

COMPANY:  

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.,

 

a Delaware corporation 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

R. Steven Hicks

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

HOLDERS:

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPONSOR GROUP, LLC,

 

a Delaware limited liability company

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

R. Steven Hicks

 

Title:

Manager

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kathryn Cavanaugh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Ghiselli

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Whittenburg

 

[Signature Page to Registration and Stockholder Rights Agreement]

 




Exhibit 10.6

 

INDEMNITY AGREEMENT

 

THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of            , 2020, by and between Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and                    (“Indemnitee”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such corporations;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities.  Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions.  At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself.  The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Charter”) and the Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company.  Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).  The Charter, Bylaws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement and reimbursement rights;

 

WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;

 

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;

 

WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities;

 

WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Charter and Bylaws of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;

 

WHEREAS, Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director, advisor or in another capacity without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity.  Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified; and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein and subject to the provisions of the letter agreement, dated the date hereof, among the Company, Indemnitee and the other parties thereto, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

 


 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

1.             SERVICES TO THE COMPANY.  In consideration of the Company’s covenants and obligations hereunder, Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as applicable, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or retained or until Indemnitee tenders his or her resignation or until Indemnitee is removed.  The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director, officer, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as provided in Section 17.  This Agreement, however, shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.

 

2.             DEFINITIONS.  As used in this Agreement:

 

(a)           References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, advisor, fiduciary or other official of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.

 

(b)           The terms “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below) as in effect on the date hereof.

 

(c)           (c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:

 

(i)            Acquisition of Stock by Third Party.  Other than an affiliate or member of Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC (the “Sponsor”), any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (iii) of this definition;

 

(ii)           Change in Board of Directors.  Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;

 

(iii)          Corporate Transactions.  The effective date of a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination:  (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries (as defined below)) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such

 

2


 

Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than a member or an affiliate of the Sponsor, no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of Directors, providing for such Business Combination;

 

(iv)          Liquidation.  The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such stockholder approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or

 

(v)           Other Events.  There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any successor rule) (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.

 

(d)           “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.

 

(e)           “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.

 

(f)            “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

 

(g)           “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.

 

(h)           “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

(i)            “Expenses” shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below), including reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party.  Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent.  Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.

 

3


 

(j)            References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.

 

(k)           “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm or a member of a law firm with significant experience in matters of corporation law and that neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent:  (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding (as defined below) giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.

 

(l)            The term “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude:  (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of a corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

 

(m)          The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative or related nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by him or her or of any action (or failure to act) on his or her part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.

 

(n)           The term “Subsidiary,” with respect to any Person, shall mean any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.

 

(o)           The phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to:  (a) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL, and (b) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.

 

3.             INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a

 

4


 

witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.  Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually, and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful; provided, in no event shall Indemnitee be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless or advanced any amounts hereunder in respect of any Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (if any) that Indemnitee may incur by reason of his or her own actual fraud or intentional misconduct.  Indemnitee shall not be found to have committed actual fraud or intentional misconduct for any purpose of this Agreement unless or until a court of competent jurisdiction shall have made a finding to that effect.

 

4.             INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.  Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company.  No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.

 

5.             INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith.  If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter.  If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which Indemnitee was successful.  For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

 

6.             INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, a witness or deponent in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee was or is not a party or threatened to be made a party, he or she shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection therewith.

 

7.             ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS.

 

(a)           Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee

 

5


 

if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding.  No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights shall be available under this Section 7(a) on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, 5 or 7(a), except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding.

 

8.             CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY.

 

(a)           To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.

 

(b)           The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.

 

(c)           The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.

 

9.             EXCLUSIONS.  Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement (except for section 27), the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, advance expenses, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:

 

(a)           for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity or advancement provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity or advancement provision or otherwise;

 

(b)           for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act (or any successor rule) or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or

 

(c)           except as otherwise provided in Sections 14(f) and (g) hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or

 

6


 

any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.  Indemnitee shall seek payments or advances from the Company only to the extent that such payments or advances are unavailable from any insurance policy of the Company covering Indemnitee.

 

10.          ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; DEFENSE OF CLAIM.

 

(a)           Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, and to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, prior to the final disposition of any Proceeding.  Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be unsecured and interest free.  Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement.  Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed.  To the fullest extent required by applicable law, such payments of Expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Indemnitee, to repay the advanced amounts to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Charter, the Bylaws of the Company, applicable law or otherwise.  If it shall be determined by a final judgment or other final adjudication that Indemnitee was not so entitled to indemnification, any advancement shall be returned to the Company (without interest) by the Indemnitee.  This Section 10(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9 but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 9(b) prior to a final determination that Indemnitee is liable therefor.

 

(b)           The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.

 

(c)           The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.

 

11.          PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION.

 

(a)           Indemnitee agrees to notify promptly the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter therein which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights, or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder.  The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, or otherwise.

 

(b)           Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement.  Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in his or her sole discretion.  Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined according to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.

 

12.          PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION.

 

(a)           A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods, which shall be at the

 

7


 

election of Indemnitee:  (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or if such directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, or (iv) by vote of the stockholders.  The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied.  If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination.  Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination.  Any costs or Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.

 

(b)           In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b).  The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement.  If the Independent Counsel is selected by the Board, the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him or her of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement.  In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion.  Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel.  If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit.  If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Delaware Court, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof.  Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).

 

(c)           The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify and hold harmless such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.

 

13.          PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS.

 

(a)           In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in

 

8


 

accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption.  Neither the failure of the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

(b)           If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.

 

(c)           The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

(d)           For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, manager, or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member.  The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.

 

(e)           The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.

 

14.          REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE.

 

(a)           In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 12(a)

 

9


 

of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vii) payment to Indemnitee pursuant to any hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement or otherwise is not made in accordance with this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights.  Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his or her option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association.  Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration.  The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.

 

(b)           In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.

 

(c)           In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose.  If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 10 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).

 

(d)           If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.

 

(e)           The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(f)            The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee:  (i) to enforce his or her rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Charter, or the Bylaws now or hereafter in effect; or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration right, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith).

 

(g)           Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at the legal rate under Delaware law for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or advances, or is obliged to

 

10


 

indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate or advance for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.

 

15.          SECURITY.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except for Section 27, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral.  Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.

 

16.          NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION.

 

(a)           The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Charter, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise.  No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such Proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) or claim, issue or matter therein arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal.  To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Charter, the Bylaws or this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change.  No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise.  The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.

 

(b)           The DGCL, the Charter and the Bylaws permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against him or her or incurred by or on behalf of him or her or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement or under the DGCL, as it may then be in effect.  The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement.

 

(c)           To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies.  If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies.  The Company shall thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.

 

11


 

(d)           In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.  No such payment by the Company shall be deemed to relieve any insurer of its obligations.

 

(e)           The Company’s obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.

 

(f)            Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the Company is the primary indemnitor, and any indemnification or advancement obligation of the Sponsor or its affiliates or members or any other Person is secondary.

 

17.          DURATION OF AGREEMENT.  All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director or officer of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement) by reason of his or her Corporate Status, whether or not he or she is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement can be provided under this Agreement.

 

18.          SEVERABILITY.  If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever:  (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.

 

19.          ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT.

 

(a)           The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer or key employee of the Company.

 

(b)           Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Charter or Bylaws of the Company as they may be amended from time to time, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and

 

12


 

understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

(c)           The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise at the Company’s request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his or her spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.

 

(d)           The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

 

(e)           The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm.  Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he or she may be entitled.  The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith.  The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court of competent jurisdiction, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

20.          MODIFICATION AND WAIVER.  No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the Company and Indemnitee.  No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

 

21.          NOTICES.  All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) if delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on such delivery, or (ii) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:

 

(a)           If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.

 

(b)           If to the Company, to:

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.

405 West 14th Street

Austin, TX 78701

Attention:  R. Steven Hicks

 

13


 

With a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to

 

Greenberg Traurig, LLP

1750 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 1000

McLean, Virginia 22102

Attn: Jason Simon, Esq.

Fax No.: (703) 749-1301

 

or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.

 

22.          APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION.  This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules.  Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally:  (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country; (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement; (c) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court; and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject (in whole or in part) to a jury trial.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, the parties hereby agree that the mailing of process and other papers in connection with any such action or proceeding in the manner provided by Section 21 or in such other manner as may be permitted by law, shall be valid and sufficient service thereof.

 

23.          IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.  Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.

 

24.          MISCELLANEOUS.  The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.

 

25.          PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS.  No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two-year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall govern.

 

26.          ADDITIONAL ACTS.  If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.

 

27.          WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO TRUST ACCOUNT.  Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such trust account for any reason whatsoever.  Accordingly, Indemnitee acknowledges and agrees that any indemnification provided hereto will only be able to be satisfied by the Company if (i) the Company has sufficient funds outside of the trust account to satisfy its obligations hereunder or (ii) the Company consummates a Business Combination.

