|
Delaware
|
| |
6770
|
| |
86-2332228
|
|
|
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) |
| |
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number) |
| |
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number) |
|
|
John Elofson, Esq.
Sam Niebrugge, Esq. Sam Seiberling, Esq. Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP 1550 17th Street, Suite 500 Denver, Colorado 80202 Telephone: (303) 892-9400 |
| |
David Alan Miller, Esq.
Jeffrey M. Gallant, Esq. Graubard Miller The Chrysler Building 405 Lexington Avenue New York, New York 10174 Telephone: (212) 818-8800 |
|
| Large accelerated filer | | | ☐ | | | Accelerated filer | | | ☐ | |
| Non-accelerated filer | | | ☒ | | | Smaller reporting company | | | ☒ | |
| | | | | | Emerging growth company | | | ☒ | |
| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Title of each Class of Security being registered
|
| | |
Amount being
Registered |
| | |
Proposed
Maximum Offering Price Per Security(1) |
| | |
Proposed
Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1) |
| | |
Amount of
Registration Fee |
| |||||||||
Units, each consisting of one share of common stock, $.001 par value, one Right, and one-half of one Warrant(2)
|
| | |
17,250,000 Units
|
| | | | $ | 10.00 | | | | | | $ | 172,500,000 | | | | | | $ | 18,819.75 | | |
Shares of common stock included as part of the Units(3)
|
| | |
17,250,000 Shares
|
| | | | | — | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | —(4) | | |
Shares of common stock underlying Rights included as part of the Units
|
| | |
1,725,000 Shares
|
| | | | | — | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | —(4) | | |
Rights included as part of Units
|
| | |
17,250,000 Rights
|
| | | | | — | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | —(4) | | |
Shares of common stock underlying Redeemable Warrants included as part of the Units
|
| | |
8,625,000 Shares
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | —(4) | | |
Redeemable Warrants included as part of the Units(3)
|
| | |
8,625,000 Warrants
|
| | | | | — | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | —(4) | | |
Total
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 172,500,000 | | | | | | $ | 18,819.75 | | |
| | |
Per Unit
|
| |
Total
|
| ||||||
Public offering price
|
| | | $ | 10.00 | | | | | $ | 150,000,000 | | |
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)
|
| | | $ | 0.55 | | | | | $ | 8,250,000 | | |
Proceeds, before expenses, to us
|
| | | $ | 9.45 | | | | | $ | 141,750,000 | | |
|
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
|
| |
Stephens Inc.
|
|
| | | | | 2 | | | |
| | | | | 19 | | | |
| | | | | 20 | | | |
| | | | | 41 | | | |
| | | | | 42 | | | |
| | | | | 46 | | | |
| | | | | 47 | | | |
| | | | | 49 | | | |
| | | | | 50 | | | |
| | | | | 54 | | | |
| | | | | 70 | | | |
| | | | | 79 | | | |
| | | | | 82 | | | |
| | | | | 85 | | | |
| | | | | 91 | | | |
| | | | | 93 | | | |
| | | | | 101 | | | |
| | | | | 109 | | | |
| | | | | 109 | | | |
| | | | | 109 | | |
| | |
June 30, 2021
|
| |||||||||
| | |
Actual
|
| |
As Adjusted
|
| ||||||
Working capital (deficiency)(1)
|
| | | $ | (221,511) | | | | | $ | 147,824,321 | | |
Total assets(2)
|
| | | | 356,207 | | | | | | 153,074,321 | | |
Total liabilities(3)
|
| | | | 331,986 | | | | | | 5,250,000 | | |
Value of common stock subject to possible conversion/tender(4)
|
| | | | — | | | | | | 150,000,000 | | |
Stockholders’ equity(5)
|
| | | | 24,221 | | | | | | (2,175,679) | | |
| | |
Without
Over-Allotment Option |
| |
Over-Allotment
Option Exercised |
| ||||||
Gross proceeds | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
From offering(1)
|
| | | $ | 150,000,000 | | | | | $ | 172,500,000 | | |
From private placement
|
| | | | 6,400,000 | | | | | | 7,075,000 | | |
Total gross proceeds
|
| | | | 156,400,000 | | | | | | 179,575,000 | | |
Offering expenses(2)
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Underwriting discount (2.0% of gross proceeds from units offered to public)(3)
|
| | | | 3,000,000(4) | | | | | | 3,450,000(4) | | |
Legal fees and expenses
|
| | | | 180,000 | | | | | | 180,000 | | |
Nasdaq listing fees (excluding deferred amount)
|
| | | | 5,000 | | | | | | 5,000 | | |
Printing and engraving expenses
|
| | | | 40,000 | | | | | | 40,000 | | |
Accounting fees and expenses
|
| | | | 40,000 | | | | | | 40,000 | | |
FINRA filing fee
|
| | | | 26,000 | | | | | | 26,000 | | |
SEC registration fee
|
| | | | 19,000 | | | | | | 19,000 | | |
Miscellaneous expenses
|
| | | | 40,000 | | | | | | 40,000 | | |
Total expenses
|
| | | | 3,350,000 | | | | | | 3,800,000 | | |
Net proceeds(3) | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Held in trust
|
| | | | 151,500,000 | | | | | | 174,225,000 | | |
Not held in trust
|
| | | | 1,550,000 | | | | | | 1,550,000 | | |
Total net proceeds
|
| | | $ | 153,050,000 | | | | | $ | 175,775,000 | | |
| | |
Amount
|
| |
Percentage
|
| ||||||
Use of net proceeds not held in trust(5)(6)
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Legal, accounting and other third-party expenses attendant to the search for target
businesses and to the due diligence investigation, structuring and negotiation of a business combination |
| | | $ | 450,000 | | | | | | 29.0% | | |
D&O insurance
|
| | | | 300,000 | | | | | | 19.4% | | |
Due diligence of prospective target businesses by officers, directors and
sponsor |
| | | | 200,000 | | | | | | 12.9% | | |
Legal and accounting fees relating to SEC reporting obligations
|
| | | | 120,000 | | | | | | 7.7% | | |
Payment of administrative fee (up to $10,000 per month for up to 18 months)
|
| | | | 180,000 | | | | | | 11.6% | | |
Working capital to cover miscellaneous expenses, including stock exchange listing fees
|
| | | | 300,000 | | | | | | 19.4% | | |
Total
|
| | | $ | 1,550,000 | | | | | | 100.0% | | |
| | |
WITHOUT
OVER- ALLOTMENT |
| |
WITH
OVER- ALLOTMENT |
| ||||||
Public offering price
|
| | | $ | 10.00 | | | | | $ | 10.00 | | |
Net tangible book value before this offering
|
| | | | (0.06) | | | | | | (0.03) | | |
Decrease attributable to public stockholders
|
| | | | (0.41) | | | | | | (0.45) | | |
Pro forma net tangible book value after this offering
|
| | | | (0.47) | | | | | | (0.48) | | |
Dilution to public stockholders
|
| | | $ | 10.47 | | | | | $ | 10.48 | | |
Percentage of dilution to public stockholders
|
| | | | 104.7% | | | | | | 104.8% | | |
| | |
Shares
|
| |
Total Consideration
|
| |
Average
Price per Share |
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Number
|
| |
Purchased
|
| |
Percentage
|
| |
Amount
|
| |
Percentage
|
| ||||||||||||||||||
Initial stockholders
|
| | | | 3,750,000(1) | | | | | | 18.43% | | | | | $ | 25,000 | | | | | | 0.02% | | | | | $ | 0.007 | | |
EBC founder shares
|
| | | | 100,000 | | | | | | 0.49% | | | | | $ | 100 | | | | | | 0.00% | | | | | $ | 0.001 | | |
Public stockholders
|
| | | | 16,500,000 | | | | | | 81.08% | | | | | $ | 150,000,000 | | | | | | 99.98% | | | | | $ | 10.00 | | |
Total
|
| | | | 20,350,000 | | | | | | 100.0% | | | | | $ | 150,025,100 | | | | | | 100.0% | | | | | | | | |
| | |
WITHOUT
OVER- ALLOTMENT |
| |
WITH
OVER- ALLOTMENT |
| ||||||
Numerator: | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net tangible book deficit before the offering
|
| | | $ | (221,511) | | | | | $ | (221,511) | | |
Net proceeds from this offering and private placement
|
| | | | 153,050,000 | | | | | | 175,775,000 | | |
Plus: Proceeds from the issuance of EBC founder shares
|
| | | | 580 | | | | | | 580 | | |
Plus: Offering costs accrued excluded from tangible book value before this
offering |
| | | | 245,252 | | | | | | 245,252 | | |
Less: deferred underwriters’ commissions payable (3.5% of gross proceeds
from this offering) |
| | | | (5,250,000) | | | | | | (6,037,500) | | |
Less: Proceeds held in trust subject to conversion/tender
|
| | | | (150,000,000) | | | | | | (172,500,000) | | |
| | | | $ | (2,175,679) | | | | | $ | (2,738,179) | | |
Denominator: | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Shares of common stock outstanding prior to this offering
|
| | | | 4,312,500 | | | | | | 4,312,500 | | |
Shares of common stock forfeited if over-allotment is not exercised(1)
|
| | | | (562,500) | | | | | | — | | |
EBC founder shares
|
| | | | 100,000 | | | | | | 100,000 | | |
Shares of common stock included in the units offered
|
| | | | 15,000,000 | | | | | | 17,250,000 | | |
Shares of common stock underlying the rights included in the units offered
|
| | | | 1,500,000 | | | | | | 1,725,000 | | |
Less: Shares subject to conversion/tender
|
| | | | (15,000,000) | | | | | | (17,250,000) | | |
| | | | | 5,350,000 | | | | | | 6,137,500 | | |
| | |
June 30, 2021
|
| |||||||||
| | |
Actual
|
| |
As Adjusted(1)
|
| ||||||
Promissory note – related party(2)
|
| | | $ | 150,000 | | | | | $ | — | | |
Deferred underwriting commissions
|
| | | | — | | | | | | 5,250,000 | | |
Common stock subject to possible redemption; – 0 – shares actual and 15,000,000 shares as adjusted(3)
|
| | | | — | | | | | | 150,000,000 | | |
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized; 4,412,500 and 3,850,000 shares issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted, respectively(4)(5)
|
| | | | 4,413 | | | | | | 3,850 | | |
Additional paid-in capital(6)
|
| | | | 21,167 | | | | | | — | | |
Accumulated deficit
|
| | | | (1,359) | | | | | | (2,179,529) | | |
Total stockholders’ equity
|
| | | | 24,221 | | | | | | (2,175,679) | | |
Total capitalization
|
| | | $ | 174,221 | | | | | $ | 153,074,321 | | |
| | |
Terms of the Offering
|
| |
Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering
|
|
Escrow of offering proceeds
|
| | $151,500,000 of the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private warrants will be deposited into a U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee. | | | $127,575,000 of the offering proceeds would be required to be deposited into either an escrow account with an insured depositary institution or in a separate bank account established by a broker-dealer in which the broker-dealer acts as trustee for persons having the beneficial interests in the account. | |
| | |
Terms of the Offering
|
| |
Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering
|
|
Investment of net proceeds
|
| | The $151,500,000 of the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private warrants held in trust will only be invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. | | | Proceeds could be invested only in specified securities such as a money market fund meeting conditions of the Investment Company Act or in securities that are direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the United States. | |
Limitation on fair value or net assets of target business
|
| | Our initial business combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the trust account at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we are not then listed on Nasdaq for whatever reason, we would no longer be required to meet the foregoing 80% fair market value test. | | | We would be restricted from acquiring a target business unless the fair value of such business or net assets to be acquired represent at least 80% of the maximum offering proceeds. | |
Trading of securities issued
|
| | The units may commence trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The shares of common stock, rights, and warrants comprising the units will begin to trade separately on the 90th day after the date of this prospectus unless the representatives of the underwriters inform us of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, provided we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K, which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the proceeds of this offering, including any proceeds we receive from the exercise of the over-allotment option, if such option is exercised prior to the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K. If the over-allotment option is exercised after the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, we will file an amendment to the Form 8-K to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise | | | No trading of the units or the underlying shares of common stock, rights, and warrants would be permitted until the completion of a business combination. During this period, the securities would be held in the escrow or trust account. | |
| | |
Terms of the Offering
|
| |
Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering
|
|
| | | and consummation of the over-allotment option. We will also include in this Form 8-K, an amendment thereto, or in a subsequent Form 8-K, information indicating if the representatives of the underwriters have allowed separate trading of the shares of common stock, rights, and warrants prior to the 90th day after the date of this prospectus. | | | | |
Exercise of the warrants
|
| | The warrants cannot be exercised until 30 days after the completion of a business combination and, accordingly, will be exercised only after the trust account has been terminated and distributed. | | | The warrants could be exercised prior to the completion of a business combination, but securities received and cash paid in connection with the exercise would be deposited in the escrow or trust account. | |
Election to remain an investor
|
| | We will either (1) give our stockholders the opportunity to vote on the business combination or (2) provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to sell their shares of our common stock to us in a tender offer for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, less taxes. If we hold a meeting to approve a proposed business combination, we will send each stockholder a proxy statement containing information required by the SEC. Alternatively, if we do not hold a meeting and instead conduct a tender offer, we will conduct such tender offer in accordance with the tender offer rules of the SEC and file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination as we would have included in a proxy statement. | | | A prospectus containing information required by the SEC would be sent to each investor. Each investor would be given the opportunity to notify the company, in writing, within a period of no less than 20 business days and no more than 45 business days from the effective date of the post-effective amendment, to decide whether he or she elects to remain a stockholder of the company or require the return of his or her investment. If the company has not received the notification by the end of the 45th business day, funds and interest or dividends, if any, held in the trust or escrow account would automatically be returned to the stockholder. Unless a sufficient number of investors elect to remain investors, all of the deposited funds in the escrow account must be returned to all investors and none of the securities will be issued. | |
