As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 7, 2022.
Registration No. 333-258184
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form S-1/A
(Amendment No. 6)
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
British Virgin Islands | 6770 | N/A | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number) |
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983
Telephone: (65) 6818 5796
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983
Telephone: (65) 6818 5796
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
Giovanni Caruso
345 Park Avenue New York, NY 10154 Telephone: (212) 407-4000 |
Lou Taubman, Esq, Guillaume de Sampigny. Esq. Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC 48 Wall Street, Suite 1100 New York, NY, 10005 Telephone: (212) 530-2210 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box. x
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ¨ | Accelerated filer ¨ |
Non-accelerated filer x | Smaller reporting company x |
Emerging growth company x |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.¨
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED FEBRUARY [__], 2022
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
$60,000,000
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
6,000,000 Units
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. is a newly incorporated blank check company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands as a BVI business company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our initial business combination. Although there is no restriction or limitation on what industry or geographic region our target operates in, it is our intention to pursue prospective targets that are based in the United States and /or Asia (excluding China) with a focus in the technology, media and telecom (TMT) sector. We shall not undertake our initial business combination with any entity with its principal business operations in China (including Hong Kong and Macau). We will primarily seek to acquire one or more growth businesses with a total enterprise value of between $250 million and $600 million. At the time of preparing this prospectus, we do not have any specific business combination under consideration or contemplation, and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, contacted any prospective target business or had any discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to such a transaction. Our efforts to date are limited to organizational activities related to this offering.
This is an initial public offering of our securities. Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one of our Class A ordinary shares, three-fourths (3/4) of one redeemable warrant and one right as described in more detail in this prospectus. Each right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination. No fractional warrants or rights will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants and whole rights will trade. We will not issue fractional shares in connection with the exercise of warrants or exchange of rights. As a result, (i) you must hold whole rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon closing of a business combination, and (ii) you must exercise warrants in multiples of four warrants, at a price of $11.50 per full share, subject to adjustment as described in this prospectus, to validly exercise your warrants. We have also granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to 900,000 additional units to cover over-allotments, if any.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account described below as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) divided by the number of then issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares that were sold as part of the units in this offering, which we refer to collectively as our public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time, as described in more detail in this prospectus), we will redeem 100% of the public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses and which interest shall be net of taxes payable) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. Our sponsor or its affiliates or designees, upon ten days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, may, but are not required to, extend the time to complete a business combination by depositing into the trust account $600,000, or up to $690,000 if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per share in either case) on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension (or up to an aggregate of $1,200,000 (or $1,380,000 if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full), or $0.20 per share if we extend for the full six months). You will not be able to vote on or redeem your shares in connection with any such extension.
Our sponsor, A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp., a BVI business company, has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,875,000 warrants (or 3,100,000 warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $2,875,000 (or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full). Each private placement warrant will be identical to the warrants sold in this offering, except as described in this prospectus. The private placement warrants will be sold in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering, including the over-allotment option, as applicable. We refer to these warrants throughout this prospectus as private placement warrants.
Prior to this offering, our sponsor held 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares (up to 225,000 of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and one Class B ordinary share. The Class B ordinary share will automatically be canceled at the time of our initial business combination. The holder of our Class B ordinary share will have the right to elect all of our directors prior to our initial business combination and the holders of our Class A ordinary shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights. We have applied to list our units on the NASDAQ Global Market, or NASDAQ, under the symbol “ASCAU” on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on NASDAQ. The Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 90th day following the date of this prospectus unless Chardan Capital Markets, LLC, or Chardan, the representative of the underwriters of this offering, informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our filing a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, containing an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds of this offering. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, we expect that the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights will be listed on NASDAQ under the symbols “ASCA”, “ASCAW” and “ASCAR,” respectively.
We have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the units offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of its date.
We are an “emerging growth company” under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 40. Investors will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings.
Price
to
Public |
Underwriting
Discounts(1) |
Proceeds,
before expenses, to us |
||||||||||
Per Unit | $ | 10.00 | $ | 0.55 | $ | 9.45 | ||||||
Total | $ | 60,000,000 | $ | 3,3000,000 | $ | 56,700,000 |
(1) | Includes $2,100,000, or $0.35 per unit, equal to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of this offering (or $2,415,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) payable to the underwriters as deferred underwriting discounts from the funds to be placed in the trust account described in this prospectus. The deferred underwriting discounts will be released to the underwriters upon consummation of an initial business combination, as described in this prospectus. If the business combination is not consummated, the underwriters will not be entitled to any interest accrued on the deferred underwriting discounts. See also “Underwriting” for a description of compensation and other items of value payable to the underwriters. |
Of the proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants described in this prospectus, $60,300,000 or $69,345 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.05 per unit), will be deposited into a trust account located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. Such amount includes $2,100,000, or $0.35 per unit (or $2,415,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable to the underwriters as deferred underwriting discounts. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of our creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of our public shareholders.
The underwriters are offering the units for sale on a firm commitment basis. Delivery of the units will be made on or about [•], 2022.
Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
No offer or invitation to subscribe for units may be made to the public in the British Virgin Islands.
Sole Book-Running Manager
Chardan
The date of this prospectus is [•], 2022.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This summary only highlights the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the information under “Risk Factors” and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before investing.
Unless otherwise stated in this prospectus, references to:
· | “affiliate” means a corporation, limited liability company, or other entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with our company or any of our company’s subsidiaries; |
· | “amended and restated memorandum and articles of association” are to our memorandum and articles of association to be in effect upon completion of this offering; |
· | “BVI” are to the British Virgin Islands; |
· | “Companies Act” and the “Insolvency Act” are to the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 and the Insolvency Act, 2003 of the British Virgin Islands, respectively and in each case as amended; |
· | “founder shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares and our Class B ordinary shares, with no par value, held by our initial shareholder |
· | “initial shareholder” are to the holder of our founder shares sold prior to this offering; |
· | “letter agreement” are to the letter agreement by and among our company, our sponsor and our officers and directors, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part; |
· | “management” or our “management and director team” are to our officers and directors; |
· | “ordinary shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares and our Class B ordinary shares; |
· |
“permitted transferees” shall mean any of the following to whom an initial shareholder may transfer ordinary shares: the initial shareholder’s affiliates, child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, any person sharing the initial shareholder’s household (other than a tenant or employee), a trust in which these persons have more than fifty percent of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which these persons control the management of assets, and any other entity in which these persons own more than fifty percent of the voting interests. Upon the death of the initial shareholder, the term “permitted transferees” shall also include such deceased initial shareholder’s estate, executors, administrators, personal representatives, heirs, legatees and distributees, as the case may be; |
· | “private placement warrants” are to the warrants to be issued to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering; |
· | “public rights” are to the rights sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are subscribed for in this offering or in the open market); | |
· | “public shareholders” are to the holders of our public shares; | |
· | “public shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares, with no par value, offered as part of the units in this offering (whether they are subscribed for in this offering or thereafter in the open market); |
· | “public warrants” are to our redeemable warrants sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market), to the private placement warrants if held by third parties other than our sponsor (or its permitted transferees), and to any private placement warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans that are sold to third parties that are not initial purchasers or executive officers or directors (or permitted transferees), in each case, following the consummation of our initial business combination; | |
· | “representative shares” are the Class A ordinary shares issued to Chardan Capital Markets LLC: 60,000 (or 69,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) representing 1% of the gross proceeds; |
· |
“rights” are to our public rights sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased for in this offering or thereafter in the open market); |
· |
“sponsor” are to A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp., a BVI business company with limited liability; |
· | “warrants” are to our public warrants, the private placement warrants and any warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans; and |
· | “we,” “us,” “company,” “A SPAC I” or “our company” are to A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a BVI business company with limited liability. |
All references in this prospectus to shares of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. being forfeited shall take effect as surrenders for no consideration of such shares as a matter of British Virgin Islands law.
1
General
We are a newly incorporated blank check company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands as a BVI business company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our initial business combination. Our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic location, except that we shall not undertake our initial business combination with any entity with its principal business operations in China (including Hong Kong and Macau). We currently intend to direct part of our efforts in United States and/or Asia (excluding China) and focus on sourcing opportunities that are in the technology, media and telecom sectors (TMT). We also intend to focus on prospective target businesses that have potential for revenue growth and/or operating margin expansion, and strong market positions within their industries. We will primarily seek to acquire one or more growth businesses with a total enterprise value of between $250 million and $600 million. At the time of preparing this prospectus, we do not have any specific business combination under consideration or contemplation, and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, contacted any prospective target business or had any discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to such a transaction. Our efforts to date are limited to organizational activities related to this offering.
Background and Competitive Strengths
We believe the experience and network of relationships of our management and director team will give us distinct advantages in sourcing, structuring and consummating a business combination. We believe that our team has a diverse set of skills, including experience across business development, entrepreneurship, investment, finance and marketing, which will provide us access to proprietary deals, assist us in identifying and evaluating a target, manage risk and effect a successful business combination. However, none of our management and director team is obligated to remain with the company after an acquisition transaction, and we cannot provide assurance that the resignation or retention of our current management will be a term or condition in any agreement relating to an acquisition transaction. Moreover, despite the competitive advantages we believe we have, we remain subject to significant competition with respect to identifying and executing an acquisition transaction.
We will seek to capitalize on the experience and networks of the members of our management and director team: Mr. Claudius Tsang, Mr. Abuzzal Abusaeri, Mr. John Brebeck and Mr. Giang Nguyen Hoang. Our team consists of highly experienced professionals who have significant experience in investing in both public and private companies. Members of our management also have extensive experience in sourcing and evaluating potential investment opportunities as well as deal negotiation, corporate finance, business operations and management. We have developed a proprietary network of relationships with business leaders, investors and intermediaries that we believe can generate deal flow for us. We believe that our team has a strong and complementary set of skills which will allow us to identify a target, execute a business combination and deliver returns for our shareholders.
Mr. Claudius Tsang, our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has over 20 years of experience in capital markets, with a strong track record of success in private equity, M&A transactions and PIPE investments. Mr. Abuzzal Abusaeri, who will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, has almost two decades of experience in mergers and acquisitions, growth strategy formulation and capital market transactions across a range of portfolio companies in diverse industries. Mr. John Brebeck, who will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, has over 25 years of experience in corporate management, capital market, strategic development, and business operations . Mr. Giang Nguyen Hoang, who will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, has over 13 years of experience in capital market, business management, strategic management, entrepreneurship, and risk management. Our management and director team’s past performance is not an assurance that we will be able to identify an appropriate candidate for our initial business combination or achieve success with respect to the business combination we intend to consummate. However, we believe that the skills and professional network of our management and director team will enable us to identify, structure and consummate a business combination.
2
Leadership of an Experienced Management and Director Team
Mr. Claudius Tsang has served as our Chief Executive Officer since April 2021 and Chairman and Chief Financial Officer since July 2021. Mr. Tsang has over 20 years of experience in capital markets, with a strong track record of success in private equity, M&A transactions, and PIPE investments. Mr. Tsang was the Co-head of Private Equity (North Asia) at Templeton Asset Management Limited and a Partner of Templeton Private Equity Partners, a leading global emerging markets private equity firm that is part of Franklin Templeton Investments. During his 15-year career at Templeton, Mr. Tsang served in various positions, including Partner, Senior Executive Director, and Vice President. Mr. Tsang was responsible for the overall investment, management, and operations activities of Templeton Private Equity Partners in North Asia. His role encompassed overseeing the analysis and evaluation of opportunities for strategic equity investments in Asia. During his tenure, Mr. Tsang managed $1 billion in private equity funds, with approximately 50 portfolio companies. He was also involved in the management of a $3 billion fund, which was the largest Central Eastern European listed closed-end fund at the time of IPO in London. From July 2007 to June 2008, Mr. Tsang joined Lehman Brothers, where he managed private equity projects in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and the United States. At Lehman Brothers, Mr. Tsang managed $500 million proprietary funds. Since March 2021, Mr. Tsang has served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Model Performance Acquisition Corp., and since April, 2021, the Chief Investment Officer of JVSPAC Acquisition Corp. He has served as the Chief Executive Officer of A SPAC II Acquisition Corp since July 2021. Mr. Tsang has served as a director of the CFA Society of Hong Kong from 2013 to 2021. Mr. Tsang obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2017, a bachelor’s degree in law from Tsinghua University in 2005, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1998. Mr. Tsang is also a CFA charterholder. We believe that Mr. Tsang is qualified to serve on our Board of Directors based on his experience and expertise.
Mr. Abuzzal Abusaeri will serve as our independent director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Mr. Abusaeri has almost two decades of experience in mergers and acquisitions, growth strategy formulation and capital market transactions across a range of portfolio companies in diverse industries. Since 2016, Mr. Abusaeri has been the Head of Corporate Finance with a focus on Mergers and Acquisitions for Global Mediacom, a leading media and entertainment group in Indonesia. During his tenure, Mr. Abusaeri manages sell-side and buy-side M&A investments of the company, advises investments within the venture capital space and leads issuance of bonds. His experience entails acquisitions and strategic investments in a number of media and technology companies in emerging markets. From 2009 to 2016, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Vice President of Corporate Finance for Fairways Investment Group, an Indonesian based investment holding company focusing on consumer related companies. Mr. Abusaeri was responsible for managing portfolio companies which included acting as Chief Financial Officer and leading the development of a consumer lending startup, and overseeing the growth strategy and execution of an Indonesian healthcare company. From 2007 to 2009, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Senior Assistant Vice President for Bank Danamon, one of the largest bank of Indonesia with approximately IDR200 trillion asset size in 2020. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Assistant Vice President for Bank Lippo, currently Bank CIMB Niaga. During his tenure, Mr. Abusaeri led the bank’s business and economic research unit where he conducted a number of research within Indonesia’s consumer and corporate banking industry. From 2004 to 2005, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Research Analyst for McKinsey and Co, where he was part of the firm’s financial institution group practice and part of the team that advised a number of large Indonesian banks. From 2003 to 2004, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Research Analyst for DBS Vickers Securities, a securities and derivatives brokerage firm with international Asian focus in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the United States and the United Kingdom. Mr. Abusaeri obtained his Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2018, Master of Science in Investment Management from Bayes Business School, University of London in 2002, and bachelor degree of Economics from the Trisakti University in 1998. We believe that Mr. Abusaeri is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his corporate development, strategic formulation and capital market expertise.
