0001440153 false 0001440153 2022-02-11 2022-02-11

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

 

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

 

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):   February 11, 2022

 

Bakhu Holdings, Corp.

(Exact name of Company as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

 

Nevada

000-55862

26-0510649

(State or Other Jurisdiction

(Commission File Number)

(IRS Employer

of Incorporation)

 

Identification Number)

 

One World Trade Center, Suite 130

Long Beach, CA 90831

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(310) 891-1959

(Registrant’s Telephone Number)

 

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing

obligation of the Company under any of the following provisions:

 

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) 

 

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) 

 

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company     

 

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

Trading

Symbols(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

N/A

 

 


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FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

The following discussion, in addition to the other information contained in this Current Report, should be considered carefully in evaluating our prospects. This Report (including without limitation the following factors that may affect operating results) contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), regarding us and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements in this Report. Additionally, statements concerning future matters such as revenue projections, projected profitability, growth strategies, possible changes in legislation and other statements regarding matters that are not historical are forward-looking statements.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

You are urged to read this Current Report carefully. This Current Report is not all-inclusive and does not contain all the information that you may desire in evaluating the Company. You must conduct and rely on your own evaluation of the Company, including the merits and risks involved in making a decision to invest in our stock. No representations or warranties of any kind are intended nor should any be inferred with respect to the economic viability of the Company or with respect to any benefits, which may accrue as a result of an investment in the Company. The Company does not in any way represent, guarantee or warrant an economic gain or profit with regard to our business. We do not in any way represent or warrant the advisability of investing in our stock. Any projections, forecasts, or other forward-looking statements or opinions contained in this Current Report constitute estimates by us based upon sources deemed to be reliable, but the accuracy of this information is not guaranteed nor should you consider the information all-inclusive.

 

As used in this Current Report and unless otherwise indicated, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company,” and “Bakhu” refer to Bakhu Holdings, Corp.

 

Item 1.01Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. 

 

Employment Agreement

 

Effective February 11, 2022, the Company appointed Dr. Michael R. Hawthorne as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Company and concurrently therewith the Company and Dr. Hawthorne entered into an employment agreement (the “Employment Agreement”), which sets forth the terms and conditions of Dr. Hawthorne’s employment.

 

Dr. Hawthorne’s employment with the Company will be considered “at-will” employment, and either the Company or Dr. Hawthorne may terminate the Agreement with or without cause.  Other than a termination during the first 90 days, in the event of Dr. Hawthorne’s termination of employment, for any reason, the Company shall pay to Dr. Hawthorne: (i) any base salary earned, but unpaid, through the date of termination of employment; (ii) reimbursement for unreimbursed business expenses properly incurred by Dr. Hawthorne, which shall be subject to and paid in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy; and (iii) such equity compensation, if any, to which Dr. Hawthorne may be entitled as of the date of termination of employment.

 

The Company shall pay Dr. Hawthorne an annualized base salary of $1.00.  Effective February 11, 2022, the Company granted Dr. Hawthorne a non-qualified stock option to purchase two million (2,000,000) shares of the Company’s common stock, with an exercise price equal to $3.00, (i.e., the closing price of the Common Stock of the Company as reported by the OTC Markets Pink Sheets, as of the date immediately preceding the Effective Date. Such options shall be exercisable for seven (7) years. Subject to the Plan, the options shall vest at the rate of 1/48 per month on the last day of each month following the Grant Date, with all unvested options vesting on the fourth anniversary date of the Grant Date.  

 

Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or the Option Agreement to the contrary, in the event of a Change in Control as defined in the Employment Agreement there shall be an acceleration of the vesting of the


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number Options equal to one million (1,000,000) minus the number of Options already vested. To the extent practicable, such acceleration of vesting and exercisability shall occur in a manner and at a time which allows Employee the ability to participate in the Change in Control with respect to the Option Shares.

 

Subject to terms of the Employment Agreement and Option, all other terms and conditions of the Option including, without limitation, the treatment of vested and unvested Option shares following a termination of employment, shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Company shall indemnify Dr. Hawthorne against any and all losses incurred by reason of the fact that he is an officer, director, agent or advisor of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or advisor of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, limited liability company or other entity or enterprise, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by Nevada law.

 

The foregoing summary description of the terms of the Employment Agreement is a summary only and does not purport to be complete, may not contain all information that is of interest to the reader and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of such Employment Agreement, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.01.

 

Consulting Agreement

On February 11, 2022 the Company entered into a Consulting Agreement with Badger Real Estate Advisors, LLC, an Illinois limited liability company (the “Consultant”), owned and controlled by Mitch Kahn.  Mr. Kahn, a seasoned executive and entrepreneur, through his entity, will advise the Company on various projects and undertakings, in furtherance of the Company’s long-term objectives, growth and optimizing the value of the Company.  

Mr. Kahn was the Co-Founder and CEO of Grassroots Cannabis, a large private, vertically integrated cannabis operation in the United States, which was purchased by Curaleaf Holdings in 2020. Mr. Kahn co-founded Grassroots in 2014 to provide safe and efficacious cannabinoid products to consumers. Under his leadership, Mr. Kahn led over 1,100 team members across 11 states and obtained more than 60 regulatory licenses in the emerging cannabis sector. Prior to Grassroots Cannabis, Mr. Kahn co-founded Frontline Real Estate Partners, a Chicago-based real estate investment and advisory company with expertise in the acquisition, development, management, disposition, and leasing of commercial real estate properties throughout the United States. The company acquired properties valued at more than $125,000,000 and built a successful brokerage and property management business currently managing more than two million square feet of properties. In addition, to founding Grassroots Cannabis and Frontline, Mr. Kahn co-founded Hilco, a leading real estate restructuring, disposition valuation, and appraisal firm. Mitch served as President and CEO, and grew the business to more than 30 employees and annual revenues in excess of $15,000,000. Mr. Kahn began his career as a transactional attorney focused on real estate and corporate M&A transactions. Before entering his entrepreneurial endeavors, he served as Senior Vice President of Sportmart, growing the company’s footprint from 20 to 70 stores. Mr. Kahn is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Business and received his JD from Northwestern University Law School. Mr. Kahn serves on multiple Boards and is actively involved in numerous charitable and community organizations. Mr. Kahn currently serves as Chairman of Frontline Real Estate Partners and Fyllo, and sits on the Board of Directors at Wesana Heath and Curaleaf.  

Pursuant to the Consulting Agreement, in consideration for certain services rendered by the Consultant, the Company granted Consultant a non-qualified stock option o purchase three million five (3,500,000) shares of the Company’s common stock with an exercise price of $3.00 per share, (i.e., equal to the closing price of the Common Stock of the Company as reported by the OTC Markets Pink Sheets, as of the date immediately preceding the Effective Date. The Option shall be comprised of 2,500,000 Base Options and 1,000,000 Bonus Options which vest as provided in the Consulting Agreement. Concurrently with the Consulting Agreement, the Company and Consultant entered into a Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights Agreement and Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate Claims.