 

28.          MAINTENANCE OF INSURANCE.  The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect during the entire period for which the Company is obligated to indemnify

 

14


 

Indemnitee under this Agreement, one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers/directors of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement.  Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director or officer under such policy or policies.  In all such insurance policies, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors and officers.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

15


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indemnity Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

R. Steven Hicks

 

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INDEMNITEE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Address:

 

[Signature Page to Indemnity Agreement]

 




Exhibit 10.7

 

THIS PROMISSORY NOTE (THIS “NOTE”) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”).  THIS NOTE HAS BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT ONLY AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED IN THE ABSENCE OF REGISTRATION OF THE RESALE THEREOF UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY IN FORM, SCOPE AND SUBSTANCE TO THE MAKER THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED.

 

PROMISSORY NOTE

 

Principal Amount:  Up to $250,000

Dated as of February 14, 2020

 

CapStar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Maker”), promises to pay to the order of CapStar Sponsor Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, or its registered assigns or successors in interest (the “Payee”), or order, the principal sum of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000), or such lesser amount as shall have been advanced by Payee to Maker and shall remain unpaid under this Note, in lawful money of the United States of America, on the terms and conditions described below.  All payments on this Note shall be made by check or wire transfer of immediately available funds or as otherwise determined by the Maker to such account as the Payee may from time to time designate by written notice in accordance with the provisions of this Note.

 

1.                                      Principal. The principal balance of Note shall be payable on the earlier of: (i) July 31, 2020 and (ii) the date on which Maker consummates an initial public offering of its securities (the “IPO”). The principal balance may be prepaid at any time.

 

2.                                      Interest. No interest shall accrue on the unpaid principal balance of this Note.

 

3.                                      Drawdown Requests. The principal of this Note may be drawn down from time to time prior to the earlier of: (i) July 31, 2020 and (ii) the date on which Maker consummates the IPO, upon request from Maker to Payee (each, a “Drawdown Request”). Payee shall fund each Drawdown Request within five (5) business days after receipt of a Drawdown Request; provided, however, that the maximum amount of drawdowns collectively under this Note is Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000). Once an amount is drawn down under this Note, it shall not be available for future Drawdown Requests even if prepaid. No fees, payments or other amounts shall be due to Payee in connection with, or as a result of, any Drawdown Request by Maker.

 

4.                                      Application of Payments. All payments shall be applied first to payment in full of any costs incurred in the collection of any sum due under this Note, including (without limitation) reasonable attorney’s fees, then to the payment in full of any late charges and finally to the reduction of the unpaid principal balance of this Note.

 

5.                                      Events of Default. The following shall constitute an event of default (“Event of Default”):

 

(a)                                 Failure to Make Required Payments. Failure by Maker to pay the principal amount due pursuant to this Note within five (5) business days of the date specified in Section 1 above.

 

(b)                                 Voluntary Bankruptcy, Etc. The commencement by Maker of a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, rehabilitation or other similar law, or the consent by it to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator (or other similar official) of Maker or for any substantial part of its property, or the making

 

1


 

by it of any assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the failure of Maker generally to pay its debts as such debts become due, or the taking of corporate action by Maker in furtherance of any of the foregoing.

 

(c)                                  Involuntary Bankruptcy, Etc. The entry of a decree or order for relief by a court having jurisdiction in the premises in respect of Maker in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of Maker or for any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days.

 

6.                                      Remedies.

 

(a)                                 Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Section 5(a) hereof, Payee may, by written notice to Maker, declare this Note to be due immediately and payable, whereupon the unpaid principal amount of this Note, and all other amounts payable thereunder, shall become immediately due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived, anything contained herein or in the documents evidencing the same to the contrary notwithstanding.

 

(b)                                 Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Sections 5(b) or 5(c), the unpaid principal balance of this Note, and all other sums payable with regard to this Note, shall automatically and immediately become due and payable, in all cases without any action on the part of Payee.

 

7.                                      Waivers. Maker and all endorsers and guarantors of, and sureties for, this Note waive presentment for payment, demand, notice of dishonor, protest, and notice of protest with regard to the Note, all errors, defects and imperfections in any proceedings instituted by Payee under the terms of this Note, and all benefits that might accrue to Maker by virtue of any present or future laws exempting any property, real or personal, or any part of the proceeds arising from any sale of any such property, from attachment, levy or sale under execution, or providing for any stay of execution, exemption from civil process, or extension of time for payment; and Maker agrees that any real estate that may be levied upon pursuant to a judgment obtained by virtue hereof, on any writ of execution issued hereon, may be sold upon any such writ in whole or in part in any order desired by Payee.

 

8.                                      Unconditional Liability. Maker hereby waives all notices in connection with the delivery, acceptance, performance, default, or enforcement of the payment of this Note, and agrees that its liability shall be unconditional, without regard to the liability of any other party, and shall not be affected in any manner by any indulgence, extension of time, renewal, waiver or modification granted or consented to by Payee, and consents to any and all extensions of time, renewals, waivers, or modifications that may be granted by Payee with respect to the payment or other provisions of this Note, and agrees that additional makers, endorsers, guarantors, or sureties may become parties hereto without notice to Maker or affecting Maker’s liability hereunder.

 

9.                                      Notices.  All notices, statements or other documents which are required or contemplated by this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered: (i) personally or sent by first class registered or certified mail, overnight courier service to the address designated in writing by such party, (ii) by facsimile to the number most recently provided to such party or such other address or fax number as may be designated in writing by such party or (iii) by electronic mail, to the electronic mail address most recently provided to such party or such other electronic mail address as may be designated in writing by such party.  Any notice or other communication so transmitted shall be deemed to have been given on the day of delivery, if delivered personally, on the business day following receipt of written confirmation, if sent by facsimile

 

2


 

or electronic mail, one (1) business day after delivery to an overnight courier service or five (5) days after mailing if sent by mail.

 

10.                               Construction. THIS NOTE SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS THEREOF.

 

11.                               Severability. Any provision contained in this Note which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

12.                               Trust Waiver.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Payee hereby waives any and all right, title, interest or claim of any kind (“Claim”) in or to any distribution of or from the trust account to be established in which the proceeds of the IPO and the proceeds of the sale of the units issued in private placements to occur prior to the consummation of the IPO are to be deposited, as described in greater detail in the registration statement and prospectus to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the IPO, and hereby agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction for any Claim against the trust account for any reason whatsoever.

 

13.                               Amendment; Waiver.  Any amendment hereto or waiver of any provision hereof may be made with, and only with, the written consent of the Maker and the Payee.

 

14.                               Assignment.  No assignment or transfer of this Note or any rights or obligations hereunder may be made by any party hereto (by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other party hereto and any attempted assignment without the required consent shall be void.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

3


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Maker, intending to be legally bound hereby, has caused this Note to be duly executed by the undersigned as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Benjamin M. Hanson

 

 

Name: Benjamin M. Hanson

 

 

Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO PROMISSORY NOTE]

 




Exhibit 10.8

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

405 West 14th Street

Austin, TX 78701

 

, 2020

 

Capstar Partners, LLC

405 West 14th Street

Austin, TX 78701

 

Re:                             Administrative Services Agreement

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This letter agreement by and between Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Capstar Partners, LLC (“Capstar Partners”), dated as of the date hereof, will confirm our agreement that, commencing on the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Registration Statement”) for the Company’s initial public offering and continuing until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of an initial business combination or the Company’s liquidation (in each case as described in the Registration Statement) (such earlier date hereinafter referred to as the “Termination Date”):

 

i.                                          Capstar Partners shall make available, or cause to be made available, to the Company, at 405 West 14th Street, Austin, TX 78701 (or any successor location of Capstar Partners), certain office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support as may be reasonably required by the Company.  In exchange therefor, the Company shall pay Capstar Partners the sum of $10,000 per month on the Effective Date and continuing monthly thereafter until the Termination Date; and

 

ii.                                       Capstar Partners hereby irrevocably waives any and all right, title, interest, causes of action and claims of any kind as a result of, or arising out of, this letter agreement (each, a “Claim”) in or to, and any and all right to seek payment of any amounts due to it out of, the trust account established for the benefit of the public stockholders of the Company and into which substantially all of the proceeds of the Company’s initial public offering will be deposited (the “Trust Account”), and hereby irrevocably waives any Claim it may have in the future, which Claim would reduce, encumber or otherwise adversely affect the Trust Account or any monies or other assets in the Trust Account, and further agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction of any Claim against the Trust Account or any monies or other assets in the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.

 

This letter agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of its subject matter and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

This letter agreement may not be amended, modified or waived as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by all parties hereto.

 

No party hereto may assign either this letter agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written approval of the other party.  Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee.

 

This letter agreement constitutes the entire relationship of the parties hereto, and any litigation between the parties (whether grounded in contract, tort, statute, law or equity) shall be governed by, construed in accordance with, and interpreted pursuant to the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to its choice of laws principles.

