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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 20, 2021

 

 

 

IVANHOE CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 

 

 

 

Cayman Islands 001-39845 98-1567584

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation

or organization)

(Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

1177 Avenue of the Americas

5th Floor

New York, NY 10036

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

(646) 452-7037

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the Registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

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

 

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

 

Title of each class Trading
Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on
which registered
Units, each consisting of one Class A Ordinary Share, $0.0001 par value, and one-third of one redeemable warrant IVAN.U The New York Stock Exchange
Class A Ordinary Shares included as part of the units IVAN The New York Stock Exchange
Redeemable warrants included as part of the units, each whole warrant exercisable for one Class A Ordinary Share at an exercise price of $11.50 IVAN WS The New York Stock Exchange

 

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

 

Emerging growth company x

 

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. ¨

 

 

  

 

 

 

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

Ivanhoe Capital Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“Ivanhoe”), previously announced that it entered into that certain Business Combination Agreement, dated July 12, 2021 (the “Original Business Combination Agreement”), by and among Parent, Wormhole Merger Sub Pte. Ltd., a Singapore private company limited by shares and wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Amalgamation Sub”), and SES Holdings Pte. Ltd., a Singapore private company limited by shares (“SES”), pursuant to which, among other things, (a) Ivanhoe will domesticate in Delaware (the “Domestication” and, Ivanhoe following such Domestication, “New SES”) and (b) Amalgamation Sub will amalgamate with SES, with SES surviving the amalgamation (together with the other transactions contemplated by Original Business Combination Agreement, the “Business Combination”). The Original Business Combination Agreement provided that in addition to the consideration payable to the shareholders of SES at the closing of the Business Combination (the “Closing”), SES shareholders and optionholders will be entitled to receive 30,000,000 shares (the “Earn-Out Shares”) of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A common stock”), of New SES (valued at $10.00 per share) in the aggregate if the closing price of shares of Class A common stock is equal to or greater than $18.00 during the period beginning on the date that is one year following the Closing and ending on the date that is five years following the Closing. SES optionholders are entitled receive their Earn-Out Shares in the form of restricted shares of New SES at Closing, which will be subject to vesting based on the same terms as the Earn-Out Shares and will also be subject to forfeiture if such optionholder’s service with New SES terminates prior to the vesting.

 

On September 20, 2021, Ivanhoe, SES and Amalgamation Sub entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Original Business Combination Agreement (the “BCA Amendment”) to provide that pre-Closing recipients of SES restricted share awards will also be entitled to receive Earn-Out Shares in the form of restricted shares of New SES at Closing, which will be subject to vesting based on the same terms as the Earn-Out Shares and will also be subject to forfeiture if such recipients’ service with New SES terminates prior to the vesting. The BCA Amendment also provides that the Earn-Out Shares payable to Qichao Hu and certain entities affiliated with Dr. Hu (the “Founder Group”) at the Closing will be, like the other consideration payable to the Founder Group under the Original Business Combination Agreement, in the form of shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of New SES that have the same economic rights as the shares of Class A common stock, but are entitled to 10 votes instead of the one vote to which shares of Class A common stock are entitled. The BCA Amendment does not affect the aggregate number of Earn-Out Shares.

 