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The foregoing summary description of the terms of the Consulting Agreement is a summary only and does not purport to be complete, may not contain all information that is of interest to the reader and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of such Consulting Agreement, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.02.

 

Item 5.02Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. 

 

Appointment of Deputy Chief Executive Officer

 

As set forth above, on February 11, 2022, the Company appointed Dr. Michael R. Hawthorne as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Dr. Hawthorne has not been named to serve on any committee of the Board. Dr. Hawthorne does not have a material interest in any transaction that is required to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, and there is no family relationship between Dr. Hawthorne and any of the Company’s other directors or executive officers.  Dr. Hawthorne’s biography is below.

 

Dr. Michael R. Hawthorne, age 47, is a successful biopharma leader with proven strategic and operational skills ranging from launching start-up discovery biotech to driving growth in global large businesses. Dr. Hawthorne has a track record of delivering a consistent return to shareholders through motivated teams. Dr. Hawthorne was awarded Fellowship of The Royal Society of Biology in 2020 in recognition of his contribution to global biosciences. Dr.  Hawthorne has served as an advisor to Closed Loop Medicine Ltd (London, UK) since 2017.   Dr. Hawthorne has served as the Executive Chairman of Domainex Ltd (Cambridge, UK),  a Global drug discovery contract research organization (CRO), Since August 2021.  Dr. Hawthorne is an investor and has served as a director of BG Capital (USA) from 2016 to present, adding executive strategic and commercial direction to their portfolio of healthcare companies, from biotech services to artificial intelligence companies.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits. 

 

(d)           Exhibits. The following exhibits are either filed as a part hereof or are incorporated by reference. Exhibit numbers correspond to the numbering system in Item 601 of Regulation S-K.

 

Exhibit

 

Number

Description of Exhibit

10.1

Employment Agreement dated February 11, 2022(1)

10.2

Consulting Agreement dated February 11, 2022(2)

(1)  Filed herewith

 

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Company has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

BAKHU HOLDINGS, CORP.  

 

 

 

 

 

Date: February 15, 2022

 

/s/ Evripides Drakos

_____________________________________________

 

 

By: Evripides Drakos

Its: President and Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)


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EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Employment Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of February 11, 2022, (the “Effective Date”), by and between Michael R. Hawthorne (the “Employee”) and Bakhu Holdings, Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”). 

 

RECITALS

 

A.Whereas, the Company desires to employ the Employee as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, on the terms and conditions set forth herein; 

 

B.Whereas, the Employee desires to be employed by the Company as Deputy Chief Executive Officer on such terms and conditions; and 

 

C.Whereas, in accepting engagement by the Company, the Employee has not relied and will not rely on any statements or representations, whether oral or in writing, by any officers, employees, or agents of the Company, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants, promises, and obligations set forth herein, the parties agree as follows:

 

AGREEMENT

 

1.Employment.  The Company hereby agrees to employ Employee, and Employee hereby accepts employment on the terms and conditions set forth herein, commencing the Effective Date.  

 

2.Term of Employment.  The term of Employee’s employment shall begin on the Effective Date and shall continue for a period of four (4) years, unless terminated earlier, (a) during the first 120 days from the Effective Date, through June 11, 2022 (the “Probationary Period”), or (b) pursuant to other provisions of this Agreement.  At the end of the initial term, the Agreement will renew for an additional one year, and continue to renew each year unless terminated pursuant to other provisions of this Agreement.  The period during which Employee remains an employee of the Company may be referred to herein as the Employment Period). 

 

3.Positions and Duties. 

 

3.1Position. During the Employment Term, the Employee shall serve as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Company, reporting to the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”).  In such position, the Employee shall have such duties, authority, and responsibilities as shall be determined from time to time by the Board, which duties, authority, and responsibilities are consistent with the Employee’s position and title.  

 

3.2Duties. During the Employment Term, the Employee will not engage in any other business, profession, or occupation for compensation or otherwise which conflicts or interferes with the performance of the Employee’s duties and responsibilities to the Company as provided hereunder. 

 

3.3Indemnification Agreement. In connection with Employee’s employment as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and his appointment to the Board, on the Effective Date, the Employee and the Company will enter into the Company’s form of Indemnification Agreement (the Indemnification Agreement”) attached hereto as Exhibit A


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4.Place of Performance. The principal place of Employee’s employment shall be in the United Kingdom, with travel if necessary and within the scope of Employee’s role, to the Company’s principal executive office currently located at One World Trade Center, Suite 130, Long Beach, California 90831. The Employee agrees and understands that the Employee may be required to travel from time to time in the performance of the Employee’s services or at the request of Company during the Employment Term. 

 

5.Compensation. 

 

5.1Base Salary. The Company shall pay the Employee an annualized base salary of $1.00 payable in accordance with the Company’s customary payroll practices and applicable wage payment laws, but no less frequently than monthly. The Employee’s base salary may be reviewed from time to time by the Board in its discretion. The Employee’s annual base salary, as in effect from time to time, is hereinafter referred to as “Base Salary”. 

 

5.2Equity Awards.  

(a)In consideration of the Employee entering into this Agreement and as an inducement to join the Company, on the Effective Date, the Company will grant to the Employee, pursuant to the Company’s 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), a non-qualified stock option to purchase two million (2,000,000) shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Option”), with an exercise price equal to the closing price of the Common Stock of the Company as reported by the OTC Markets Pink Sheets, as of the date immediately preceding the Effective Date.  Such options shall be exercisable for seven (7) years. Subject to Section 6.1 below and the Plan, the options shall vest at the rate of 1/48 per month on the last day of each month following the Effective Date, with all unvested options vesting on the fourth anniversary date of the Effective Date.  Pursuant to the Plan, vesting shall cease in the event of death, disability (as defined in the Plan or this Agreement), or termination of employment with or without cause by the Company, or voluntarily by the Employee.  Subject to Section 6 below, all other terms and conditions of the Option including, without limitation, the treatment of vested and unvested Option shares following a termination of employment, shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Company’s standard form of Stock Option Agreement (the “Option Agreement”). 

(b)Change in Control; Acceleration of Vesting. In the event of a Change in Control, notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or the Option Agreement to the contrary, there shall be an acceleration of the vesting of the number Options equal to one million (1,000,000) minus the number of Options already vested. To the extent practicable, such acceleration of vesting and exercisability shall occur in a manner and at a time which allows Employee the ability to participate in the Change in Control with respect to the Option Shares. 

 

For avoidance of doubt, if the mathematical equation with respect to the determination of the acceleration of the vesting of the number Option is a zero or a negative number, there shall be no acceleration of the vesting of any Options. If a positive number, there shall be an acceleration of the vesting of Options.