 


 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

R. Steven Hicks

 

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED BY:

 

 

 

 

 

CAPSTAR PARTNERS, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

R. Steven Hicks

 

 

Title:

Manager

 

 

 

[Signature Page to Administrative Services Agreement]

 




Exhibit 14

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS

 

1.                                      Introduction

 

The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) has adopted this code of business conduct and ethics (this “Code”), as amended from time to time by the Board, and which is applicable to all of the Company’s directors, officers and employees (to the extent that employees are hired in the future) to:

 

·                                          promote honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships;

 

·                                          promote the full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that the Company files with, or submits to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as well as in other public communications made by or on behalf of the Company;

 

·                                          promote compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations;

 

·                                          deter wrongdoing; and

 

·                                          require prompt internal reporting of breaches of, and accountability for adherence to, this Code.

 

In addition to following this Code in all aspects of business activities, the Company’s directors, officers and employees are expected to seek guidance in any situation where there is a question regarding compliance issues, whether with the letter or the spirit of the Company’s policies and applicable laws.  Cooperation with this Code is essential to the continued success of the Company’s business and the cultivation and maintenance of its reputation as a good corporate citizen.  Misconduct is never justified, even where sanctioned or ordered by an officer or other individual in a position of higher management.  No individual, regardless of stature or position, can authorize actions that are illegal, or that jeopardize or violate Company standards.  This Code sets forth general principles of conduct and ethics and is intended to work in conjunction with the policies and procedures that are covered in the Company’s specific policy statements.

 

Nothing in this Code prohibits the Company’s directors, officers or employees from reporting possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity, including but not limited to the Department of Justice, the SEC, the Congress, and any agency Inspector General, or making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of U.S. federal law or regulation.  No prior authorization from the Company is needed to make any such reports or disclosures and there is no duty to notify the Company that any such reports or disclosures have been made.  The Company has a no-tolerance policy for retaliation against persons who raise good faith compliance, ethics or related issues.

 

This Code may be amended and modified by the Board.  In this Code, references to the Company” mean Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. and, in appropriate context, the Company’s subsidiaries, if any.

 

2.                                      Honest, Ethical and Fair Conduct

 

Each person owes a duty to the Company to act with integrity.  Integrity requires, among other things, being honest, fair and candid.  Deceit, dishonesty and subordination of principle are inconsistent with integrity.  Service to the Company should never be subordinated to violations of laws or regulations, unscrupulous dealings or to personal gain and advantage.

 

Each person must:

 

a.                                      act with integrity, including being honest and candid while still maintaining the confidentiality of the Company’s information where required or when in the Company’s interests;

 

1


 

b.                                      observe all applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations;

 

c.                                       comply with the requirements of applicable accounting and auditing standards, as well as Company policies, in order to maintain a high standard of accuracy and completeness in the Company’s financial records and other business-related information and data;

 

d.                                      adhere to a high standard of business ethics and not seek competitive advantage through unlawful or unethical business practices;

 

e.                                       deal fairly with the Company’s customers, suppliers, competitors, employees and independent contractors;

 

f.                                        refrain from taking advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts or any other unfair-dealing practice;

 

g.                                       protect the assets of the Company and ensure their proper use;

 

h.                                      until the earliest of (i) the Company’s initial business combination (as such is defined in the Company’s initial registration statement filed with the SEC), (ii) the Company’s liquidation, or (iii) such time that such person ceases to be an officer or director of the Company, in each case, to first present to the Company for the Company’s consideration, prior to presentation to any other entity, any business opportunity, but only if such opportunity is suitable for the Company, subject to the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws in effect at such time and subject to any other fiduciary or contractual obligations such officer or director may have; and

 

i.                                          avoid actual or apparent conflicts between personal, private interests and the interests of the Company, wherever possible, including receiving improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position, except as may be allowed under guidelines or resolutions approved by the Board (or the appropriate committee of the Board) or as disclosed in the Company’s public filings with the SEC.  Anything that would be a conflict for a person subject to this Code also will be a conflict for a member of his or her immediate family or any other close relative.

 

Examples of conflict of interest situations include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

·                                          any significant ownership interest in any supplier or customer;

 

·                                          any consulting or employment relationship with any supplier or customer;

 

·                                          the receipt of any money, non-nominal gifts or excessive entertainment from any entity with which the Company has current or prospective business dealings;

 

·                                          selling anything to the Company or buying anything from the Company, except on the same terms and conditions as a third party would buy or sell a comparable item in an arm’s-length transaction;

 

·                                          any other financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the Company; and

 

·                                          any other circumstance, event, relationship or situation in which the personal interest of a person subject to this Code interferes, or even appears to interfere, with the interests of the Company as a whole.

 

Any material transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest shall be disclosed to the Board.

 

2


 

3.                                      Confidentiality

 

The Company’s directors, officers and employees must maintain and protect the confidentiality of information entrusted to them by the Company, or that otherwise comes into their possession, while carrying out their duties and responsibilities, except when disclosure is authorized by the Company or legally mandated.

 

Confidential information encompasses all non-public information (including, for example, “inside information” or information that third-parties have entrusted to the Company) that may be of use to competitors, or may otherwise be harmful to the Company or its key stakeholders, if disclosed.  Financial information is of special sensitivity and should under all circumstances be considered confidential, except where its disclosure is approved by the Company or when the information has been publicly disseminated.

 

4.                                      Disclosure

 

The Company strives to ensure that the contents of and the disclosures in the reports and documents that the Company files with the SEC and other public communications shall be full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable in accordance with applicable disclosure standards, including standards of materiality, where appropriate.  Each person must:

 

·                                          not knowingly misrepresent, or cause others to misrepresent, facts about the Company to others, whether within or outside the Company, including to the Company’s independent registered public accountants, governmental regulators, self-regulating organizations and other governmental officials, as appropriate; and

 

·                                          in relation to his or her area of responsibility, properly review and critically analyze proposed disclosure for accuracy and completeness.

 

In addition to the foregoing, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and each subsidiary of the Company (or persons performing similar functions), if any, and each other person that typically is involved in the financial reporting of the Company must familiarize himself or herself with the disclosure requirements applicable to the Company as well as the business and financial operations of the Company.

 

Each person must promptly bring to the attention of the Board of Directors any information he or she may have concerning (a) significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal and/or disclosure controls that could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data or (b) any fraud that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s financial reporting, disclosures or internal controls.

 

5.                                      Compliance

 

It is the Company’s obligation and policy to comply with all applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations.  All directors, officers and employees of the Company are expected to understand, respect and comply with all of the laws, regulations, policies and procedures that apply to them in their positions with the Company.  Employees are responsible for talking to their supervisors to determine which laws, regulations and Company policies apply to their position and what training is necessary to understand and comply with them.

 

Directors, officers and employees are directed to specific policies and procedures available to persons they supervise.

 

6.                                      Reporting and Accountability

 

The Board is responsible for applying this Code to specific situations in which questions are presented to it and has the authority to interpret this Code in any particular situation.  Any person who becomes aware of any existing or potential breach of this Code is required to notify the Board promptly.  Failure to do so is, in and of itself, a breach of this Code.

 

3


 

Specifically, each person must:

 

·                                          Notify the Board promptly of any existing or potential violation of this Code.

 

·                                          Not retaliate against any other person for reports of potential violations that are made in good faith.

 

The Company will follow the following procedures in investigating and enforcing this Code and in reporting on this Code:

 

·                                          The Board will take all appropriate action to investigate any breaches reported to it.

 

·                                          Upon determination by the Board that a breach has occurred, the Board (by majority decision) will take or authorize such disciplinary or preventive action as it deems appropriate, after consultation with the Company’s internal or external legal counsel, up to and including dismissal or, in the event of criminal or other serious violations of law, notification of the SEC or other appropriate law enforcement authorities.

 

No person following the above procedure shall, as a result of following such procedure, be subject by the Company or any officer or employee thereof to discharge, demotion suspension, threat, harassment or, in any manner, discrimination against such person in terms and conditions of employment.

 

7.                                      Waivers and Amendments

 

Any waiver (defined below) or an implicit waiver (defined below) from a provision of this Code for the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, and persons performing similar functions or any amendment (as defined below) to this Code is required to be disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC.  In lieu of filing a Current Report on Form 8-K to report any such waivers or amendments, the Company may provide such information on its website, in the event that it establishes one in the future, and if it keeps such information on the website for at least 12 months and discloses the website address as well as any intention to provide such disclosures in this manner in its most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

A waiver” means the approval by the Board of a material departure from a provision of this Code.  An “implicit waiver” means the Company’s failure to take action within a reasonable period of time regarding a material departure from a provision of this Code that has been made known to an executive officer of the Company.  An “amendment” means any amendment to this Code other than minor technical, administrative or other non-substantive amendments hereto.

 

Any request for a waiver of any provision of this Code must be in writing and addressed to the Board.  All persons should note that it is not the Company’s intention to grant or to permit waivers from the requirements of this Code.  The Company expects full compliance with this Code.