The foregoing description of the BCA Amendment does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the BCA Amendment, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 2.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K (this “Current Report”) are “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” “target” and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or events or trends that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of other financial and performance metrics, projections of market opportunity and market share. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this Current Report, and on the current expectations of SES's and Ivanhoe's management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on by any investor as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ from assumptions, and such differences may be material. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of SES and Ivanhoe. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the Business Combination, including the risk that any required regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the Business Combination or that the approval of the shareholders of SES or Ivanhoe is not obtained; the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination; risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to SES; risks related to the development and commercialization of SES's battery technology and the timing and achievement of expected business milestones; the effects of competition on SES's business; the risk that the Business Combination disrupts current plans and operations of Ivanhoe and SES as a result of the announcement and consummation of the Business Combination; the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and retain its management and key employees; risks relating SES’s history of no revenues and net losses; the risk that SES’s joint development agreements and other strategic alliances could be unsuccessful; risks relating to delays in the design, manufacture, regulatory approval and launch of SES’s battery cells; the risk that SES may not establish supply relationships for necessary components or pay components that are more expensive than anticipated; risks relating to competition and rapid change in the electric vehicle battery market; safety risks posed by certain components of SES’s batteries; risks relating to machinery used in the production of SES’s batteries; risks relating to the willingness of commercial vehicle and specialty vehicle operators and consumers to adopt electric vehicles; risks relating to SES’s intellectual property portfolio; the amount of redemption requests made by Ivanhoe's public shareholders; the ability of Ivanhoe or the combined company to issue equity or equity-linked securities or obtain debt financing in connection with the Business Combination or in the future and those factors discussed in Ivanhoe's annual report on Form 10-K, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 31, 2021, under the heading "Risk Factors," in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed by Ivanhoe with the SEC on August 10, 2021, under the heading “Risk Factors” and other documents of Ivanhoe filed, or to be filed, with the SEC relating to the Business Combination. If any of these risks materialize or Ivanhoe's or SES's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither Ivanhoe nor SES presently know or that Ivanhoe and SES currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Ivanhoe's and SES's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this Current Report. Ivanhoe and SES anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause Ivanhoe's and SES's assessments to change. However, while Ivanhoe and SES may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Ivanhoe and SES specifically disclaim any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Ivanhoe's and SES's assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this Current Report. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.

 

  2  

 

 

Additional Information

 

This Current Report relates to the proposed Business Combination between Ivanhoe and SES. This Current Report does not constitute an offer to sell or exchange, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange, any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Ivanhoe has filed a Registration Statement on Form S-4 with the SEC, which includes a document that, following effectiveness, will serve as a joint prospectus and proxy statement, referred to as a proxy statement/prospectus. Once the SEC declares the Registration Statement effective, the proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to all Ivanhoe shareholders. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom. Ivanhoe will also file other documents regarding the proposed Business Combination with the SEC. Before making any voting decision, investors and security holders of Ivanhoe are urged to read the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed Business Combination as they become available because they will contain important information about the proposed Business Combination.

 

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by Ivanhoe through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. The documents filed by Ivanhoe with the SEC also may be obtained free of charge upon written request to Ivanhoe Capital Acquisition Corp., 1177 Avenue of the Americas, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10036.

 

Participants in the Solicitation

 

Ivanhoe, SES and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Ivanhoe’s shareholders in connection with the proposed Business Combination. A list of the names of such directors, executive officers, other members of management and employees, and information regarding their interests in the Business Combination will be contained in Ivanhoe’s filings with the SEC, including Ivanhoe’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, which was filed with the SEC on March 31, 2021, and such information and names of SES’s directors and executive officers also are in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC by Ivanhoe. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants in the solicitation process may also be included in other relevant documents when they are filed with the SEC.

 

  3  

 

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit Number

 

2.1 Amendment No. 1 to Business Combination Agreement, dated as of September 20, 2021, among Ivanhoe Capital Acquisition Corp., Wormhole Merger Sub Pte. Ltd. and SES Holdings Pte. Ltd.
   
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

  4  

 

  

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

Date: September 21, 2021 IVANHOE CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP.
   
  By: /S/ Gary Gartner
  Name: Gary Gartner
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

  5  

 

 

 

Exhibit 2.1

 

FIRST AMENDMENT TO BUSINESS COMBINATION AGREEMENT

 