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By way of example, if in the event of a Change of Control, the Employee has been employed for 25 months and has 1,041,667 Options that have vested, there would be no acceleration of any unvested Options, as 1,000,000 minus 1,041,667 = (41,667).

Further by way of example, if in the event of a Change of Control, the Employee has been employed for 4 months and has 166,667 Options that have vested, there would be an acceleration of 833,333 Options, as 1,000,000 minus 166,667 = 833,333.

 

(c)For purposes of the Option Agreement, “Change in Control” means: 

 

(i)the consummation of a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, to any Person as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Person”) that is not a subsidiary of the Company; or 

 

(ii)the acquisition by any Person of beneficial ownership of 50% or more (on a fully diluted basis) of either (x) the then outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company, taking into account as outstanding for this purpose such Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or warrants, the conversion of convertible stock or debt, and the exercise of any similar right to acquire such Common Stock or (y) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (“Outstanding Voting Securities”), or 

 

(iii)any merger, share exchange, acquisition, divestiture, recapitalization, consolidation or other reorganization or business combination of the Company and/or one or more its subsidiaries, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, if immediately after such transaction, persons who hold a majority of the Outstanding Voting Securities of the Company immediately prior to such transaction, do not hold a majority of the Outstanding Voting Securities of the Company, immediately after such transaction. 

 

5.3 Employee Benefits. During the Employment Term, the Employee shall be eligible to participate in any employee benefit plans, practices, and programs maintained by the Company unless otherwise required by applicable law. Except where prohibited by law, all benefits (if applicable) are subject to change in the sole discretion of the Company. Executive understands and agrees that as of the Effective Date, the Company does not maintain any employee benefit plans, practices or programs. 

 

5.4Vacation; Paid Time Off. During the Employment Term, the Employee will be entitled to paid vacation on a basis that is the same as that provided to other similarly situated executives of the Company. The Employee shall receive other paid time off in accordance with the Company’s policies for executive officers as such policies may exist from time to time. 

 

5.5Business Expenses. The Employee shall be entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by the Employee in connection with the performance of the Employee’s duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures. 


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5.6Clawback Provisions. Any amounts payable under this Agreement are subject to any legally required clawback or recovery policy (whether in existence as of the Effective Date or later adopted) established by the Company providing for clawback or recovery of amounts that were paid to the Employee. The Company will make any determination for clawback or recovery in accordance with any applicable law or regulation. 

 

6.Termination of Employment. The following provisions shall govern the termination of Employee’s employment during the term of this Agreement. 

 

6.1Termination During Probationary Period .  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, during the Probationary Period the Employee’s employment may be terminated at any time by the Company or the Employee with or without cause, for any reason, by delivering at least five (5) days advance written notice.  In the event of termination during the Probationary Period: 

 

(a)all Options whether vested or not, and all rights associated therewith, as set forth in Section 5.2 shall immediately terminate.  

 

(b)the Employee shall be entitled to the Base Salary earned, but unpaid through the date of termination of employment, and reimbursement for unreimbursed business expenses properly incurred by the Employee, which shall be subject to and paid in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy; and 

 

6.2Termination upon Death or Disability of Employee.  This Agreement shall terminate immediately upon Employee’s death or upon the Disability of Employee.  Employee shall be deemed to have a “Disability” for purposes of this Agreement if Employee is substantially unable to perform Employee’s duties under this Agreement either for more than 180 days, whether or not consecutive, in any six-month period by reason of a physical or mental illness or injury.  Time spent for vacation shall not be taken into account in the foregoing calculation for purposes of determining Disability. 

 

6.3Other Termination by the Company or the Employee.  Following the Probationary Period, the Employment Term and the Employee’s employment as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer hereunder may be terminated by the Company at any time, or for any reason, by delivering at least ten (10) days advance written notice to the Employee. The Employee may also terminate his employment hereunder by delivering at least ten (10) days advance written notice to the Company.  During any such notice period, the Company reserves the right to suspend any or all of the Employee’s duties or responsibilities and limit the Employee’s communications with any customers, suppliers, agents, or employee of the Company, as the Company determines in its sole discretion. 

 

6.4Compensation Upon Termination.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in the event that the Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated for any reason, other than in accordance with Section 6.1, the Employment Term shall expire and the Employee shall be entitled to the following: 

 

(i)        Base Salary earned, but unpaid through the date of termination of employment;


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(ii)      reimbursement for unreimbursed business expenses properly incurred by the Employee, which shall be subject to and paid in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy; and

 

(iii)     such equity compensation, if any, to which the Employee may be entitled under the Stock Option as of the date of termination of employment.

 

6.5Resignation of All Other Positions. The termination of this Agreement for any reason shall also constitute the automatic resignation by Employee effective on the Termination Date, from all positions held by Employee as an employee, officer or a director of the Company and any of its Affiliates. Upon the request of the Company, Employee shall deliver to the Company such written confirmation of such resignation as the Company may reasonably request. 

 

 

7.Cooperation. The parties agree that certain matters in which the Employee will be involved during the Employment Term may necessitate the Employee’s cooperation in the future. Accordingly, following the termination of the Employee’s employment for any reason, to the extent reasonably requested by the Board, the Employee shall cooperate with the Company in connection with matters arising out of the Employee’s service to the Company; provided that, the Company shall make reasonable efforts to minimize disruption of the Employee’s other activities. The Company shall reimburse the Employee for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with such cooperation and, to the extent that the Employee is required to spend substantial time on such matters, the Company shall compensate the Employee at an hourly rate determined in good faith by the Company and Executive. 

 

8.Confidential Information and Proprietary Rights. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Employee shall enter into the Company’s Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights Agreement (the “Confidentiality Agreement”) attached here to as Exhibit B

 

9.Restrictive Covenants. 

 

9.1Non-Solicitation of Employees. The Employee agrees and covenants that the Employee shall not, while an employee of the Company or during the two (2) year-period following the cessation of the Employee’s employment for any reason, directly or indirectly, engage in or attempt or seek to engage in any of the following actions, activities, conduct, or courses of action (which shall not include general advertising of open positions or service opportunities): 

 

(a)soliciting, recruiting, or hiring (i) any employee, advisor, independent contractor, or representative of the Company, or (ii) any individual or entity who, during the one (1) year period immediately preceding such solicitation, recruitment or hiring, performed work for the Company (including as an employee, advisor, independent contractor, or consultant), provided that these limitations shall only apply during the one (1) year-period following the cessation of the Employee’s employment with respect to individuals or entities whom the Employee introduces to the Company or with whom the Employee has relationships as of the Effective Date; 

 

(b)soliciting   or   encouraging   any   employee,   advisor,   independent contractor, or representative of the Company to discontinue or diminish their employment with, or discontinue or diminish their working relationship with, the Company; or 


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(c)       assisting a person or entity in any manner in doing, or attempting to do, any of the things prohibited by Sections 9.1(a) and 9.1(b) above.