 

8.                                      Insider Information and Securities Trading

 

The Company’s directors, officers or employees who have access to material, non-public information are not permitted to use that information for security trading purposes or for any purpose unrelated to the Company’s business.  It is also against the law to trade or to “tip” others who might make an investment decision based on inside company information.  For example, using non-public information to buy or sell the Company securities, options in the Company securities or the securities of any Company supplier, customer, competitor or potential target is prohibited.  The consequences of insider trading violations can be severe.  These rules also apply to the use of material, non-public information about other companies (including, for example, the Company’s customers, competitors, potential business partners and potential targets).  In addition to directors, officers or employees, these rules apply to such person’s spouse, children, parents and siblings, as well as any other family members living in such person’s home.

 

4


 

9.                                      Financial Statements and Other Records

 

All of the Company’s books, records, accounts and financial statements must be maintained in reasonable detail, must appropriately reflect the Company’s transactions and must both conform to applicable legal requirements and to the Company’s system of internal controls.  Unrecorded or “off the books” funds or assets should not be maintained unless permitted by applicable law or regulation.

 

Records should always be retained or destroyed according to the Company’s record retention policies.  In accordance with those policies, in the event of litigation or governmental investigation, please consult the Board or the Company’s internal or external legal counsel.

 

10.                               Improper Influence on Conduct of Audits

 

No director or officer, or any other person acting under the direction thereof, shall directly or indirectly take any action to coerce, manipulate, mislead or fraudulently influence any public or certified public accountant engaged in the performance of an audit or review of the financial statements of the Company or take any action that such person knows or should know that if successful could result in rendering the Company’s financial statements materially misleading.  Any person who believes such improper influence is being exerted should report such action to such person’s supervisor, or if that is impractical under the circumstances, to any of the Company’s directors.

 

Types of conduct that could constitute improper influence include, but are not limited to, directly or indirectly:

 

·                                          Offering or paying bribes or other financial incentives, including future employment or contracts for non-audit services;

 

·                                          Providing an auditor with an inaccurate or misleading legal analysis;

 

·                                          Threatening to cancel or canceling existing non-audit or audit engagements if the auditor objects to the Company’s accounting;

 

·                                          Seeking to have a partner removed from the audit engagement because the partner objects to the Company’s accounting;

 

·                                          Blackmailing; and

 

·                                          Making physical threats.

 

11.                               Anti-Corruption Laws

 

The Company complies with the anti-corruption laws of the countries in which it does business, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA”).  Directors, officers, employees and agents, such as third party sales representatives, shall not take or cause to be taken any action that would reasonably result in the Company not complying with such anti-corruption laws, including the FCPA.  If you are authorized to engage agents on the Company’s behalf, you are responsible for ensuring they are reputable and for obtaining a written agreement for them to uphold the Company’s standards in this area. The Company will comply with the Policy Statement Regarding Compliance and Ethics attached hereto as Schedule A.

 

12.                               Violations

 

The Board will investigate any reported violations and will oversee an appropriate response, including corrective action and preventative measures.  Any director, officer or employee who violates this Code will face appropriate, case specific disciplinary action, which may include demotion or discharge.  Such action is in addition to any civil or criminal liability which might be imposed by any court or regulatory agency.

 

5


 

13.                               Other Policies and Procedures

 

Any other policy or procedure set out by the Company in writing or made generally known to employees, officers or directors of the Company prior to the date hereof or hereafter are separate requirements and remain in full force and effect.

 

14.                               Inquiries

 

All inquiries and questions in relation to this Code or its applicability to particular people or situations should be addressed to the Board, or such other compliance officer as shall be designated from time to time by the Company.

 

6


 

Schedule A

 

POLICY STATEMENT REGARDING COMPLIANCE & ETHICS

 

I.                                        Introduction

 

Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) is committed to the highest ethical standards, and expects the same of its directors, officers and employees (to the extent that employees are hired in the future), third party representatives, and joint venture partners.  Consistent with this commitment, all Company employees are expected to understand and comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations applicable to their job responsibilities at Company.

 

This Policy Statement sets forth Company’s general requirements and expectations relating to several key areas of business conduct and ethics.   At the same time, this Policy Statement is not intended to be a comprehensive rulebook and cannot address every situation that a Company director, officer and employee (to the extent that employees are hired in the future) may face.  If any Company director, officer or employee (to the extent that employees are hired in the future) feels uncomfortable about a situation or has any doubts about whether a situation or course of conduct is consistent with Company’s ethical standards, such individuals are advised to seek help from the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.

 

II.                                   Compliance with All Laws Including Bribery And Other Corrupt Payments Laws

 

Company shall comply with all applicable laws, including applicable laws governing bribery, extortion, kickbacks, and the giving or receiving of gifts or hospitality to “Government Officials.”1 Consistent with this commitment, Company directors, officers or employees (to the extent that employees are hired in the future) are prohibited from offering, promising, giving, soliciting, accepting or authorizing another to offer, promise, give, solicit or accept anything of value, either directly or indirectly, for the purpose of corruptly influencing the decision of any person, or to otherwise obtain or retain business or a business advantage in connection with Company.  This includes all local, state and federal corruption laws, as well as international laws such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, to the extent the Company is conducting business outside of the United States.

 

III.                              Facilitation Payments

 

It is Company’s policy not to make or authorize anyone to make any small, unofficial payment to secure or expedite the performance of a routine or necessary action by a Government Official (a “Facilitation Payment”)2 in connection with Company.

 

IV.                               Gifts & Hospitality

 

Company requires that all gifts and hospitality promised, offered or provided on behalf of Company be reasonable, related to a legitimate business purpose, and lawful under applicable laws and regulations, including those relating to the nature and amount of gifts and hospitality that can be provided to Government Officials.

 

No Company employee or Third Party may offer, promise, give, solicit, accept or authorize another to offer, promise, give, solicit or accept any gift or hospitality for the purpose of corruptly influencing the

 


1 “Government Official” means: (i) any person who is an officer, officeholder, full or part-time employee or representative of:  (1)  a  national,  state,  regional,  provincial,  city,  county  or  other  local  government; (2) independent agencies of any government; or (3) state-owned businesses or state-controlled businesses (e.g., a representative of a sovereign wealth fund or public pension fund, an affiliate of a state-owned company owning distressed assets); (ii) political party officials and candidates for political office; and (iii) any employees  of  quasi-public or non-governmental international  organizations (sometimes called “NGOs”).

2 A “Facilitation Payment” may take the form of any kind of advantage, and is not limited to cash or cash equivalents.

 

7


 

decision of any person, or to otherwise obtain or retain business or a business advantage on behalf of Company.

 

All gifts and hospitality are required to be approved by appropriate Company personnel before being provided to any external party, and shall be documented fairly and accurately in Company’s books and records.

 

V.                                    Political And Charitable Contributions

 

It is the policy of Company that its funds or assets not be used to make a political or charitable contribution,3 unless prior approval has been given by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.  Company shall not reimburse any Company employee or Third Party for their own personal political or charitable contributions.  When Company employees participate in private political affairs, those employees should be careful to make it clear that their views and actions are their own, and not made on behalf of Company.

 

Company employees are prohibited from making or authorizing any person to make a political or charitable contribution on behalf of Company for the purpose of corruptly influencing the decision of any person, or to otherwise obtain or retain business or a business advantage.

 

VI.       Relationships With Third Parties

 

Company shall conduct reasonable commercial and risk-based due diligence on all third party vendors, suppliers, agents, representatives, and intermediaries (each a “Third Party” and collectively “Third Parties”) working on behalf of Company.

 

All agreements with Third Parties relating to Company shall be reduced to writing, accurately reflect the actual goods or services to be provided by the Third Party, and include appropriate anti-corruption compliance representations and warranties.

 

All payments to Third Parties made by or on behalf of Company shall be made transparently, consistent with applicable written agreements, and reflected accurately in Company’s books and records.

 

VII.                          Discrimination & Harassment

 

Company employees shall not discriminate, harass, or authorize any discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

 

Company will not tolerate or authorize any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or any other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature by any Company employee or Third Party in connection with Company if and when: (i) submission to such conduct was made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment; (ii) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or (iii) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

 


3  For purposes of this provision, the term “political contribution” refers to any contribution of something of value to an incumbent elected official, a candidate for elected office, a political party, a political committee, a political organization, a ballot measure committee, an inaugural committee, or a member of the transition team of a successful candidate.  The term “charitable contribution” refers to any contribution of something of value to a charitable or philanthropic cause, including, but not limited to donations of cash or cash equivalents to registered charities.

 

8


 

VIII.                     Money Laundering

 

It is the policy of Company to prohibit and actively prevent money laundering and any activity that could conceivably facilitate money laundering, the funding of terrorism, or other criminal activity.  Consistent with this policy, the local Company partner shall develop appropriate procedures to help ensure that Company does not facilitate or engage in any money laundering activities.

 

IX.                              Health, Safety, And Environment

 

Company is committed to conducting all business activities in a responsible manner, which helps ensure the health, safety, and security of people, preservation of the environment, quality of our business offerings, security, legal, quality, and regulatory requirements in all our business activities.

 

X.                                   Recordkeeping

 

Company shall make and maintain records that fairly and accurately reflect the business transactions of Company.

 

XI.                              Cooperation With Audits And Inspections

 

Company, including each Company employee and Third Party, shall cooperate fully with any and all requests made by its shareholders relating to the review and/or inspection of books and records relating to Company.