Business combination deadline
|
| | Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of this offering, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, | | | If an acquisition has not been consummated within 18 months after the effective date of the initial registration statement, funds held in the trust or escrow account would be returned to investors. | |
| | |
Terms of the Offering
|
| |
Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering
|
|
| | | redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including any interest not released to us but net of taxes payable (and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay liquidation expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject (in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. | | | | |
Interest earned on the funds in the trust account
|
| | There can be released to us, from time to time, any interest earned on the funds in the trust account that we may need to pay our tax obligations. The remaining interest earned on the funds in the trust account will not be released until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and our liquidation upon failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. | | | All interest earned on the funds in the trust account will be held in trust for the benefit of public stockholders until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and our liquidation upon failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. | |
Release of funds
|
| | Except for any interest earned on the funds in the trust account released to us for our tax obligations as described above, the proceeds held in the trust account will not be released to us until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and our liquidation upon failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. | | | The proceeds held in the escrow account would not be released to the company until the earlier of the completion of a business combination or the failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. | |
Name
|
| |
Title
|
|
Brad Morse | | | Chief Executive Officer and Director | |
M. Grant Farn | | | Chief Financial Officer | |
Daniel Silverman | | | Chief Operating Officer and Director | |
Ryan Sullivan | | | Senior Vice President and Secretary | |
Doug Sandridge | | | Vice President | |
Conor Hess | | | Vice President | |
Chris Wright | | | Director | |
Daniel Posner | | | Director | |
Charles Gwirtsman | | | Director | |
Ron Maor | | | Director | |
Cary D. Steinbeck | | | Director | |
Name of Individual
|
| |
Name of Affiliated Entity
|
| |
Entity’s Business
|
| |
Affiliation
|
|
Brad Morse | | |
Fulcrum Energy Capital Funds
|
| | Private Equity | | | Founder and President | |
| | | | | | | ||||
M. Grant Farn | | | Gondola Resources, LLC | | | Upstream Oil and Gas | | | Chief Financial Officer | |
Daniel Silverman | | |
Fulcrum Energy Capital Funds
|
| | Private Equity | | | Managing Director | |
Ryan Sullivan | | |
Fulcrum Energy Capital Funds
Arbor Resources |
| |
Private Equity
Oil and Gas Consulting |
| |
Director
Managing Member |
|
Doug Sandridge | | |
Fulcrum Energy Capital Funds
|
| | Private Equity | | | Vice President | |
Conor Hess | | |
Fulcrum Energy Capital Funds
|
| | Private Equity | | | Vice President | |
Chris Wright | | |
Liberty Oilfield Services
Liberty Resources LLC |
| |
Oilfield Services
Upstream Oil and Gas |
| |
CEO and Director
Executive Chairman |
|
Daniel Posner | | | Rensop Investment Group | | | Private Equity | | | Chief Investment Officer | |
Charles Gwirtsman | | | KRG Capital Partners | | | Private Equity | | | Co-Founder and Managing Director | |
Ron Maor | | |
Isramco Negev 2
Azorim Living REIT Fund Smart Agro |
| |
Upstream Oil and Gas
Real Estate Investing Agriculture |
| |
CEO
Director Director |
|
Cary Steinbeck | | |
Shea Ventures
Liberty Oilfield Services Inc. Liberty Resources LLC |
| |
Investment Firm
Oilfield Services Upstream Oil and Gas |
| |
Managing Director
Director Director |
|
| | |
Prior to Offering
|
| |
After Offering(2)
|
| ||||||||||||||||||
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1)
|
| |
Amount and
Nature of Beneficial Ownership |
| |
Approximate
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Common Stock |
| |
Amount and
Nature of Beneficial Ownership |
| |
Approximate
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Common Stock |
| ||||||||||||
Brad Morse(3)
|
| | | | 4,062,500 | | | | | | 94.2% | | | | | | 3,500,000 | | | | | | 18.7% | | |
M. Grant Farn
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Conor Hess(4)
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Doug Sandridge
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Daniel Silverman
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Ryan Sullivan(4)
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Charles Gwirtsman(4)
|
| | | | 50,000 | | | | | | 1.2% | | | | | | 50,000 | | | | | | * | | |
Cary Steinbeck
|
| | | | 50,000 | | | | | | 1.2% | | | | | | 50,000 | | | | | | * | | |
Ron Maor(4)
|
| | | | 50,000 | | | | | | 1.2% | | | | | | 50,000 | | | | | | * | | |
Daniel Posner(4)
|
| | | | 50,000 | | | | | | 1.2% | | | | | | 50,000 | | | | | | * | | |
Chris Wright(4)
|
| | | | 50,000 | | | | | | 1.2% | | | | | | 50,000 | | | | | | * | | |
Accretion Acquisition Sponsor, LLC
|
| | | | 4,062,500 | | | | | | 94.2% | | | | | | 3,500,000 | | | | | | 18.7% | | |
All directors and executive officers as a group (11 individuals)
|
| | | | 4,312,500 | | | | | | 100.0% | | | | | | 3,750,000 | | | | | | 20.0% | | |
Underwriter
|
| |
Number of
Units |
| |||
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
|
| | | | [•] | | |
Stephens Inc.
|
| | | | [•] | | |
Total
|
| | | | 15,000,000 | | |
| | |
No Exercise
|
| |
Full Exercise
|
| ||||||
Per Unit(1)
|
| | | $ | 0.55 | | | | | $ | 0.55 | | |
Total
|
| | | $ | 8,250,000 | | | | | $ | 9,487,500 | | |
| | |
Page
|
| |||
| | | | F-2 | | | |
| | | | F-3 | | | |
| | | | F-4 | | | |
| | | | F-5 | | | |
| | | | F-6 | | | |
| | | | F-7 | | |
| | |
June 30, 2021
(Unaudited) |
| |
April 8, 2021
|
| ||||||
Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Cash
|
| | | $ | 110,375 | | | | | $ | 162,500 | | |
Subscription receivable
|
| | | | 100 | | | | | | — | | |
Total Current Assets
|
| | | | 110,475 | | | | | | 162,500 | | |
Deferred offering costs associated with initial public offering
|
| | | | 245,732 | | | | | | 86,755 | | |
Total Assets
|
| | |
$
|
356,207
|
| | | |
$
|
249,255
|
| |
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Current Liabilities | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Promissory note – related party
|
| | | $ | 150,000 | | | | | $ | 150,000 | | |
Accrued expenses
|
| | | | 181,986 | | | | | | 75,614 | | |
Total Current Liabilities
|
| | | | 331,986 | | | | | | 225,614 | | |
Commitments and Contingencies | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Stockholders’ Equity
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 4,412,500 shares issued and outstanding(1)(2)
|
| | | | 4,413 | | | | | | 4,313 | | |
Additional paid-in capital
|
| | | | 21,167 | | | | | | 20,687 | | |
Accumulated deficit
|
| | | | (1,359) | | | | | | (1,359) | | |
Total Stockholders’ Equity
|
| | | | 24,221 | | | | | | 23,641 | | |
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
|
| | | $ | 356,207 | | | | | $ | 249,255 | | |
| | |
For the period from
February 26, 2021 (inception) through June 30, 2021 (Unaudited) |
| |
For the period from
February 26, 2021 (inception) through April 8, 2021 |
| ||||||
Formation costs
|
| | | $ | 1,359 | | | | | $ | 1,359 | | |
Net loss
|
| | | $ | (1,359) | | | | | $ | (1,359) | | |
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding, basic and diluted(1)(2)
|
| | | | 3,850,000 | | | | | | 3,750,000 | | |
Basic and diluted net loss per share of common stock
|
| | | $ | (0.00) | | | | | $ | (0.00) | | |
| | |
Common Stock
|
| |
Additional
Paid-in Capital |
| |
Accumulated
Deficit |
| |
Total
Stockholders’ Equity |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| | |
Shares
|
| |
Amount
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance – February 26, 2021 (inception)
|
| | | | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | |
Issuance of common stock to Sponsor(1)
|
| | | | 4,312,500 | | | | | | 4,313 | | | | | | 20,687 | | | | | | — | | | | | | 25,000 | | |
Net loss
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | (1,359) | | | | | | (1,359) | | |
Balance – April 8, 2021
|
| | | | 4,312,500 | | | | | | 4,313 | | | | | | 20,687 | | | | | | (1,359) | | | | | | 23,641 | | |
Issuance of EBC Founder Shares
|
| | | | 100,000 | | | | | | 100 | | | | | | 480 | | | | | | — | | | | | | 580 | | |
Net loss
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Balance – June 30, 2021 (unaudited)
|
| | | | 4,412,500 | | | | | $ | 4,413 | | | | | $ | 21,167 | | | | | $ | (1,359) | | | | | $ | 24,221 | | |
| | |
For the period from
February 26, 2021 (inception) through June 30, 2021 (Unaudited) |
| |
For the period from
February 26, 2021 (inception) through April 8, 2021 |
| ||||||
Cash flows from operating activities: | | | | | | | | | |||||
Net loss
|
| | | $ | (1,359) | | | | | $ | (1,359) | | |
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
|
| | | | | | | | |||||
Accrued expenses
|
| | | | 1,359 | | | | | | 1,359 | | |
Net cash used in operating activities
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Cash flows from financing activities: | | | | | | | | | |||||
Proceeds from issuance of common stock to Sponsor
|
| | | | 25,000 | | | | | | 25,000 | | |
Proceeds from promissory note – related party
|
| | | | 150,000 | | | | | | 150,000 | | |
Payment of offering costs
|
| | | | (64,625) | | | | | | (12,500) | | |
Net cash provided by financing activities
|
| | | | 110,375 | | | | | | 162,500 | | |
Net change in cash:
|
| | | | 110,375 | | | | | | 162,500 | | |
Cash – Beginning (inception)
|
| | | | — | | | | | | | | |
Cash – Ending | | | | $ | 110,375 | | | | | $ | 162,500 | | |
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities: | | | | | | | | | |||||
Deferred offering costs included in accrued expenses
|
| | | $ | 180,627 | | | | | $ | 74,255 | | |
Deferred offering costs paid through promissory note – related party
|
| | | $ | 52,125 | | | | | $ | — | | |
Issuance of EBC Founder Shares
|
| | | $ | 580 | | | | | $ | — | | |
|
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
|
| |
Stephens Inc.
|
|
|
SEC expenses
|
| | | $ | 19,000 | | |
|
FINRA expenses
|
| | | | 26,000 | | |
|
Accounting fees and expenses
|
| | | | 40,000 | | |
|
Printing and engraving expenses
|
| | | | 40,000 | | |
|
Legal fees and expenses
|
| | | | 180,000 | | |
|
Stock exchange listing and filing fees
|
| | | | 5,000 | | |
|
Miscellaneous
|
| | | | 40,000 | | |
|
Total
|
| | | $ | 350,000 | | |
Shareholders
|
| |
Number of
Shares |
| |||
Accretion Acquisition Sponsor, LLC
|
| | | | 4,312,500 | | |
EarlyBirdCapital
|
| | | | 100,000 | | |
|
Exhibit
No. |
| |
Description
|
|
|
1.1
|
| | | |
|
3.1
|
| | | |
|
3.2
|
| | | |
|
3.3
|
| | | |
|
4.1
|
| | | |
|
4.2
|
| | | |
|
4.3
|
| | | |
|
4.4
|
| | Form of Warrant Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company and the Registrant.* | |
|
4.5
|
| | Specimen Rights Certificate.* | |
|
4.6
|
| | Form of Rights Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company and the Registrant.* | |
|
5.1
|
| | | |
|
10.1
|
| | |
|
Exhibit
No. |
| |
Description
|
|
|
10.2
|
| | Form of Investment Management Trust Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company and the Registrant.* | |
|
10.3
|
| | | |
|
10.4
|
| | | |
|
10.5
|
| | | |
|
10.6
|
| | | |
|
10.7
|
| | | |
|
10.8
|
| | Form of Indemnification Agreement.* | |
|
14
|
| | | |
|
23.1
|
| | | |
|
23.2
|
| | | |
|
24
|
| | | |
|
99.1
|
| | | |
|
99.2
|
| | | |
|
99.3
|
| | Nominating committee charter.* | |
|
Name
|
| |
Position
|
| |
Date
|
|
|
/s/ Brad Morse
Brad Morse
|
| |
Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer) |
| |
September 29, 2021
|
|
|
*
M. Grant Farn
|
| |
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer) |
| |
September 29, 2021
|
|
|
*
Conor Hess
|
| |
Vice President
(Principal Accounting Officer) |
| |
September 29, 2021
|
|
|
*
Daniel Silverman
|
| |
Chief Operating Officer and Director
|
| |
September 29, 2021
|
|
|
*
Charles Gwirtsman
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 29, 2021
|
|
|
*
Cary Steinbeck
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 29, 2021
|
|
|
*
Ron Maor
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 29, 2021
|
|
|
*
Daniel Posner
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 29, 2021
|
|
|
*
Chris Wright
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 29, 2021
|
|
|
*
By:
/s/ Brad Morse
Attorney-in-Fact
|
|
Exhibit 1.1
15,000,000 Units
ACCRETION ACQUISITION CORP.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
New York, New York
________, 2021
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Stephens Inc.
65 E 55th Street, 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10022
As Representatives of the Underwriters
named on Schedule A hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Accretion Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement with EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. and Stephens Inc. (each a “Representative” and collectively the “Representatives”) and with the other underwriters named on Schedule A hereto (if any), for which the Representatives are acting as representatives (the Representatives and such other underwriters being collectively referred to herein as the “Underwriters” or, each underwriter individually, an “Underwriter”) as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale of Securities.