 

9.2Non-Solicitation of Customers. The Employee understands and acknowledges that the Company’s loss of a relationship and/or goodwill with current, former, or prospective customers will cause significant and irreparable harm. The Employee agrees and covenants that the Employee shall not, while an employee of the Company or during the two (2) year- period following the cessation of the Employee’s employment for any reason, directly or indirectly, solicit, contact (including, but not limited to, email, regular mail, express mail, telephone, fax, instant message, or social media), attempt to contact, or meet with the Company’s current, former, or prospective customers that the Employee is aware of for purposes of offering or accepting goods or services similar to or competitive with those offered by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, after the one-year anniversary of the cessation of the Employee’s employment for any reason, this Section 9.2 shall not prohibit the Employee from soliciting or contacting any of Employee’s business contacts that he had established prior to the Effective Date (“Employee’s Existing Contacts”) so long as such solicitation or contact would not cause, or would not reasonably be expected to cause, the Company to lose any business from Employee’s Existing Contacts. 

 

10.Non-Disparagement. Each of the parties to this Agreement agrees and covenants not to, at any time, make, publish, or communicate to any person or entity or in any public forum any defamatory or disparaging remarks, comments, or statements concerning the other party or its businesses, or any of its employees, officers, and known customers, suppliers, investors and other associated third parties. This Section 10 does not, in any way, restrict or impede the Employee from exercising protected rights to the extent that such rights cannot be waived by agreement or from complying with any applicable law or regulation or a valid order of a court of competent jurisdiction or an authorized government agency, provided that such compliance does not exceed that required by the law, regulation, or order. The Employee shall promptly provide written notice of any such order to the Board. 

 

11.Acknowledgement. The Employee acknowledges and agrees that the restrictive covenants and other terms and conditions of this Agreement are reasonable and reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate business interest of the Company. The Employee further acknowledges that the benefits provided to the Employee under this Agreement, including the amount of the Employee’s compensation, reflects, in part, the Employee’s obligations and the Company’s rights under Section 7, Section 8, and Section 9 of this Agreement; that the Employee has no expectation of any additional compensation, royalties, or other payment of any kind not otherwise referenced herein in connection herewith; and that the Employee will not suffer undue hardship by reason of full compliance with the terms and conditions of Section 8, Section 9, and Section 10 of this Agreement or the Company’s enforcement thereof. 

 

12.Remedies. In the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Employee of Section 8, Section 9, or Section 10 of this Agreement, the Employee hereby consents and agrees that the Company shall be entitled to seek, in addition to other available remedies, a temporary or permanent injunction or other equitable relief against such breach or threatened breach from any court of competent jurisdiction, and that money damages would not afford an adequate remedy, without the necessity of showing any actual damages, and without the necessity of posting any bond or other security. The aforementioned equitable relief shall be in addition to, not in lieu of, legal remedies, monetary damages, or other available forms of relief. 

 

13.Arbitration. The Employee and the Company agree that any controversy, claim or dispute arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement, the Employee’s provision of services  


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to Company or the termination of Employee’s relationship with the Company, including, without limitation, any claim of discrimination, harassment or retaliation under state or federal law, shall be settled by final and binding arbitration in accordance with the Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate (the “Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate”) attached as Exhibit C hereto, and which must be executed by the Employee concurrent with the Employee’s execution of this Agreement.

 

14.Security

 

14.1 Security and Access. The Employee agrees and covenants (a) to comply with all Company security policies and procedures as in force from time to time, including, without limitation, those regarding computer equipment, telephone systems, voicemail systems, facilities access, monitoring, key cards, access codes, Company intranet, internet, social media and instant messaging systems, computer systems, email systems, computer networks, document storage systems, software, data security, encryption, firewalls, passwords and any and all other Company facilities, IT resources and communication technologies (“Facilities and Information Technology Resources”); (b) not to access or use any Facilities and Information Technology Resources except as authorized by the Company; and (iii) not to access or use any Facilities and Information Technology Resources in any manner after the termination of the Employee’s employment by the Company, whether termination is voluntary or involuntary. The Employee agrees to notify the Company promptly in the event the Employee learns of any violation of the foregoing by others, or of any other misappropriation or unauthorized access, use, reproduction, or reverse engineering of, or tampering with any Facilities and Information Technology Resources or other Company property or materials by others. 

 

14.2Exit Obligations. Upon (a) voluntary or involuntary termination of the Employee’s employment or (b) the Company’s request at any time during the Employee’s employment, the Employee shall (i) provide or return to the Company any and all Company property, including keys, key cards, access cards, identification cards, security devices, employer credit cards, network access devices, computers, cell phones, smartphones, fax machines, equipment, speakers, webcams, manuals, reports, files, books, compilations, work product, email messages, recordings, thumb or USB drives or other removable information storage devices, hard drives and data and all Company documents and materials belonging to the Company and stored in any fashion, including, but not limited to, those that constitute or contain any Confidential Information or Work Product, that are in the possession or control of the Employee, whether they were provided to the Employee by the Company or any of its business associates or created by the Employee in connection with the Employee’s employment by the Company; and (ii) delete or destroy, at the instruction of the Company, all copies of any such documents and materials not returned to the Company that remain in the Employee’s possession or control, including those stored on any non-Company devices, networks, storage locations and media in the Employee’s possession or control. 

 

15.Publicity. Subject to the Employee’s advance approval (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Company and its agents, representatives and licensees may use the Employee’s name, voice, likeness, image, appearance, and biographical information in, on or in connection with any pictures, photographs, audio and video recordings, digital images, websites, television programs and advertising, other advertising and publicity, sales and marketing brochures, books, magazines, other publications, CDs, DVDs, tapes, and all other printed and electronic forms and media throughout the world, at any time during the Employment Term, for all legitimate commercial and business purposes of the Company and without further consent from or royalty, payment, or other compensation to the Employee. 


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16.Governing Law: Jurisdiction and Venue. At all times subject to Sections 12 and 13 of this Agreement, and the Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate, this Agreement, for all purposes, shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflicts of law principles that would require the application of the laws of another jurisdiction. Any action or proceeding by either of the parties to enforce this Agreement shall be brought only in a state or federal court located in Los Angeles County, California. The parties hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts and waive the defense of inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any such action or proceeding in such venue. 

 

17.Waiver of Jury Trial. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, each Party hereto hereby voluntarily and irrevocably waives trial by jury in any Proceeding brought in connection with this Agreement, any of the related agreements and documents, or any of the transactions described herein or therein. 