Mr. Giang Nguyen Hoang will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Mr. Giang has over 13 years of experience in capital market, business management, strategic management, entrepreneurship, and risk management. Since 2020, Mr. Giang has served as the Chairman for DNSE Securities JSC, a stock trading and brokerage firm in Vietnam. Since 2018, Mr. Giang has served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Encapital Fintech JSC, a fintech company in Vietnam providing financial technology solutions for investors in Vietnam. During his tenure, Mr. Giang was responsible for setting the vision, direction and strategy for the organization and was responsible for overseeing the growth and expansion of the business. Mr. Giang also serves as a board member of numerous organizations, including TNG Investment and Trading JSC (HNX:TNG), a publicly listed garment manufacturing company in Vietnam (since 2021), Saigon General Services Corporation, a publicly listed automobile retail and real estate development company (since 2020), and Southern Gas Trading Joint Stock Company (since 2019). From 2008 to 2018, Mr. Giang was a 10-year veteran of VNDIRECT Securities Corporation, a publicly listed brokerage firm in Vietnam, focusing on individual investors through a proprietary online trading platform, where he held various positions including Chief Executive Officer, Risk Management Manager, Manager, and Business Analyst for Research and Development Department. During his tenure, Mr. Giang oversaw the company’s business strategy, operations and compliance matters. Mr. Giang obtained his Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and his Bachelor of Science and Computer Engineering from University of Nebraska. We believe that Mr. Giang is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his capital market, business management, strategic management, entrepreneurship, and risk management expertise.
Mr. John Brebeck will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. He has over 25 years of experience in corporate management, capital market, strategic development, and business operations. Since 2021, Mr. Brebeck has served as the Vice President of Investor Relations for Glass House Brands, a cannabis and hemp company. From 2018 to 2021, Mr. Brebeck served as the Senior Advisor to Quantum International Corp., a research-based capital market solution provider specializing in long-term shareholder value creation, AGM-related management, capital market and corporate financial solutions. Since 2008, he has also served as the External Director for Dalton Greater China Fund, an equity fund that targets companies benefiting from China’s growth and that seeks to capitalize on inefficiencies in the China equity markets. From 2014 to 2021, Mr. Brebeck served as a board member for Hydroionic Envirotec Company Limited, a technology company working towards zero heavy metal emissions and focusing heavy metal recycling. From 2014 to 2018, Mr. Brebeck served as the Managing Director for Peace Field Limited, a Hong Kong based professional service provider that offers financial, strategic, and operational advisory services for mid-market companies. Prior to 2014, Mr. Brebeck served in numerous positions, including as President of Yuanta Investment Consulting, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yuanta Financial Holdings, a leading domestic broker in Taiwan, and as research head for The Dalton Greater China Fund and JP Morgan Securities in Taiwan. Mr. Brebeck is a Chartered Financial Analyst. He obtained his Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and his Bachelor of Arts in China Regional Studies from Georgetown University.We believe that Mr. Brebeck is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his corporate management, capital market, strategic development, and business operations expertise.
3
Established Deal Sourcing Network
We believe that the collective experience of our management and director team’s strong track record of building and investing in companies will attract candidates, enabling us to strengthen our deep and actionable pipeline of potential acquisition opportunities in our target sectors. We intend to leverage our management and director team’s industry experiences, proven deal sourcing capabilities and broad network of relationships across numerous industries with business executives, entrepreneurs, media relationships, institutional investors, family offices, investment bankers and attorneys. Moreover, we believe that our network will also enable us to pursue complementary follow-on business arrangements for our potential target.
Our team will deploy a proactive sourcing strategy and focus our efforts on companies where we believe the combination of our team’s operating experience, business development prowess, professional relationships and tactical expertise can be catalysts to enhance the growth potential and value of a target business and provide opportunities for attractive returns to our shareholders. We believe that our backgrounds will enable us to identify these companies, conduct efficient due diligence, make an appealing case of strategic relevance to the target and articulate an attractive growth case to public-market investors.
Status as a Publicly Listed Acquisition Company
We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to prospective target businesses. As a publicly listed company, we will offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering process. We believe that some target businesses will favor this alternative, which we believe is less expensive, more efficient and offers a greater certainty of execution and flexibility compared to the traditional initial public offering process. Furthermore, the benefit of being a public listed company includes improved access to capital which could allow the targets to accelerate growth, pursue new projects, retain and hire employees, and expand into new geographies or businesses. Ultimately, the combination of enhanced liquidity and access to capital markets will enable our target to accelerate its growth and increase its resulting value.
With respect to the foregoing examples and descriptions, past performance by our management and director team is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. Potential investors should not rely upon the historical record of our management as indicative of future performance.
Acquisition Strategy
Our efforts in identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic location, except that we shall not undertake our initial business combination with any entity with its principal business operations in China (including Hong Kong and Macau). We intend to focus on businesses in the technology, media and telecom (TMT) sector in the United States and/or Asia (excluding China). In particular, we intend to focus our search for an initial business combination on private companies that have compelling economics, recurring revenue, a defensible market position, and successful management and director teams that are seeking access to the U.S. public capital markets.
We believe that the acceleration of disruptive trends in the TMT sector is creating substantial opportunity for companies to innovate and grow. Technology is redefining the way consumers interact with the world. The proliferation of high-speed internet and connected devices has allowed technology enabled applications to create new means by which a vast and increasing population interact socially, meet daily needs, experience entertainment, discover and purchase goods, obtain financial services, and engage in lifestyle activities. A wide range of innovations, including in gaming, computing power, battery technology, artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality, and digital video and audio consumption is creating new avenues of entertainment, while 5G and the proliferation of high-speed internet may enable these experiences to flourish.
We believe that the TMT sector encompasses a broad range of companies that could make attractive targets for us. As the TMT sector continues to expand and innovate, we believe there to be many potential targets within this industry that could become attractive public companies.
4
Our management and director team and Board of Directors have extensive experience building, advising, and investing in companies operating in the same ecosystem as many of the companies in our target sector. We believe that this will enable us to identify high-quality businesses with robust fundamentals and the opportunity for operational improvement. Our selection process will leverage the deal sourcing capabilities of our board and management’s broad network of relationships with leading start-ups, established and reputable multinational corporations, or MNCs, and respected peers, as well as our industry and execution expertise. Together with this network of trusted partners, we intend to capitalize the target business and create purposeful strategic initiatives in order to achieve attractive growth and performance after our initial business combination. We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or completing the business combination through a joint venture or other forms of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers, or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers, or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions, independent accounting firm or independent investment banking firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
Investment Criteria
Consistent with our strategy, we will primarily seek to acquire one or more growth businesses with a total enterprise value of between $250 million and $600 million. Although we may decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the criteria described below, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines as we evaluate prospective target companies:
• | Distinct competitive advantages and/or underexploited growth opportunities that our team is positioned to identify; |
We intend to seek target companies that have competitive advantages and/or underexploited expansion opportunities and can benefit from access to additional capital as well as expertise. We intend to target businesses that have historically demonstrated revenue growth and possess favorable future growth characteristics, combined with a defensible business model. Our management and director team has significant experience in identifying such targets and in helping company executives assess their strategic and financial strength.
• | Strong management and director team that can create significant value for the target company; |
We will seek to identify companies with strong and experienced management and director team. We believe we can provide a platform for the existing management and director team to leverage the experience of our management and director team. We intend to seek teams that have demonstrated the ability to scale, and is also well-incentivized and aligned in our future vision for creating long term shareholder value.
• | Exhibit value or other characteristics that we believe have been misevaluated by the market; |
We will seek target companies which exhibit characteristics that we believe have been overlooked or misevaluated by the market based on our company-specific analyses and due diligence. We intend to leverage our significant experience across complex transactions and the disciplined investment approach of our team to identify opportunities that will unlock value for our shareholders.
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• | Benefit from being a public company; |
We will look for public-ready management and director team that have a track record of value creation for their shareholders, with the ambition to take advantage of the improved liquidity and additional capital that can come from a successful listing in the United States. We believe that there are a substantial number of potential target businesses with appropriate valuations that can benefit from a public listing and new capital to support significant revenue and earnings growth.
Sourcing of Potential Business Combination Targets
We believe that the operational and transactional experience of our management and director team and their respective affiliates, and the relationships they have developed as a result of such experience, will provide us with a substantial number of potential business combination targets. These individuals and entities have developed a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships around the world. This network has grown through sourcing, acquiring and financing businesses, relationships with sellers and company executives, as well as through our collective experience in executing transactions under varying economic and financial market conditions. In addition, we anticipate that target business candidates may be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment market participants, private equity funds and large business enterprises seeking to divest noncore assets or divisions.
Our acquisition criteria, due diligence processes and value creation methods are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. Our search for a business combination, ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by factors beyond our control.
Other Acquisition Considerations
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions or an independent accounting firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
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Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity, or our Board of Directors cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions or from an independent accounting firm that the price we are paying for a target is fair to our company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the business judgment of our Board of Directors, which will have significant discretion in choosing the standard used to establish the fair market value of the target or targets, and different methods of valuation may vary greatly in outcome from one another. Such standards used will be disclosed in our tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
Members of our management and director team may directly or indirectly own our Class A ordinary shares and/or private placement warrants following this offering, and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
Each of our directors and officers presently has, and in the future any of our directors and our officers may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present acquisition opportunities to such entity. Accordingly, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an acquisition opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will need to honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such acquisition opportunity to such entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law, we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any officer or director unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue. We do not believe, however, that any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our directors or officers would materially undermine our ability to complete our business combination.
Our sponsor, officers and directors are, and may become a sponsor, an officer or director of other special purpose acquisition companies with a class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Notwithstanding that, such officers and directors will continue to have a pre-existing fiduciary obligation to us and we will, therefore, have priority over any special purpose acquisition companies they subsequently join.
Initial Business Combination
NASDAQ rules require that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the trust account (less any deferred underwriting discounts and taxes payable on interest earned) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. If our Board of Directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions or an independent accounting firm. We do not intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination.
We will have until 12 months from the closing of this offering to consummate an initial business combination. However, if we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months, we may extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 18 months to complete a business combination). Pursuant to the terms of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement to be entered into between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company on the date of this prospectus, in order to extend the time available for us to consummate our initial business combination, our sponsor or its affiliates or designees, upon ten days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, must deposit into the trust account $600,000, or up to $690,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per share in either case) on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension (or up to an aggregate of $1,200,000 (or $1,380,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), or $0.20 per share if we extend for the full six months). Any such payments would be made in the form of a loan. Any such loans will be non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of our initial business combination. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. If we do not complete a business combination, we will not repay such loans. Furthermore, the letter agreement with our initial shareholder contains a provision pursuant to which our sponsor has agreed to waive its right to be repaid for such loans out of the funds held in the trust account in the event that we do not complete a business combination. Our sponsor and its affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination. You will not be able to vote on or redeem your shares in connection with any such extension.
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If we are unable to consummate an initial business combination within such time period, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, 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 earned on the funds held in the trust account (net of interest that may be used by us to pay our taxes payable and for dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law and as further described herein, and then seek to dissolve and liquidate. We expect the pro rata redemption price to be approximately $10.05 per public share (regardless of whether or not the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option) (subject to increase of up to an additional $0.20 per share in the event that our sponsor elects to extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full six months), without taking into account any interest earned on such funds. However, we cannot assure you that we will in fact be able to distribute such amounts as a result of claims of creditors which may take priority over the claims of our public shareholders.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management and director team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test. If our initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses.
Prior to the date of this prospectus, we will file a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
Potential Conflicts
Members of our management and director team will directly or indirectly own ordinary shares, or other instruments, such as warrants, linked to our ordinary shares, following this offering and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors have agreed to present to us all target business opportunities that have a fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the trust account, subject to any fiduciary or contractual obligations they may have. As more fully discussed in “Management — Conflicts of Interest”, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that might be attractive to any entity to which he or she has fiduciary or contractual obligations, he may be required to present such initial business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such initial business combination opportunity to us, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law. All of our officers currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us. For more information on the relevant pre-existing fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our management and director team, see the section titled “Management — Conflicts of Interest”.
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Corporate Information
Our executive offices are located at Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 2, 10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983 and our telephone number is +65 6818 5796.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter; and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.00 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” shall have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, or (2) our annual revenues exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter.
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THE OFFERING
In making your decision whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account not only the backgrounds of the members of our management and director team, but also the special risks we face as a blank check company and the fact that this offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section below entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 47 of this prospectus.