1.1 Units.
1.1.1 Purchase of Units. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, severally and not jointly, an aggregate of 15,000,000 units of the Company (the “Firm Units”) at a purchase price (net of discounts and commissions and the Deferred Underwriting Commission described in Section 1.4 below) of $9.45 per Firm Unit. Each Firm Unit consists of one share of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), one right (the “Right(s)”) to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one share of Common Stock upon the consummation of an initial Business Combination (as defined below), and one-half of one redeemable warrant (the “Warrant(s)”) each whole Warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock for $11.50 per share. The Common Stock, Rights, and Warrants included in the Firm Units will not be separately tradable until 90 days after the date hereof unless the Representatives inform the Company of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to the Company filing a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) containing an audited balance sheet reflecting the Company’s receipt of the gross proceeds of the Offering (defined below) and the sale of the Private Warrants (defined below) and issuing a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin; provided that no fractional Warrants will be issued upon separation of the Units and only whole Warrants will trade. The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Units set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A. The Firm Units are to be offered initially to the public (the “Offering”) at the offering price of $10.00 per Firm Unit.
1.1.2 Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Firm Units shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York time, on the second (2nd) Business Day following the commencement of trading of the Firm Units, or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company at the offices of either of the Representatives or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company. The closing of the Offering is referred to herein as the “Closing” and the hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Units is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” Payment for the Firm Units shall be made on the Closing Date through the facilities of Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds. The Company shall receive an aggregate of approximately $153,400,000 net proceeds from the sale of the Firm Units and the Private Warrants (as defined in Section 1.3.2), of which $151,500,000 shall be deposited on the Closing Date into the trust account (the “Trust Account”) established by the Company for the benefit of the Public Stockholders, as described in the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) and pursuant to the terms of an Investment Management Trust Agreement (the “Trust Agreement”) between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“CST&T”) substantially in the form annexed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. The funds deposited in the Trust Account shall include an aggregate of $5,250,000 ($0.35 per Firm Unit), payable to the Representatives as the Deferred Underwriting Commission in respect of the purchased Firm Units, in accordance with Section 1.4 hereof. The remaining proceeds (less actual expense payments or other fees payable pursuant to this Agreement) shall be paid to the order of the Company upon delivery of certificates (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives) representing the Firm Units (or through the facilities of the DTC for the account of the Representatives). The Firm Units shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representatives may request in writing at least two (2) Business Days (defined below) prior to the Closing Date. The Company will permit the Representatives to examine and package the Firm Units for delivery at least one (1) full Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Units except upon tender of payment by the Representatives for all the Firm Units. As used herein, the term “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York are generally are open for use by customers on such day, and the term “Public Stockholders” means the holders of shares of Common Stock sold in the Offering or acquired in the aftermarket, including any of the Insiders (as defined in Section 1.3.1 below) to the extent they acquire such shares of Common Stock in the Offering or in the aftermarket (and solely with respect to such shares).
-2-
1.2 Over-Allotment Option.
1.2.1 The Representatives shall have the option (the “Over-Allotment Option”) to purchase all or less than all of an additional 2,250,000 Units (the “Option Units”) solely for the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Units. Such Option Units shall, at the Representatives’ election, be purchased for each account of the several Underwriters in the same proportion as the number of Firm Units set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name on Schedule A hereto (subject to adjustment by the Representatives to eliminate fractions). Such Option Units shall be identical in all respects to the Firm Units. The Firm Units and the Option Units are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Public Securities.” No Option Units shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Units previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Option Units, or any portion thereof, may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Representatives to the Company. The purchase price to be paid for each Option Unit (net of discounts and commissions, including the Deferred underwriting Commission) will be $9.45 per Option Unit.
1.2.2 Exercise of Option. The Over-Allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Representatives as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Units within forty-five (45) days after the Effective Date (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below). The Representatives will not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Units prior to the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company by the Representatives, which must be confirmed in accordance with Section 10.1 herein setting forth the number of Option Units to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Units, if other than the Closing Date (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be earlier than the Closing Date or be later than ten (10) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives, at the offices of either of the Representatives or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives. Upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, the Company will become obligated to convey to the Representatives, and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Representatives will become obligated to purchase, the number of Option Units specified in such notice.
1.2.3 Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Units shall be made on the Option Closing Date at the Representatives’ election by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds or by certified or bank cashier’s check(s) in New York Clearing House funds, payable as follows: $9.80 per Option Unit shall be deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to the Trust Agreement upon delivery of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) representing the Option Units (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Representatives. The amount to be deposited in the Trust Account will include $0.35 per Option Unit (up to $787,500), payable to the Representatives as the Deferred Underwriting Commission in respect of the purchased Option Units, in accordance with Section 1.4 hereof. The certificates representing the Option Units to be delivered will be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives requests not less than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and will be made available to the Representatives for inspection, checking and packaging at the aforesaid office of the Company’s transfer agent or correspondent not less than one full business day prior to such Closing Date.
-3-
1.3 Private Placements.
1.3.1 In April 2021, the Company issued to Accretion Acquisition Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), for aggregate consideration of $25,000, 4,312,500 shares of common stock (the “Insider Shares”) in a private placement intended to be exempt from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”). No underwriting discounts, commissions or placement fees have been or will be payable in connection with the sale of the Insider Shares. The Insider Shares shall be held in escrow and subject to restrictions on transfer as set forth in the Registration Statement. The Sponsor shall have no right to any liquidation distributions with respect to any portion of the Insider Shares in the event the Company fails to consummate any proposed initial merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination, or entering into contractual arrangements, with one or more businesses or entities (“Business Combination”) within the required time period except with respect to any funds held outside of the Trust Account remaining after payment of all fees and expenses. The Sponsor shall not have conversion rights with respect to the Insider Shares nor shall it be entitled to sell such Insider Shares to the Company in any tender offer in connection with a proposed Business Combination. To the extent that the Over-allotment Option is not exercised by the Underwriters in full or in part, up to 562,500 of the Insider Shares shall be forfeited in an amount necessary to maintain the Sponsor’s 20% ownership interest in the Common Stock after giving effect to the Offering and exercise, if any, of the Underwriters’ Over-allotment Option (and excluding any shares purchased in the Offering by the Sponsor or the Company’s officers, directors or their affiliates (“Insiders”) and the EBC Founder Shares (defined below)).
1.3.2 Simultaneously with the Closing Date, the Sponsor will purchase from the Company pursuant to the Subscription Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24.2 below), an aggregate of 6,400,000 warrants (the “Private Warrants”), at a purchase price of $1.00 per Private Warrant in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) intended to be exempt from registration under the Act. The terms of the Private Warrants are as described in the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below). No underwriting discounts, commissions or placement fees have been or will be payable in connection with the Private Placement. The Sponsor has also agreed that, in the event the Over-allotment Option is exercised, it will purchase up to 675,000 additional Private Warrants and the Company shall cause to be deposited an amount of additional proceeds from the sale of such additional Private Warrants into the Trust Account such that the amount of funds in the Trust Account shall be $10.10 per Public Share sold in the Offering.
1.3.3 In April 2021, the Company issued to EarlyBirdCapital, Inc., for $100.00, 100,000 shares of Common Stock (the “EBC Founder Shares”) in a private placement intended to be exempt from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Act. No underwriting discounts, commissions or placement fees have been or will be payable in connection with the sale of the EBC Founder Shares. The holders of the EBC Founder Shares have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any EBC Founder Shares without the Company’s prior consent until the completion of a Business Combination. The EBC Founder Shares are identical to the shares of Common Stock included in the Firm Units except the holders (i) shall not be entitled to exercise any conversion or redemption rights with respect to such EBC Founder Shares and shall not be entitled to sell any such shares to the Company in any tender offer in connection with a proposed Business Combination or amendment to the Charter Documents (as defined below) relating to pre-Business Combination activity and (ii) will have no right to any liquidation distributions with respect to any portion of the EBC Founder Shares in the event the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within the required time period. The holders of the EBC Founder Shares will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate any of the EBC Founder Shares for a period of 180 days pursuant to FINRA Conduct Rule 5110(e)(1) following the effective date of the Registration Statement to anyone other than (i) the Representatives or an Underwriter or selected dealer in connection with the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of the Representatives or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer. Additionally, pursuant to FINRA Conduct Rule 5110(e), the EBC Founder Shares will not be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the Registration Statement. The certificates for the EBC Founder Shares shall contain legends to reflect the above FINRA and contractual transfer restrictions. The holders of the EBC Founder Shares shall have registration rights as provided for in the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24.5).
-4-
1.4 Deferred Underwriting Commission. The Underwriters agree that 3.5% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Firm Units ($5,250,000) and 3.5% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Option Units (up to $787,500), if any (collectively, the “Deferred Underwriting Commission”), will be deposited and held in the Trust Account and payable directly from the Trust Account, without accrued interest, to the Representatives upon consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination. In the event that the Company is unable to consummate a Business Combination and CST&T, as the trustee of the Trust Account (in this context, the “Trustee”), commences liquidation of the Trust Account as provided in the Trust Agreement, the Representatives agree that: (i) all rights or claims to the Deferred Underwriting Commission shall be forfeited; and (ii) the Deferred Underwriting Commission, together with all other amounts on deposit in the Trust Account, shall be distributed on a pro-rata basis among the Public Stockholders.
1.5 Working Capital; Trust Account Proceeds.
1.5.1 Working Capital. Upon consummation of the Offering, it is intended that approximately $1,550,000 of the proceeds from the sale of the Firm Units and Private Warrants will be released to the Company to fund the working capital requirements of the Company.
1.5.2 Trust Account Proceeds. Prior to the liquidation of the Trust Account in the event the Company has not completed a Business Combination as required by its Charter Documents (the “Termination Date”), interest income on the funds held in the Trust Account may be released to the Company from the Trust Account in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement to pay any taxes incurred by the Company, all as more fully described in the Prospectus.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as follows:
2.1 Filing of Registration Statement.
2.1.1 Pursuant to the Act. The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-258925), including any related preliminary prospectus (the “Preliminary Prospectus”, including any prospectus that is included in the registration statement immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement), for the registration of the Public Securities under the Act, which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Act, and the rules and regulations (the “Regulations”) of the Commission under the Act. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (“Effective Date”) (including the prospectus, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430A of the Regulations), is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement,” and the form of the final prospectus dated the Effective Date included in the Registration Statement (or, if applicable, the form of final prospectus containing information permitted to be omitted at the time of effectiveness by Rule 430A of the Regulations, filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 of the Regulations), is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, “Time of Sale,” as used in the Act, means 5:00 p.m. New York City time, on the date of this Agreement. Prior to the Time of Sale, the Company prepared a Preliminary Prospectus, which was included in the Registration Statement filed on _________, 2021, for distribution by the Underwriter (such Preliminary Prospectus used most recently prior to the Time of Sale, the “Statutory Prospectus”). Unless otherwise specified, any reference herein to the “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include any Registration Statement filed by the Company on the date hereof pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act registering additional securities (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”). Other than a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and the Form 8-A referred to below in Section 2.1.2, no other document with respect to the Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission. All of the Public Securities have been or will be registered under the Act pursuant to the Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof. If, subsequent to the date of this Agreement, the Company or the Representatives have determined that at the Time of Sale the Statutory Prospectus included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted a statement of material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and have agreed to provide an opportunity to purchasers of the Firm Units to terminate their old purchase contracts and enter into new purchase contracts, then the Statutory Prospectus will be deemed to include any additional information available to purchasers at the time of entry into the first such new purchase contract.
-5-
2.1.2 Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File Number 001-_____) providing for the registration under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of the Units, Common Stock, Rights and Warrants. The registration of the Units, Common Stock, Rights and Warrants under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
2.2 No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any foreign or state regulatory authority has issued any order or threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the use of any Statutory Prospectus or Prospectus or has instituted or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an order.
2.3 Disclosures in Registration Statement.
2.3.1 10b-5 Representation. At the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement (or at the effective time of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement) and at all times subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date, the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus contained or will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Act and the Regulations, and did or will, in all material respects, conform to the requirements of the Act and the Regulations. On the Effective Date and at the Time of Sale, the Registration Statement did not, and on the Closing Date it will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and at the Time of Sale, the Statutory Prospectus does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the representation and warranty made in this Section 2.3.1 does not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Underwriters expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, which information, it is agreed, shall consist solely of the names of the Underwriters and the second and third sentences of the subsection titled “Underwriting Discount,” and the subsections titled “Price Stabilization, Short Positions,” “Determination of Offering Price,” “Electronic Distribution” and “Selling Restrictions” included in the section captioned “Underwriting.”
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2.3.2 Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus conform to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which its property or business is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement or attached as an exhibit thereto, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in all material respects accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the foreign, federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought, and none of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in breach or default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a breach or default thereunder. To the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses, including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.
2.3.3 Prior Securities Transactions. No securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company since the date of the Company’s formation, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement.
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2.3.4 Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus concerning the effects of foreign, federal, state and local regulation on the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.
2.4 Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.
2.4.1 No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or business prospects of the Company; (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) no member of the Company’s board of directors or management has resigned from any position with the Company; and (iv) no event or occurrence has taken place which materially impairs, or would likely materially impair, with the passage of time, the ability of the members of the Company’s board of directors or management to act in their capacities with the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
2.4.2 Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or therein, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its shares.
2.5 Independent Accountants. Marcum LLP (“Marcum”), whose report is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, are independent registered public accountants as required by the Act, the Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), including the rules and regulations promulgated by such entity. To the Company’s knowledge, Marcum is duly registered and in good standing with the PCAOB. Marcum has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
2.6 Financial Statements; Statistical Data.
2.6.1 Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, fairly present in all material respects the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved; and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein in conformity with the Regulations. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus. The Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus disclose all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, prospects, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. There are no pro forma or as adjusted financial statements which are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus in accordance with Regulation S-X of the Regulations which have not been included as so required.
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2.6.2 Statistical Data. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and/or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
2.7 Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had at the date or dates indicated in each of the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, as the case may be, duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted share capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date, there will be no options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into shares of Common Stock, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
2.8 Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.
2.8.1 Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The outstanding shares of Common Stock conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. All offers, sales and any transfers of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company were at all relevant times either registered under the Act and the applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws (based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of the shares of Common Stock) or exempt from such registration requirements.