 

18.Tolling. Should the Employee violate any of the terms of the restrictive covenant obligations articulated herein, the obligation at issue will run from the first date on which the Employee ceases to be in violation of such obligation. 

 

19.Notices. All notices and other communications required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing delivered to the Parties at the mailing address, or regularly monitored electronic email address of the respective Party set forth below. Such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given: (a) when delivered by hand; (b) when received by the addressee if sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier (with confirmation of delivery); or (c) if sent by e-mail of a PDF document, when the recipient, by an email sent to the email address for the sender stated in this section or by a notice delivered by another method in accordance with this section, acknowledges having received that email. Any party may change its notice address or email address by written notice to the other parties, given in accordance with this section. 

 

If to the Company, addressed to:
Bakhu Holdings, Corp.
One World Trade Center, Suite 130
Long Beach, CA 90831
Attn: Evripides Drakost, CEO
E-mail: roydrako@gmail.com

 

If to the Employee, addressed to:
Michael R. Hawthorne

Inchdarnie House

Melrose

Scotland, UK

TD6 0BB

E-mail: drmhawthorne@icloud.comk

 

For the purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or a holiday on which commercial banks in Long Beach, California are authorized or required by law to close.

 

20.Entire Agreement. Unless specifically provided herein, this Agreement and all exhibits, schedules and attachments hereto contain all of the understandings and representations between the Employee and the Company pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations and warranties, both written and oral, with  


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respect to such subject matter. Each of the exhibits, schedules and attachments to this Agreement are a part of this Agreement and are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth verbatim herein. The Preamble and the Recitals are a part of this Agreement.

 

21.Successors and Assigns. This Agreement is personal to the Employee and shall not be assigned by the Employee. Any purported assignment by the Employee shall be null and void from the initial date of the purported assignment. The Company may assign this Agreement to any successor or assign (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the Company and permitted successors and assigns. 

 

22.Modification and Waiver. No provision of this Agreement may be amended or modified unless such amendment or modification is agreed to in writing and signed by the Employee and the Company. No waiver by either of the parties of any breach by the other party hereto of any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by the other party hereto shall be deemed a waiver of any similar or dissimilar provision or condition at the same or any prior or subsequent time, nor shall the failure of or delay by either of the parties in exercising any right, power, or privilege hereunder operate as a waiver thereof to preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other such right, power, or privilege. 

 

23.Severability. Should any provision of this Agreement be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be enforceable only if modified, or if any portion of this Agreement shall be held as unenforceable and thus stricken, such holding shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Agreement, the balance of which shall continue to be binding upon the parties with any such modification to become a part hereof and treated as though originally set forth in this Agreement.   The parties further agree that any such court is expressly authorized to modify any such unenforceable provision of this Agreement in lieu of severing such unenforceable provision from this Agreement in its entirety, whether by rewriting the offending provision, deleting any or all of the offending provision, adding additional language to this Agreement, or by making such other modifications as it deems warranted to carry out the intent and agreement of the parties as embodied herein to the maximum extent permitted by law.  The parties expressly agree that this Agreement as so modified by the court shall be binding upon and enforceable against each of them. In any event, should one or more of the provisions of this Agreement be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions hereof, and if such provision or provisions are not modified as provided above, this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provisions had not been set forth herein. 

 

24.Construction. All titles, captions or section headings contained in this Agreement are inserted only as a matter of convenience and for reference and in no way define, limit, extend or describe the scope of this Agreement or the intent of any provision in this Agreement. When used in this Agreement, the words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by “without limitation,” the singular number includes the plural, the plural number includes the singular and the term “person” includes a corporation, limited liability entity, partnership or other corporate entity, a trust and a natural person 

 

25.Notification to Subsequent Employer. When the Employee’s employment with the Company terminates, the Employee agrees to notify any subsequent employer of the restrictive covenants sections contained in this Agreement and, upon reasonable request, to deliver a copy of such notice to the Company before the Employee commences employment with any subsequent employer. In addition, the Employee authorizes the Company to provide a copy of the restrictive covenants sections of this Agreement to the Employee’s subsequent or anticipated future employer. 


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26.Representations of Employee. The Employee represents and warrants to the Company that (a)  the Employee’s acceptance of employment with the Company and the performance of duties hereunder will not conflict with or result in a violation of, a breach of, or a default under any contract, agreement, or understanding to which the Employee is a party or is otherwise bound, and (b) the Employee’s acceptance of employment with the Company and the performance of duties hereunder will not violate any non-solicitation, non- competition, or other similar covenant or agreement of a prior employer. 

 

27.Withholding. The Company shall have the right to withhold from any amount payable hereunder any Federal, state, and local taxes in order for the Company to satisfy any withholding tax obligation it may have under any applicable law or regulation. 

 

28.Survival. Upon the expiration or other termination of this Agreement, the respective rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall survive such expiration or other termination to the extent necessary to carry out the intentions of the parties under this Agreement. 

 

29.Manner of Execution; Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile, portable document format (.pdf), DocuSign or other electronic transmission shall be equally as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement. 

 

30.Acknowledgement of Full Understanding. The employee acknowledges and agrees that the employee has fully read, understands and voluntarily enters into this agreement. The employee acknowledges and agrees that the employee has had an opportunity to ask questions and consult with an attorney of the employee’s choice before signing this agreement. 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have signed this Agreement effective as of the Effective Date.

 

BAKHU HOLDINGS CORP.

 

 

 

/s/ Evripides Drakos 

_________________________________________ 

By: Evripides Drakos 

Its:  Chief Executive Officer 

 

 

EMPLOYEE

 

 

 

/s/ Michael R. Hawthorne 

_________________________________________ 

Michael R. Hawthorne 


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CONSULTING AGREEMENT

This CONSULTING AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of February 11, 2022 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Badger Real Estate Advisors, LLC, an Illinois limited liability company (the “Consultant”) and Bakhu Holdings, Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Company desires to engage the Consultant to provide the Services, on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

WHEREAS, the Consultant desires to be so engaged by the Company on such terms and conditions; and

WHEREAS, in accepting engagement by the Company, the Consultant has not relied and will not rely on any statements or representations, whether oral or in writing, by any officers, employees, or agents of the Company, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.

AGREEMENT

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants, promises, and obligations set forth herein, the parties agree as follows:

1.Term. The Consultant’s engagement shall be effective as of the Effective Date and shall continue until terminated pursuant to Section 4 of this Agreement. The period during which the Consultant is engaged by the Company hereunder is hereinafter referred to as the “Term.”  