 

XII.                         Reported Concerns

 

Company encourages reporting of suspected violations of this policy statement, violations of law, and perceived incidents of discrimination or harassment.  Company will not tolerate actions by Company directors, officers or employees (to the extent that employees are hired in the future) or Third Parties to discourage or authorize discouragement of any kind against any individual who reports a perceived incident of discrimination or harassment in relation to Company.

 

Retaliation of any kind against any individual who reports any perceived incident of discrimination or harassment, or who cooperates with any investigation relating to such reports in good faith is prohibited.  Engaging in any form of retaliation may subject Company personnel to discipline, up to and including termination.

 

XIII.                    Accountability

 

Failure to comply with the guidelines and requirements set forth in this Policy Statement is a serious matter.  Violating applicable laws, regulations, or the policies set forth in this document, or otherwise engaging in illegal, improper, or unethical conduct may result in appropriate remedial action.

 

9




Exhibit 23.1

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM’S CONSENT

 

We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (“the Company”) on Amendment No. 1 to Form S-1, File No. 333-239094, of our report dated March 6, 2020, which includes an explanatory paragraph as to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, with respect to our audit of the financial statements of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. as of February 27, 2020 and for the period from February 14, 2020 (inception) through February 27, 2020, which report appears in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our Firm under the heading “Experts” in such Prospectus.

 

/s/ Marcum LLP

 

Marcum LLP

New York, NY

June 24, 2020

 




Exhibit 99.1

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

I.             Purpose

 

The purposes of the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) shall be to provide assistance to the Board in fulfilling its legal and fiduciary obligations to oversee:

 

A.            the integrity of the Company’s financial statements and other financial information provided by the Company to its stockholders, the public, any stock exchange and others;

 

B.            the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;

 

C.            the qualifications and independence of the Company’s independent auditor;

 

D.            the performance of the Company’s independent auditors and the Company’s internal audit function (or if the Company does not yet have an internal audit function because it is availing itself of a transition period pursuant to the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), assisting the Board in oversight of the design and implementation of the internal audit function); and

 

E.             the preparation of the report required by the Committee pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for inclusion in the Company’s annual proxy statement.

 

The Committee shall also review and approve all Related Party Transactions (as defined below) in accordance with the policy set forth herein.

 

Although the Committee has the powers and responsibilities set forth in this charter (this “Charter”), the role of the Committee is oversight. The members of the Committee are not full-time employees of the Company and may or may not be accountants or auditors by profession or experts in the fields of accounting or auditing and, in any event, do not serve in such capacity. Consequently, it is not the duty of the Committee to conduct audits or to determine that the Company’s financial statements and disclosures are complete and accurate and are in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) and listing standards of the NYSE or as mandated under applicable laws, rules and regulations (including the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended). These are the responsibilities of management and the Company’s independent auditor.

 

While the members of the Committee have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this Charter, nothing contained in this Charter is intended to create, or should be construed as creating, any responsibility or liability of members of the Committee, except to the extent otherwise provided under applicable federal or state law.

 

II.            Organization

 

The Committee shall consist of three or more independent directors, as determined from time to time by the Board. Each member of the Committee shall be “independent” and qualified to serve on the Committee pursuant to the requirements of the NYSE, and any additional requirements that the Board deems appropriate. Each member of the Committee must be financially literate, as such qualification is interpreted by the Board in its business judgment, or must become financially literate within a reasonable period of time after his or her appointment to the Committee. At least one member of the Committee must be designated by the Board to be the “audit committee financial expert,” as defined by the SEC pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Act”).

 

No Committee member shall simultaneously serve on the audit committees of more than two other public companies, unless the Board determines that such simultaneous service does not impair the ability of such member to effectively serve on the Committee. Any such determination must be disclosed in the Company’s annual proxy statement, or, if the Company does not file an annual proxy statement, in its annual report on Form 10-K.

 

The chairperson of the Committee shall be designated by the Board, provided that if the Board does not so designate a chairperson, the members of the Committee, by a majority vote, may designate a chairperson.

 

1


 

Any vacancy on the Committee shall be filled by majority vote of the Board. No member of the Committee shall be removed except by majority vote of the Board.

 

III.          Meetings

 

The Committee shall meet at least four times per year on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as required. The Committee, in its discretion, may ask members of management or others to attend its meetings (or portions thereof) and to provide pertinent information as necessary. The Committee shall also meet periodically with (i) management, (ii) the director of the Company’s internal auditing department or other person responsible for the internal audit function, if any, and (iii) the Company’s independent auditors, in each case to discuss any matters that the Committee or any of the above persons or firms believe warrant Committee attention.

 

A majority of the members of the Committee present in person or by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other shall constitute a quorum.

 

The Committee shall maintain minutes of its meetings and records relating to those meetings and shall report regularly to the Board on its activities, as appropriate.

 

IV.          Authority and Responsibilities

 

In fulfilling its duties and responsibilities hereunder, the Committee will be entitled to rely reasonably on (a) the integrity of those persons within the Company and the professionals and experts (such as the Company’s independent auditor) from whom it receives information, (b) the accuracy of the financial and other information provided to the Committee by such persons and (c) representations made by the Company’s independent auditor as to any services provided by such firm to the Company.

 

The Committee’s policies and procedures should remain flexible, so that it may be in a position to best address, react or respond to changing circumstances or conditions. The following duties and responsibilities are within the authority of the Committee and the Committee shall, consistent with and subject to applicable law and rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC, the NYSE, or any other applicable regulatory authority:

 

A.                                    Selection, Evaluation, and Oversight of the Independent Auditors

 

(a)           Be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention (including termination), scope and oversight of the work of any independent, registered public accounting firm engaged by the Company for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company, and resolution of any disagreements between management and any such firm regarding financial reporting, and each such firm must report directly to the Committee;

 

(b)           Review and, in its sole discretion, approve in advance the Company’s independent auditors’ annual engagement letter, including the proposed fees contained therein, as well as all audit and, as provided in the Act and the SEC rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, all permitted non-audit engagements and relationships between the Company and such independent auditors (which approval should be made after receiving input from the Company’s management, if desired). Approval of audit and permitted non-audit services will be made by the Committee or by one or more members of the Committee as shall be designated by the Committee/the chairperson of the Committee and the persons granting such approval shall report such approval to the Committee at the next scheduled meeting;

 

(c)           At least annually, evaluate the performance of the independent auditors, including the lead partner of the independent auditors, and, in its sole discretion (subject, if applicable, to stockholder ratification), make decisions regarding the replacement or termination of the independent auditors when circumstances warrant;

 

(d)           At least annually, obtain and review a formal written report from the Company’s independent auditor describing:

 

i.                  the independent auditors’ internal quality-control procedures;

 

2


 

ii.               any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, or Public Company Accounting Oversight Board review or inspection, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within the preceding five years, with respect to one or more independent audits carried out by the independent auditors, and any steps taken to deal with any such issues;

 

iii.            an assessment of the continued independence of the independent auditor, including all relationships and engagements that may be reasonably be thought to bear on the independence of the auditor, including those between the auditor and the Company;

 

iv.           the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s accounting and internal control policies and procedures; and

 

v.              if applicable, the yearly report prepared by management, and attested to by the Company’s independent auditors, assessing the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and stating management’s responsibility for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting prior to its inclusion in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K;

 

(e)           Evaluate the independence of the Company’s independent auditors by, among other things:

 

i.                  Confirming with the independent auditors that the audit partner rotation requirements contained in the Act and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder have been complied with;

 

ii.               actively engaging in a dialogue with the Company’s independent auditors with respect to any disclosed relationships or services that may impact the objectivity and independence of the auditors;

 

iii.            setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the Company’s independent auditors;

 

iv.           taking, or recommending that the Board take, appropriate action to oversee the independence of the Company’s independent auditors;

 

v.              monitoring compliance by the Company of the employee conflict of interest requirements contained in the Act and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder; and

 

vi.           engaging in a dialogue with the independent auditors to confirm that audit partner’s compensation is consistent with applicable SEC rules;

 

B.                                    Oversight of Annual Audit and Quarterly Reviews

 

(a)           Review and discuss with the independent auditors their annual audit plan, including the timing and scope of audit activities, and monitor such plan’s progress and results during the year;

 

(b)           Review with management and the Company’s independent auditors the following information which is required to be reported by the independent auditor:

 

i.                  all critical accounting policies and practices to be used;

 

ii.               all alternative treatments of financial information that have been discussed by the independent auditors and management, ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments and the treatment preferred by the independent auditors;

 

iii.            all other material written communications between the independent auditors and management, such as any management letter and any schedule of unadjusted differences; and

 

3


 

iv.           any material financial arrangements of the Company which do not appear on the financial statements of the Company;

 

(c)           Review with management, the Company’s independent auditors and, if appropriate, the director of the Company’s internal auditing department, if any, the following:

 

i.                  any major issues regarding accounting principles and financial statement presentations, including any significant changes in the Company’s selection or application of accounting principles;