Securities offered | 6,000,000 units, at $10.00 per unit, each unit consisting of: | |
• one Class A ordinary share; and | ||
• three-fourths (3/4) of one redeemable warrant to purchase one Class A ordinary share; and | ||
• one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon the consummation of our initial business combination. | ||
Proposed NASDAQ symbols | Units: “ASCAU” | |
Class A Ordinary Shares: “ASCA” | ||
Warrants: “ASCAW” | ||
Rights: “ASCAR” | ||
Trading commencement and separation of Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights | The units will begin trading promptly after the date of this prospectus. The Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 90th day following the date of this prospectus unless Chardan informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below. Once the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights. | |
Separate trading of the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights is prohibited until we have filed a Current Report on Form 8-K | In no event will the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights be traded separately until we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering, which is anticipated to take place three business days from the date of this prospectus. If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. | |
Units: | ||
Number outstanding before this offering | 0 | |
Number outstanding after this offering and the private placement | 6,000,000 1 | |
Ordinary shares: | ||
Number issued and outstanding before this offering | 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares and 1 Class B ordinary share 2 | |
Number issued and outstanding after this offering and the private placement | 7,500,000 Class A ordinary shares 1,3 | |
Rights: | ||
Number issued and outstanding before this offering | 0 |
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Number issued
and outstanding after
this offering |
6,000,000 1,4 | |
Redeemable Warrants: | ||
Number issued and outstanding before this offering | 0 | |
Number of warrants to be outstanding after this offering and the private placement | 8,875,000 5 |
1 | Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and consists of 6,000,000 public units |
2 | Consists solely of founder shares and includes up to 225,000 Class A ordinary shares that are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. Except as otherwise specified, the rest of this prospectus has been drafted to give effect to the full forfeiture of these 225,000 Class A ordinary shares. |
3 | Consists of 6,000,000 public shares and 1,500,000 founder shares. |
4 | Consists of 6,000,000 public rights (assuming the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised). |
5 | Consists of 6,000,000 public warrants and 2,875,000 private placement warrants (assuming the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised). |
Exercisability of warrants | Each Unit contains three-fourths (3/4) of one warrant. Each whole warrant is exercisable to purchase one of our Class A ordinary shares. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of shares. | |
Exercise price | $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein. In addition, if (x) we issue additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our initial shareholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by such shareholders or their affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance (the “Newly Issued Price”)), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for funding our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which we consummate our business combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price shall be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $16.50 per share redemption trigger price described in the section “Redemption of warrants” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 165% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. | |
Exercise period | The warrants will become exercisable on the later of: | |
30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, and |
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If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis,” our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our shareholders of issuing the maximum number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of our warrants. In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” (defined below) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. Please see the section entitled “Description of Securities — Redeemable Warrants — Public Shareholders’ Warrants” for additional information. | ||
Terms of Rights | Except in cases where we are not the surviving company in a business combination, each holder of a right will automatically receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination. We will not issue fractional shares in connection with an exchange of rights. Fractional shares will either be rounded down to the nearest whole share or otherwise addressed in accordance with the applicable provisions of British Virgin Islands law. As a result, you must hold whole rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon closing of a business combination. In the event we will not be the surviving company upon completion of our initial business combination, each holder of a right will be required to affirmatively convert his, her or its rights in order to receive the one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share underlying each right upon consummation of the business combination. If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period and we redeem the public shares for the funds held in the trust account, holders of rights will not receive any of such funds for their rights and the rights will expire worthless. |
Election of directors; voting rights | Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a resolution passed by holders of at least a majority of our ordinary shares who are eligible to vote and attend and vote in a general meeting of our shareholders. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law, holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote. | |
Founder shares |
On June 7, 2021, we issued 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share. On July 19, 2021, 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares were repurchased and cancelled at an aggregate repurchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share, resulting in one Class B ordinary share in issue after the repurchase. On the same day, we issued 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per share. Subsequently, on January 14, 2022, our sponsor surrendered for no consideration and we canceled 575,000 of such Class A ordinary shares, resulting in 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares remaining outstanding. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by our sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to us by the number of founder shares issued. Our sponsor will own 20% of our issued and outstanding shares after this offering (assuming it does not purchase units in this offering and excluding the Representative’s shares). If we increase or decrease the size of the offering, we will effect a capitalization or share surrender or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our founder shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of founder shares by our sponsor at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (excluding the Representative’s shares). Up to 225,000 founder shares are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. |
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The founder shares are identical to the Class A ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering, except that: |
• only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will have the right to elect all of our directors prior to our initial business combination and the holders of our Class A ordinary shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time; |
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• the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below; | ||
• our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed (i) to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame). If we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our insiders have agreed, pursuant to such letter agreement, to vote their founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholder’s founder shares, we would need only 2,220,001, or 37.0% of the 6,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction (assuming all outstanding shares are voted in favor of the business combination) or 330,001, or 5.50%, of the 6,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction (assuming only a quorum is present at such meeting held to vote on our initial business combination and voted in favor of the business combination) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised); |
• the founder shares are subject to registration rights. | ||
Representative Shares |
We have agreed to issue to Chardan and/or its designees, 60,000 ordinary shares (or 69,000 shares if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full) upon the consummation of this offering. Chardan has agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any such shares until the completion of our initial business combination. In addition, Chardan has agreed (i) to waive its redemption rights with respect to such shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in this prospectus).
The shares have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a lock-up for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of the commencement of sales in this offering pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1). Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), these securities 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 of which this prospectus forms a part, nor may they be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part except to any underwriter and selected dealer participating in the offering and their officers, partners, registered persons or affiliates. |
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Private placement warrants
|
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,875,000 warrants (or 3,100,000 warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $2,875,000, or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full. The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in this offering except that, (i) they will not be redeemable by us, (ii) they may be transferred, assigned or sold by the Sponsor to the Permitted Transferees and (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis. The private placement warrants will be sold in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering, including the over-allotment option, as applicable. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to the founder shares or private placement warrants. The warrants will expire worthless if we do not consummate a business combination within the allotted 12 month period (or up to 18 months from the completion of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). | |
Transfer restrictions
on private placement
warrants |
The private placement warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable except for transfers (i) among the initial shareholders or to the initial shareholder’s members or the company’s officers, directors, consultants or their affiliates, (ii) to a holder’s shareholders or members upon the holder’s liquidation, in each case if the holder is an entity, (iii) by bona fide gift to a member of the holder’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is the holder or a member of the holder’s immediate family, in each case for estate planning purposes, (iv) by virtue of the laws of descent and distribution upon death, (v) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, (vi) to the company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of a business combination, (vii) in the event of the company’s liquidation prior to its consummation of an initial business combination or (viii) in the event that, subsequent to the consummation of an initial business combination, the company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of the company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, in each case (except for clauses (vi), (vii) or (viii) or with the company’s prior written consent) on the condition that prior to such registration for transfer, the Warrant Agent shall be presented with written documentation pursuant to which each permitted transferee or the trustee or legal guardian for such permitted transferee agrees to be bound by the transfer restrictions contained in the warrant agreement and any other applicable agreement the transferor is bound by. |
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Redeemability and exercise of
private placement warrants |
The private placement warrants will be non-redeemable and exercisable on a cashless basis. If the private placement warrants are held by someone other than our sponsor or its permitted transferees, the placement warrants will be redeemable by us and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units being sold in this offering. If holders of private placement warrants elect to exercise them on a cashless basis, they would pay the exercise price by surrendering their warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the “fair market value” (defined below) by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of warrant exercise is sent to the warrant agent. The reason that we have agreed that these warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis so long as they are held by the sponsor or its permitted transferees is because it is not known at this time whether they will be affiliated with us following an initial business combination. If they remain affiliated with us, their ability to sell our securities in the open market will be significantly limited. We expect to have policies in place that prohibit insiders from selling our securities except during specific periods of time. Even during such periods of time when insiders will be permitted to sell our securities, an insider cannot trade in our securities if he or she is in possession of material non-public information. Accordingly, unlike public shareholders who could sell the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants freely in the open market, the insiders could be significantly restricted from doing so. As a result, we believe that allowing the holders to exercise such warrants on a cashless basis is appropriate.
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Proceeds to be held in trust account | The rules of NASDAQ provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the private placement be deposited in a trust account. Of the net proceeds we will receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants described in this prospectus, $60,300,000 ($10.05 per unit), or $69,345,000 ($10.05 per unit) if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full (subject to increase of up to an additional $0.20 per unit in the event that our sponsor elects to extend the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in this prospectus), will be deposited into a segregated trust account located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee and $2,875,000 will be used to pay expenses in connection with the closing of this offering and for working capital following this offering. These proceeds include $2,100,000, or $0.35 per unit (or $2,415,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable to the underwriters as deferred underwriting discounts. |
The funds in the trust account will be invested only in specified U.S. government treasury bills or in specified money market funds. |
Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our taxes, if any, the proceeds from this offering and the private placement will not be released from the trust account until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to (A) modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity and (iii) the redemption of all of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), subject to applicable law. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of our creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of our public shareholders. | ||
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Ability to extend time to complete business combination | We will have until 12 months from the closing of this offering to consummate an initial business combination. However, if we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months, we may extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 18 months to complete a business combination). Pursuant to the terms of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement to be entered into between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company on the date of this prospectus, in order to extend the time available for us to consummate our initial business combination, our sponsor or its affiliates or designees, upon ten days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, must deposit into the trust account $600,000, or up to $690,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per share in either case) on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension (or up to an aggregate of $1,200,000 (or $1,380,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), or $0.20 per share if we extend for the full six months). Any such payments would be made in the form of a loan. Any such loans will be non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of our initial business combination. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. If we do not complete a business combination, we will not repay such loans. Furthermore, the letter agreement with our initial shareholder contains a provision pursuant to which our sponsor has agreed to waive its right to be repaid for such loans out of the funds held in the trust account in the event that we do not complete a business combination. Our sponsor and its affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination. |
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Anticipated expenses and funding sources | Unless and until we complete our initial business combination, no proceeds held in the trust account will be available for our use, except the withdrawal of interest to pay taxes. Based upon current interest rates, we expect the trust account to generate approximately $60,000 of interest annually (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option and an interest rate of 0.1% per year) following the investment of such funds in specified U.S. government treasury bills or in specified money market funds. Unless and until we complete our initial business combination, we may pay our expenses only from: | |
• the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not held in the trust account, which will be approximately 695,000 in working capital after the payment of approximately 680,000 (not including underwriter’s discounts) in expenses relating to this offering; and |
• any loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management and director team or their affiliates or other third parties, although they are under no obligation to advance funds or invest in us, and provided any such loans will not have any claim on the proceeds held in the trust account unless such proceeds are released to us upon completion of a business combination. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. |
Conditions to completing our initial business combination | There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. NASDAQ rules require that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the trust account (less deferred underwriting discounts and any taxes payable on interest earned) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. We do not intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination. |
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If our Board of Directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions or an independent accounting firm. We will complete our initial business combination only if the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in our initial business combination transaction. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test, provided that in the event that our initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses. |
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Permitted purchases of public shares by our affiliates | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. Please see “Proposed Business — Permitted purchases of our securities” for a description of how such persons will determine which shareholders to seek to acquire shares from. There is no limit on the number of shares such persons may purchase, or any restriction on the price that they may pay. Any such price per share may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial business combination. However, such persons have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. In the event our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates determine to make any such purchases at the time of a shareholder vote relating to our initial business combination, such purchases could have the effect of influencing the vote necessary to approve such transaction. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase shares in such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Subsequent to the consummation of this offering, we will adopt an insider trading policy which will require insiders to: (i) refrain from purchasing shares during certain blackout periods and when they are in possession of any material non-public information and (ii) to clear all trades with our legal counsel prior to execution. We cannot currently determine whether our insiders will make such purchases pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan, as it will be dependent upon several factors, including but not limited to, the timing and size of such purchases. Depending on such circumstances, our insiders may either make such purchases pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan or determine that such a plan is not necessary. |
We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates will not make any purchases if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. | ||
Redemption rights for public shareholders
upon completion of our initial business combination |
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. | |
The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.05 per public share (subject to increase of up to an additional $0.20 per unit in the event that our sponsor elects to extend the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in this prospectus). There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our public warrants, rights or private placement warrants. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and any public shares they may acquire during or after this offering in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. |
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Manner of conducting redemptions | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek shareholder approval under the law or stock exchange listing requirement. Under NASDAQ rules, asset acquisitions and stock purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association would require shareholder approval. We intend to conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless shareholder approval is required by law or stock exchange listing requirement or we choose to seek shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on NASDAQ, we will be required to comply with such rules. |
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If a shareholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association: | ||
• conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers; and |
• file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. |
Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, if we elect to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase our Class A ordinary shares in the open market, in order to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act. | ||
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public shareholders not tendering more than a specified number of public shares, which number will be based on the requirement that we may not redeem public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial business combination. | ||
If, however, shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law or stock exchange listing requirement, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, we will: | ||
• conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules; and | ||
• file proxy materials with the SEC. |
We expect that a final proxy statement would be mailed to public shareholders at least 10 days prior to the shareholder vote. However, we expect that a draft proxy statement would be made available to such shareholders well in advance of such time, providing additional notice of redemption if we conduct redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation. Although we are not required to do so, we currently intend to comply with the substantive and procedural requirements of Regulation 14A in connection with any shareholder vote even if we are not able to maintain our NASDAQ listing or Exchange Act registration. |
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If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, pursuant to the terms of a letter agreement entered into with us, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed (and their permitted transferees will agree) to vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination. We expect that at the time of any shareholder vote relating to our initial business combination, our sponsor, Chardan and their permitted transferees will own at least 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares entitled to vote thereon. If we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our insiders and Chardan have agreed, pursuant to such letter agreement, to vote their founder shares, Representative Shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination (as a result, in addition to our initial shareholder’s founder shares, we would need only 2,220,001, or 37.0%, of the 6,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction (assuming all outstanding shares are voted and all shares issued to Chardan and/or its designees are issued and outstanding and voted in favor of the business combination) or 330,002, or 5.50%, of the 6,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction (assuming only a quorum is present at such meeting held to vote on our initial business combination and all shares to be issued to Chardan and/or its designees are issued and outstanding and voted in favor of the business combination) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised)). Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. | ||
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). Redemptions of our public shares may also be subject to a higher net tangible asset test or cash requirement pursuant to an agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all ordinary shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares, and all ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof. | ||
Tendering share certificates in connection with a tender offer or redemption rights |
We may require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates (if any) to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve our initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, rather than simply voting against the initial business combination. The tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. |
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Limitation on redemption rights of shareholders holding more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering if we hold shareholder vote | Notwithstanding the foregoing redemption rights, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering. We believe the restriction described above will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to redeem their shares as a means to force us or our sponsor or its affiliates to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights against a business combination if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us or our sponsor or its affiliates at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem to no more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including all shares held by those shareholders that hold more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering) for or against our initial business combination. Our sponsor, officers and directors have, pursuant to a letter agreement entered into with us, waived their right to have any founder shares or public shares held by them redeemed in connection with our initial business combination. Unless any of our other affiliates acquires founder shares through a permitted transfer from an initial shareholder, and thereby becomes subject to the letter agreement, no such affiliate is subject to this waiver. However, to the extent any such affiliate acquires public shares in this offering or thereafter through open market purchases, it would be a public shareholder and subject to the 15% limitation in connection with any such redemption right. |
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Redemption Rights in connection with proposed amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association | Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that any of its provisions, including those related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of this offering and the private placement into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein and in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, but excluding the provision of the articles relating to the appointment of directors), may be amended if approved by a resolution by holders of at least a majority of our ordinary shares who are eligible to vote and attend and vote in a general meeting, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of a majority of our ordinary shares. Should our insiders vote all their shares in favor of any such amendment, such amendment would not be approved regardless how public shares are voted. We may not issue additional securities that can vote on amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or in our initial business combination. Our sponsor, which will beneficially own 20% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering (assuming it does not purchase units in this offering and excluding the Representative’s shares), will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner it chooses. Our sponsor, officers, and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that would (i) modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) or (ii) with respect to the other provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. |
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Release of funds in trust account on closing of our initial business combination | On the completion of our initial business combination, all amounts held in the trust account will be released to us, other than funds the trustee will use to pay amounts due to any public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights as described above under “Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination.” We will use the remaining funds pay all or a portion of the consideration payable to the target or owners of the target of our initial business combination and to pay other expenses associated with our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of post-transaction businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital. | |
Redemption of public shares and distribution and liquidation if no initial business combination | Our sponsor, officers, and directors have agreed that we will have only 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within such 12-month period (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (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 shareholders and our Board of Directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under British Virgin Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our public warrants, public rights, or private placement warrants. The rights and warrants will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the 12-month time period (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). |
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Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). However, if our sponsor acquires public shares after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted 12-month time frame (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission held in the trust account in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the trust account that will be available to fund the redemption of our public shares. |
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Our sponsor, officers, and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that would (i) modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) or (ii) with respect to the other provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). | ||
Limited payments to insiders | There will be no finder’s fees, reimbursements or cash payments made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, for services rendered to us prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, other than the following payments, none of which will be made from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination: | |
• repayment of an aggregate of up to $400,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor to cover offering-related and organizational expenses; | ||
• reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination; and |
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• repayment of loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. | ||
These payments may be funded using the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not held in the trust account or, upon completion of the initial business combination, from any amounts remaining from the proceeds of the trust account released to us in connection therewith. | ||
Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates. |
Audit committee | Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will have established and will maintain an audit committee (which will be composed entirely of independent directors), to among other things, monitor compliance with the terms described above and the other terms relating to this offering. If any noncompliance is identified, then the audit committee will be charged with the responsibility to immediately take all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise to cause compliance with the terms of this offering. For more information, see the section entitled “Management — Committees of the Board of Directors — Audit Committee.” | |
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Conflicts of interest | Each of our officers and directors presently has, and in the future any of our directors and our officers may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present acquisition opportunities to such entity. Accordingly, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an acquisition opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will need to honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such acquisition opportunity to such entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law, we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any officer or director unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue. We do not believe, however, that any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our directors or officers would materially undermine our ability to complete our business combination. | |
Indemnity | Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below (i) $10.05 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third -party claims. We have not independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy their indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such obligations. |
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Risks
We are a newly incorporated company that has conducted no operations and has generated no revenues. Until we complete our initial business combination, we will have no operations and will generate no operating revenues. In making your decision whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account not only the background of our management and director team, but also the special risks we face as a blank check company. This offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. Accordingly, you will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. For additional information concerning how Rule 419 blank check offerings differ from this offering, please see “Proposed Business — Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419.” You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section of this prospectus entitled “Risk Factors.”