2.Relationship; Services

2.1Nature of Relationship. Consultant will be engaged by the Company as an independent contractor, and not as an employee, joint venturer, or otherwise. As such: (a) the Company will not withhold taxes from the compensation to be paid to Consultant pursuant to this Agreement; rather, Consultant will be responsible for the payment of all taxes with respect to such compensation, (b) Consultant is free to choose the methods and hours by which he performs the Services, (c) Consultant will not be entitled to participate in any plans, arrangements, or distributions by the Company pertaining to or in connection with insurance, retirement, profit sharing, bonus, or any other fringe benefits (if any) which may from time to time be made available to the Company’s employees, (d) subject to Sections 6 and 7 of this Agreement, Consultant is free to provide services to businesses and organizations other than the Company (both during and following the Term), and (e) the Company is free to engage other independent contractors to perform services to the Company.  

2.2Services. During the Term, the Consultant, through its sole member Mitch Kahn, will, in consultation with the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Board of Directors (“Board”), advise and assist the Company on various projects and undertakings, in furtherance of the Company’s long-term objectives, and optimizing the value of, and potential sale of the Company. To this end the Consultant shall assist and advise the Company, and make introductions with regard to potential strategic business partners, sublicensees, joint venture partners, and other individuals or entities to create revenue streams for the Company; plans to raise debt and/or equity capital as and when needed by the Company; and exit strategies (the  


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Services”). From time to time, the parties may mutually agree to change the nature or extent of the Services, or agree that Consultant will provide additional services. Consultant will perform the Services in a professional manner, to the best of his abilities, and according to and in compliance with the requirements of this Agreement and all applicable laws and regulations. Consultant will devote such time to the Services as he reasonably determines necessary and appropriate in order to complete all Services requested hereunder in the manner required under this Agreement.

3.Compensation

3.1Annual Fee. The Company shall pay the Consultant an annualized fee of $1.00 (the “Fee”). Consultant will pay all taxes relating to the Fee to be paid to Consultant pursuant to this Agreement.  In the event that any federal, state, or local taxing authority or court determines that taxes, interest, penalties, and/or other liabilities are due and owing in respect of the Fee paid to Consultant pursuant to this Agreement, said taxes, interest, penalties, or other liabilities will be Consultant’s sole obligation and liability. 

3.2Equity Awards.  

(a)In consideration of the Consultant entering into this Agreement, on the Effective Date the Company will grant to the Consultant, pursuant to the Bakhu Holdings, Corp. 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), a non-qualified stock option to purchase three million five (3,500,000) shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Option”), with an exercise price per share equal to the closing price of the Common Stock of the Company, as reported by the OTC Markets Pink Sheet Tier, as of the date immediately preceding the Effective Date of this Agreement.   

(b)2,500,000 options (the “Base Options”) shall vest and become exercisable as follows: 

(i)500,000 Base Options shall vest and become exercisable on the 90th day after the Grant Date.  Provided however, if Consultant terminates this agreement within the first 90 days of the Effective Date, all options shall be terminated and be deemed cancelled. 

(ii)2,000,000 Base Options shall vest and become exercisable ratably (i.e., 41,666) a monthly basis (on the last day of each month) during the four-year period beginning on the Effective Date such that all unvested options shall vest on the 4 year anniversary date of the Grant Date.  Vesting shall cease in the event of death, disability (as defined in the Plan or this Agreement), or termination of this Agreement with or without cause, or voluntarily by the Consultant.  The vesting of such options shall accelerate as provided in Section 3.3 below. 

(c)1,000,000 options (the “Bonus Options”) shall vest and become exercisable, if and only pursuant to Section 3.3(b) below. Otherwise said Bonus Options shall not vest and shall terminate upon the closing of a Transaction with any other party as provided in Section 3.3(c), or pursuant to the terms of the Options. 

(d)The Options shall be exercisable for seven (7) years. The Options shall be evidenced by the Company’s standard form of Option Agreement, and terms and  


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conditions of the Options shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Option Agreement (the “Stock Option”) attached hereto as Exhibit A.

3.3Acceleration of Options upon closing of a Transaction.  

(a)Base Options. Subject to Section 3.3(c) below, if during the term of this Agreement the Company closes a Transaction (as defined below) with any party (excluding the “Excluded Parties” as defined below) in which Consultant is involved in furthering the closing of the Transaction, or from any source of Consultant, any unvested Based Options provided in Section 3.2(b)(ii), shall vest immediately prior to the closing of such Transaction, or upon signing of the License Agreement. 

(b)Bonus Options. Subject to Section 3.3(c) below, if during the term of this Agreement the Consultant introduces the Company to Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (“Curaleaf”) and such introduction results in the closing of a Transaction (as defined below) between the Company and Curaleaf, or Company enters into a Material Agreement (as defined below) with Curaleaf, the Bonus Options provided in Section 3.2(c), and any unvested Based Options provided in Section 3.2(b)(ii), shall vest immediately prior to the closing of such Transaction, or on the effective date of such Material Agreement.  For the purpose of this Section 3.3(b), “Material Agreement” shall mean a partnership, strategic alliance, sublicense, distribution agreement, joint venture or financing between the Company and Curaleaf on terms acceptable to the Company in the Company’s sole discretion.  For the avoidance of doubt, the receipt by the Company of an offer for a Transaction and/or a Material Agreement with Curaleaf shall not trigger the acceleration of vesting, and only the closing of a Transaction with Curaleaf, or the effective date of such Material Agreement with Curaleaf shall trigger the acceleration of vesting under this Section 3.3(b).   

(c)Notwithstanding anything in Section 3.3(a) and 3.3(b) there shall be no acceleration of the Base Options or Bonus options, if the Company enters into a Transaction with PharmaCann or Wavelength (the “Excluded Parties”), or such other party not covered under Sections 3.3(a) and 3.3(b), and any unvested Base Options provided in Section 3.2(b)(ii) and the Bonus Options provided in Section 3.2(c) shall terminate upon the closing of such Transaction. 

(d)For the Purpose of this Agreement, “Transaction” means: 

(i)the consummation of a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and/or one or more its subsidiaries, in a single transaction or series of related transactions; 

(ii)the sale of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding common stock of the Company and/or one or more its subsidiaries; 

(iii)any merger, share exchange, acquisition, divestiture, recapitalization, consolidation or other reorganization or business combination of the Company and/or one or more its subsidiaries, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, if immediately after such transaction, persons who hold a majority of the voting capital stock of the Company and/or one or more its subsidiaries, immediately prior to such transaction, do not hold a majority of the voting capital stock of the Company and/or one or more its subsidiaries, immediately after such transaction; 


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3.4Business Expenses. The Company will reimburse Consultant for all reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by the Consultant, and approved by the CEO of the Company in advance, in connection with the performance of the Services. Such expenses will be reimbursed by the Company within 30 calendar days of Consultant submitting documentation regarding such expenses. 