 

ii.               any major issues and any analyses prepared by management and/or the independent auditors setting forth significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the financial statements, including analyses of the effects of alternative GAAP methods on the financial statements;

 

iii.            the effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives, as well as off-balance sheet structures, on the financial statements of the Company; and

 

iv.           the type and presentation of information to be included in earnings, press releases as well as review of any financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts or rating agencies;

 

(d)           Review with management, the Company’s independent auditors and, if appropriate, the director of the Company’s internal auditing department, if any, the Company’s annual audited financial statements and quarterly financial statements, including the Company’s specific disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Reports on Form 10-K, and any major issues related thereto;

 

(e)           Resolve all disagreements between the Company’s independent auditors and management regarding financial reporting;

 

(f)            Review on a regular basis with the Company’s independent auditors any problems or difficulties encountered by the independent auditors in the course of any audit work, including management’s response with respect thereto, any restrictions on the scope of the independent auditor’s activities or on access to requested information, and any significant disagreements with management. In connection therewith, the Committee should review with the independent auditors the following:

 

i.                  any accounting adjustments that were noted or proposed by the independent auditors but were rejected by management (as immaterial or otherwise);

 

ii.               any communications between the audit team and the independent auditor’s national office respecting auditing or accounting issues presented by the engagement; and

 

iii.            any “management” or “internal control” letter issued, or proposed to be issued, by the independent auditors to the Company;

 

C.                                    Oversight of Financial Reporting Process and Internal Controls

 

(a)           Review the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s accounting and internal control policies and procedures on a regular basis, including the responsibilities, budget, compensation and staffing of the Company’s internal audit function, through inquiry and discussions with the Company’s independent auditors, management and director of the Company’s internal auditing department, if any;

 

(b)           Review, if applicable, the yearly report prepared by management, and attested to by the Company’s independent auditors, assessing the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and stating management’s responsibility for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting prior to its inclusion in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K;

 

4


 

(c)           Review the Committee’s level of involvement and interaction with the Company’s internal audit function, including the Committee’s line of authority and role in appointing and compensating employees in the internal audit function;

 

(d)           Periodically, review the following with management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, and the Company’s independent auditors:

 

i.                  all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

ii.               any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;

 

(e)           Discuss guidelines and policies governing the process by which senior management of the Company assess and manage the Company’s exposure to risk, as well as the Company’s major financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures;

 

(f)            Review with management the progress and results of all internal audit projects, and, when deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee, assign additional internal audit projects to appropriate personnel;

 

(g)           Review with management the Company’s administrative, operational and accounting internal controls, including any special audit steps adopted in light of the discovery of material control deficiencies;

 

(h)           Receive periodic reports from the Company’s independent auditors, management and director of the Company’s internal auditing department, if any, to assess the impact on the Company of significant accounting or financial reporting developments that may have a bearing on the Company;

 

(i)            Review and discuss with the independent auditors the results of the year-end audit of the Company, including any comments or recommendations of the Company’s independent auditors and, based on such review and discussions and on such other considerations as it determines appropriate, recommend to the Board whether the Company’s financial statements should be included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K;

 

(j)            Establish and maintain free and open means of communication between and among the Committee, the Company’s independent auditors and management, including providing such parties with appropriate opportunities to meet separately and privately with the Committee on a periodic basis;

 

(k)           Review the type and presentation of information to be included in the Company’s earnings press releases (especially the use of “pro forma” or “adjusted” information not prepared in compliance with GAAP), as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided by the Company to analysts and rating agencies (which review may be done generally (i.e., discussion of the types of information to be disclosed and type of presentations to be made), and the Committee need not discuss in advance each earnings release or each instance in which the Company may provide earnings guidance);

 

D.                                    Additional Duties

 

(a)           Establish and implement policies and procedures for the Committee’s review and approval or disapproval of proposed transactions or courses of dealings with respect to which executive officers or directors or members of their immediate families have an interest (including all transactions required to be disclosed by Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K);

 

(b)           Meet periodically with outside counsel when appropriate, to review legal and regulatory matters, including (i) any matters that may have a material impact on the financial statements of the Company and (ii) any matters involving potential or ongoing material violations of law or breaches of fiduciary duty by the Company or any of its directors, officers, employees, or agents or breaches of fiduciary duty to the Company;

 

(c)           Prepare the report required by the rules of the SEC to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement;

 

5


 

(d)           Review the Company’s policies relating to the ethical handling of conflicts of interest and review past or proposed transactions between the Company and members of management as well as policies and procedures with respect to officers’ expense accounts and perquisites, including the use of corporate assets. The Committee shall consider the results of any review of these policies and procedures by the Company’s independent auditors;

 

(e)           Review and approve in advance any services provided by the Company’s independent auditors to the Company’s executive officers or members of their immediate family;

 

(f)            Review the Company’s program to monitor compliance with the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “Code”);

 

(g)           Establish procedures for (i) the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters;

 

(h)           Establish procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of reports of evidence of a material violation made by attorneys appearing and practicing before the SEC in the representation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or reports made by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer in relation thereto;

 

(i)            Approve reimbursement of expenses incurred by management in connection with certain activities conducted on the Company’s behalf, such as identifying potential target businesses;

 

(j)            Secure independent expert advice to the extent the Committee determines it to be appropriate, including retaining, with or without Board approval, independent counsel, accountants, consultants or others, to assist the Committee in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities, the cost of such independent expert advisors to be borne by the Company;

 

(k)           Review and assess the adequacy of this Charter on an annual basis;

 

(l)            Report regularly to the Board on its activities, as appropriate (in connection therewith, the Committee should review with the Board any issues that arise with respect to the quality or integrity of the Company’s financial statements, the Company’s compliance with legal or regulatory requirements, the performance and independence of the Company’s independent auditors, or the performance of the internal audit function);

 

(m)          Perform such additional activities, and consider such other matters, within the scope of its responsibilities, as the Committee or the Board deems necessary or appropriate;

 

(n)           Review, on a quarterly basis, all payments that were made by the Company to Capstar Sponsor Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, the Company’s officers and directors or any of their respective affiliates;

 

(o)           Review with management, the independent auditors, and legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding the Company’s financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC or other regulatory authorities;

 

(p)           Review and approve (i) any amendment to or waiver from the Code and (ii) any public disclosure made regarding such amendment or waiver and advise the Board with respect to the Company’s policies and procedures regarding compliance with the Code; and

 

(q)           Review and approve all Related Party Transactions in accordance with the policy set forth herein.

 

6


 

V.            Related Party Transactions Policy

 

A.                                    Definitions

 

A “Related Party Transaction” is any transaction directly or indirectly involving any Related Party that would need to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. Under Item 404(a), the Company is required to disclose any transaction occurring since the beginning of the Company’s last fiscal year, or any currently proposed transaction, involving the Company where the amount involved exceeds $120,000, and in which any Related Party had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. “Related Party Transaction” also includes any material amendment or modification to an existing Related Party Transaction.

 

“Related Party” means any of the following:

 

·                  a director (which term when used herein includes any director nominee) of the Company;

 

·                  an executive officer of the Company;

 

·                  a person known by the Company to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the Company’s common stock; or

 

·                  a person known by the Company to be an immediate family member of any of the foregoing.

 

“Immediate family member” means a child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law of such director, executive officer, nominee for director or beneficial owner, and any person (other than a tenant or employee) sharing the household of such director, executive officer, nominee for director or beneficial owner.

 

B.                                    Identification of Potential Related Party Transactions

 

Each of the Company’s directors and executive officers shall promptly inform the chairperson of the Committee of any potential Related Party Transactions. In addition, each such director and executive officer shall complete a questionnaire on an annual basis designed to elicit information about any potential Related Party Transactions.

 

Any potential Related Party Transactions that are brought to the Committee’s attention shall be analyzed by the Committee, in consultation with outside counsel or members of management, as appropriate, to determine whether the transaction or relationship does, in fact, constitute a Related Party Transaction requiring compliance with this policy.

 

C.                                    Review and Approval of Related Party Transactions

 

At each of its meetings, the Committee shall be provided with the details of each new, existing or proposed Related Party Transaction, including the terms of the transaction, any contractual restrictions that the Company has already committed to, the business purpose of the transaction, and the benefits to the Company and to the relevant Related Party. In determining whether to approve a Related Party Transaction, the Committee shall consider, among other factors, the following factors to the extent relevant to the Related Party Transaction:

 

·                  whether the terms of the Related Party Transaction are fair to the Company and on the same basis as would apply if the transaction did not involve a Related Party;

 

·                  whether there are business reasons for the Company to enter into the Related Party Transaction;

 

·                  whether the Related Party Transaction would impair the independence of an outside director;

 

·                  whether the Related Party Transaction would present an improper conflict of interest for any director or executive officer of the Company, taking into account the size of the transaction, the overall financial position of the director, executive officer or Related Party, the direct or indirect nature of

 

7


 

the director’s, executive officer’s or Related Party’s interest in the transaction and the ongoing nature of any proposed relationship, and any other factors the Committee deems relevant; and

 

·                  any pre-existing contractual obligations.