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The following table summarizes the relevant financial data for our business and should be read with our financial statements, which are included in this prospectus. We have not had any significant operations to date, so only balance sheet data is presented.
September 30, 2021 | ||||||||
Actual |
As
Adjusted |
|||||||
Balance Sheet Data: | ||||||||
Working (deficiency) capital (1) | $ | (187,280 | ) | $ | 717,910 | |||
Total assets(2) | 245,212 | 61,017,910 | ||||||
Total liabilities(3) | 222,302 | 2,100,000 | ||||||
Value of ordinary shares subject to possible conversion/tender(4) | - | 51,385,883 | ||||||
Shareholders’ equity(5) | 22,910 | 7,532,027 |
(1) | The “as adjusted” calculation includes $695,000 in cash held outside the trust account, plus $22,910 of actual shareholders’ equity, as of September 30, 2021. |
(2) | The “as adjusted” calculation equals $60,300,000 of cash held in trust from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, plus $695,000 in cash held outside the trust account, plus $22,910 of actual shareholders’ equity as of September 30, 2021. |
(3) | The “as adjusted” calculation includes $2,100,000 of deferred underwriting discounts. |
(4) | The “as adjusted” value of ordinary shares which may be redeemed for cash represents net proceeds allocated to the public ordinary shares less the allocated transaction costs related to this offering. The ordinary shares offered to the public contain redemption rights that make them redeemable by our public shareholders. Accordingly, they are classified within temporary equity in accordance with the guidance provided in ASC 480-10-S99-3A and will be subsequently accredited at redemption value. |
(5) |
The “as adjusted” shareholder’s equity is calculated as the “as adjusted” total assets of $61,017,910 less the “as adjusted” total liabilities of $2,100,000 and less the “as adjusted” value of ordinary shares subject to possible conversion/ tender of $51,385,883. |
If no business combination is completed within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), the proceeds then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within such 12 month time period (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time).
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SUMMARY OF RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. The occurrence of one or more of the events or circumstances described in the section titled “Risk Factors,” beginning on page 40 of this prospectus, alone or in combination with other events or circumstances, may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors”, including, among others, the following:
• | We are a newly incorporated company established under the laws of the British Virgin Islands with no operating results, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective. | |
• | Our independent registered public accounting firm’s report contains an explanatory paragraph that expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a “going concern.” |
• | Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination. | |
• | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote. |
• | Your only opportunity to affect your investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash. |
• | The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target. |
• | The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure. | |
• | Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and other events and the status of debt and equity markets. | |
• | We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, in which case our public shareholders may only receive $10.05 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. |
• | The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame after the closing of this offering may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders. |
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• | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may elect to purchase shares from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our securities. |
• | If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for submitting or tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed. | |
• | You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies. | |
• | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares. | |
• | Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.05 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on our redemption or their shares, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. | |
• | If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not being held in the trust account are insufficient, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination and we will depend on loans from our sponsor or management and director team to fund our search, to pay our taxes and to complete our initial business combination. | |
• | If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.05 per share. | |
• | Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders. | |
• | If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our Board of Directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our Board of Directors and us to claims of punitive damages. | |
• | If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced. | |
• | If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. | |
• | Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations. | |
• | Because we are not limited to a particular industry or any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations. | |
• | We may seek acquisition opportunities in industries or sectors that may be outside of our management’s areas of expertise. | |
• | Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines. | |
• | We may seek acquisition opportunities with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue or earnings. |
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• | We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking or from an independent accounting firm, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our company from a financial point of view. | |
• | We may issue additional Class A ordinary or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks. | |
• | Resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. | |
• | We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest. | |
• | Affiliates of our sponsor may be involved in other blank check companies like ours and may direct potential targets to those companies rather than to us. | |
• | Since our sponsor, officers and directors will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination. | |
• | We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us. | |
• | We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability. | |
• | We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability. | |
• | We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete a business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders have redeemed their Class A ordinary shares. | |
• | In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and modified governing instruments. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our shareholders may not support. | |
• | The provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that relate to our pre-initial business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account), including an amendment to permit us to withdraw funds from the trust account such that the per share amount investors will receive upon any redemption or liquidation is substantially reduced or eliminated, may be amended with the approval of holders of at least a majority of our ordinary shares who attend and vote in a general meeting, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support. |
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• | We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination. | |
• | Our sponsor will control the election of our Board of Directors until consummation of our initial business combination and will hold a substantial interest in us. As a result, it will elect all of our directors and may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support. | |
• | Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses. | |
• | Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an acquisition. | |
• | A majority of our directors and officers currently live outside the United States and, after a business combination, it is possible that a majority of our directors and officers and all of our assets will be located outside the United States; therefore, investors may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights. | |
• | If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, the laws applicable to such company will likely govern all of our material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights. | |
• | If relations between the United States and foreign governments deteriorate, it could cause potential target businesses or their goods and services to become less attractive. | |
• | The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares. | |
• | Currency policies may harm a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets. | |
• | Certain economies in Asia are experiencing substantial inflationary pressures which may prompt governments to take action to control the growth of the economy and inflation that could lead to a significant decrease in our profitability following our initial business combination. | |
• | Many industries in Asia are subject to government regulations that limit or prohibit foreign investments in those industries, which may limit the potential number of acquisition candidates. | |
• | If a country in Asia enacts regulations in industry segments that forbid or restrict foreign investment, our ability to consummate our initial business combination could be severely impaired. |
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• | Corporate governance standards in Asia may not be as strict or developed as in the United States and such weakness may hide issues and operational practices that are detrimental to a target business. | |
• | If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months of the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), our public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond such 12 months (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) before redemption from our trust account. | |
• | We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination. Our public shareholders will not have the right to elect directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination. |
Risks Relating to the Post-Business Combination Company, beginning on page 62:
• | We may face risks related to financial technology businesses. | |
• | Subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our share price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment. | |
• | Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be totally dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. | |
• | Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business. | |
• | We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on shareholders. | |
• | We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. | |
• | Since our sponsor, officers and directors will not be eligible to be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination. | |
• | We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on shareholders. | |
• | We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. | |
• | Since our sponsor, officers and directors will not be eligible to be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination. |
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Risks Relating to our Management and Director Team, beginning on page 65 :
• | We are dependent upon our officers and directors and their departure could adversely affect our ability to operate. | |
• | Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous. | |
• | Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. | |
• | Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. | |
• | Our officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests. | |
• | We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and executive officers. |
Risks Relating to our Securities, beginning on page 66:
• | You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares potentially at a loss. |
• | Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions. | |
• | The determination of the offering price of our units and the size of this offering is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities and size of an offering of an operating company in a particular industry. You may have less assurance, therefore, that the offering price of our units properly reflects the value of such units than you would have in a typical offering of an operating company. | |
• | There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities. | |
• | Provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our Class A ordinary shares and could entrench management. | |
• | The grant of registration rights to our sponsor and holders of our private placement warrants may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. | |
• | We may issue our shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than the prevailing market price of our shares at that time. | |
• | Changes in the market for directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination. | |
• | We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants. | |
• | We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless. | |
• | Our warrant agreement and rights agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants or rights, which could limit the ability of warrant holders and rights holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company. | |
• | We are not registering the Class A ordinary share issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time, and such registration may not be in place when an investor desires to exercise warrants, thus precluding such investor from being able to exercise its warrants except on a cashless basis and potentially causing such warrants to expire worthless. | |
• | Because you must exercise warrants in multiples of four warrants and the exercised warrant entitles the holder to purchase three-fourth of one Class A ordinary share, the units may be worth less than units of other blank check companies. | |
• | Our management’s ability to require holders of our warrants to exercise such warrants on a cashless basis will cause holders to receive fewer shares of Class A ordinary share upon their exercise of the warrants than they would have received had they been able to exercise their warrants for cash. |
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An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before making a decision to invest in our units. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Relating to our Search for, and Consummation of or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination
Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination.
We may not hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination unless the business combination would require shareholder approval under applicable British Virgin Islands law or the rules of NASDAQ or if we decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons. Examples of transactions that would not ordinarily require shareholder approval include asset acquisitions and share purchases, while transactions such as direct mergers with our company or transactions where we issue more than 20% of our outstanding shares would require shareholder vote. For instance, NASDAQ rules currently allow us to engage in a tender offer in lieu of a shareholder meeting but would still require us to obtain shareholder approval if we were seeking to issue more than 20% of our outstanding shares to a target business as consideration in any business combination. Therefore, if we were structuring a business combination that required us to issue more than 20% of our outstanding shares, we would seek shareholder approval of such business combination. Except as required by law or NASDAQ rules, the decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or will allow shareholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors, such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek shareholder approval. Accordingly, we may consummate our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares do not approve of the business combination we consummate. Please see the section entitled “Proposed Business — Effecting Our Initial Business Combination — Shareholders may not have the ability to approve our initial business combination” for additional information.
Our independent registered public accounting firm’s report contains an explanatory paragraph that expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a “going concern.”
As of September 30, 2021, we had no cash and a working capital deficit of $187,280. Further, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of our financing and acquisition plans. Management’s plans to address this need for capital through this offering are discussed in the section of this prospectus titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to consummate an initial business combination will be successful. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements contained elsewhere in this prospectus do not include any adjustments that might result from our inability to consummate this offering or our inability to continue as a going concern.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.
Unlike other blank check companies in which the initial shareholders agree to vote their founder shares in accordance with the majority of the votes cast by the public shareholders in connection with an initial business combination, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed (and their permitted transferees will agree), pursuant to the terms of a letter agreement entered into with us, to vote any founder shares held by them, as well as any public shares purchased during or after this offering, in favor of our initial business combination. We expect that our sponsor and its permitted transferees will own at least 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares at the time of any such shareholder vote. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholder’s founder shares, we would need only 2,220,001, or 37.0%, of the 6,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction (assuming all outstanding shares are voted in favor of the business combination) or 330,001, or 5.50%, of the 6,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction (assuming only a quorum is present at such meeting held to vote on our initial business combination and all shares to be issued to Chardan and/or its designees are issued and outstanding and voted in favor of the business combination) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised). Accordingly, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, it is more likely that the necessary shareholder approval will be received than would be the case if such persons agreed to vote their founder shares in accordance with the majority of the votes cast by our public shareholders.
Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination will be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash, unless we seek shareholder approval of the business combination.
At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of one or more target businesses. Since our Board of Directors may complete a business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination, unless we seek such shareholder approval. Accordingly, if we do not seek shareholder approval, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public shareholders in which we describe our initial business combination.
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The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into a business combination transaction agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the business combination. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into a business combination transaction with us.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore we will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion of the cash in the trust account to meet such requirements, or arrange for third party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares are submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for third party financing. Raising additional third party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure.
Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the status of debt and equity markets.
Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the status of debt and equity markets. The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected (and a significant pandemic of other infectious diseases could result in an additional widespread health crisis that could adversely affect) the economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination could be materially and adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and such other pandemic. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if continued concerns relating to COVID-19 continue to restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or result in the target company’s personnel, vendors and services providers being unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our search for a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other matters of global concern continue for an extended period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected. In addition, our ability to consummate a transaction may be dependent on our ability to raise equity and debt financing which may be adversely impacted by COVID-19 and other events, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all.
We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, in which case our public shareholders may only receive $10.05 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless.
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed that we must complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination within such time period. If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (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 shareholders and our Board of Directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under British Virgin Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.05 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.05 per share” and other risk factors herein.
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The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may decrease our ability to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or warrants or a combination thereof in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. Please see “Proposed Business — Permitted purchases of our securities” for a description of how such persons will determine which shareholders to seek to acquire shares from. Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgement that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling could be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. The price per share paid in any such transaction may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial business combination. The purpose of such purchases could be to vote such shares in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. This may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.
We will comply with the tender offer rules or proxy rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a shareholder fails to receive our tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, such shareholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, the tender offer documents or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or redeem public shares. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these procedures, its shares may not be redeemed. See “Proposed Business — Business Strategy — Tendering share certificates in connection with a tender offer or redemption rights”.
You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.
Since the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants are intended to be used to complete an initial business combination with a target business that has not been identified, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the U.S. securities laws. However, because we will have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,001 upon the successful completion of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants and will file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including an audited balance sheet demonstrating this fact, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our units will be immediately tradable and we will have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419. Moreover, if this offering were subject to Rule 419, that rule would prohibit the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of an initial business combination. For a more detailed comparison of our offering to offerings that comply with Rule 419, please see “Proposed Business —Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419.”