2.8.2 Securities To Be Sold.
2.8.2.1 The Public Securities have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and when issued and paid for in accordance with this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Public Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Public Securities has been duly and validly taken. The Public Securities conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, as the case may be.
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2.8.2.2 The Private Warrants (and underlying securities) have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and when issued and paid for in accordance with the Subscription Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Private Warrants are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Private Warrants has been duly and validly taken. The Private Warrants conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, as the case may be. The offer and sale of the Private Warrants was exempt from the registration requirements of the Act.
2.8.2.3 The Insider Shares have been duly authorized, duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Insider Shares are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Insider Shares has been duly and validly taken. The Insider Shares conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, as the case may be.
2.8.2.4 The EBC Founder Shares have been duly authorized, duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the EBC Founder Shares are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the EBC Founder Shares has been duly and validly taken. The EBC Founder Shares conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, as the case may be.
2.8.3 No Integration. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has, prior to the date hereof, made any offer or sale of any securities which are required to be “integrated” pursuant to the Act or the Regulations with the offer and sale of the Public Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
2.9 Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.
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2.10 Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement, the Trust Agreement, the Subscription Agreement, the Services Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24.6 below), the Rights Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Escrow Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24.7) and the Registration Rights Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and, when executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto, will constitute valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under foreign, federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.11 No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery, and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a breach or violation of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company is a party or bound or to which its property is subject except pursuant to the Trust Agreement; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended (collectively, the “Charter Documents”); or (iii) violate any existing applicable statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, business or assets.
2.12 No Defaults; Violations. No material default or violation exists in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not in violation of any term or provision of its Charter Documents or in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties or businesses.
2.13 Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.13.1 Conduct of Business. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business for the purposes described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus concerning the effects of foreign, federal, state and local regulation on this Offering and the Company’s business purpose as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Since its formation and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Company has conducted no business and has incurred no liabilities other than in connection with its formation and in furtherance of the Offering.
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2.13.2 Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency or other body, foreign or domestic, is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery, of the Public Securities, Private Warrants and EBC Founder Shares and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by the Transaction Documents and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus, except with respect to applicable foreign, federal and state securities laws and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
2.14 D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s officers and directors immediately prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement and provided to the Representatives, as such Questionnaires may have been updated from time to time and confirmed by each of the respondents, as well as the biographies previously provided to the Representatives, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become inaccurate and incorrect.
2.15 Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the Company’s officers and directors, which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus that is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus.
2.16 Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
2.17 No Contemplation of a Business Combination. The Company does not have any specific Business Combination under consideration and it has not (nor has anyone on its behalf), directly or indirectly, contacted any prospective business (each, a “Target Business”) or had any substantive discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to such a transaction with the Company.
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2.18 Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.
2.18.1 To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “FINRA Questionnaires”) completed by each Company Affiliate (defined below in Section 2.18.4) and provided to the Representatives, as such FINRA Questionnaires may have been updated from time to time and confirmed by each of the respondents, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the FINRA Questionnaires to become inaccurate and incorrect.
2.18.2 Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Company Affiliate with respect to the sale of the Public Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Insider that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.18.3 Except as described herein or in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) to any “participating member,” as defined in FINRA Rule 5110, with respect to the offering (“Participataing Member”); or (iii) to any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any Participating Member, within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement with the Commission.
2.18.4 To the Company’s knowledge, except as set forth in the FINRA Questionnaires, no officer or director or any direct or indirect beneficial owner of 10% or greater of any class of the Company’s securities, including the Insiders and holders of securities to be purchased in the Private Placement (whether debt or equity, registered or unregistered, regardless of the time acquired or the source from which derived) (any such individual or entity, a “Company Affiliate”) is a Participating Member, or a person associated or affiliated with a Participating Member.
2.18.5 Except as set forth in the FINRA Questionnaires, no Company Affiliate is an owner of stock or other securities of a Participating Member (other than securities purchased on the open market).
2.18.6 To the Company’s knowledge, except as set forth in the FINRA Questionnaires, no Company Affiliate has made a subordinated loan to any Participating Member.
2.18.7 No proceeds from the sale of the Public Securities or Private Warrants (excluding underwriting compensation) will be paid to any Participating Member, or any persons associated or affiliated with a Participating Member, except as specifically authorized herein.
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2.18.8 The Company has not issued any warrants or other securities, or granted any options, directly or indirectly to anyone who is a Participating Member within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement with the Commission, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
2.18.9 To the Company’s knowledge, except as set forth in the FINRA Questionnaires, no person to whom securities of the Company have been privately issued within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement with the Commission has any relationship or affiliation or association with any Participating Member.
2.18.10 To the Company’s knowledge, no Participating Member has a conflict of interest (as defined by FINRA rules) with the Company.
2.18.11 Except with respect to the Representatives in connection with the Offering, the Company has not entered into any agreement or arrangement (including, without limitation, any consulting agreement or any other type of agreement) during the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement with the Commission, which arrangement or agreement provides for the receipt of any item of value and/or the transfer or issuance of any warrants, options, or other securities from the Company to a Participating Member, any person associated with a Participating Member, any potential underwriters in the Offering and/or any related persons.
2.19 Taxes.
2.19.1 There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under U.S. federal law or the laws of any U.S. state or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance or sale by the Company of the Public Securities.
2.19.2 The Company has filed all U.S. federal, state and local tax returns that are required to be a filed or has requested extensions thereof, except in any case in which the failure to so file would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing in due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
2.20 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of the Company’s officers or directors or any other person acting on behalf of the Company is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that: (i) would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”) or otherwise subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding; (ii) if not done in the past, might reasonably be expected to have had a Material Adverse Effect or (iii) if not continued in the future, might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the assets, business or operations of the Company, including, without limitation, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction). The Company’s internal accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply with the FCPA.
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2.21 Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transaction Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
2.22 Bank Secrecy Act; Money Laundering; Patriot Act. Neither the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any Company Affiliate, has violated: (i) the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended, (ii) the Money Laundering Laws or (iii) the Uniting and Strengthening of America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001, and/or the rules and regulations promulgated under any such law, or any successor law.
2.23 Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or to their counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2.24 Agreements With Company Affiliates.
2.24.1 Insider Letters. The Company has caused to be duly executed legally binding and enforceable agreements (except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification contribution provision may be limited under foreign, federal and state securities laws, and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought) in the form annexed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Insider Letters”), pursuant to which each of the Insiders agrees to certain matters, including but not limited to, the voting of the shares of Common Stock held by them and certain matters described as being agreed to by them under the “Proposed Business” section of the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus.
2.24.2 Subscription Agreement. The Sponsor has executed and delivered the subscription agreement, the form of which is annexed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Subscription Agreement”), pursuant to which the Sponsor has agreed, among other things, that it will purchase on the Closing Date the Private Warrants in the Private Placement. Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, the Sponsor has waived any and all rights and claims it may have to any proceeds, and any interest thereon, held in the Trust Account in respect of the shares of Common Stock underlying the Private Warrants in the event that a Business Combination is not consummated and the Trust Account is liquidated in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement.
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2.24.3 Non-Competition/Solicitation. To the Company’s knowledge, no officer or director is subject to any non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer which could materially affect such individuals’ ability to be and act in the capacity of a director or officer of the Company, as applicable.
2.24.4 Loans. The Sponsor has agreed to make loans to the Company in the aggregate amount of up to $150,000, as described in the Registration Statement (the “Insider Loan”). The Insider Loan will not bear any interest and will be repayable by the Company on the consummation of the Offering.
2.24.5 Registration Rights Agreement. The Company, the Insiders and the Representatives have entered into a registration rights agreement (“Registration Rights Agreement”) substantially in the form annexed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, whereby such parties will be entitled to certain registration rights with respect to their securities, as set forth in such Registration Rights Agreement and described more fully in the Registration Statement.
2.24.6 Administrative Services. The Company has entered into an agreement (“Services Agreement”) with the Sponsor, substantially in the form annexed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, pursuant to which the Sponsor will make available to the Company, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, general and administrative services including office space, utilities and secretarial support for the Company’s use for approximately $10,000 per month payable until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination or the liquidation of the Trust Account.
2.24.7 Escrow Agreement. The Company has caused the holders of the Insider Shares to enter into an escrow agreement (the “Escrow Agreement”) with CST&T substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement whereby the Insider Shares will be held in escrow by CST&T for a period (the “Escrow Period”) commencing on the Effective Date and expiring on the earlier of the six-month anniversary of the consummation of the Business Combination or earlier in certain limited situations. During the Escrow Period, such parties shall be prohibited from selling or otherwise transferring such Insider Shares, except in certain limited circumstances set forth in the Escrow Agreement. To the Company’s knowledge, the Escrow Agreement is enforceable against the holders of Insider Shares and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, result in a breach of, or conflict with, any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, an agreement or instrument to which the holders of the Insider Shares is a party.
2.25 Investment Management Trust Agreement. The Company has entered into the Trust Agreement with respect to certain proceeds of the Offering and the Private Placement substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, pursuant to which the funds held in the Trust Account may be released under limited circumstances. The Trust Agreement shall not be amended, modified or otherwise changed in any way that modifies the rights or obligations of the Company without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
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2.26 Rights Agreement. The Company has entered into a rights agreement with respect to the Rights with CST&T substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Rights Agreement”).
2.27 Warrant Agreement. The Company has entered into a warrant agreement with respect to the Warrants, Private Warrants and any other warrants that may be issued by the Company with CST&T substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Warrant Agreement”).
2.28 Investments. No more than 45% of the “value” (as defined in Section 2(a)(41) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Investment Company Act”)) of the Company’s total assets (exclusive of cash items and “Government Securities,” as defined in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act) consist of, and no more than 45% of the Company’s net income after taxes is derived from, securities other than Government Securities.
2.29 Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Public Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act.
2.30 Subsidiaries. The Company does not own an interest in any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other business entity.
2.31 Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or any Company Affiliate, on the one hand, and any director, officer, customer or supplier of the Company or any Company Affiliate, on the other hand, which is required by the Act, the Exchange Act or the Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, which is not so described as required. There are no outstanding loans, advances or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company has not extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or officer of the Company.
2.32 No Influence. The Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, the Firm Units to any person or entity with the intention of unlawfully influencing: (a) a customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or such affiliate or (b) a journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any such affiliate.
2.33 Sarbanes-Oxley. The Company is in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended (“SOX”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and related or similar rules and regulations promulgated by any governmental or self-regulatory entity or agency, that are applicable to it as of the date hereof.
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2.34 Nasdaq Eligibility. As of the Effective Date, the Public Securities have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”), subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and when applicable), and immediately following the effectiveness of the Registration Statement the Company will be in compliance with, the rules of Nasdaq, as amended.
2.35 Emerging Growth Status. From the date of the Company’s formation through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).
2.36 Free-Writing Prospectus and Testing-the-Waters. The Company has not made any offer relating to the Public Securities that would constitute an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405. The Company (a) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Act and (b) has not authorized anyone to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications other than its officers and the Representatives and individuals engaged by the Representatives. The Company has not distributed any written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule B hereto. As used herein, “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act.
2.37 Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company maintains effective “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined under Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act to the extent required by such rule).
2.38 Definition of “Knowledge”. As used in herein, the term “knowledge of the Company” (or similar language) shall mean the knowledge of the Company’s executive officers and directors, with the assumption that such officers and directors shall have made reasonable and diligent inquiry of the matters presented.
3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company will deliver to the Representatives, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and shall not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives shall reasonably object in writing.
3.2 Federal Securities Laws.
3.2.1 Compliance. During the time when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the Act, the Company will use all reasonable efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Act, the Regulations and the Exchange Act and by the regulations under the Exchange Act, as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Public Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Prospectus. If at any time when a Prospectus relating to the Public Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event shall have occurred as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary during such period to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will notify the Representatives promptly and prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3.1 hereof, an appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.
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3.2.2 Filing of Final Prospectus. The Company will promptly file the Prospectus (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Rule 424 of the Regulations.
3.2.3 Exchange Act Registration. For a period of five years from the Effective Date (except in connection with a going private transaction), or until such earlier time upon which the Trust Account is to be liquidated if a Business Combination has not been consummated by the Termination Date: the Company (i) will use its best efforts to maintain the registration of the Common Stock, Rights, and Warrants under the provisions of the Exchange Act and (ii) will not deregister the Common Stock, Rights, or Warrants under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
3.2.4 Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that it will not make any offer relating to the Public Securities that would constitute an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act.
3.2.5 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. As soon as it is legally required to do so, the Company shall take all actions necessary to obtain and thereafter maintain material compliance with each applicable provision of SOX and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and related or similar rules and regulations promulgated by any other governmental or self-regulatory entity or agency with jurisdiction over the Company.
3.3 Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the earlier of five years after the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination, or the liquidation of the Trust Account if a Business Combination is not consummated by the Termination Date.
3.4 Intentionally Omitted.
3.5 Delivery of Materials to Underwriters. The Company will deliver to each of the several Underwriters, without charge and from time to time during the period when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the Act or the Exchange Act, such number of copies of each Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents as such Underwriters may reasonably request.
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3.6 Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representatives. The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective and will notify the Representatives immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any foreign or state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.6 hereof that, in the judgment of the Company or its counsel, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus in order to make the statements therein (with respect to the Prospectus and the Statutory Prospectus and in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading. If the Commission or any foreign or state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company will make every reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
3.7 Review of Financial Statements. Until the earlier of five years from the Effective Date, or until the liquidation of the Trust Account if a Business Combination is not consummated by the Termination Date, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent certified public accountants to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the first three fiscal quarters prior to the announcement of quarterly financial information, the filing of the Company’s Form 10-Q quarterly report.
3.8 Affiliated Transactions.
3.8.1 Business Combinations. The Company will not consummate a Business Combination with an entity that is affiliated with any Insider unless in each case the Company obtains an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that the Business Combination is fair to the Company from a financial point of view and a majority of the Company’s disinterested and independent directors (if there are any) approve such transaction.