This FIRST AMENDMENT TO BUSINESS COMBINATION AGREEMENT (this “First Amendment”) is entered into as of September 20, 2021 (the “Effective Date”), by and among Ivanhoe Capital Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (which shall migrate to and domesticate as a Delaware corporation prior to the Closing) (“Parent”), Wormhole Merger Sub Pte. Ltd., a Singapore private company limited by shares and a direct, wholly-owned Subsidiary of Parent (“Amalgamation Sub”), and SES Holdings Pte. Ltd., Singapore private company limited by shares (the “Company” and together with Parent and Amalgamation Sub, the “Parties”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Agreement.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Parties entered into that certain Business Combination Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2021 (as may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “Agreement”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend the Agreement in accordance with Section 10.12 thereof as more fully set forth herein.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

AGREEMENT

 

1.             Amendments Regarding Conversion of Securities and Earn-Out.

 

(a)           Section 2.6(b)(ii) of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

“(ii) Each Company Restricted Share that is issued, outstanding and subject to restrictions (including vesting) immediately prior to the Effective Time shall automatically, without any action on the part of the holders thereof, be assumed by Parent and converted into an equivalent award of a number of shares of Delaware Parent Class A Common Stock equal to the product (rounded to the nearest whole number of shares) of (A) the total number of Company Ordinary Shares subject to such Company Restricted Share immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by (B) the Exchange Ratio (each such resulting share, a “Rollover Restricted Share”). Each Rollover Restricted Share shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable to such corresponding Company Restricted Share immediately prior to the Effective Time (including applicable vesting, expiration and forfeiture conditions), except to the extent such terms or conditions are rendered inoperative by the Transactions or such other immaterial administrative or ministerial changes as the Parties may determine are appropriate to effectuate the administration of the Rollover Restricted Shares.”

 

(b)           Section 2.6(b)(iv) of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

“(f) Immediately following the Effective Time, Parent will grant to each Pre-Closing Optionholder and each Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholder such number of shares of restricted Delaware Parent Class A Common Stock (the “Closing Restricted Shares”) equal to such Pre-Closing Optionholder’s or Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholders’ Pro Rata Portion of the Aggregate Closing Restricted Shares. Each Closing Restricted Share will be subject to the vesting and forfeiture conditions specified in Section 2.11(b).”

 

Annex A-II 1

 

   

 

 

(c)           Section 2.11(a)(i) of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

“(i) Following the Closing, upon the occurrence of a Triggering Event and as additional consideration in respect of Company Shares, within ten (10) Business Days after the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Parent shall deliver or cause to be delivered from the Earn-Out Shares in accordance with the Earn-Out Escrow Agreement to Persons who held Company Shares (other than Company Restricted Shares) immediately prior to the Effective Time (the “Company Earn-Out Shareholders”) their Pro Rata Portion of a one-time payment of the Earn-Out Shares; provided that, solely in the case of the Founder Group, any Earn-Out Shares so delivered to the Founder Group shall consist of shares of Delaware Parent Class B Common Stock.”

 

(d)           Section 2.11(b) of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

“(b) Pre-Closing Optionholders and Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholders. The Aggregate Closing Restricted Shares shall be issued subject to the following vesting and forfeiture conditions:

 

(i)                Subject to the forfeiture conditions set forth in Section 2.11(b)(ii) below, upon the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Closing Restricted Shares held by each Pre-Closing Optionholder and Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholder shall vest immediately.

 

(ii)               If a Pre-Closing Optionholder’s or Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholder’s employment or service with Parent (or any of its Subsidiaries) is terminated (for any reason) prior to the Closing Restricted Shares becoming vested pursuant to Section 2.11(b)(i), then such Pre-Closing Optionholder’s or Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholder’s rights to any Closing Restricted Shares shall be forfeited without consideration thereon upon termination of employment with Parent (or any of its Subsidiaries). Any such forfeited Closing Restricted Share shall be available for grant pursuant to the Employee Incentive Plan.

 

(iii)             If a Triggering Event has not occurred by the expiration of the Earn-Out Period, then each Pre-Closing Optionholder’s or Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholder’s rights to any Closing Restricted Shares shall be forfeited automatically without consideration thereon. Any such forfeited Closing Restricted Share shall be available for grant pursuant to the Employee Incentive Plan.”