4.Termination of Engagement. The Term and the Consultant’s engagement with the Company may be terminated by the Company at any time, or for any reason, by delivering at least ten (10) days advance written notice to the Consultant.  The Consultant may terminate his engagement with the Company by delivering at least ten (10) days advance written notice to the Company.  During any such notice period, the Company reserves the right to suspend any or all of the Consultant’s Services, as the Company determines in its sole discretion. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in the event that the Consultant’s engagement hereunder is terminated for any reason, the Term shall expire and the Consultant shall be entitled to the following: (a) the Fee; (b) reimbursement for unreimbursed business expenses properly incurred by the Consultant; and (c) such equity compensation, if any, to which the Consultant may be entitled under the Plan and the Option Agreement as of the date of termination of the Term

5.Cooperation. The parties agree that certain matters in which the Consultant will be involved during the Term may necessitate the Consultant’s cooperation in the future. Accordingly, following the termination of the Consultant’s engagement for any reason, to the extent reasonably requested by the Board, the Consultant shall cooperate with the Company in connection with matters arising out of the Consultant’s Services; provided that, the Company shall make reasonable efforts to minimize disruption of the Consultant’s other activities. The Company shall reimburse the Consultant for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with such cooperation and, to the extent that the Consultant is required to spend substantial time on such matters, the Company shall compensate the Consultant at an hourly rate determined in good faith by the Company and Consultant. 

6.Confidential Information and Proprietary Rights. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Consultant shall enter into the Company’s confidentiality and proprietary rights agreement attached here to as Exhibit B (the “Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights Agreement”). 

7.Restrictive Covenants

7.1Non-Solicitation of Employees. The Consultant agrees and covenants that the Consultant shall not, during the Term or during the two (2) year-period following the termination of the Term for any reason, directly or indirectly, engage in or attempt or seek to engage in any of the following actions, activities, conduct, or courses of action (which shall not include general advertising of open positions or service opportunities): 

(a)soliciting, recruiting, or hiring (i) any employee, advisor, independent contractor, or representative of the Company, or (ii) any individual or entity who, during the one (1) year period immediately preceding such solicitation, recruitment or hiring, performed work for the Company (including as an employee, advisor, independent contractor, or consultant), provided, however, that (X) these limitations shall only apply during the one (1) year-period following the termination of the Term with respect to individuals or entities whom the Consultant introduces to the Company or with whom the Consultant has relationships as of the Effective Date, and (Y) a general solicitation or advertisement after the termination of the Term that is not targeted at any such employee will not be violation of this Section 7.1; 


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(b)soliciting or encouraging any employee, advisor, independent contractor, or representative of the Company to discontinue or diminish their employment with, or discontinue or diminish their working relationship with, the Company; or 

(c)assisting a person or entity in any manner in doing, or attempting to do, any of the things prohibited by Sections 7.1(a) and 7.1(b) above. 

7.2Non-Solicitation of Customers. The Consultant understands and acknowledges that the Company’s loss of a relationship and/or goodwill with current, former, or prospective customers will cause significant and irreparable harm. The Consultant agrees and covenants that the Consultant shall not, during the Term, directly or indirectly, solicit, contact (including, but not limited to, email, regular mail, express mail, telephone, fax, instant message, or social media), attempt to contact, or meet with the Company’s current or prospective customers that the Consultant is aware of for purposes of offering or accepting goods or services similar to or competitive with those offered by the Company. Further, during the two-year period following the termination of the Term, Consultant will not, directly or indirectly, use or otherwise exploit the Company’s Confidential Information (as defined in the Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights Agreement) to solicit or divert the Company’s customers or prospective customers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 7.2 shall not prohibit the Consultant from soliciting or contacting any of Consultant’s business contacts that he had established prior to the Effective Date (“Consultant’s Existing Contacts”) so long as such solicitation or contact would not cause, or would not reasonably be expected to cause, the Company to lose any business from Consultant’s Existing Contacts. 

7.3Non-Disparagement. Each of the parties to this Agreement agrees and covenants not to, at any time, make, publish, or communicate to any person or entity or in any public forum any defamatory or disparaging remarks, comments, or statements concerning the other party or its businesses, or any of its employees, officers, and known customers, suppliers, investors and other associated third parties. This Section 8 does not, in any way, restrict or impede the Consultant from exercising protected rights to the extent that such rights cannot be waived by agreement or from complying with any applicable law or regulation or a valid order of a court of competent jurisdiction or an authorized government agency, provided that such compliance does not exceed that required by the law, regulation, or order. The Consultant shall promptly provide written notice of any such order to the Board. 

8.Acknowledgement.  

8.1The Consultant acknowledges and agrees that the restrictive covenants and other terms and conditions of this Agreement are reasonable and reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate business interest of the Company. 

8.2The Consultant further acknowledges that the benefits provided to the Consultant under this Agreement, including the amount of the Consultant’s compensation, reflects, in part, the Consultant’s obligations and the Company’s rights under Section 6, Section 7, and Section 8 of this Agreement; that the Consultant has no expectation of any additional compensation, royalties, or other payment of any kind not otherwise referenced herein in connection herewith; and that the Consultant will not suffer undue hardship by reason of full compliance with the terms and conditions of Section 6, Section 7, and Section 8 of this Agreement or the Company’s enforcement thereof. 


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9.Remedies. In the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Consultant of Section 6, Section 7, and Section 8 of this Agreement, the Consultant hereby consents and agrees that the Company shall be entitled to seek, in addition to other available remedies, a temporary or permanent injunction or other equitable relief against such breach or threatened breach from any court of competent jurisdiction, and that money damages would not afford an adequate remedy, without the necessity of showing any actual damages, and without the necessity of posting any bond or other security. The aforementioned equitable relief shall be in addition to, not in lieu of, legal remedies, monetary damages, or other available forms of relief. 

10.Arbitration. The Consultant and the Company agree that any controversy, claim or dispute arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement, the Consultant’s provision of services to Company or the termination of Consultant’s relationship with the Company, including, without limitation, any claim of discrimination, harassment or retaliation under state or federal law, shall be settled by final and binding arbitration in accordance with the Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate that is attached as Exhibit C hereto (the “Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate”), and which must be executed by the Consultant concurrent with the Consultant’s execution of this Agreement. 

11.Security

11.1Security and Access. The Consultant agrees and covenants (a) to comply with all Company security policies and procedures as in force from time to time, including, without limitation, those regarding computer equipment, telephone systems, voicemail systems, facilities access, monitoring, key cards, access codes, Company intranet, internet, social media and instant messaging systems, computer systems, email systems, computer networks, document storage systems, software, data security, encryption, firewalls, passwords and any and all other Company facilities, IT resources and communication technologies (“Facilities and Information Technology Resources”); (b) not to access or use any Facilities and Information Technology Resources except as authorized by the Company; and (iii) not to access or use any Facilities and Information Technology Resources in any manner after the termination of the Term. The Consultant agrees to notify the Company promptly in the event the Consultant learns of any violation of the foregoing by others, or of any other misappropriation or unauthorized access, use, reproduction, or reverse engineering of, or tampering with any Facilities and Information Technology Resources or other Company property or materials by others.  