3.8.2 Compensation. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Company shall not pay any Insider or Company Affiliate or any of their affiliates any fees or compensation for services rendered to the Company prior to, or in connection with, either this Offering or the Business Combination.
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3.9 Secondary Market Trading and Standard & Poor’s. If the Company does not maintain the listing of the Public Securities on Nasdaq or another national securities exchange, the Company will (i) apply to be included in Standard & Poor’s Daily News and Corporation Records Corporate Descriptions for a period of five years from the consummation of a Business Combination, (ii) take such commercially reasonable steps as may be necessary to obtain a secondary market trading exemption for the Company’s securities in the State of California and (iii) take such other action as may be reasonably requested by the Representatives to obtain a secondary market trading exemption in such other states as may be requested by the Representatives; provided that no qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Company would be subject to service of general process or to taxation as a foreign corporation doing business in such jurisdiction.
3.10 Reports to the Representatives.
3.10.1 Periodic Reports, etc. For a period of five years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated and dissolved, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and their counsel copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities, and promptly furnish to the Representatives: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission; (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company; (iii) a copy of each Current Report on Form 8-K and any Schedules 13D, 13G, 14D-1 or 13E-4 received or prepared by the Company; (iv) five copies of each registration statement filed by the Company with the Commission under the Securities Act; and (v) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request; provided that the Representatives shall sign, if requested by the Company, a Regulation FD compliant confidentiality agreement which is reasonably acceptable to the Representatives and its counsel in connection with the Representatives’ receipt of such information. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”) shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Representatives pursuant to this section.
3.10.2 For a period of five years following the Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company shall retain a transfer agent and warrant agent acceptable to the Representatives. CST&T is acceptable to the Underwriters.
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3.11 Payment of Expenses. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at Closing Date, or such later date as may be agreed to by the Representatives in their sole discretion, all fees and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (i) the preparation, printing, filing and mailing (including the payment of postage with respect to such mailing) of the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, and the final Prospectus and mailing of this Agreement and related documents, including the cost of all copies thereof and any amendments thereof or supplements thereto supplied to the Underwriters in quantities as may be required by the Underwriters; (ii) the printing, engraving, issuance and delivery of the Units, Common Stock, Rights, and Warrants included in the Units, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon; (iii) Nasdaq filing fees or, if necessary, the qualification of the Public Securities under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws; (iv) fees and expenses (including legal fees of the Representatives’ counsel not to exceed $15,000) incurred in registering the Offering with FINRA; (v) fees and disbursements of the transfer and warrant agent; (vi) all costs and expenses of the Company associated with “road show” marketing and “due diligence” trips for the Company’s management to meet with prospective investors, including without limitation, all travel, food and lodging expenses associated with such trips incurred by the Company or such management; (vii) the expenses of transaction “bibles” and Lucite cube “mementos,” not to exceed $3,000; and (viii) all other costs and expenses customarily borne by an issuer incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 3.12. The Company also agrees that it will pay for an investigative search firm of the Representatives’ choice to conduct an investigation of the principals of the Company as shall be mutually selected by the Representatives and the Company (not to exceed $3,500 per individual, or $45,000 in the aggregate). If the Offering is consummated, the Representatives may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date the expenses set forth above (which shall be mutually agreed upon between the Company and the Representatives prior to the Closing Date) to be paid by the Company to the Representatives and others. If the Offering is not consummated for any reason (other than a breach by the Representatives of any of their obligations hereunder), then the Company shall reimburse the Representatives in full for their out-of-pocket accountable expenses actually incurred through such date, including, without limitation, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Representatives.
3.12 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from this Offering received by it in a manner substantially consistent with the application described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.
3.13 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first day of the sixteenth full calendar month following the Effective Date, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent public or independent certified public accountants unless required by the Act or the Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Act) covering a period of at least twelve consecutive months beginning after the Effective Date.
3.14 Notice to FINRA.
3.14.1 Assistance with Business Combination. For a period of sixty days following the Effective Date, in the event any person or entity (regardless of any FINRA affiliation or association) is engaged to assist the Company in its search for a Business Combination candidate or to provide any similar Business Combination-related services, the Company will provide the following information (the “Business Combination Information”) to the Representatives: (i) complete details of all services and copies of agreements governing such services (which details or agreements may be appropriately redacted to account for privilege or confidentiality concerns); and (ii) justification as to why the person or entity providing the Business Combination-related services should not be considered an “underwriter and related person” with respect to the Company’s initial public offering, as such term is defined in Rule 5110 of FINRA’s Conduct Rules. The Company also agrees that proper disclosure of such arrangement or potential arrangement will be made in the proxy statement which the Company will file for purposes of soliciting shareholder approval for the Business Combination. Upon the Company’s delivery of the Business Combination Information to the Representatives, the Company hereby expressly authorizes the Representatives to provide such information directly to FINRA as a result of representations the Representatives have made to FINRA in connection with the Offering.
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3.14.2 Broker/Dealer. In the event the Company intends to register as a broker/dealer, merge with or acquire a registered broker/dealer, or otherwise become a member of FINRA, it shall promptly notify the Representatives.
3.15 Stabilization. Neither the Company, nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, officers, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representatives) has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
3.16 Internal Controls. From and after the Closing Date, the Company will maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
3.17 Accountants. For a period of five years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Trust Account is required to be liquidated, the Company shall retain Marcum or other independent public accountants reasonably acceptable to the Representatives.
3.18 Form 8-K’s. The Company has retained Marcum to audit the balance sheet of the Company as of the Closing Date (the “Audited Balance Sheet”) reflecting the receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering and the Private Placement. Within four (4) Business Days of the Closing Date, the Company shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which Report shall contain the Company’s Audited Balance Sheet. If the Over-Allotment Option has not been exercised on the Effective Date, the Company will also file an amendment to the Form 8-K, or a new Form 8-K, to provide updated financial information of the Company to reflect the exercise and consummation of the Over-Allotment Option.
3.19 FINRA. Until the Option Closing Date, if any, the Company shall advise the Representatives if it is aware that any 10% or greater shareholder of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the distribution of the Public Securities.
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3.20 Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters necessary to carry out the provisions of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been done to the reasonable satisfaction to counsel for the Underwriters.
3.21 Investment Company. The Company shall cause the proceeds of the Offering to be held in the Trust Account to be invested only as set forth in the Trust Agreement as in effect on the date hereof and disclosed in the Prospectus. The Company will otherwise conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act. Furthermore, once the Company consummates a Business Combination, it will be engaged in a business other than that of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading securities.
3.22 Press Releases. The Company agrees that it will not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without the Representatives’ prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), for a period of twenty-five (25) days after the Closing Date; provided that in no event shall the Company be prohibited from issuing any press release or engaging in any other publicity required by law.
3.23 Electronic Prospectus. The Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered to the Representatives, at its expense, promptly, but in no event later than two (2) Business Days from the effective date of this Agreement, an Electronic Prospectus to be used by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering. As used herein, the term “Electronic Prospectus” means a form of prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, that meets each of the following conditions: (i) it shall be encoded in an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representatives, that may be transmitted electronically by the other Underwriters to offerees and purchasers of the shares of Common Stock for at least the period during which a Prospectus relating to the shares of Common Stock is required to be delivered under the Act; (ii) it shall disclose the same information as the paper prospectus and prospectus filed pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent that graphic and image material cannot be disseminated electronically, in which case such graphic and image material shall be replaced in the electronic prospectus with a fair and accurate narrative description or tabular representation of such material, as appropriate; and (iii) it shall be in or convertible into a paper format or an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representatives, that will allow recipients thereof to store and have continuously ready access to the prospectus at any future time, without charge to such recipients (other than any fee charged for subscription to the Internet as a whole and for on-line time). The Company hereby confirms that it has included or will include in the Prospectus filed pursuant to EDGAR or otherwise with the Commission and in the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective an undertaking that, upon receipt of a request by an investor or his or her representative within the period when a prospectus relating to the shares of Common Stock is required to be delivered under the Act, the Company shall transmit or cause to be transmitted promptly, without charge, a paper copy of the Prospectus.
3.24 Future Financings. The Company agrees that neither it, nor any successor or subsidiary of the Company, will consummate any public or private equity or debt financing prior to or in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, unless all investors in such financing expressly waive, in writing, any rights in or claims against the Trust Account.
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3.25 Nasdaq Maintenance. Until the consummation of a Business Combination, the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing by Nasdaq of the Units and the Common Stock, Rights, and Warrants included within the Units.
3.26 Private Placement Proceeds. On the Closing Date, the Company shall cause to be deposited $4,500,000 of proceeds from the Private Placement into the Trust Account. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Company shall cause to be deposited an amount of additional proceeds from the additional Private Warrants sold on the Option Closing Date into the Trust Account such that the amount of funds in the Trust Account shall be $10.10 per Public Share sold in the Offering.
3.27 Reservation of Shares. The Company will reserve and keep available that maximum number of its authorized but unissued securities which are issuable pursuant to the Rights, Warrants and the Private Warrants (as well as any other warrants that may be issued and covered by the Warrant Agreement) outstanding from time to time.
3.28 Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly (i) notify the Representatives so that use of the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Representatives in such quantities as may be reasonably requested.
3.29 Payment of Deferred Underwriting Commission on Business Combination. Upon the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination, the Company agrees that it will cause the Trustee to pay the Deferred Underwriting Commission directly from the Trust Account to the Representatives, in accordance with Section 1.4.
3.30 Right of First Refusal.
3.30.1 The Representatives are hereby granted a right of first refusal for a period commencing on the consummation of this Offering and continuing until the earlier of the consummation of an initial Business Combination or the liquidation of the Trust Account in the event that the Company fails to consummate an initial Business Combination within the prescribed time period (but in no event longer than three years from the consummation of this Offering), to act as joint book running managers, placement agents and/or arrangers (with the Representatives on the cover page of any offering materials related to such financing and holding the role and responsibilities conventionally understood to be associated with such name placement, including, without limitation, billing, delivery and stabilization), as the case may be, for all financings where the Company seeks to raise equity, equity-linked, debt or mezzanine financings relating to or in connection with a Business Combination and to receive at least 50% of the aggregate gross spread or fees from any and all such financings (such gross spread or fees in any and all such financings to be mutually determined in good faith by the Company and the Representatives and based on the prevailing market for similar transactions).
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3.29.2 For a period of one year from the consummation of the Business Combination, or for a period of three years from the consummation of this Offering, the Representatives shall have the right to act as lead underwriter for the next U.S.-registered public offering of securities undertaken by the Company or any entity controlled by Brad Morse for the purpose of raising capital and placing 90% or more of the proceeds in a trust (or similar) account to be used to acquire one or more operating businesses which have not been identified at the time of the capital raising transaction. The terms of such offering shall be mutually determined in good faith by Mr. Morse and the Representatives and will be based on the prevailing market for similar offerings.
4. Conditions.
4.1 Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Public Securities, as provided herein, shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof and to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following conditions:
4.1.1 Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1.1 Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by the Representatives, and, at the Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for the purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or contemplated by the Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with.
4.1.1.2 FINRA Clearance. By the Effective Date, the Representatives shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.1.3 No Commission Stop Order. At the Closing Date, the Commission has not issued any order or threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any part thereof, and has not instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an order.
4.1.1.4 Nasdaq Listing. The Public Securities shall have been approved for listing on Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution.
4.1.2 Company Counsel Matters.
4.1.2.1 Opinion of Company Counsel. On each of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinions (along with negative assurance letters) of Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, counsel to the Company, addressed to the Representatives as representative for the several Underwriters and in form mutually agreed to by the Company and the Representatives.
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4.1.2.2 Reliance. In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely: (i) as to matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of the United States and jurisdictions in which they are admitted, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to the extent specified in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives) of other counsel reasonably acceptable to the Representatives, familiar with the applicable laws; and (ii) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates or other written statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments of various jurisdiction having custody of documents respecting the corporate existence or good standing of the Company, provided that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to the Underwriters’ counsel if requested. The opinions of counsels for the Company and any opinion relied upon by such counsel for the Company shall include a statement to the effect that it may be relied upon by counsel for the Underwriters in its opinion delivered to the Underwriters.
4.1.3 Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed, and at the Closing Date and Option Closing Date, if any, the Representatives shall have received a letter, addressed to the Representatives as representative for the several Underwriters and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects (including the non-material nature of the changes or decreases, if any, referred to in clause (iii) below) to the Representatives from Marcum dated, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date and Option Closing Date, if any:
(i) Confirming that they are independent accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable Regulations and that they have not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act;
(ii) Stating that in their opinion the financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published Regulations thereunder;
(iii) Stating that, on the basis of a limited review which included a reading of the latest available unaudited interim financial statements of the Company (with an indication of the date of the latest available unaudited interim financial statements), a reading of the latest available minutes of the shareholders and board of directors and the various committees of the board of directors, consultations with officers and other employees of the Company responsible for financial and accounting matters and other specified procedures and inquiries, nothing has come to their attention which would lead them to believe that: (a) the unaudited financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Regulations or are not fairly presented in conformity with GAAP applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus; or (b) at a date immediately prior to the Effective Date or Closing Date, as the case may be, there was any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, or any decrease in the shareholders’ equity of the Company as compared with amounts shown in the December 31, 2020 balance sheet included in the Registration Statement, other than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if there was any decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease, and (c) during the period from December 31, 2020 to a specified date immediately prior to the Effective Date or Closing Date, as the case may be, there was any changes in revenues, net earnings (losses), or net earnings (losses) per share, in each case as compared with the Statement of Operations for the period from August 11, 2020 (Inception) to December 31, 2020 included in the Registration Statement, or, if there was any such change, setting forth the amount of such change;
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(iv) Stating that they have compared specific dollar amounts, numbers of shares, percentages of revenues and earnings, statements and other financial information pertaining to the Company set forth in the Registration Statement in each case to the extent that such amounts, numbers, percentages, statements and information may be derived from the general accounting records, including work sheets, of the Company and excluding any questions requiring an interpretation by legal counsel, with the results obtained from the application of specified readings, inquiries and other appropriate procedures (which procedures do not constitute an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) set forth in the letter and found them to be in agreement; and
(v) Statements as to such other matters incident to the transaction contemplated hereby as the Representatives may reasonably request.