 

(e)           Section 2.11(c) of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

“(c) If, during the Earn-Out Period, the outstanding shares of Delaware Parent Class A Common Stock shall have been changed into a different number of shares or a different class, by reason of any stock dividend, subdivision, reclassification, recapitalization, split, combination or exchange of shares, or any similar event shall have occurred, then the Parent Target Trading Price will be appropriately and equitably adjusted to provide to the Company Earn-Out Shareholders, Pre-Closing Optionholders and Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholders the same economic effect as contemplated by this Section 2.11.”

  

   

 

 

(f)            Schedule A of the Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating the following definitions as follows:

 

Aggregate Closing Restricted Shares” shall mean a number of shares of restricted Delaware Parent Class A Common Stock equal to 30,000,000 multiplied by a fraction equal to the percentage ownership in the Company represented by (i) the total number of shares that would be issued upon the exercise, on a cashless basis, of all Pre-Closing Optionholders’ Company Options (whether vested or unvested) immediately prior to the Closing, and (ii) the total number of Company Restricted Shares held by all Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholders immediately prior to the Closing.

 

Company Restricted Share” shall mean each Company Ordinary Share that is subject to any vesting, forfeiture, repurchase or other lapse restriction pursuant to the Company Share Plans or otherwise (including any restricted share awards granted under the Company Share Plans after the date hereof and prior to the Closing with respect to which Company Ordinary Shares are not issued at grant, but which are issued upon vesting of the award).

 

Earn-Out Shares” shall mean the aggregate number of shares of Delaware Parent Common Stock equal to (a) 30,000,000 minus (b) the number of Aggregate Closing Restricted Shares, which Earn-Out Shares shall consist of shares Delaware Parent Class A Common Stock (except with respect the Founder Group’s Pro Rata Portion which shall consist of shares of Delaware Parent Class B Common Stock).

 

Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholders” means all Persons who hold one or more Company Restricted Shares immediately prior to the Effective Time.

 

Pro Rata Portion” means, (i) with respect to each Company Shareholder (other than the holders of Dissenting Shares), a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum of the aggregate number of Company Shares held by such Company Shareholder immediately prior to the Effective Time, and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of Company Shares held by all Company Shareholders immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (ii) with respect to each Pre-Closing Optionholder and Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholder, a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate number of Company Shares underlying all Company Options (whether vested or unvested) held by such Pre-Closing Optionholder immediately prior to the Effective Time or the aggregate number of Company Restricted Shares held by such Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholder immediately prior to the Effective Time, as applicable, and the denominator of which is the sum of (x) the aggregate number of Company Shares underlying all Company Options held by all Pre-Closing Optionholders immediately prior to the Effective Time and (y) the aggregate number of Company Restricted Shares held by all Pre-Closing Restricted Shareholders immediately prior to the Effective Time.

 

2.             Confirmation. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with their respective terms following the execution of this First Amendment.

 

3.             Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. Section 10.7 and Section 10.8 of the Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference into this First Amendment, mutatis mutandis.

 

     

 

 

4.             Headings. The descriptive headings contained in this First Amendment are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this First Amendment.

 

5.             Counterparts. This First Amendment may be executed and delivered (including executed manually or electronically via DocuSign or other similar services and delivered by facsimile or portable document format (pdf) transmission) in one or more counterparts, and by the different Parties in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

     

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this First Amendment to be executed as of the Effective Date.

 

  IVANHOE CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP.
   
   
  By: /s/ Robert Friedland
  Name: Robert Friedland
  Title:  CEO

  

Signature Page to First Amendment to Business Combination Agreement

 

     

 

 

  WORMHOLE MERGER SUB PTE. LTD.
   
   
  By: /s/ Silvana P Hleap
  Name: Silvana P Hleap
  Title: Director

 

Signature Page to First Amendment to Business Combination Agreement

 

     

 

 

  SES HOLDINGS PTE. LTD.
       
       
  By: /s/ Qichao Hu
  Name: Qichao Hu
  Title: Founder and CEO

 

Signature Page to First Amendment to Business Combination Agreement