 

Any member of the Committee who has an interest in the transaction under discussion shall abstain from voting on the approval of the Related Party Transaction, but may, if so requested by the chairperson of the Committee, participate in some or all of the Committee’s discussions of the Related Party Transaction. Upon completion of its review of the transaction, the Committee may determine to permit or to prohibit the Related Party Transaction. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present will be required in order to approve a Related Party Transaction. Without a meeting, the unanimous written consent of all of the members of the Committee will be required to approve a Related Party Transaction.

 

A Related Party Transaction entered into without pre-approval of the Committee shall not be deemed to violate this policy, or be invalid or unenforceable, so long as the transaction is brought to the Committee as promptly as reasonably practical after it is entered into or after it becomes reasonably apparent that the transaction is covered by this policy.

 

VI.          Reporting

 

The Committee shall, on an annual basis and in coordination with the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, evaluate its own performance. The evaluation shall address all matters that the Committee considers relevant to its performance, including a review and assessment of the adequacy of this Charter, and shall be conducted in such manner as the Committee deems appropriate.

 

The Committee should present to the Board its conclusions with respect to the above matters, including its review of the adequacy, performance, and continued independence of the independent auditors, and its views on whether there should be a regular rotation of the independent auditors.

 

The Committee shall deliver to the Board a report, which may be oral, setting forth the results of its evaluation, including any recommended amendments to this Charter.

 

VII.         Resources

 

The Committee shall have the sole authority to retain and terminate advisors, at the Company’s expense, such as independent legal, accounting and other advisors, consultants or professionals as it deems necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties.

 

The Committee shall have the sole authority to determine the terms of engagement and the extent of funding necessary (and to be provided by the Company) for payment of (a) compensation to the Company’s independent auditor engaged for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company, (b) any compensation to any advisors retained to advise the Committee and (c) ordinary administrative expenses of the Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties.

 

8




 

Exhibit 99.2

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE CHARTER

 

I.             Purpose

 

The purposes of the Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) shall be to oversee the Company’s compensation and employee benefit plans and practices, including its executive compensation plans, and its incentive-compensation and equity-based plans; to review and discuss with management the Company’s compensation discussion and analysis (“CD&A”) to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”); to prepare the Compensation Committee Report as required by the rules of the SEC; and to perform such further functions as may be consistent with this charter (this “Charter”) or assigned by applicable law, the Company’s certificate of incorporation (as amended from time to time, the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and bylaws, or the Board.

 

While the members of the Committee have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this Charter, nothing contained in this Charter is intended to create, or should be construed as creating, any responsibility or liability of members of the Committee, except to the extent otherwise provided under applicable federal or state law.

 

II.            Organization

 

The Committee shall consist of two or more independent directors as determined from time to time by the Board.  Each member of the Committee shall be “independent” and qualified to serve on the Committee pursuant to the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), and any additional requirements that the Board deems appropriate.  Members of the Committee shall also qualify as “non-employee directors” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

 

The chairperson of the Committee shall be designated by the Board; provided that if the Board does not so designate a chairperson, the members of the Committee, by a majority vote, may designate a chairperson.

 

Any vacancy on the Committee shall be filled by majority vote of the Board.  No member of the Committee shall be removed except by majority vote of the Board.

 

III.          Meetings

 

The Committee shall meet as often as it determines necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities, but at least once annually.  The Committee, in its discretion, may ask members of management or others to attend its meetings (or portions thereof) and to provide pertinent information as necessary; provided that the Chief Executive Officer of the Company may not be present during any portion of a Committee meeting in which deliberation or any vote regarding his or her compensation occurs.

 

A majority of the members of the Committee present in person or by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other shall constitute a quorum.

 

The Committee shall maintain minutes of its meetings and records relating to those meetings and shall report regularly to the Board on its activities, as appropriate.

 

IV.          Authority and Responsibilities

 

A.                                    Executive Compensation

 

The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities with respect to the Company’s executive compensation plans:

 

1


 

(a)           To review at least annually the goals and objectives of the Company’s executive compensation plans, and amend, or recommend that the Board amend, these goals and objectives if the Committee deems it appropriate.

 

(b)           To review at least annually the Company’s executive compensation plans in light of the Company’s goals and objectives with respect to such plans, and, if the Committee deems it appropriate, adopt, or recommend to the Board the adoption of, new, or the amendment of existing, executive compensation plans.

 

(c)           To evaluate annually the performance of the Chief Executive Officer in light of the goals and objectives of the Company’s executive compensation plans, and, either as a Committee or together with the other independent directors (as directed by the Board), determine and approve the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation level based on this evaluation.  In determining the long-term incentive component of the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, the Committee shall consider factors as it determines relevant, which may include, for example, the Company’s performance and relative stockholder return, the value of similar awards to chief executive officers of comparable companies, and the awards given to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company in past years.  The Committee may discuss the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation with the Board if it chooses to do so.

 

(d)           To evaluate annually the performance of the other executive officers of the Company in light of the goals and objectives of the Company’s executive compensation plans, and either as a Committee or together with the other independent directors (as directed by the Board), determine and approve the compensation of such other executive officers.  To the extent that long-term incentive compensation is a component of such executive officer’s compensation, the Committee shall consider all relevant factors in determining the appropriate level of such compensation, including the factors applicable with respect to the Chief Executive Officer.

 

(e)           To evaluate annually the appropriate level of compensation for Board and Committee service by non-employee directors, and to make recommendations to the Board regarding such compensation.

 

(f)            To review and approve any employment agreements, severance or termination arrangements and any other compensatory contracts or arrangements to be made with any executive officer of the Company.

 

(g)           To perform such duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to the Board or the Committee under the terms of any executive compensation plan.

 

(h)           To review perquisites or other personal benefits to the Company’s executive officers and directors and recommend any changes to the Board.

 

(i)            To consider the results of the most recent shareholder advisory vote on executive compensation as required by Section 14A of the Exchange Act and, to the extent the Committee determines it appropriate to do so, take such results into consideration in connection with the review and approval of executive officer compensation.

 

(j)            To review and discuss with management the Company’s CD&A, and based on that review and discussion, to recommend to the Board that the CD&A be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K.

 

(k)           To review compensation arrangements for the Company’s employees to evaluate whether incentive and other forms of pay encourage unnecessary or excessive risk taking, and review and discuss, at least annually, the relationship between risk management policies and practices, corporate strategy and the Company’s compensation arrangements.

 

2


 

(l)            To the extent it deems necessary, review and approve the terms of any compensation “clawback” or similar policy or agreement between the Company and the Company’s executive officers or other employees subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

 

(m)          To prepare the Compensation Committee Report in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC for inclusion in the Company’s annual proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K.

 

(n)           To perform such other functions as assigned by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Board.

 

B.                                    General Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans

 

The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities with respect to the Company’s general compensation and employee benefit plans, including incentive-compensation and equity-based plans:

 

(a)                                 To review at least annually the goals and objectives of the Company’s general compensation plans and other employee benefit plans, including incentive-compensation and equity-based plans, and amend, or recommend that the Board amend, these goals and objectives if the Committee deems it appropriate.

 

(b)                                 To review at least annually the Company’s general compensation plans and other employee benefit plans, including incentive-compensation and equity-based plans, in light of the goals and objectives of these plans, and recommend that the Board amend these plans if the Committee deems it appropriate.

 

(c)                                  To review all equity-compensation plans to be submitted for shareholder approval under the NYSE listing standards, and to review and, in the Committee’s sole discretion, approve all equity-compensation plans that are exempt from such shareholder approval requirement.

 

(d)                                 To perform such duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to the Board or the Committee under the terms of any compensation or other employee benefit plan, including any incentive-compensation or equity-based plan.

 

V.            Delegation of Authority

 

The Committee may form subcommittees for any purpose that the Committee deems appropriate and may delegate to such subcommittees such power and authority as the Committee deems appropriate; provided, however, that no subcommittee shall consist of fewer than two members; and provided further that the Committee shall not delegate to a subcommittee any power or authority required by any law, regulation or listing standard to be exercised by the Committee as a whole.

 

VI.          Reporting

 

The Committee shall, no less frequently than annually, evaluate its performance.  In conducting this review, the Committee shall evaluate whether this Charter appropriately addresses the matters that are or should be within its scope and shall recommend such changes as it deems necessary or appropriate.

 

The Committee shall address all matters that the Committee considers relevant to its performance, including at least the following:  the adequacy, appropriateness and quality of the information and recommendations presented by the Committee to the Board, the manner in which they were discussed or debated, and whether the number and length of meetings of the Committee were adequate for the Committee to complete its work in a thorough and thoughtful manner.

 

The Committee shall deliver to the Board a report, which may be oral, setting forth the results of its evaluation, including any recommended amendments to this Charter and any recommended changes to the Company’s or the Board’s policies or procedures.