4.1.4 Officers’ Certificates.
4.1.4.1 Officers’ Certificate. As of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Chairman of the Board or Chief Executive Officer (in their capacities as such), respectively, to the effect that the Company has performed all covenants and complied with all conditions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Company prior to and as of the Closing Date and that the conditions set forth in Section 4.1.5 hereof have been satisfied as of such date and that, as of Closing Date, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2 hereof are true and correct. In addition, the Representatives will have received such other and further certificates of officers of the Company as the Representatives may reasonably request.
4.1.4.2 Secretary’s Certificate. As of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, respectively, certifying: (i) that the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, as amended, of the Company are true and complete, have not been modified and are in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission; (iv) all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and Nasdaq; and (v) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
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4.1.5 No Material Changes. Prior to each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no material adverse change or development involving a material adverse change in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus; (ii) no action suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Company Affiliate before or by any court or foreign, federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may materially adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Act against the Company and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Act and the Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Regulations, and none of the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading.
4.1.6 Delivery of Agreements. On the Effective Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives executed copies of the Transaction Documents.
4.1.7 Private Warrants. On the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as applicable, the Private Warrants have been purchased as provided for in the Subscription Agreement and the purchase price for such securities shall be deposited into the Trust Account to the extent provided herein.
5. Indemnification.
5.1 Indemnification of Underwriters.
5.1.1 General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of the Underwriters and each dealer selected by the Representatives that participates in the offer and sale of the Public Securities (each a “Selected Dealer”) and each of their respective directors, officers, partners and employees and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter or Selected Dealer (“Controlling Person”) within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, and its counsel, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriters and the Company or between any of the Underwriters and any third party or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or any other foreign, federal, state or local statute, law, rule, regulation or ordinance or at common law or otherwise or under the laws, rules and regulation of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) in any post-effective amendment or amendments or any new registration statement and prospectus relating to any of the Public Securities; or (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5 collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Public Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any foreign or state securities commission or agency, Nasdaq (in each case other than statements contained in the section captioned “Selling Restrictions”); or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to an Underwriter by or on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereof, or in any application, as the case may be, which furnished written information, it is expressly agreed, consists solely of the information described in the last clause of Section 2.3.1, beginning “provided, however.” With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Preliminary Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Public Securities to such person as required by the Act and the Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.4 hereof. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representatives of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or controlling persons in connection with the issue and sale of the Public Securities or in connection with the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
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5.1.2 Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter or controlling person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval of such Underwriter) and payment of actual expenses. Such Underwriter or controlling person shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter or such controlling person unless: (i) the employment of such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such action; (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action; or (iii) counsel to such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter and/or controlling person shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if the Underwriter or controlling person shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company shall have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.
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5.2 Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, and employees and agents who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and its counsel, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, written information furnished to the Company with respect to such Underwriter by or on behalf of the Underwriter expressly for use in such Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any such application, which furnished written information, it is expressly agreed, consists solely of the information described in the last clause of Section 2.3.1, beginning “provided, however.” In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of Section 5.1.2.
5.3 Contribution.
5.3.1 Contribution Rights. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution under the Act in any case in which (i) any person entitled to indemnification under this Section 5 makes claim for indemnification pursuant hereto but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that this Section 5 provides for indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise may be required on the part of any such person in circumstances for which indemnification is provided under this Section 5 but is unavailable, then, and in each such case, the Company and the Underwriters shall contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by said indemnity agreement incurred by the Company and the Underwriters, as incurred, in such proportions that the Underwriters are responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that the underwriting discount appearing on the cover page of the Prospectus bears to the initial offering price appearing thereon and the Company is responsible for the balance; provided, that, no person guilty of a fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Public Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay in respect of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses. For purposes of this Section, each director, officer and employee of an Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Underwriters or the Company, as applicable.
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5.3.2 Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representatives) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the omission to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representatives of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid fifteen days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding effected by such party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding effected by such party seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in this Section are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5.3 are several and not joint.
6. Default by an Underwriter.
6.1 Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Units. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Units and if the number of the Firm Units with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Units that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Units to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.
6.2 Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Units. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 above relates to more than 10% of the Firm Units, the Representatives may, in its discretion, arrange for it or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Units to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Units the Representatives does not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Units, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase said Firm Units on such terms. In the event that neither the Representatives nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Units to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.12 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other several Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
6.3 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Units to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement and/or the Prospectus, as the case may be, or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to, or to supplement, the Registration Statement and/or the Prospectus, as the case may be, that in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such securities.
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7. Additional Covenants.
7.1 Additional Shares or Options. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Company hereby agrees that until the Company consummates a Business Combination, it shall not issue any shares of Common Stock or any options or other securities convertible into shares of Common Stock or any preferred shares which participate in any manner in the Trust Account or which vote on a Business Combination.
7.2 Trust Account Waiver Acknowledgments. The Company hereby agrees that, prior to commencing its due diligence investigation of any Target Business or obtaining the services of any vendor, it will use its best efforts to have such Target Business or vendor acknowledge in writing, whether through a letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle or other similar document (and subsequently acknowledges the same in any definitive document replacing any of the foregoing), that (a) it has read the Prospectus, and understands that the Company has established the Trust Account, initially in an amount of $151,500,000 for the benefit of the Public Stockholders and that, except for the interest earned on the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Company may disburse monies from the Trust Account only: (i) to the Public Stockholders in the event of the conversion of their shares upon consummation of a Business Combination or amendment to the Company’s Charter relating to pre-Business Combination activity, (ii) to the Public Stockholders in connection with the Company’s liquidation in the event the Company is unable to consummate a Business Combination within the required time period or (iii) to the Company concurrently with, or after it consummates a Business Combination, and (b) for and in consideration of the Company (1) agreeing to evaluate such Target Business for purposes of consummating a Business Combination with it or (2) agreeing to engage the services of the vendor, as the case may be, such Target Business or vendor agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies of the Trust Account (“Claim”) and waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with the Company and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever. The foregoing letters shall substantially be in the forms attached hereto as Exhibit A and Exhibit B, respectively.
7.3 Insider Letters. The Company shall not take any action or omit to take any action which would cause a breach of any of the Insider Letters executed between each Company Affiliate and the Representatives and will not allow any amendments to, or waivers of, such Insider Letters without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
7.4 Tender Offer, Proxy and Other Information. The Company shall provide the Representatives with copies of all proxy or tender offer documentation and other information and all related material sent to Public Stockholders in connection with a Business Combination.
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7.5 Rule 419. The Company agrees that it will use its best efforts to prevent the Company from becoming subject to Rule 419 under the Act prior to the consummation of any Business Combination, including, but not limited to, using its best efforts to prevent any of the Company’s outstanding securities from being deemed to be a “penny stock” as defined in Rule 3a-51-1 under the Exchange Act during such period.
7.6 Presentation of Potential Target Businesses. The Company shall cause each of the Company’s officers and directors to agree that, in order to minimize potential conflicts of interest which may arise from multiple affiliations, they will present to the Company for its consideration, prior to presentation to any other person or company, any suitable opportunity to acquire an operating business, until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination or the liquidation of the Trust Account, subject to any pre-existing fiduciary obligations the individuals might have.
7.7 Target Fair Market Value. The Company agrees that the Target Business that it acquires must have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the Trust Account (excluding any taxes and the Deferred underwriting Commission) at the time of signing the definitive agreement for the Business Combination with such Target Business. The fair market value of such business must be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon standards generally accepted by the financial community, such as actual and potential sales, earnings, cash flow and book value. If the Board of Directors of the Company is not able to independently determine that the target business meets such fair market value requirement, the Company will obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions. The Company is not required to obtain such an opinion as to the fair market value if the Company’s Board of Directors independently determines that the Target Business does have sufficient fair market value.
8. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. Except as the context otherwise requires, all representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to be representations, warranties and agreements at the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable, and such representations, warranties and agreements of the Underwriters and Company, including the indemnity agreements contained in Section 5 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company or any controlling person, and shall survive termination of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Public Securities to the several Underwriters until the earlier of the expiration of any applicable statute of limitations and the seventh (7th) anniversary of the Closing Date, at which time the representations, warranties and agreements shall terminate and be of no further force and effect.
9. Effective Date of This Agreement and Termination Thereof.
9.1 Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective on the Effective Date at the time the Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission.
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9.2 Termination. The Representatives shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date: (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted or, in the Representatives’ sole opinion, will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American LLC, Nasdaq or on the OTC Bulletin Board (or successor trading market) shall have been suspended, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required on the OTC Bulletin Board or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction, or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a war or an increase in existing major hostilities, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority, or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities market, or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in the Representatives’ sole opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Units, (vii) if any of the Company’s representations, warranties or covenants hereunder are breached, or (viii) if the Representatives shall have become aware after the date hereof of a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, or such adverse material change in general market conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities or any other calamity or crisis either within or outside the United States after the date hereof, or any increase in any of the foregoing, as in the Representatives’ sole judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Firm Units or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Firm Units.
9.3 Expenses. In the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the obligations of the Company to pay the out of pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein shall be governed by Section 3.12 hereof.
9.4 Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall not be in any way effected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
10. Miscellaneous.
10.1 Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed by certified mail (with return receipt), delivered by hand or reputable overnight courier, delivered by facsimile transmission (with printed confirmation of receipt) and confirmed, or by electronic transmission via PDF and shall be deemed given when so mailed, delivered, or faxed or transmitted (or if mailed, five days after such mailing):
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If to the Representatives:
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
366 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Fax No.: (212) 661-4936
Attn: Steven Levine
Email: slevine@ebcap.com
and
Stephens Inc.
65 E 55th Street, 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10022
Attn: Keith Behrens
Email: keith.behrens@stephens.com
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Graubard Miller
The Chrysler Building
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
Attn: David Alan Miller, Esq. / Jeffrey M. Gallant, Esq.
Email: dmiller@graubard.com / jgallant@graubard.com
If to the Company, to:
Accretion Acquisition Corp.
410 17th Street, #1110
Denver, CO 80202
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP
1550 17th Street, Suite 500
Denver, Colorado 80202
Attn: John Elofson
Sam Seiberling
Sam Niebrugge
E-mail: John.Elofson@dgslaw.com
Sam.Seiberling@dgslaw.com
Sam.Niebrugge@dgslaw.com
10.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
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10.3 Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.
10.4 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitute the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersede all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
10.5 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representatives, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained.
10.6 Governing Law, Venue, etc. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles thereof. Each of the Company and the Representatives hereby agrees that any action, proceeding, or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York, New York County under the accelerated adjudication procedures of the Commercial Division, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, as applicable, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. Each of the Company and the Representatives hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company or the Representative, respectively, may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 10.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company or the Representative, respectively, in any action, proceeding, or claim. Each of the Company and the Representatives agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor.
10.7 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by fax or email/.pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
10.8 Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
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10.9 No Fiduciary Relationship. The Company hereby acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting solely as underwriters in connection with the offering of the Public Securities. The Company further acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting pursuant to a contractual relationship created solely by this Agreement entered into on an arm’s length basis and in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be responsible as a fiduciary to the Company, its management, shareholders, creditors or any other person in connection with any activity that the Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of the offering of the Public Securities, either before or after the date hereof. The Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or similar obligations to the Company, either in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions, and the Company hereby confirms its understanding and agreement to that effect. The Company and the Underwriters agree that they are each responsible for making their own independent judgments with respect to any such transactions, and that any opinions or views expressed by the Underwriters to the Company regarding such transactions, including but not limited to any opinions or views with respect to the price or market for the Public Securities, do not constitute advice or recommendations to the Company. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary or similar duty to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions.
[Signature Page Follows]
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
Very Truly Yours, | ||
ACCRETION ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Agreed to and accepted
as of the date first written above:
EARLYBIRDCAPITAL, INC., as Representative of the several Underwriters
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
STEPHENS INC., as Representative of the several Underwriters
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement, dated ________, 2021]
SCHEDULE A
ACCRETION ACQUISITION CORP.
15,00,000 Units
Underwriter |
Number
of Firm Units
to be Purchased |
|||
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. | ||||
Stephens Inc. | ||||
TOTAL | 15,000,000 |
SCHEDULE B
[to be finalized]
EXHIBIT A
Form of Target Business Letter
Accretion Acquisition Corp.
410 17th Street, #1110
Denver, CO 80202
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Final Prospectus of Accretion Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”), dated ________, 2021 (the “Prospectus”). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Prospectus.
We have read the Prospectus and understand that the Company has established the Trust Account, initially in an amount of at least $151,500,000, for the benefit of the Public Stockholders and that, except for the interest earned on the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Company may disburse monies from the Trust Account only: (i) to the Public Stockholders in the event of the conversion of their shares upon consummation of a Business Combination or amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation relating to pre-Business Combination activity, (ii) to the Public Stockholders in connection with the Company’s liquidation in the event the Company is unable to consummate a Business Combination within the required time period or (iii) to the Company concurrently with, or after it consummates a Business Combination.
For and in consideration of the Company agreeing to evaluate the undersigned for purposes of consummating a Business Combination with it, the undersigned hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Account (each, a “Claim”) and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with the Company and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
Print Name of Target Business | |
Authorized Signature of Target Business |
EXHIBIT B
Form of Vendor Letter
Accretion Acquisition Corp.
410 17th Street, #1110
Denver, CO 80202
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Final Prospectus of Accretion Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”), dated ________, 2021 (the “Prospectus”). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Prospectus.