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If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.05 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on our redemption, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless.
We expect to encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities, domestic and international, competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, if we are obligated to pay cash for the Class A ordinary shares redeemed and, in the event we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, we make purchases of our Class A ordinary shares, potentially reducing the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Any of these obligations may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.05 per share (or less in certain circumstances) on the liquidation of our trust account, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.05 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.05 per share” and other risk factors herein.
We believe that, upon the closing of this offering, the funds available to us outside of the trust account, will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 12 months (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time); however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate. Of the funds available to us, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.05 per share (or less in certain circumstances) on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.05 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.05 per share” and other risk factors herein.
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If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not being held in the trust account are insufficient, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination and we will depend on loans from our sponsor or management and director team to fund our search, to pay our taxes and to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to obtain these loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination.
Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, only approximately 695,000 will be available to us initially outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $680,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $680,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount. If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, management and director team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Neither our sponsor, members of our management and director team nor any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances would be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement-equivalent warrants at a price of $1.00 per private placement warrant at the option of the lender. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public shareholders may only receive approximately $10.05 per share (or less in certain circumstances) on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.05 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.05 per share” and other risk factors herein.
If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.05 per share.
Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third-party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent auditors), prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative.
Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the $10.05 per share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors. Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of the offering, will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.
Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below (i) $10.05 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third -party claims. We have not independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy their indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Our sponsor may not have sufficient funds available to satisfy those obligations. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such obligations, and therefore, no funds are currently set aside to cover any such obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.05 per public share (subject to increase of up to an additional $0.20 per share in the event that our sponsor elects to extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full six months, as described in more detail in this prospectus). In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
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Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.05 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in any particular instance. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.05 per share.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our Board of Directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our Board of Directors and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover all amounts received by our shareholders. In addition, our Board of Directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:
• | restrictions on the nature of our investments; and |
• | restrictions on the issuance of securities; |
each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:
• | registration as an investment company; |
• | adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and |
• | reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations. |
We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. The proceeds held in the trust account may be invested by the trustee only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. Because the investment of the proceeds will be restricted to these instruments, we believe we will meet the requirements for the exemption provided in Rule 3a-1 promulgated under the Investment Company Act. If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to complete a business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.05 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants and rights will expire worthless.
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Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time-consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
The British Virgin Islands, together with several other non-European Union jurisdictions, have recently introduced legislation aimed at addressing concerns raised by the Council of the European Union as to offshore structures engaged in certain activities which attract profits without real economic activity. With effect from January 1, 2019, the Economic Substance (Companies and Limited Partnerships) Act, 2018 (the “ESA”) came into force in the British Virgin Islands introducing certain economic substance requirements for British Virgin Islands tax resident companies which are engaged in certain “relevant activities”, which in the case of companies incorporated before January 1, 2019 will apply in respect of financial years commencing June 30, 2019 onwards. However, it is not anticipated that the company itself will be subject to any such requirements prior to any business combination and thereafter the company may still remain out of scope of the legislation or else be subject to more limited substance requirements. Although it is presently anticipated that the ESA will have little material impact on the company or its operations, as the legislation is new and remains subject to further clarification and interpretation it is not currently possible to ascertain the precise impact of these legislative changes on the company.
Because we are not limited to a particular industry or any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.
While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, we intend to complete a business combination with an operating company in the technology, media and telecom sectors in the United States and Asia (excluding China, Hong Kong and Macau), which we believe have an optimistic growth trajectory for the coming years. However, we will not, under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet identified or approached any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
We may seek acquisition opportunities in industries or sectors that may be outside of our management’s areas of expertise.
We will consider a business combination outside of our management’s areas of expertise if a business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive acquisition opportunity for our company. In the event we elect to pursue an acquisition outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained in this prospectus regarding the areas of our management’s expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our management may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
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Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.05 per share on the liquidation of our trust account, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless.
We may seek acquisition opportunities with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue or earnings.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine. These risks include volatile revenues or earnings and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors and we may not have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking or from an independent accounting firm, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity, or our Board of Directors cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions or from an independent accounting firm that the price we are paying for a target is fair to our company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the business judgment of our Board of Directors, which will have significant discretion in choosing the standard used to establish the fair market value of the target or targets, and different methods of valuation may vary greatly in outcome from one another. Such standards used will be disclosed in our tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination. However, if our Board of Directors is unable to determine the fair value of an entity with which we seek to complete an initial business combination based on such standards, we will be required to obtain an opinion as described above.
We may issue additional Class A ordinary or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize the issuance of up to 100,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, with no par value, 100 Class B ordinary shares, with no par value and 1,000,000 preference shares, with no par value. Immediately after this offering, there will be 92,500,000 and 99 (assuming in each case that the underwriters have not exercised their over-allotment option) authorized but unissued Class A and Class B ordinary shares available, respectively, for issuance, which amount takes into account shares reserved for issuance upon conversion of outstanding rights. Immediately after this offering, there will be no preference shares issued and outstanding.
We may issue a substantial number of additional ordinary shares, and may issue preference shares, in order to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. However, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional ordinary shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote on any initial business combination. The issuance of additional ordinary shares or preference shares:
• | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering; |
• | may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares; |
• | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; and |
• | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, ordinary shares, warrants and/or rights. |
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Resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.05 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.05 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and, our warrants and rights will expire worthless. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.05 per share” and other risk factors.
We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our sponsor, officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, officers and directors. Our officers and directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described under “Management — Conflicts of Interest”. Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no preliminary discussions concerning a business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for a business combination as set forth in “Proposed Business — Effecting Our Initial Business Combination — Selection of a target business and structuring of our initial business combination” and such transaction was approved by a majority of our disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions for the type of company we are seeking to acquire or an independent accounting firm, regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our officers, directors or existing holders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.
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Affiliates of our Sponsor may be involved in other blank check companies like ours and may direct potential targets to those companies rather than to us.
Affiliates of our Sponsor may invest in or be involved in the management of other SPACs. SPACs related to such affiliates may compete with us for acquisition opportunities. Because such affiliates do not owe us a fiduciary duty, they may direct opportunities to the other SPACs with which they have a relationship rather than to us.
Since our sponsor, officers and directors will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
On June 7, 2021, we issued 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share. On July 19, 2021, 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares were repurchased and cancelled at an aggregate repurchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share, resulting in one Class B ordinary share in issue after the repurchase. On the same day, we issued 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per share. Subsequently, on January 14, 2022, our sponsor surrendered for no consideration and we canceled 575,000 of such Class A ordinary shares, resulting in 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares remaining outstanding. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by our sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. As such, our sponsor will own 20% of our issued and outstanding shares after this offering (assuming it does not purchase units in this offering and excluding the Representative’s shares). If we increase or decrease the size of the offering, we will effect a capitalization or share surrender or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our sponsor prior to this offering at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (excluding the Representative’s shares). The founder shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,875,000 warrants (or 3,100,000 warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $2,875,000, or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full. Each private placement warrant will be identical to the warrants sold in this offering, except as described in this prospectus. The private placement warrants will be sold in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering, including the over-allotment option, as applicable. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to the founder shares or private placement warrants. The warrants will expire worthless if we do not consummate a business combination within the allotted 12 month period (or up to 18 months from the completion of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time).
The founder shares are identical to the Class A ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering except that (i) holders of the founder shares have the right to vote on the election of directors prior to our initial business combination, (ii) the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, (iii) our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed (A) to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and (B) to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame).
The personal and financial interests of our officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination.
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of this prospectus to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt following this offering, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per-share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:
• | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
• | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
• | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; |
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• | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding; |
• | our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares; |
• | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
• | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
• | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
• | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability.
Of the net proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, $60,300,000 (or $69,345,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be available to complete our business combination and pay related fees and expenses.
We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
• | solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset; or |
• | dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
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We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete a business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders have redeemed their Class A ordinary shares.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold, except that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination (such that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public shareholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all Class A ordinary shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares, all Class A ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and modified governing instruments. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our shareholders may not support.
In order to effectuate a business combination, blank check companies have, in the past, amended various provisions of their charters and modified governing instruments. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the period of time in which it had to consummate a business combination. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments or extend the time in which we have to consummate a business combination through amending our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, each of which will require a resolution passed by holders if at least a majority of our ordinary shares who are eligible to vote and attend and vote in a general meeting of our shareholders.
The provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that relate to our pre-initial business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account), including an amendment to permit us to withdraw funds from the trust account such that the per share amount investors will receive upon any redemption or liquidation is substantially reduced or eliminated, may be amended with the approval of holders of at least a majority of our ordinary shares who attend and vote in a general meeting, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
Some other blank check companies have a provision in their charter which prohibits the amendment of certain of its provisions, including those which relate to a company’s pre-initial business combination activity, without approval by a certain percentage of our shareholders. In those companies, amendment of these provisions requires approval by between 90% and 100% of the company’s public shareholders. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that any of its provisions, including those related to pre-initial business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of this offering and the private placement of warrants into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein and in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or an amendment to permit us to withdraw funds from the trust account such that the per share amount investors will receive upon any redemption or liquidation is substantially reduced or eliminated) may be amended if approved by holders of at least a majority of our ordinary shares who attend and vote in a general meeting, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of a majority of our ordinary shares. Should our insiders vote all their shares in favor of any such amendment, such amendment would not be approved regardless how public shares are voted. We may not issue additional securities that can vote on amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Our insiders, which will collectively beneficially own 20% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering (assuming it does not purchase any units in this offering and excluding the Representative’s shares), will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to complete a business combination with which you do not agree. Our shareholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
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We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination.
Although we believe that the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants will be sufficient to allow us to complete our initial business combination, because we have not yet identified any prospective target business we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of our initial business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to redeem for cash a significant number of shares from shareholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination, we may be required to seek additional financing or to abandon the proposed business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or shareholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive approximately $10.05 per share on the liquidation of our trust account, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.05 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.05 per share” and other risk factors below.”
Our sponsor will control the election of our Board of Directors until consummation of our initial business combination and will hold a substantial interest in us. As a result, it will elect all of our directors and may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Upon the closing of this offering, our sponsor will own 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares (assuming it does not purchase any units in this offering and excluding the Representative’s shares). In addition, the founder shares, all of which are held by our sponsor, will entitle our sponsor to elect all of our directors prior to our initial business combination. Holders of our public shares will have no right to vote on the election of directors during such time. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a resolution passed by holders of at least a majority of our ordinary shares who are eligible to vote and attend and vote in a general meeting of our shareholders. As a result, you will not have any influence over the election of directors prior to our initial business combination.
Neither our sponsor nor, to our knowledge, any of our officers or directors, have any current intention to purchase additional securities, other than as disclosed in this prospectus. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, as a result of its substantial ownership in our company, our sponsor may exert a substantial influence on other actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of major corporate transactions. If our sponsor purchases any additional ordinary shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase its influence over these actions. Accordingly, our sponsor will exert significant influence over actions requiring a shareholder vote at least until the completion of our initial business combination.
Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.
The federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on a business combination meeting certain financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or U.S. GAAP, or international financing reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (U.S.), or PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.
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Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an acquisition.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2022. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target company with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
A majority of our directors and officers currently live outside the United States and, after a business combination, it is possible that a majority of our directors and officers and all of our assets will be located outside the United States; therefore, investors may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights.
A majority of our directors and officers currently reside outside of the United States and, after a business combination, it is possible that a majority of our directors and officers and all of our assets will be located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult, or in some cases not possible, for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon all of our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties on our directors and officers under United States laws.
In particular, investors should be aware that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the British Virgin Islands or any other applicable jurisdiction would recognize and enforce judgements of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicted upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States or entertain original actions brought in the British Virgin Islands or any other applicable jurisdiction’s courts against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state.
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, the laws applicable to such company will likely govern all of our material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, the laws of the country in which such company operates will govern almost all of the material agreements relating to its operations. We cannot assure you that the target business will be able to enforce any of its material agreements or that remedies will be available in this new jurisdiction. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital. Additionally, if we acquire a company located outside of the United States, it is likely that substantially all of our assets would be located outside of the United States and some of our officers and directors might reside outside of the United States As a result, it may not be possible for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties of our directors and officers under Federal securities laws.
If relations between the United States and foreign governments deteriorate, it could cause potential target businesses or their goods and services to become less attractive.
The relationship between the United States and foreign governments could be subject to sudden fluctuation and periodic tension. For instance, the United States may announce its intention to impose quotas on certain imports. Such import quotas may adversely affect political relations between the two countries and result in retaliatory countermeasures by the foreign government in industries that may affect our ultimate target business.
Changes in political conditions in foreign countries and changes in the state of U.S. relations with such countries are difficult to predict and could adversely affect our operations or cause potential target businesses or their goods and services to become less attractive. Because we are not limited to any specific industry, there is no basis for investors in this offering to evaluate the possible extent of any impact on our ultimate operations if relations are strained between the United States and a foreign country in which we acquire a target business or move our principal manufacturing or service operations.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
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Currency policies may harm a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, all revenues and income would likely be received in a foreign currency, the dollar equivalent of our net assets and distributions, if any, could be adversely affected by reductions in the value of the local currency. The value of the currencies in our target regions fluctuate and are affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions.
Any change in the relative value of such currency against our reporting currency may affect the attractiveness of any target business or, following consummation of our initial business combination, our financial condition and results of operations. If a currency appreciates in value against the dollar prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, the cost of a target business as measured in dollars will increase, which may make it less likely that we can consummate such transaction.
Certain economies in Asia are experiencing substantial inflationary pressures which may prompt governments to take action to control the growth of the economy and inflation that could lead to a significant decrease in our profitability following our initial business combination.
While many of the economies in Asia have experienced rapid growth over the last two decades, certain economies are experiencing inflationary pressures. As governments take steps to address the current inflationary pressures, there may be significant changes in the availability of bank credits, interest rates, limitations on loans, restrictions on currency conversions and foreign investment. There also may be imposition of price controls.
If prices for the products of our ultimate target business rise at a rate that is insufficient to compensate for the rise in the costs of supplies, it may have an adverse effect on our profitability. If these or other similar restrictions are imposed by a government to influence the economy, it may lead to a slowing of economic growth. Because we are not limited to any specific industry, the ultimate industry that we operate in may be affected more severely by such a slowing of economic growth.
Many industries in Asia are subject to government regulations that limit or prohibit foreign investments in those industries, which may limit the potential number of acquisition candidates.