 

3


 

VII.         Resources

 

The Committee may conduct or authorize investigations into or studies of matters within the Committee’s scope of responsibilities, and may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser.  The Committee shall be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser retained by the Committee, the expense of which shall be borne by the Company.  The Committee may select a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser to the Committee only after taking into consideration all factors relevant to that person’s independence from management, including the following:

 

(a)                                 The provision of other services to the Company by the person that employs the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser;

 

(b)           The amount of fees received from the Company by the person that employs the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser, as a percentage of the total revenue of the person that employs the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser;

 

(c)           The policies and procedures of the person that employs the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser that are designed to prevent conflicts of interest;

 

(d)           Any business or personal relationship of the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser with a member of the Committee;

 

(e)           Any shares or other securities of the Company owned by the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser; and

 

(f)            Any business or personal relationship of the compensation consultant, legal counsel, other adviser or the person employing the adviser with an executive officer of the Company.

 

The Committee shall conduct the independence assessment with respect to any compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser that provides advice to the Committee, other than:  (i) in-house legal counsel; and (ii) any compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser whose role is limited to the following activities for which no disclosure would be required under Item 407(e)(3)(iii) of Regulation S-K:  consulting on any broad-based plan that does not discriminate in scope, terms, or operation, in favor of executive officers or directors of the Company, and that is available generally to all salaried employees; or providing information that either is not customized for the Company or that is customized based on parameters that are not developed by the compensation consultant, and about which the compensation consultant does not provide advice.

 

Nothing herein requires a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other compensation adviser to be independent, only that the Committee consider the enumerated independence factors before selecting or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other compensation adviser.  The Committee may select or receive advice from any compensation consultant, legal counsel or other compensation adviser it prefers, including ones that are not independent, after considering the six independence factors outlined above.

 

Nothing herein shall be construed: (1) to require the Committee to implement or act consistently with the advice or recommendations of the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser to the Committee; or (2) to affect the ability or obligation of the Committee to exercise its own judgment in fulfillment of its duties.

 

4




 

Exhibit 99.3

 

CAPSTAR SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION CORP.

 

NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER

 

I.             Purpose

 

The purposes of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) shall be to:

 

(a)         identify and to recommend individuals qualified to serve as directors of the Company and on committees of the Board;

 

(b)         advise the Board with respect to the Board composition, procedures and committees;

 

(c)          develop and recommend to the Board a set of corporate governance guidelines (the “Guidelines”) applicable to the Company; and

 

(d)         oversee the evaluation of the Board and the Company’s management.

 

While the members of the Committee have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this charter (this “Charter”), nothing contained in this Charter is intended to create, or should be construed as creating, any responsibility or liability of members of the Committee, except to the extent otherwise provided under applicable federal or state law.

 

II.            Organization

 

The Committee shall consist of two or more independent directors as determined from time to time by the Board.  Each member of the Committee shall be “independent” and qualified to serve on the Committee pursuant to the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), and any additional requirements that the Board deems appropriate.

 

The chairperson of the Committee shall be designated by the Board; provided that if the Board does not so designate a chairperson, the members of the Committee, by a majority vote, may designate a chairperson.

 

Any vacancy on the Committee shall be filled by majority vote of the Board.  No member of the Committee shall be removed except by majority vote of the Board.

 

III.          Meetings

 

The Committee shall meet as often as it determines necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities, but at least once annually.  The Committee, in its discretion, may ask members of management or others to attend its meetings (or portions thereof) and to provide pertinent information as necessary.

 

A majority of the members of the Committee present in person or by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other shall constitute a quorum.

 

The Committee shall maintain minutes of its meetings and records relating to those meetings and shall report regularly to the Board on its activities, as appropriate.

 

IV.          Authority and Responsibilities

 

A.                                    Board Candidates and Nominees

 

The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities with respect to Board candidates and nominees:

 

1


 

(a)           To assist in identifying, recruiting and, if appropriate, interviewing candidates to fill positions on the Board, including persons suggested by stockholders or others.  The Committee may, if it deems appropriate, establish procedures to be followed by stockholders in submitting recommendations for Board candidates.

 

(b)           To review the background and qualifications of individuals being considered as director candidates.  Among the qualifications considered in the selection of candidates, the Committee shall look at the following attributes and criteria of candidates:  educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our stockholders and such other relevant factors that the Committee considers appropriate in the context of the needs of the Board.

 

(c)           To recommend to the Board the director nominees for election by the stockholders or appointment by the Board, as the case may be, pursuant to the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as amended from time to time, which recommendations shall be consistent with the criteria for selecting directors established by the Board from time to time.

 

(d)           To review the suitability for continued service as a director of each Board member when his or her term expires and when he or she has a change in status, including, but not limited to, an employment change, and to recommend whether or not the director should be re-nominated.

 

B.                                    Board Composition and Procedures

 

The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities with respect to the composition and procedures of the Board as a whole:

 

(a)           To review annually with the Board the composition of the Board as a whole and to recommend, if necessary, measures to be taken so that the Board reflects the appropriate balance of knowledge, experience, skills, expertise and diversity required for the Board as a whole and contains at least the minimum number of independent directors required by the NYSE.

 

(b)           To review periodically the size of the Board and to recommend to the Board any appropriate changes.

 

(c)           To make recommendations on the frequency and structure of Board meetings.

 

(d)           To make recommendations concerning any other aspect of the procedures of the Board that the Committee considers warranted, including but not limited to procedures with respect to the waiver by the Board of any Company rule, guideline, procedure or corporate governance principle.

 

C.                                    Board Committees

 

The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities with respect to the committee structure of the Board:

 

(a)           After consultation with the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, and after taking into account the experiences and expertise of individual directors, to make recommendations to the Board regarding the size and composition of each standing committee of the Board, including the identification of individuals qualified to serve as members of a committee, including the Committee, and to recommend individual directors to fill any vacancy that might occur on a committee, including the Committee.

 

(b)           To monitor the functioning of the committees of the Board and to make recommendations for any changes, including the creation and elimination of committees.

 

(c)           To review annually committee assignments and the policy with respect to the rotation of committee memberships and/or chairpersonships, and to report any recommendations to the Board.

 

2


 

(d)           To recommend that the Board establish such special committees as may be desirable or necessary from time to time in order to address ethical, legal or other matters that may arise.  The Committee’s power to make such a recommendation under this Charter shall be without prejudice to the right of any other committee of the Board, or any individual director, to make such a recommendation at any time.

 

D.                                    Corporate Governance

 

The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities with respect to corporate governance:

 

(a)           To develop and recommend to the Board the Guidelines for the Company, which shall be consistent with any applicable laws, regulations and listing standards.  At a minimum, the Guidelines developed and recommended by the Committee shall address the following:

 

i.                  Director qualification standards.

 

ii.               Director responsibilities.

 

iii.            Director access to management and, as necessary and appropriate, independent advisors.

 

iv.           Director compensation, including principles for determining the form and amount of director compensation, and for reviewing those principles, as appropriate.

 

v.              Director orientation and continuing education.

 

vi.           Management succession, including policies and principles for the selection and performance review of the Chief Executive Officer, as well as policies regarding succession in the event of an emergency or the retirement of the Chief Executive Officer.

 

vii.        Annual performance evaluation of the Board.

 

(b)           To review periodically, and at least annually, the Guidelines adopted by the Board to assure that they are appropriate for the Company and comply with the requirements of the NYSE, and to recommend any desirable changes to the Board.

 

(c)           To consider any other corporate governance issues that arise from time to time, and to develop appropriate recommendations for the Board.

 

E.                                     Evaluation of the Board and Management

 

The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities with respect to evaluation of the Board and management:

 

(a)           The Committee shall be responsible for overseeing an annual evaluation of the Board as a whole and management, and shall evaluate and report to the Board on the performance and effectiveness of the Board.  The Committee shall establish procedures to allow it to exercise this oversight function.

 

V.            Delegation of Authority

 

The Committee may form subcommittees for any purpose that the Committee deems appropriate and may delegate to such subcommittees such power and authority as the Committee deems appropriate; provided, however, that no subcommittee shall consist of fewer than two members; and provided further that the Committee shall not delegate to a subcommittee any power or authority required by any law, regulation or listing standard to be exercised by the Committee as a whole.

 

3


 

VI.          Reporting

 

The Committee shall, on an annual basis, evaluate its performance.  In conducting this review, the Committee shall evaluate whether this Charter appropriately addresses the matters that are or should be within its scope and shall recommend such changes as it deems necessary or appropriate.  The Committee shall address all matters that the Committee considers relevant to its performance, including at least the following:  the adequacy, appropriateness and quality of the information and recommendations presented by the Committee to the Board, the manner in which they were discussed or debated and whether the number and length of meetings of the Committee were adequate for the Committee to complete its work in a thorough and thoughtful manner.

 

The Committee shall deliver to the Board a report, which may be oral, setting forth the results of its evaluation, including any recommended amendments to this Charter and any recommended changes to the Company’s or the Board’s policies or procedures.

 

VII.         Resources

 

The Committee shall have the sole authority to retain and terminate advisors, at the Company’s expense, such as independent counsel, other consultants or advisors as it deems necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties.  The Committee shall have the sole authority to retain or terminate any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, including sole authority to approve the search firm’s fees and other retention terms, such fees to be borne by the Company.

 

4