We have read the Prospectus and understand that the Company has established the Trust Account, initially in an amount of at least $151,500,000, for the benefit of the Public Stockholders and that, except for the interest earned on the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Company may disburse monies from the Trust Account only: (i) to the Public Stockholders in the event of the conversion of their shares upon consummation of a Business Combination or amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation relating to pre-Business Combination activity, (ii) to the Public Stockholders in connection with the Company’s liquidation in the event the Company is unable to consummate a Business Combination within the required time period or (iii) to the Company concurrently with, or after it consummates a Business Combination.
For and in consideration of the Company agreeing to use the services of the undersigned, the undersigned hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Account (each, a “Claim”) and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
Print Name of Vendor | |
Authorized Signature of Vendor |
Exhibit 3.3
Adopted as of April 6, 2021
BYLAWS
OF
Accretion Acquisition COrp.
Article I
OFFICES
1.1 Registered Office. The registered office of Accretion Acquisition Corp. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware shall be established and maintained at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, County of New Castle, and The Corporation Trust Company shall be the registered agent of the corporation in charge thereof.
1.2 Other Offices. The Corporation may also have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Delaware as the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.
Article II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
2.1 Place of Meetings. All meetings of the stockholders shall be held at such time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting or in a duly executed waiver of notice thereof.
2.2 Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held on such date and at such time as may be fixed by the Board of Directors, and stated in the notice of the meeting, for the purpose of electing directors and for the transaction of only such other business as is properly brought before the meeting in accordance with these Bylaws (the “Bylaws”).
Written notice of an annual meeting stating the place, date, and hour of the meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the annual meeting.
To be properly brought before the annual meeting, business must be either (a) specified in the notice of annual meeting (or any supplement or amendment thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (b) otherwise brought before the annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (c) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by a stockholder. In addition to any other applicable requirements, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 80th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 90th day before the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the close of business on the 90th day before the meeting and not later than the later of (x) the close of business on the 80th day before the meeting or (y) the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting is first made by the Corporation. A stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth (a) as to each matter the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, and (ii) any material interest of the stockholder in such business, and (b) as to the stockholder giving the notice (i) the name and record address of the stockholder and (ii) the class, series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the stockholder. Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at the annual meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Article II, Section 2. The officer of the Corporation presiding at an annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the annual meeting that business was not properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the provisions of this Article II, Section 2, and if such officer should so determine, such officer shall so declare to the annual meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.
2.3 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), may only be called by a majority of the entire Board of Directors, or the Chief Executive Officer or the Chairman, and shall be called by the Secretary at the request in writing of stockholders owning a majority in amount of the entire capital stock of the corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote. Such request shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting. Unless otherwise provided by law, written notice of a special meeting of stockholders, stating the time, place and purpose or purposes thereof, shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, not less than 10 or more than 60 days before the date fixed for the meeting. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.
2.4 Quorum. The holders of a majority of the capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business except as otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the chair of the meeting or the holders of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting.
2.5 Organization. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall act as chairman of meetings of the stockholders. The Board of Directors may designate any other officer or director of the Corporation to act as chairman of any meeting in the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors may further provide for determining who shall act as chairman of any stockholders meeting in the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors and such designee. The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary of all meetings of the stockholders, but in the absence of the Secretary the presiding officer may appoint any other person to act as secretary of any meeting.
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2.6 Voting. Unless otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any question (other than the election of directors) brought before any meeting of stockholders shall be decided by the vote of the holders of a majority of the stock represented and entitled to vote thereat. At all meetings of stockholders for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect. Each stockholder represented at a meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to cast one vote for each share of the capital stock entitled to vote thereat held by such stockholder, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize any person or persons to act for him by proxy. All proxies shall be executed in writing and shall be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the day on which exercised. No proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, or the officer of the Corporation presiding at a meeting of stockholders, in his discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be cast by written ballot.
2.7 No Stockholder Action by Written Consent. No action that is required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be effected by written consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting.
2.8 Voting List. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the corporation shall prepare and make, at least 10 days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least 10 days prior to the election, either at a place within the city, town or village where the election is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not specified, at the place where said meeting is to be held. The list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of election during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder of the Corporation who is present.
2.9 Stock Ledger. The stock ledger of the Corporation shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the stock ledger, the list required by Section 8 of this Article II or the books of the Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
2.10 Adjournment. Any meeting of the stockholders, including one at which directors are to be elected, may be adjourned for such periods as the chair of the meeting shall direct.
2.11 Ratification. Any transaction questioned in any stockholders’ derivative suit, or any other suit to enforce alleged rights of the Corporation or any of its stockholders, on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of any director, officer or stockholder, nondisclosure, miscomputation or the application of improper principles or practices of accounting may be approved, ratified and confirmed before or after judgment by the Board of Directors or by the vote of the holders of the outstanding shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors and, if so approved, ratified or confirmed, shall have the same force and effect as if the questioned transaction had been originally duly authorized, and said approval, ratification or confirmation shall be binding upon the Corporation and all of its stockholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned transaction.
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2.12 Inspectors. The election of directors and any other vote by ballot at any meeting of the stockholders shall be supervised by at least one inspector. Such inspectors shall be appointed by the Board of Directors in advance of the meeting. If the inspector so appointed shall refuse to serve or shall not be present, such appointment shall be made by the officer presiding at the meeting.
Article III
DIRECTORS
3.1 Powers; Number; Qualifications. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by law or in the Certificate of Incorporation. The number of directors which shall constitute the Board of Directors shall be not less than one nor more than nine. The exact number of directors shall be fixed from time to time, within the limits specified in this Article III Section 1 or in the Certificate of Incorporation, by the Board of Directors. Directors need not be stockholders of the Corporation. The Board may be divided into classes as more fully described in the Certificate of Incorporation.
3.2 Election; Term of Office; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies. Each director shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders at which his class stands for election or until such director’s earlier resignation, removal from office, death or incapacity. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or from any other cause may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director and each director so chosen shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen, and until his successor shall be elected and qualified, or until such director’s earlier resignation, removal from office, death or incapacity.
3.3 Nominations. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation at a meeting of stockholders of the Corporation may be made at such meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, by any committee or persons appointed by the Board of Directors or by any stockholder of the Corporation entitled to vote for the election of directors at the meeting who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Article III, Section 3. Such nominations by any stockholder shall be made pursuant to timely notice in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 80th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 90th day before the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the close of business on the 90th day before the meeting and not later than the later of (x) the close of business on the 80th day before the meeting or (y) the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting is first made by the Corporation. Such stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth (i) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director, (a) the name, age, business address and residence address of the person, (b) the principal occupation or employment of the person, (c) the class and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the person, and (d) any other information relating to the person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations for proxies for election of directors pursuant to the Rules and Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and (ii) as to the stockholder giving the notice (a) the name and record address of the stockholder and (b) the class and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the stockholder. The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation. No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth herein. The officer of the Corporation presiding at an annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the foregoing procedure, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded.
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3.4 Meetings. The Board of Directors of the Corporation may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or without the State of Delaware. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chief Executive Officer or a majority of the entire Board of Directors. Notice thereof stating the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each director either by mail not less than 48 hours before the date of the meeting, by telephone, facsimile, telegram or e-mail on 24 hours’ notice, or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.
3.5 Quorum. Except as may be otherwise specifically provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, at all meetings of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, a majority of the entire Board of Directors or such committee, as the case may be, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof, a majority of the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
3.6 Organization of Meetings. The Board of Directors shall elect one of its members to be Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall lead the Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibilities as set forth in these Bylaws, including its responsibility to oversee the performance of the Corporation, and shall determine the agenda and perform all other duties and exercise all other powers which are or from time to time may be delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors.
Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or in his or her absence, by the Chief Executive Officer, or in the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer by such other person as the Board of Directors may designate or the members present may select.
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3.7 Actions of Board of Directors Without Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board of Directors or of such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filled with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee.
3.8 Removal of Directors by Stockholders. The entire Board of Directors or any individual Director may be removed from office with or without cause by a majority vote of the holders of the outstanding shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Corporation’s board is classified, stockholders may effect such removal only for cause. In case the Board of Directors or any one or more Directors be so removed, new Directors may be elected at the same time for the unexpired portion of the full term of the Director or Directors so removed.
3.9 Resignations. Any Director may resign at any time by submitting his written resignation to the Board of Directors or Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time of its receipt by the Corporation unless another time be fixed in the resignation, in which case it shall become effective at the time so fixed. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be required to make it effective.
3.10 Committees. The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided by law and in the resolution of the Board of Directors establishing such committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to amending the Certificate of Incorporation, adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the Corporation or a revocation of a dissolution or amending the Bylaws of the Corporation; and, unless the resolution expressly so provides, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend or to adopt a certificate of ownership and merger. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board of Directors when required.
3.11 Compensation. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed amount (in cash or other form of consideration) for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending committee meetings.
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3.12 Interested Directors. No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association, or other organization in which one or more of its directors or officers are directors or officers, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee thereof which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because his or their votes are counted for such purpose, if (i) the material facts as to his or their relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors or the committee, and the Board of Directors or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; or (ii) the material facts as to his or their relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or (iii) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is entered into by the Corporation or as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof or the stockholders. Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.
3.13 Meetings by Means of Conference Telephone. Members of the Board of Directors or any committee designated by the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee of the Board of Directors by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this subsection shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Article IV
OFFICERS
4.1 General. The officers of the Corporation shall be elected by the Board of Directors and may consist of: a Chairman of the Board, Vice Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, may also elect one or more Vice Presidents (including Executive Vice Presidents and Senior Vice Presidents), Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, a Controller and such other officers as in the judgment of the Board of Directors may be necessary or desirable. Any number of offices may be held by the same person and more than one person may hold the same office, unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. The officers of the Corporation need not be stockholders of the Corporation, nor need such officers be directors of the Corporation.
4.2 Election. The Board of Directors at its first meeting held after each annual meeting of stockholders shall elect the officers of the Corporation who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors; and all officers of the Corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal. Except as otherwise provided in this Article IV, any officer elected by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board of Directors.
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4.3 Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation. Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President, and any such officer may, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and powers incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed if present. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.
4.4 Chief Executive Officer. Subject to the provisions of these Bylaws and to the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer shall have ultimate authority for decisions relating to the general management and control of the affairs and business of the Corporation and shall perform such other duties and exercise such other powers which are or from time to time may be delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws, all in accordance with basic policies as established by and subject to the oversight of the Board of Directors.
4.5 President. At the request of the Chief Executive Officer, or in the absence of the Chief Executive Officer, or in the event of his or her inability or refusal to act, the President shall perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon such office. The President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors from time to time may prescribe.
4.6 Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall have general supervision, direction and control of the financial affairs of the Corporation and shall perform such other duties and exercise such other powers which are or from time to time may be delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws, all in accordance with basic policies as established by and subject to the oversight of the Board of Directors. In the absence of a named Treasurer, the Chief Financial Officer shall also have the powers and duties of the Treasurer as hereinafter set forth and shall be authorized and empowered to sign as Treasurer in any case where such officer’s signature is required.
4.7 Vice Presidents. At the request of the President or in the absence of the President, or in the event of his or her inability or refusal to act, the Vice President or the Vice Presidents if there is more than one (in the order designated by the Board of Directors) shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon such office. Each Vice President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors from time to time may prescribe. If there be no Vice President, the Board of Directors shall designate the officer of the Corporation who, in the absence of the President or in the event of the inability or refusal of such officer to act, shall perform the duties of such office, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon such office.
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4.8 Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and all meetings of stockholders and record all the proceedings thereat in a book or books to be kept for that purpose; the Secretary shall also perform like duties for the standing committees when required. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the President, under whose supervision the Secretary shall be. If the Secretary shall be unable or shall refuse to cause to be given notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, then any Assistant Secretary shall perform such actions. If there be no Assistant Secretary, then the Board of Directors or the President may choose another officer to cause such notice to be given. The Secretary shall have custody of the seal of the Corporation and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, if there be one, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by the signature of the Secretary or by the signature of any such Assistant Secretary. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his signature. The Secretary shall see that all books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept or filed are properly kept or filed, as the case may be.
4.9 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President and the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.
4.10 Assistant Secretaries. Except as may be otherwise provided in these Bylaws, Assistant Secretaries, if there be any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, if there be one, or the Secretary, and in the absence of the Secretary or in the event of his disability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Secretary, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Secretary.
4.11 Assistant Treasurers. Assistant Treasurers, if there be any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, if there be one, or the Treasurer, and in the absence of the Treasurer or in the event of his disability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Treasurer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Treasurer.
4.12 Controller. The Controller shall establish and maintain the accounting records of the Corporation in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis, maintain proper internal control of the assets of the Corporation and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors, the President or any Vice President of the Corporation may prescribe.
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4.13 Other Officers. Such other officers as the Board of Directors may choose shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may delegate to any other officer of the Corporation the power to choose such other officers and to prescribe their respective duties and powers.
4.14 Vacancies. The Board of Directors shall have the power to fill any vacancies in any office occurring from whatever reason.
4.15 Resignations. Any officer may resign at any time by submitting his written resignation to the Corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time of its receipt by the Corporation, unless another time be fixed in the resignation, in which case it shall become effective at the time so fixed. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be required to make it effective.
4.16 Removal. Subject to the provisions of any employment agreement approved by the Board of Directors, any officer of the Corporation may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board of Directors.
Article V
CAPITAL STOCK
5.1 Form of Certificates. The shares of stock in the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of the Corporation’s stock shall be in uncertificated form. Stock certificates shall be in such forms as the Board of Directors may prescribe and signed by (a) the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or a Vice President and (b) the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or a Vice President of the Corporation.