Governments in many Asian countries have imposed regulations that limit foreign investors’ equity ownership or prohibit foreign investments altogether in companies that operate in certain industries. As a result, the number of potential acquisition candidates available to us may be limited or our ability to grow and sustain the business, which we ultimately acquire will be limited.
If a country in Asia enacts regulations in industry segments that forbid or restrict foreign investment, our ability to consummate our initial business combination could be severely impaired.
Many of the rules and regulations that companies face concerning foreign ownership are not explicitly communicated. If new laws or regulations forbid or limit foreign investment in industries in which we want to complete our initial business combination, they could severely impair our candidate pool of potential target businesses. In addition, if the relevant central and local authorities find us or the target business with which we ultimately complete our initial business combination to be in violation of any existing or future laws or regulations, they would have broad discretion in dealing with such a violation, including, without limitation:
• levying fines;
• revoking our business and other licenses;
• requiring that we restructure our ownership or operations; and
• requiring that we discontinue any portion or all of our business.
Any of the above could have an adverse effect on our company post-business combination and could materially reduce the value of your investment.
Corporate governance standards in Asia may not be as strict or developed as in the United States and such weakness may hide issues and operational practices that are detrimental to a target business.
General corporate governance standards in some countries are weak in that they do not prevent business practices that cause unfavorable related party transactions, over-leveraging, improper accounting, family company interconnectivity and poor management. Local laws often do not go far enough to prevent improper business practices.
Therefore, shareholders may not be treated impartially and equally as a result of poor management practices, asset shifting, conglomerate structures that result in preferential treatment to some parts of the overall company, and cronyism. The lack of transparency and ambiguity in the regulatory process also may result in inadequate credit evaluation and weakness that may precipitate or encourage financial crisis.
In our evaluation of a business combination we will have to evaluate the corporate governance of a target and the business environment, and in accordance with United States laws for reporting companies take steps to implement practices that will cause compliance with all applicable rules and accounting practices. Notwithstanding these intended efforts, there may be endemic practices and local laws that could add risk to an investment we ultimately make and that result in an adverse effect on our operations and financial results.
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If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months of the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), our public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond such 12 months (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) before redemption from our trust account.
If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), we will distribute the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (less up to $50,000 of the net interest earned thereon to pay dissolution expenses), pro rata to our public shareholders by way of redemption and cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up of our affairs, as further described herein. Any redemption of public shareholders from the trust account shall be effected automatically by function of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior to any voluntary winding up. If we are required to windup, liquidate the trust account and distribute such amount therein, pro rata, to our public shareholders, as part of any liquidation process, such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond the initial 12 months (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of our redemption or liquidation unless we consummate our initial business combination prior thereto and only then in cases where investors have sought to redeem their Class A ordinary shares. Only upon our redemption or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we are unable to complete our initial business combination.
We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination. Our public shareholders will not have the right to elect directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination.
In accordance with NASDAQ corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until no later than one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on NASDAQ. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or general meetings or elect directors. Until we hold an annual meeting of shareholders, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to discuss company affairs with management. In addition, as holders of our Class A ordinary shares, our public shareholders will not have the right to vote on the election of directors prior to consummation of our initial business combination.
Risks Relating to the Post-Business Combination Company
We may face risks related to financial technology businesses.
Business combinations with financial technology businesses may involve special considerations and risks. If we complete our initial business combination with a financial technology business, we will be subject to the following risks, any of which could be detrimental to us and the business we acquire:
• | If the company or business we acquire provides products or services which relate to the facilitation of financial transactions, such as funds or securities settlement system, and such product or service fails or is compromised, we may be subject to claims from both the firms to whom we provide our products and services and the clients they serve; | |
• | If we are unable to keep pace with evolving technology and changes in the financial services industry, our revenues and future prospects may decline; |
• | Our ability to provide financial technology products and services to customers may be reduced or eliminated by regulatory changes; | |
• | Any business or company we acquire could be vulnerable to cyberattack or theft of individual identities or personal data; | |
• | Difficulties with any products or services we provide could damage our reputation and business; | |
• | A failure to comply with privacy regulations could adversely affect relations with customers and have a negative impact on business; | |
• | We may not be able to protect our intellectual property and we may be subject to infringement claims. | |
Any of the foregoing could have an adverse impact on our operations following a business combination. However, efforts in identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to a particular industry or country, although we intend to focus on businesses in the technology, media and telecom sectors in the United States and Asia (excluding China, Hong Kong and Macau), where we can leverage our management and director team’s background and we believe has an optimistic growth trajectory for the coming years. Accordingly, if we acquire a target business in another industry, these risks will likely not affect us and we will be subject to other risks attendant with the specific industry in which we operate or target business which we acquire, none of which can be presently ascertained.
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Subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our share price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will surface all material issues that may be present inside a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining post-combination debt financing.
Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be totally dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements.
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
We may structure a business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new ordinary shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new ordinary shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company’s stock than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain our control of the target business.
We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on shareholders.
We may, in connection with our initial business combination and subject to requisite shareholder approval under the Companies Act, reincorporate in the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located. The transaction may require a shareholder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder is a tax resident or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders to pay such taxes. Shareholders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after the reincorporation.
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We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of a business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. The role of an acquisition candidates’ key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management and director team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
Since our sponsor, officers and directors will not be eligible to be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
At the closing of our initial business combination, our sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf. These financial interests of our sponsor, officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination and completing an initial business combination.
We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on shareholders.
We may, in connection with our initial business combination and subject to requisite shareholder approval under the Companies Act, reincorporate in the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located. The transaction may require a shareholder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder is a tax resident or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders to pay such taxes. Shareholders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after the reincorporation.
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of a business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. The role of an acquisition candidates’ key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management and director team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
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Since our sponsor, officers and directors will not be eligible to be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
At the closing of our initial business combination, our sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf. These financial interests of our sponsor, officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination and completing an initial business combination.
Risks Relating to our Management and Director Team
We are dependent upon our officers and directors and their departure could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals, our officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. In addition, our officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with the company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of the business combination. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law. However, we believe the ability of such individuals to remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. There is no certainty, however, that any of our key personnel will remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with us. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with us will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he or she may be entitled to substantial compensation and our officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Our independent directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities. If our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs, please see “Management — Directors and Officers.”
Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Following the completion of this offering and until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Our sponsor and officers and directors are, or may in the future become, affiliated with entities such as operating companies, investment vehicles, or another special purpose acquisition company) that are engaged in making and managing investments that may be competitive to us.
Our officers and directors also may become aware of business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to us and the other entities to which they owe certain fiduciary or contractual duties. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to other entities prior to its presentation to us, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law.
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For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see “Management — Directors and Officers”, “Management — Conflicts of Interest” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions”.
Our officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or officers, although we do not intend to do so. Nor do we have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours.
We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and executive officers.
We have agreed to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and not to seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our officers and directors may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Risks Relating to our Securities
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. To liquidate your investment, therefore, you may be forced to sell your public shares, warrants or rights, potentially at a loss.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to (A) modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity and (iii) the redemption of all of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), subject to applicable law and as further described herein. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kind in the trust account. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares, warrants or rights, potentially at a loss.
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NASDAQ may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
We have applied to have our units listed on NASDAQ on or promptly after the date of this prospectus and our Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights listed on or promptly after their date of separation. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on NASDAQ. Although after giving effect to this offering we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in the NASDAQ listing standards, we cannot assure you that our securities will be, or will continue to be, listed on NASDAQ in the future or prior to our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on NASDAQ prior to our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and stock price levels. Generally, we must maintain a minimum amount in shareholders’ equity (generally $2,500,000) and a minimum number of holders of our securities (generally 300 public holders). Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with NASDAQ’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than NASDAQ’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on NASDAQ. For instance, our stock price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share, our shareholders’ equity would generally be required to be at least $5.0 million and we would be required to have a minimum of 300 round lot holders of our securities (with at least 50% of such round lot holders holding securities with a market value of at least $2,500). We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If NASDAQ delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
• | a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
• | reduced liquidity for our securities; |
• | a determination that our Class A ordinary shares is a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; |
• | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and |
• | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because we expect that our units and eventually our Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights will be listed on NASDAQ, our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights will be covered securities. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on NASDAQ, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities, including in connection with our initial business combination.
Our sponsor paid an aggregate of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per founder share, and, accordingly, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution upon the purchase of our Class A ordinary shares.
The difference between the public offering price per share (allocating all of the unit purchase price to the ordinary shares and none to the warrants and rights included in the units) and the pro forma net tangible book value per Class A ordinary share after this offering constitutes the dilution to you and the other investors in this offering. Our sponsor acquired the founder shares at a nominal price, significantly contributing to this dilution. Upon the closing of this offering, and assuming no value is ascribed to the warrants and rights included in the units, you and the other public shareholders will incur an immediate and substantial dilution of approximately 72.6% (or $6.60 per share, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option), the difference between the pro forma net tangible book value per share of $2.49 and the effective initial offering price of $9.09 per unit. In addition, because of the anti-dilution protection in the founder shares, any equity or equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination would be disproportionately dilutive to our Class A ordinary shares.
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The determination of the offering price of our units and the size of this offering is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities and size of an offering of an operating company in a particular industry. You may have less assurance, therefore, that the offering price of our units properly reflects the value of such units than you would have in a typical offering of an operating company.
Prior to this offering there has been no public market for any of our securities. The public offering price of the units and the terms of the warrants and rights were negotiated between us and the underwriters. In determining the size of this offering, management held customary organizational meetings with representatives of the underwriters, both prior to our inception and thereafter, with respect to the state of capital markets, generally, and the amount the underwriters believed they reasonably could raise on our behalf. Factors considered in determining the size of this offering, prices and terms of the units, including the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights underlying the units, include:
• | the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies; |
• | prior offerings of those companies; |
• | our prospects for acquiring an operating business at attractive values; |
• | a review of debt to equity ratios in leveraged transactions; |
• | our capital structure; |
• | an assessment of our management and their experience in identifying operating companies; |
• | general conditions of the securities markets at the time of this offering; and |
• | other factors as were deemed relevant. |
Although these factors were considered, the determination of our offering price is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities of an operating company in a particular industry since we have no historical operations or financial results.
There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
There is currently no market for our securities. Shareholders therefore have no access to information about prior market history on which to base their investment decision. Following this offering, the price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
Provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our Class A ordinary shares and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include two-year director terms and the ability of the Board of Directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preference shares, which may make more difficult the removal of management and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
The grant of registration rights to our sponsor and holders of our private placement warrants may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our Class A ordinary shares.
Pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, our initial shareholder and its permitted transferees can demand that we register the founder shares, the Class A ordinary shares included in the private placement warrants, and holders of warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans may demand that we register such Class A ordinary shares, warrants, rights or the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of such rights. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the shareholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares that is expected when the ordinary shares owned by our sponsor, holders of our private placement warrants or holders of our working capital loans or their respective permitted transferees are registered.
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We may issue our shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than the prevailing market price of our shares at that time.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may issue shares to investors in private placement transactions (so-called PIPE transactions) at a price of $10.00 per share, or at a price which approximates the per-share amounts in our trust account at such time, which is generally approximately $10.00. The purpose of such issuances will be to enable us to provide sufficient liquidity to the post-business combination entity. The price of the shares we issue may therefore be less, and potentially significantly less, than the market price for our shares at such time.
Changes in the market for directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination.
In recent months, the market for directors and officers liability insurance for special purpose acquisition companies has changed. Fewer insurance companies are offering quotes for directors and officers liability coverage, the premiums charged for such policies have generally increased and the terms of such policies have generally become less favorable. There can be no assurance that these trends will not continue.
The increased cost and decreased availability of directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate an initial business combination. In order to obtain directors and officers liability insurance or modify its coverage as a result of becoming a public company, the post-business combination entity might need to incur greater expense, accept less favorable terms or both. However, any failure to obtain adequate directors and officers liability insurance could have an adverse impact on the post-business combination’s ability to attract and retain qualified officers and directors.
In addition, even after we were to complete an initial business combination, our directors and officers could still be subject to potential liability from claims arising from conduct alleged to have occurred prior to the initial business combination. As a result, in order to protect our directors and officers, the post-business combination entity may need to purchase additional insurance with respect to any such claims (“run-off insurance”). The need for run-off insurance would be an added expense for the post-business combination entity, and could interfere with or frustrate our ability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors.
We may engage one or more of our underwriters or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after this offering, which may include acting as M&A advisor in connection with an initial business combination or as placement agent in connection with a related financing transaction. Our underwriters are entitled to receive deferred underwriting compensation only upon a completion of an initial business combination. These financial incentives may cause them to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us after this offering, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
We may engage one or more of our underwriters or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after this offering, including, for example, identifying potential targets, providing M&A advisory services, acting as a placement agent in a private offering or arranging debt financing transactions. We may pay such underwriter or its affiliate fair and reasonable fees or other compensation that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with any of the underwriters or their respective affiliates and no fees or other compensation for such services will be paid to any of the underwriters or their respective affiliates prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of this prospectus, unless such payment would not be deemed underwriters’ compensation in connection with this offering. The underwriters are also entitled to receive up to 69,000 ordinary shares that are issued upon the closing of this offering. The underwriters’ or their respective affiliates’ financial interests tied to the consummation of a business combination transaction may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in providing any such additional services to us, including potential conflicts of interest in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
Holders of warrants and rights will not have redemption rights.
If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period and we redeem the funds held in the trust account, the warrants and rights will expire and holders will not receive any of the amounts held in the trust account in exchange for such warrants or rights.
We have no obligation to net cash settle the warrants or rights.
In no event will we have any obligation to net cash settle the warrants or rights. Accordingly, the warrants and rights may expire worthless.
We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants.
Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. You should review a copy of the warrant agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, for a complete description of the terms and conditions applicable to the warrants. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision, but requires the approval by the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment. Our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants is unlimited. Examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.
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We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem outstanding warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the last reported sales price of our Class A ordinary shares equal or exceed $16.50 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, rights issuances, subdivisions, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date we send the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of shares upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such shares under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you (i) to exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) to sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) to accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of your warrants.
Our warrant agreement and rights agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants or rights, which could limit the ability of warrant holders and rights holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.
Our warrant agreement and rights agreement will provide that, subject to applicable law, (i) any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement or rights agreement, will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) that we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. We will waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the warrant agreement and rights agreement will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum or any compliant asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act against us or any of our directors, officers, other employees or agents. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our warrants and rights shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our warrant agreement. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions of the warrant agreement and rights agreement, is filed in a court other than a court of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any holder of our warrants or rights, such holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant or rights holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant or rights holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant or rights holder.