11.2Return of Company Property. Upon (a) termination of the Term (b) the Company’s request at any time during the Term, the Consultant shall (i) provide or return to the Company any and all Company property, including keys, key cards, access cards, identification cards, security devices, employer credit cards, network access devices, computers, cell phones, smartphones, fax machines, equipment, speakers, webcams, manuals, reports, files, books, compilations, work product, email messages, recordings, thumb or USB drives or other removable information storage devices, hard drives and data and all Company documents and materials belonging to the Company and stored in any fashion, including, but not limited to, those that constitute or contain any Confidential Information or Work Product, that are in the possession or control of the Consultant, whether they were provided to the Consultant by the Company or any of its business associates or created by the Consultant in connection with the Consultant’s engagement with the Company; and (ii) delete or destroy, at the instruction of the Company, all copies of any such documents and materials not returned to the Company that remain in the Consultant’s possession or control, including those stored on any non-Company devices, networks, storage locations and media in the Consultant’s possession or control. 


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12.Publicity. Subject to the Consultant’s advance approval (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Company and its agents, representatives and licensees may use the Consultant’s name, voice, likeness, image, appearance, and biographical information in, on or in connection with any pictures, photographs, audio and video recordings, digital images, websites, television programs and advertising, other advertising and publicity, sales and marketing brochures, books, magazines, other publications, CDs, DVDs, tapes, and all other printed and electronic forms and media throughout the world, at any time during the Term, for all legitimate commercial and business purposes of the Company and without further consent from or royalty, payment, or other compensation to the Consultant. 

13.Governing Law: Jurisdiction and Venue. At all times subject to the Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate, this Agreement, for all purposes, shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflicts of law principles that would require the application of the laws of another jurisdiction. Any action or proceeding by either of the parties to enforce this Agreement shall be brought only in a state or federal court located in Los Angeles County, California. The parties hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts and waive the defense of inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any such action or proceeding in such venue. 

14.Entire Agreement. Unless specifically provided herein, this Agreement and all exhibits, schedules and attachments hereto contain all of the understandings and representations between the Consultant and the Company pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations and warranties, both written and oral, with respect to such subject matter. Each of the exhibits, schedules and attachments to this Agreement are a part of this Agreement and are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth verbatim herein.  The Preamble and the Recitals are a part of this Agreement.  

15.Modification and Waiver. No provision of this Agreement may be amended or modified unless such amendment or modification is agreed to in writing and signed by the Consultant and the Company. No waiver by either of the parties of any breach by the other party hereto of any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by the other party hereto shall be deemed a waiver of any similar or dissimilar provision or condition at the same or any prior or subsequent time, nor shall the failure of or delay by either of the parties in exercising any right, power, or privilege hereunder operate as a waiver thereof to preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other such right, power, or privilege. 

16.Severability.  

16.1Should any provision of this Agreement be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be enforceable only if modified, or if any portion of this Agreement shall be held as unenforceable and thus stricken, such holding shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Agreement, the balance of which shall continue to be binding upon the parties with any such modification to become a part hereof and treated as though originally set forth in this Agreement. 

16.2The parties further agree that any such court is expressly authorized to modify any such unenforceable provision of this Agreement in lieu of severing such unenforceable provision from this Agreement in its entirety, whether by rewriting the offending provision, deleting any or all of the offending provision, adding additional language to this Agreement, or by making such other modifications as it deems warranted to carry out the intent and agreement of the parties as embodied herein to the maximum extent permitted by law.  

16.3The parties expressly agree that this Agreement as so modified by the court shall be binding upon and enforceable against each of them. In any event, should one or more of the  


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provisions of this Agreement be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions hereof, and if such provision or provisions are not modified as provided above, this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provisions had not been set forth herein.

17.Construction. All titles, captions or section headings contained in this Agreement are inserted only as a matter of convenience and for reference and in no way define, limit, extend or describe the scope of this Agreement or the intent of any provision in this Agreement.  When used in this Agreement, the words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by “without limitation,” the singular number includes the plural, the plural number includes the singular and the term “person” includes a corporation, limited liability entity, partnership or other corporate entity, a trust and a natural person. 

18.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original, but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.  A signature received via facsimile or electronically via email, in PDF, or other electronic format will be as legally binding for all purposes as an original signature, as will use of an electronic process associated with this Agreement and executed or adopted by a party with the intent to execute this Agreement. 

19.Tolling. Should the Consultant violate any of the terms of the restrictive covenant obligations articulated herein, the obligation at issue will run from the first date on which the Consultant ceases to be in violation of such obligation. 

20.Successors and Assigns. This Agreement is personal to the Consultant and shall not be assigned by the Consultant. Any purported assignment by the Consultant shall be null and void from the initial date of the purported assignment. The Company may assign this Agreement to any successor or assign (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the Company and permitted successors and assigns. 

21.Notice. Notices and all other communications provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally or sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or by overnight carrier to the parties at the addresses set forth below (or such other addresses as specified by the parties by like notice): 

If to the Company:

Bakhu Holdings, Corp.

One World Trade Center, Suite 130

Long Beach, CA  90831

Attn: CEO and Secretary

 

If to the Consultant:

Badger Real Estate Advisors, LLC

Attn: Mitch Kahn

4740 S. Ocean Blvd., #801

Highland Beach, FL 33487

22.Representations of the Consultant. The Consultant represents and warrants to the Company that: 


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22.1The Consultant’s acceptance of engagement with the Company and the performance of the Services hereunder will not conflict with or result in a violation of, a breach of, or a default under any contract, agreement, or understanding to which the Consultant is a party or is otherwise bound. 

22.2The Consultant’s acceptance of engagement with the Company and the performance of the Services hereunder will not violate any non-solicitation, non-competition, or other similar covenant or agreement of a prior employer. 

23.Survival. Upon the expiration or other termination of this Agreement, the respective rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall survive such expiration or other termination to the extent necessary to carry out the intentions of the parties under this Agreement. 

24.Acknowledgement of Full Understanding. THE CONSULTANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE CONSULTANT HAS FULLY READ, UNDERSTANDS AND VOLUNTARILY ENTERS INTO THIS AGREEMENT. THE CONSULTANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE CONSULTANT HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY OF THE CONSULTANT’S CHOICE BEFORE SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT.  

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BAKHU HOLDINGS, CORP.

 

 

/s/ Evripides Drakos

___________________________

By: Evripides Drakos

Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Badger Real Estate Advisors, LLC

 

 

/s/ Mitch Kahn

___________________________

By: Mitch Kahn

Its: Managing Member

 

 


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