5.2 Signatures. Any or all of the signatures on a stock certificate may be a facsimile, including, but not limited to, signatures of officers of the Corporation and countersignatures of a transfer agent or registrar. In case an officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
5.3 Lost Certificates. The Board of Directors may direct a new stock certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any stock certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new stock certificate, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as the Board of Directors shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
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5.4 Transfers. Stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these Bylaws. Transfers of certificated stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation only by the person named in the certificate or by such person’s attorney lawfully constituted in writing and upon the surrender of the certificate therefor, which shall be canceled before a new certificate shall be issued. Transfers of uncertificated stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation only by the person then registered on the books of the Corporation as the owner of such shares or by such person's attorney lawfully constituted in writing and written instruction to the Corporation containing such information as the Corporation or its agents may prescribe. No transfer of uncertificated stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing from and to whom transferred. The Corporation shall have no duty to inquire into adverse claims with respect to any stock transfer unless (a) the Corporation has received a written notification of an adverse claim at a time and in a manner which affords the Corporation a reasonable opportunity to act on it prior to the issuance of a new, reissued or re-registered share certificate, in the case of certificated stock, or entry in the stock record books of the Corporation, in the case of uncertificated stock, and the notification identifies the claimant, the registered owner and the issue of which the share or shares is a part and provides an address for communications directed to the claimant; or (b) the Corporation has required and obtained, with respect to a fiduciary, a copy of a will, trust, indenture, articles of co-partnership, Bylaws or other controlling instruments, for a purpose other than to obtain appropriate evidence of the appointment or incumbency of the fiduciary, and such documents indicate, upon reasonable inspection, the existence of an adverse claim. The Corporation may discharge any duty of inquiry by any reasonable means, including notifying an adverse claimant by registered or certified mail at the address furnished by him or, if there be no such address, at his residence or regular place of business that the security has been presented for registration of transfer by a named person, and that the transfer will be registered unless within thirty days from the date of mailing the notification, either (a) an appropriate restraining order, injunction or other process issues from a court of competent jurisdiction; or (b) an indemnity bond, sufficient in the Corporation’s judgment to protect the Corporation and any transfer agent, registrar or other agent of the Corporation involved from any loss which it or they may suffer by complying with the adverse claim, is filed with the Corporation.
5.5 Fixing Record Date. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting, nor more than 10 days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date of action with a meeting is adopted by the Board of Directors, nor more than 60 days prior to any other action. If no record date is fixed:
(a) The record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held.
(b) The record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is necessary, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent is delivered to the Corporation.
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(c) The record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.
A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
5.6 Registered Stockholders. Prior to due presentment for transfer of any share or shares, the Corporation shall treat the registered owner thereof as the person exclusively entitled to vote, to receive notifications and to all other benefits of ownership with respect to such share or shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State Delaware.
Article VI
NOTICES
6.1 Form of Notice. Notices to directors and stockholders other than notices to directors of special meetings of the board of Directors which may be given by any means stated in Article III, Section 4, shall be in writing and delivered personally or mailed to the directors or stockholders at their addresses appearing on the books of the corporation. Notice by mail shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be mailed. Notice to directors may also be given by telegram.
6.2 Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of law or the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws of the Corporation, a written waiver, signed by the person or persons entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular, or special meeting of the stockholders, Directors, or members of a committee of Directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation.
Article VII
INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
7.1 The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
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7.2 The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
7.3 To the extent that a director or officer of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Sections 1 or 2 of this Article, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith.
7.4 Any indemnification under sections 1 or 2 of this Article (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director or officer is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in such section. Such determination shall be made:
(a) By the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or
(b) If such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or
(c) By the stockholders.
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7.5 Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Section. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Board of Directors deems appropriate.
7.6 The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to the other sections of this Article shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office.
7.7 The Corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Article.
7.8 For purposes of this Article, references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting Corporation, any constituent Corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this Article with respect to the resulting or surviving Corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent Corporation of its separate existence had continued.
7.9 For purposes of this Article, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article.
7.10 If a claim for indemnification under this Article (following the final disposition of such proceeding) is not paid in full within sixty days after the Corporation has received a claim therefor by the director or officer, or if a claim for any advancement of expenses under this Article is not paid in full within thirty days after the Corporation has received a statement or statements requesting such amounts to be advanced, such director or officer shall thereupon (but not before) be entitled to file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim. If successful in whole or in part, such director or officer shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. In any such action, the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that such director or officer is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses under applicable law.
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7.11 The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
7.12 No director or officer of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or to any stockholder of the Corporation for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, provided that this provision shall not limit the liability of a director or officer (i) for any breach of the director’s or the officer’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit.
Article VIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
8.1 Reliance on Books and Records. Each Director, each member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors, and each officer of the Corporation, shall, in the performance of his duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation, including reports made to the Corporation by any of its officers, by an independent certified public accountant, or by an appraiser selected with reasonable care.
8.2 Maintenance and Inspection of Records. The Corporation shall, either at its principal executive office or at such place or places as designated by the Board of Directors, keep a record of its stockholders listing their names and addresses and the number and class of shares held by each stockholder, a copy of these bylaws, as may be amended to date, minute books, accounting books and other records.
Any such records maintained by the Corporation may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device or method, provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time. The Corporation shall so convert any records so kept upon the request of any person entitled to inspect such records pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law. When records are kept in such manner, a clearly legible paper form produced from or by means of the information storage device or method shall be admissible in evidence, and accepted for all other purposes, to the same extent as an original paper form accurately portrays the record.
Any stockholder of record, in person or by attorney or other agent, shall, upon written demand under oath stating the purpose thereof, have the right during the usual hours for business to inspect for any proper purpose the Corporation’s stock ledger, a list of its stockholders, and its other books and records and to make copies or extracts therefrom. A proper purpose shall mean a purpose reasonably related to such person’s interest as a stockholder. In every instance where an attorney or other agent is the person who seeks the right to inspection, the demand under oath shall be accompanied by a power of attorney or such other writing that authorizes the attorney or other agent to so act on behalf of the stockholder. The demand under oath shall be directed to the Corporation at its registered office in Delaware or at its principal executive office.
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8.3 Inspection by Directors. Any director shall have the right to examine the Corporation’s stock ledger, a list of its stockholders, and its other books and records for a purpose reasonably related to his or her position as a director.
8.4 Dividends. Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if any, dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for such other purpose as the Directors shall think conducive to the interest of the Corporation, and the Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
8.5 Checks. All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.
8.6 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be as determined by the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors shall fail to do so, the President shall fix the fiscal year.
8.7 Seal. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware”. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any manner reproduced.
8.8 Amendments. The original or other Bylaws may be adopted, amended or repealed by the stockholders entitled to vote thereon at any regular or special meeting or, if the Certificate of Incorporation so provides, by the Board of Directors. The fact that such power has been so conferred upon the Board of Directors shall not divest the stockholders of the power nor limit their power to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws.
8.9 Interpretation of Bylaws. All words, terms and provisions of these Bylaws shall be interpreted and defined by and in accordance with the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended, and as amended from time-to-time hereafter.
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Exhibit 4.1
NUMBER U-__________ |
UNITS |
SEE REVERSE FOR
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS |
ACCRETION ACQUISITION CORP. |
CUSIP 00438Y 206
UNITS CONSISTING OF ONE SHARE OF COMMON STOCK, ONE RIGHT TO RECEIVE ONE-TENTH OF ONE SHARE OF COMMON STOCK, AND ONE-HALF OF ONE WARRANT
THIS CERTIFIES THAT |
is the owner of | Units. |
Each Unit (“Unit”) consists of one (1) share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”), of Accretion Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), one right to receive one-tenth of one share of Common Stock (the “Right”), and one-half of one warrant of the Company (“Warrant”). Each whole Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock for $11.50 per share (subject to adjustment). Each Warrant will become exercisable 30 days after the Company’s completion of an initial merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (a “Business Combination”) and will expire unless exercised before 5:00 p.m., New York City Time, on the fifth anniversary of the completion of an initial Business Combination, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. The Common Stock, Right(s), and Warrant(s) comprising the Unit(s) represented by this certificate are not transferable separately until ninety (90) days following the IPO, unless EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. and Stephens Inc. inform the Company of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, except that in no event will the Common Stock, Rights, and Warrants be separately tradeable until the Company has filed an audited balance sheet reflecting the Company’s receipt of the gross proceeds of its initial public offering and issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. The terms of the Rights are governed by a Rights Agreement, dated as of ___________, 2021, between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Continental”), as Rights Agent, and are subject to the terms and provisions contained therein, all of which terms and provisions the holder of this certificate consents to by acceptance hereof. The terms of the Warrants are governed by a Warrant Agreement, dated as of ___________, 2021, between the Company and Continental, as Warrant Agent, and are subject to the terms and provisions contained therein, all of which terms and provisions the holder of this certificate consents to by acceptance hereof. Copies of the Rights Agreement and the Warrant Agreement are on file at the office of the Warrant Agent at 1 State Street, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10004, and are available to any Warrant holder on written request and without cost.
This certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer Agent and Registrar of the Company. Witness the facsimile seal of the Company and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers.
By | |||
Chairman | Secretary |
Accretion Acquisition Corp.
The Company will furnish without charge to each unitholder who so requests, a statement of the powers, designations, preferences, and relative, participating, optional, or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof of the Company and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN COM | — | as tenants in common | UNIF GIFT MIN ACT | — | Custodian | |||
(Cust) | (Minor) | |||||||
TEN ENT | — | as tenants by the entireties | ||||||
JT TEN | — | as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common | under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act | |||||
(State) |
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.
For value received, ___________________________ hereby sell, assign, and transfer unto
PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE |
|
(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE) | |
Units |
represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
Attorney |
to transfer the said Units on the books of the within named Company with full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated |
Notice: | The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever. |
Signature(s) Guaranteed:
THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15). |
The holder(s) of this certificate shall be entitled to receive a pro-rata portion of the funds from the trust account with respect to the Common Stock underlying the unit(s) represented by this certificate only in the event that (i) the Company is forced to liquidate because it does not consummate an initial business combination within the period of time set forth in the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Charter”) or (ii) if the holder seeks to convert its shares upon consummation of, or sell its shares in a tender offer in connection with, an initial business combination or in connection with certain amendments to the Charter. In no other circumstances shall the holder(s) have any right or interest of any kind in or to the trust account.
Exhibit 5.1
September 29, 2021
Board of Directors
Accretion Acquisition Corp.
410 17th Street #1110
Denver, Colorado 80202
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Accretion Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the filing by the Company of a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the offer and sale by the Company of up to 17,250,000 Units (including 2,250,000 Units subject to an over-allotment option described in the Registration Statement) (the “Units”), with each Unit consisting of one share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), one right to receive one-tenth of one share of Common Stock (the “Right”), and one-half of one warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock (the “Warrants”) on terms described in the Registration Statement.
The Units are to be issued pursuant to the Registration Statement and the Underwriting Agreement by and between the Company and the underwriters named therein and described in the Registration Statement (the “Underwriting Agreement”). The Rights are to be issued pursuant to a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Rights Agent”). The Warrants are to be issued pursuant to a Warrant Agreement (the “Warrant Agreement”) between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Warrant Agent”).
We have examined originals or certified copies of such corporate records of the Company and other certificates and documents of officials of the Company, public officials and others as we have deemed appropriate for purposes of this letter. We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of each natural person signing any document reviewed by us, the authority of each person signing in a representative capacity (other than the Company) any document reviewed by us, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to authentic original documents of all copies submitted to us or filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as conformed and certified or reproduced copies. In conducting our examination of documents, we have assumed the power, corporate or other, of all parties thereto other than the Company to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and the due execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and that to the extent such documents purport to constitute agreements, such documents constitute valid and binding obligations of such parties. As to any facts material to our opinion, we have made no independent investigation of such facts and have relied, to the extent that we deem such reliance proper, upon certificates of public officials and officers or other representatives of the Company.
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP ▪ 1550 17th Street, Suite 500 ▪ Denver, CO 80202 ▪ 303.892.9400 ▪ fax 303.893.1379 ▪ dgslaw.com
Accretion Acquisition Corp.
September 29, 2021
Page 2
Based upon the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that (i) when the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act, the Units are issued, delivered and paid for as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Rights and the Rights Agreement are validly executed and delivered by the Rights Agent, and the Warrants and the Warrant Agreement are validly executed and delivered by the Warrant Agent, (a) such Units, and the Rights and Warrants comprising part of such Units, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and (b) the Common Stock comprising a part of such Units will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (ii) when the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act, the Rights are issued, delivered and paid for as part of the Units, and assuming that the Rights and the Rights Agreement have been validly executed and delivered by the Rights Agent, the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the consummation of an initial business combination and upon surrender of the Right in the manner described in the Registration Statement and the Rights, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and (iii) when the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act, the Warrants are issued, delivered and paid for as part of the Units, and assuming that the Warrants and the Warrant Agreement have been validly executed and delivered by the Warrant Agent, the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such Warrants, when issued and sold in accordance with and in the manner described in the Registration Statement and the Warrants, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
The opinions and other matters in this letter are qualified in their entirety and subject to the following:
A. The legal, valid and binding nature of any obligation of the Company may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), limits under Federal and state securities laws on the enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provisions, and limits on the availability of the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief, which may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
B. The foregoing opinion is limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law (including the applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and the reported judicial decisions interpreting these laws), the laws of the State of New York and the federal laws of the United States of America. We are expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction, domestic or foreign.
C. This letter is limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. We assume herein no obligation, and hereby disclaim any obligation, to make any inquiry after the date hereof or to advise you of any future changes in the foregoing or of any fact or circumstance that may hereafter come to our attention.
Accretion Acquisition Corp.
September 29, 2021
Page 3
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Matters.” In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Very truly yours, | |
/s/ DAVIS GRAHAM & STUBBS LLP | |
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP |
Exhibit 23.1
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm’s Consent
We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement of Accretion Acquisition Corp. on Amendment No. 1 to Form S-1 (File No. 333-258925) of our report dated June 18, 2021, which includes an explanatory paragraph as to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, with respect to our audit of the financial statements of Accretion Acquisition Corp. as of April 8, 2021 and for the period from February 26, 2021 (inception) through April 8, 2021, which report appears in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our Firm under the heading “Experts” in such Prospectus.
/s/ Marcum llp
Marcum llp
Houston, Texas
September 29, 2021