This choice-of-forum provision may limit a warrant or rights holder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with our company, including by increasing the cost of such lawsuits to a warrant or rights holder, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our warrant agreement and rights agreement inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.
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We are not registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time, and such registration may not be in place when an investor desires to exercise warrants, thus precluding such investor from being able to exercise its warrants except on a cashless basis and potentially causing such warrants to expire worthless.
We are not registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time. However, under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed that as soon as practicable, after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to file, and within 90 days following our initial business combination to have declared effective, a registration statement covering such shares and maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. We cannot assure you that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current or correct or the SEC issues a stop order. If the shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, we will be required to permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. However, no warrant will be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption is available. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities or other compensation in exchange for the warrants in the event that we are unable to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws and no exemption is available. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of the warrants is not so registered or qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant shall not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the Class A ordinary shares included in the units. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of shares upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such shares under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering.
Because you must exercise warrants in multiples of four warrants and the exercised warrant entitles the holder to purchase three-fourth of one Class A ordinary share, the units may be worth less than units of other blank check companies.
Each full redeemable warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share. We will not issue fractional shares. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole Class A ordinary share. This is different from other offerings similar to ours whose units include one Class A ordinary share and one warrant to purchase one whole share. We have established the components of the units in this way in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of an initial business combination since the warrants will be exercisable in the aggregate for one-half of the number of shares compared to units that contain a warrant to purchase one whole share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive merger partner for target businesses. Nevertheless, this unit structure may cause our units to be worth less than if they included a warrant to purchase one whole share.
Our management’s ability to require holders of our warrants to exercise such warrants on a cashless basis will cause holders to receive fewer shares of ordinary share upon their exercise of the warrants than they would have received had they been able to exercise their warrants for cash.
If we call our public warrants for redemption after the redemption criteria described elsewhere in this prospectus have been satisfied, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise his warrant (including the private placement warrants and any other warrants held by our initial shareholders officers or directors or their permitted transferees) to do so on a “cashless basis.” If our management chooses to require holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis, the number of shares of Class A ordinary shares received by a holder upon exercise will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised his warrant for cash. This will have the effect of reducing the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company.
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Risks Related to Our Securities and This Offering
We may amend the terms of the rights in a way that may be adverse to holders with the approval by the holders of a majority of the then outstanding rights.
Our rights will be issued in registered form under a rights agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as rights agent, and us. The rights agreement provides that the terms of the rights may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision. The rights agreement requires the approval by the holders of a majority of the then outstanding rights in order to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders.
U.S. federal income tax reform could adversely affect us and holders of our units.
On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed into law H.R. 1, originally known as the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” which significantly reformed the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The new legislation, among other things, changes the U.S. federal tax rates, imposes significant additional limitations on the deductibility of interest, allows the expensing of capital expenditures, and puts into effect the migration from a “worldwide” system of taxation to a territorial system. We continue to examine the impact this tax reform legislation may have on us. The impact of this tax reform, or of any future administrative guidance interpreting provisions thereof, on holders of our units is uncertain and could be adverse. This prospectus does not discuss any such tax legislation or the manner in which it might affect holders of our units. We urge prospective investors to consult with their legal and tax advisors with respect to any such legislation and the potential tax consequences of investing in our units.
Our rights and founder shares may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
Prior to this offering, our sponsor held 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares (up to 225,000 of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and one Class B ordinary share. The Class B ordinary share will automatically be canceled at the time of our initial business combination. In addition, if our sponsor makes any working capital loans, up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be converted into warrants, at the price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. To the extent we issue Class A ordinary shares to effectuate a business transaction, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of these warrants, conversion of these rights or conversion of these working capital loans into our securities could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle to a target business. Any such issuance will increase the number of issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares and reduce the value of the Class A ordinary shares issued to complete the business transaction. Therefore, our warrants, rights and founder shares may make it more difficult to effectuate a business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in this offering except that, (i) they will not be redeemable by us, (ii) they may be transferred, assigned or sold by the Sponsor to the Permitted Transferees and (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis.
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The value of the founder shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our ordinary shares at such time is substantially less than $10.00 per share.
Upon the closing of this offering, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, our sponsor will have invested in us an aggregate of $2,900,000, comprised of the $25,000 purchase price for the founder shares and the $2,875,000 purchase price for the private placement warrants. Assuming a trading price of $10.00 per share upon consummation of our initial business combination, the 2,000,000 founder shares and 2,875,000 private placement warrants would have an aggregate implied value of $28,750,000. Even if the trading price of our ordinary shares falls substantially, the value of the founder shares would be equal to the sponsor’s initial investment in us. As a result, our sponsor is likely to be able to recoup its investment in us and make a profit on that investment, even if our public shares have lost significant value. Accordingly, our management and direction team, which owns interests in our sponsor, may have an economic incentive that differs from that of the public shareholders to pursue and consummate an initial business combination rather than to liquidate and to return all of the cash in the trust to the public shareholders.
If our management following our initial business combination is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, which could lead to various regulatory issues.
Following our initial business combination any or all of our management could resign from their positions as officers of the Company, and the management of the target business at the time of the business combination will remain in place. Management of the target business may not be familiar with United States securities laws. If new management is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues which may adversely affect our operations.
Certain agreements related to this offering may be amended without shareholder approval.
Certain agreements, including the underwriting agreement relating to this offering, the investment management trust agreement between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the letter agreement among us and our sponsor, officers, directors and director nominees, the registration rights agreement among us and our sponsor and the administrative services agreement between us and our sponsor, may be amended without shareholder approval. These agreements contain various provisions that our public shareholders might deem to be material. For example, the underwriting agreement related to this offering contains a covenant that the target company that we acquire must have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the trust account at the time of signing the definitive agreement for the transaction with such target business (excluding deferred underwriting discounts and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) so long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on NASDAQ. While we do not expect our board to approve any amendment to any of these agreements prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to any such agreement in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination. Any such amendment may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities.
Risks Associated with Acquiring and Operating a Business Outside of the U.S.
If we effect our initial business combination with a company located outside of the U.S., we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we effect our initial business combination with a company located outside of the U.S., we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in the target business’ home jurisdiction, including any of the following:
• | rules and regulations or currency redemption or corporate withholding taxes on individuals; |
• | laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected; |
• | tariffs and trade barriers; |
• | regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
• | longer payment cycles; |
• | tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the U.S.; |
• | currency fluctuations and exchange controls; |
• | rates of inflation; |
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• | challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
• | cultural and language differences; |
• | employment regulations; |
• | crime, strikes, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks and wars; and |
• | deterioration of political relations with the U.S. which could result in any number of difficulties, both normal course such as above or extraordinary such as sanctions being imposed. We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, our operations might suffer. |
U.S. laws and regulations, including the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, may restrict or eliminate our ability to complete a business combination with certain companies.
Future developments in U.S. laws may restrict our ability or willingness to complete certain business combinations with companies. For instance, the recently enacted Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the “HFCAA”) would restrict our ability to consummate a business combination with a target business unless that business met certain standards of the PCAOB and would require delisting of a company from U.S. national securities exchanges if the PCAOB is unable to inspect its public accounting firm for three consecutive years. Additionally, there is pending legislation that would reduce the number of consecutive non-inspection years required for triggering the prohibitions under the HFCA Act from three years to two years. The HFCAA also requires public companies to disclose, among other things, whether they are owned or controlled by a foreign government, specifically, those based in China. We may not be able to consummate a business combination with a favored target business due to these laws.
The documentation we may be required to submit to the SEC proving certain beneficial ownership requirements and establishing that we are not owned or controlled by a foreign government in the event that we use a foreign public accounting firm not subject to inspection by the PCAOB or where the PCAOB is unable to completely inspect or investigate our accounting practices or financial statements because of a position taken by an authority in the foreign jurisdiction could be onerous and time-consuming to prepare. HFCAA mandates the SEC to identify issuers of SEC-registered securities whose audited financial reports are prepared by an accounting firm that the PCAOB is unable to inspect due to restrictions imposed by an authority in the foreign jurisdiction where the audits are performed. If such identified issuer’s auditor cannot be inspected by the PCAOB for three consecutive years, the trading of such issuer’s securities on any U.S. national securities exchanges, as well as any over-the-counter trading in the U.S., will be prohibited.
On March 24, 2021, the SEC adopted interim final rules relating to the implementation of certain disclosure and documentation requirements of the HFCAA. An identified issuer will be required to comply with these rules if the SEC identifies it as having a “non-inspection” year under a process to be subsequently established by the SEC. The SEC is assessing how to implement other requirements of the HFCAA, including the listing and trading prohibition requirements described above. Future developments in respect of increase U.S. regulatory access to audit information are uncertain, as the legislative developments are subject to the legislative process and the regulatory developments are subject to the rule-making process and other administrative procedures.
In the event that we complete a business combination with a company with substantial operations in a foreign jurisdiction and any of the legislative actions or regulatory changes discussed above were to proceed in ways that are detrimental to issuers based in that jurisdiction, it could cause us to fail to be in compliance with U.S. securities laws and regulations, we could cease to be listed on a U.S. securities exchange, and U.S. trading of our shares could be prohibited. Any of these actions, or uncertainties in the market about the possibility of such actions, could adversely affect our prospects to successfully complete a business combination, our access to the U.S. capital markets and the price of our shares.
Other developments in U.S. laws and regulatory environment, including but not limited to executive orders such as Executive Order (E.O.) 13959, “Addressing the Threat from Securities Investments That Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies,” may further restrict our ability to complete a business combination with certain businesses.
Because of the costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations after we acquire it, our results of operations may be negatively impacted following a business combination.
Managing a business, operations, personnel or assets in another country is challenging and costly. Management of the target business that we may hire (whether based abroad or in the U.S.) may be inexperienced in cross-border business practices and unaware of significant differences in accounting rules, legal regimes and labor practices. Even with a seasoned and experienced management and director team, the costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations, personnel and assets can be significant (and much higher than in a purely domestic business) and may negatively impact our financial and operational performance.
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If social unrest, acts of terrorism, regime changes, changes in laws and regulations, political upheaval, or policy changes or enactments occur in a country in which we may operate after we effect our initial business combination, it may result in a negative effect on our business.
Terrorist attacks, civil unrest and other acts of violence or war may negatively affect the markets in which we may operate our business following our business combination and also adversely affect the worldwide financial markets. In addition, the countries we will focus on have from time to time experienced civil unrest and hostilities among or between neighboring countries.
Any such hostilities and tensions may result in investor concern about stability in the region, which may adversely affect the value of our equity shares and the trading price of our securities following our business combination. Events of this nature in the future, as well as social and civil unrest, could influence the economy in which our business target operates, and could have an adverse effect on our business, including the value of equity shares and the trading price of our securities following our business combination.
Many countries, and especially those in emerging markets, have difficult and unpredictable legal systems and underdeveloped laws and regulations that are unclear and subject to corruption and inexperience, which may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
Our ability to seek and enforce legal protections, including with respect to intellectual property and other property rights, or to defend ourselves with regard to legal actions taken against us in a given country, may be difficult or impossible, which could adversely impact our operations, assets or financial condition.
Rules and regulations in many countries, including some of the emerging markets within the regions we will initially focus, are often ambiguous or open to differing interpretation by responsible individuals and agencies at the municipal, state, regional and federal levels. The attitudes and actions of such individuals and agencies are often difficult to predict and inconsistent.
Delay with respect to the enforcement of particular rules and regulations, including those relating to customs, tax, environmental and labor, could cause serious disruption to operations abroad and negatively impact our results.
After our initial business combination, substantially all of our assets may be located in a foreign country and substantially all of our revenue may be derived from our operations in such country. Accordingly, our results of operations and prospects will be subject, to a significant extent, to the economic, political and legal policies, developments and conditions in the country in which we operate.
The economic, political and social conditions, as well as government policies, of the country in which our operations are located could affect our business. The economies in developing markets we will initially focus on differ from the economies of most developed countries in many respects. Such economic growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy and such growth may not be sustained in the future. If in the future such country’s economy experiences a downturn or grows at a slower rate than expected, there may be less demand for spending in certain industries. A decrease in demand for spending in certain industries could materially and adversely affect our ability to find an attractive target business with which to consummate our initial business combination and if we effect our initial business combination, the ability of that target business to become profitable.
Exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, all revenues and income would likely be received in a foreign currency and the dollar equivalent of our net assets and distributions, if any, could be adversely affected by reductions in the value of the local currency. The value of the currencies in our target regions fluctuate and are affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions. Any change in the relative value of such currency against our reporting currency may affect the attractiveness of any target business or, following consummation of our initial business combination, our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, if a currency appreciates in value against the dollar prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, the cost of a target business as measured in dollars will increase, which may make it less likely that we are able to consummate such transaction.
Because our business objective includes the possibility of acquiring one or more operating businesses with primary operations in emerging markets we will focus on, changes in the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the currency of any relevant jurisdiction may affect our ability to achieve such objective. For instance, the exchange rates between the Turkish lira or the Indian rupee and the U.S. dollar has changed substantially in the last two decades and may fluctuate substantially in the future. If the U.S. dollar declines in value against the relevant currency, any business combination will be more expensive and therefore more difficult to complete. Furthermore, we may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and the relevant currency, which may make it more difficult to consummate a business combination.
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Because foreign law could govern almost all of our material agreements, we may not be able to enforce our rights within such jurisdiction or elsewhere, which could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital.
Foreign law could govern almost all of our material agreements. The target business may not be able to enforce any of its material agreements or remedies may be unavailable outside of such foreign jurisdiction’s legal system. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws and contracts in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the U.S. Judiciaries in such jurisdiction may also be relatively inexperienced in enforcing corporate and commercial law, leading to a higher than usual degree of uncertainty as to the outcome of any litigation. As a result, the inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business and business opportunities.
Corporate governance standards in foreign countries may not be as strict or developed as in the U.S. and such weakness may hide issues and operational practices that are detrimental to a target business.
General corporate governance standards in some countries are weak in that they do not prevent business practices that cause unfavorable related party transactions, over-leveraging, improper accounting, family company interconnectivity and poor management. Local laws often do not go far to prevent improper business practices. Therefore, shareholders may not be treated impartially and equally as a result of poor management practices, asset shifting, conglomerate structures that result in preferential treatment to some parts of the overall company, and cronyism. The lack of transparency and ambiguity in the regulatory process also may result in inadequate credit evaluation and weakness that may precipitate or encourage financial crisis. In our evaluation of a business combination we will have to evaluate the corporate governance of a target and the business environment, and in accordance with U.S. laws for reporting companies take steps to implement practices that will cause compliance with all applicable rules and accounting practices. Notwithstanding these intended efforts, there may be endemic practices and local laws that could add risk to an investment we ultimately make and that result in an adverse effect on our operations and financial results.
Companies in foreign countries may be subject to accounting, auditing, regulatory and financial standards and requirements that differ, in some cases significantly, from those applicable to public companies in the United States, which may make it more difficult or complex to consummate a business combination. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of a foreign company may not reflect its financial position or results of operations in the way they would be reflected had such financial statements been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and there may be substantially less publicly available information about companies in certain jurisdictions than there is about comparable U.S. companies. Moreover, foreign companies may not be subject to the same degree of regulation as are U.S. companies with respect to such matters as insider trading rules, tender offer regulation, shareholder proxy requirements and the timely disclosure of information.
Legal principles relating to corporate affairs and the validity of corporate procedures, directors’ fiduciary duties and liabilities and shareholders’ rights for foreign corporations may differ from those that may apply in the U.S., which may make the consummation of a business combination with a foreign company more difficult. We therefore may have more difficulty in achieving our business objective.
Because a foreign judiciary may determine the scope and enforcement of almost all of our target business’ material agreements under the law of such foreign jurisdiction, we may be unable to enforce our rights inside and outside of such jurisdiction.
The law of a foreign jurisdiction, may govern almost all of our target business’ material agreements, some of which may be with governmental agencies in such jurisdiction. We cannot assure you that the target business or businesses will be able to enforce any of their material agreements or that remedies will be available outside of such jurisdiction. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements may have a material adverse impact on our future operations.
A slowdown in economic growth in the markets that our business target operates in may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, the value of its equity shares and the trading price of our shares following our business combination.
Following the business combination, our results of operations and financial condition may be dependent on, and may be adversely affected by, conditions in financial markets in the global economy, and, particularly in the markets where the business operates. The specific economy could be adversely affected by various factors such as political or regulatory action, including adverse changes in liberalization policies, business corruption, social disturbances, terrorist attacks and other acts of violence or war, natural calamities, interest rates, inflation, commodity and energy prices and various other factors which may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, value of our equity shares and the trading price of our shares following the business combination.
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Regional hostilities, terrorist attacks, communal disturbances, civil unrest and other acts of violence or war may result in a loss of investor confidence and a decline in the value of our equity shares and trading price of our shares following our business combination.
Terrorist attacks, civil unrest and other acts of violence or war may negatively affect the markets in which we may operate our business following our business combination and also adversely affect the worldwide financial markets. In addition, the countries we will focus on, have from time to time experienced instances of civil unrest and hostilities among or between neighboring countries. Any such hostilities and tensions may result in investor concern about stability in the region, which may adversely affect the value of our equity shares and the trading price of our shares following our business combination. Events of this nature in the future, as well as social and civil unrest, could influence the economy in which our business target operates, and could have an adverse effect on our business, including the value of equity shares and the trading price of our shares following our business combination.
The occurrence of natural disasters may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations following our business combination.
The occurrence of natural disasters, including hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, fires and pandemic disease may adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations following our business combination. The potential impact of a natural disaster on our results of operations and financial position is speculative, and would depend on numerous factors. The extent and severity of these natural disasters determines their effect on a given economy. Although the long term effect of diseases such as the H5N1 “avian flu,” or H1N1, the swine flu, cannot currently be predicted, previous occurrences of avian flu and swine flu had an adverse effect on the economies of those countries in which they were most prevalent. An outbreak of a communicable disease in our market could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations following our business combination. We cannot assure you that natural disasters will not occur in the future or that our business, financial condition and results of operations will not be adversely affected.
Any downgrade of credit ratings of the country in which the company we acquire business may adversely affect our ability to raise debt financing following our business combination.
No assurance can be given that any rating organization will not downgrade the credit ratings of the sovereign foreign long-term debt of the country in which our business target operates, which reflect an assessment of the overall financial capacity of the government of such country to pay its obligations and its ability to meet its financial commitments as they become due. Any downgrade could cause interest rates and borrowing costs to rise, which may negatively impact both the perception of credit risk associated with our future variable rate debt and our ability to access the debt markets on favorable terms in the future. This could have an adverse effect on our financial condition following our business combination.
Returns on investment in foreign companies may be decreased by withholding and other taxes.
Our investments will incur tax risk unique to investment in developing economies. Income that might otherwise not be subject to withholding of local income tax under normal international conventions may be subject to withholding of income tax in a developing economy. Additionally, proof of payment of withholding taxes may be required as part of the remittance procedure. Any withholding taxes paid by us on income from our investments in such country may or may not be creditable on our income tax returns. We intend to seek to minimize any withholding tax or local tax otherwise imposed. However, there is no assurance that the foreign tax authorities will recognize application of such treaties to achieve a minimization of such tax. We may also elect to create foreign subsidiaries to effect the business combinations to attempt to limit the potential tax consequences of a business combination.
As the rights of shareholders under British Virgin Islands law differ from those under U.S. law, you may have fewer protections as a shareholder.
We are a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
Our corporate affairs will be governed by our memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act, and the common law of the British Virgin Islands. The rights of shareholders to take legal action against our directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under British Virgin Islands law are governed by the Companies Act and the common law of the British Virgin Islands. The common law of the British Virgin Islands is derived from the common law of England and whilst the decision of the English courts are of persuasive authority, they are not binding on a court in the British Virgin Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under British Virgin Islands law may not be as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedents in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the British Virgin Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and some states (such as Delaware) have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. As a result of all of the above, holders of our shares may have more difficulty in protecting their interests through actions against our management, directors or major shareholders than they would as shareholders of a U.S. company.
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Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure
We are not subject to the supervision of the Financial Services Commission of the British Virgin Islands and so our shareholders are not protected by any regulatory inspections in the British Virgin Islands.
We are not an entity subject to any regulatory supervision in the British Virgin Islands by the Financial Services Commission. As a result, shareholders are not protected by any regulatory supervision or inspections by any regulatory agency in the British Virgin Islands and the company is not required to observe any restrictions in respect of its conduct save as disclosed in this prospectus or its memorandum and articles of association.
Because we are incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. Federal courts may be limited.
We are a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon our directors or officers, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
Our corporate affairs and the rights of shareholders are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act and the common law of the British Virgin Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under British Virgin Islands law are governed by the Companies Act and the common law of the British Virgin Islands. The common law of the British Virgin Islands is derived from English common law, and whilst the decisions of the English courts are of persuasive authority, they are not binding on a court in the British Virgin Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under British Virgin Islands law may not be as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the U.S. In particular, the British Virgin Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the U.S., and certain states, such as Delaware, may have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, while statutory provisions do exist in British Virgin Islands law for derivative actions to be brought in certain circumstances, shareholders in British Virgin Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a Federal court of the United States. Accordingly, shareholders may have fewer alternatives available to them if they believe that corporate wrongdoing has occurred.
The courts of the British Virgin Islands are also unlikely:
· | to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States based on certain civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws where that liability is in respect of penalties, taxes, fines or similar fiscal or revenue obligations of the company; and | |
· | to impose liabilities against us, in original actions brought in the British Virgin Islands, based on certain civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws that are penal in nature. |
There is no statutory recognition in the British Virgin Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, although the courts of the British Virgin Islands will in certain circumstances recognize such a foreign judgment and treat it as a cause of action in itself which may be sued upon as a debt at common law so that no retrial of the issues would be necessary provided that the U.S. judgment:
· | the U.S. court issuing the judgment had jurisdiction in the matter and the company either submitted to such jurisdiction or was resident or carrying on business within such jurisdiction and was duly served with process; | |
· | is final and for a liquidated sum; |
· | the judgment given by the U.S. court was not in respect of penalties, taxes, fines or similar fiscal or revenue obligations of the company; | |
· | in obtaining judgment there was no fraud on the part of the person in whose favor judgment was given or on the part of the court; | |
· | recognition or enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to public policy in the British Virgin Islands; and | |
· | the proceedings pursuant to which judgment was obtained were not contrary to natural justice. |
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In appropriate circumstances, a British Virgin Islands Court may give effect in the British Virgin Islands to other kinds of final foreign judgments such as declaratory orders, orders for performance of contracts and injunctions.
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the Board of Directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a U.S. company. For a discussion of certain differences between the provisions of the Companies Act, remedies available to shareholders and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders, see “British Virgin Islands Company Considerations.”
General Risk Factors
We are a newly incorporated company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a newly incorporated company established under the laws of the British Virgin Islands with no operating results, and we will not commence operations until obtaining funding through this offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning a business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
Past performance by our management and director team and their respective affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.
Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, our management and director team and their affiliates is presented for informational purposes only. Past performance by our management and director team, including their affiliates’ past performance, is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. You should not rely on the historical record of our management and director team and their affiliates as indicative of our future performance. Additionally, in the course of their respective careers, members of our management and director team have been involved in businesses and deals that were unsuccessful. None of our officers or directors has had experience operating a blank check company in the past.
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.
We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our shareholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any December 31 before that time, in which case we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following June 30. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.
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Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accountant standards used.
We may be a passive foreign investment company, or “PFIC,” which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.
If we are a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. holder (as defined in the section of this prospectus captioned “Income Tax Considerations — Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — U.S. Holders”) of our Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights, the U.S. holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. Our PFIC status for our current and subsequent taxable years may depend on whether we qualify for the PFIC start-up exception (see the section of this prospectus captioned “Income Tax Considerations — Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — U.S. Holders — Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules”). Depending on the particular circumstances the application of the start-up exception may be subject to uncertainty, and there cannot be any assurance that we will qualify for the start-up exception. Accordingly, there can be no assurances with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for any taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. Moreover, if we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. holder such information as the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may require, including a PFIC annual information statement, in order to enable the U.S. holder to make and maintain a “qualified electing fund” election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information, and such election would be possibly unavailable with respect to our warrants and possibly not our rights. We urge U.S. holders to consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules to holders of our Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights. For a more detailed explanation of the tax consequences of PFIC classification to U.S. holders, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Income Tax Considerations — Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — U.S. Holders — Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.”
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some statements contained in this prospectus are forward-looking in nature. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management and director team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:
• | our ability to complete our initial business combination; |
• | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
• | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination, as a result of which they would then receive expense reimbursements; |
• | our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
• | our pool of prospective target businesses; |
• | the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential acquisition opportunities; |
• | our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; |
• | the lack of a market for our securities; |
• | the use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; or |
• | our financial performance following this offering. |
The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors”. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
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We are offering 6,000,000 units at an offering price of $10.00 per unit. We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering together with the funds we will receive from the sale of the private placement warrants will be used as set forth in the following table.
Without
Over-Allotment Option |
Over-Allotment
Option Exercised |
|||||||
Gross proceeds | ||||||||
Gross proceeds from units offered to public(1) | $ | 60,000,000 | $ | 69,000,000 | ||||
Gross proceeds from private placement warrants offered in the private placement | 2,875,000 | 3,100,000 | ||||||
Total gross proceeds | $ | 62,875,000 | $ | 72,100,000 | ||||
Offering expenses(2) | ||||||||
Underwriting discounts (2.0% of gross proceeds from units offered to public, which excludes the deferred underwriting discounts of up to 3.5% of gross proceeds from offering)(3) | $ | 1,200,000 | $ | 1,380,000 | ||||
Legal fees and expenses | 350,000 | 350,000 | ||||||
Accounting fees and expenses | 100,000 | 100,000 | ||||||
SEC/FINRA Expenses | 19,089 | 19,089 | ||||||
NASDAQ listing and filing fees | 75,000 | 75,000 | ||||||
Printing and engraving expenses | 35,000 | 35,000 | ||||||
Miscellaneous(3) | 100,911 | 100,911 | ||||||
Total offering expenses (other than underwriting discounts) | $ | 680,000 | $ | 680,000 | ||||
Proceeds after offering expenses (not including deferred underwriting discounts) | $ | 60,995,000 | $ | 70,040,000 | ||||
Held in trust account | $ | 60,300,000 | $ | 69,345,000 | ||||
% of public offering size | 100.5 | % | 100.5 | % | ||||
Not held in trust account(2) | $ | 695,000 | $ | 695,000 |
The following table shows the use of the approximately $695,000 of net proceeds not held in the trust account(4).
Amount | % of Total | |||||||
Legal, accounting, travel, and other expenses in connection with any business combination(5) | $ | 100,000 | 14.39 | % | ||||
Director and Officer liability insurance premiums | 250,000 | 35.97 | % | |||||
Legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting obligations | 50,0000 | 7.19 | % | |||||
Due diligence of prospective target businesses by officers, directors and initial shareholders | 50,000 | 7.19 | % | |||||
Payment of administrative fee to sponsor ($10,000 per month for up to 18 months) | 180,000 | 25.90 | % | |||||
Other miscellaneous expenses | 65,000 | 9.35 | % | |||||
Total | $ | 695,000 | 100.00 | % |
(1) | Includes amounts payable to public shareholders who properly redeem their shares in connection with our successful completion of our initial business combination. |
(2) | A portion of the offering expenses have been paid from the proceeds of loans from our sponsor of up to $400,000 as described in this prospectus. As of September 30, 2021, we had borrowed $196,744 under the promissory note. These loans will be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the $680,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting discounts) and amounts not to be held in the trust account. In the event that offering expenses are less than as set forth in this table, any such amounts will be used for post-closing working capital expenses. In the event that the offering expenses are more than as set forth in this table, we may fund such excess with funds not held in the trust account. Includes organizational and administrative expenses and may include amounts related to above-listed expenses in the event actual amounts exceed estimates. |
(3) | The deferred underwriting discounts in an amount up to 3.5% of the gross proceeds raised in this offering will be payable to the underwriters upon the consummation of our initial business combination and will be held in the trust account until the consummation of such initial business combination. |
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(4) | These expenses are estimates only. Our actual expenditures for some or all of these items may differ from the estimates set forth herein. For example, we may incur greater legal and accounting expenses than our current estimates in connection with negotiating and structuring a business combination based upon the level of complexity of such business combination. In the event we identify an acquisition target in a specific industry subject to specific regulations, we may incur additional expenses associated with legal due diligence and the engagement of special legal counsel. In addition, our staffing needs may vary and as a result, we may engage a number of consultants to assist with legal and financial due diligence. We do not anticipate any change in our intended use of proceeds, other than fluctuations among the current categories of allocated expenses, which fluctuations, to the extent they exceed current estimates for any specific category of expenses, would not be available for our expenses. The amount in the table above does not include interest available to us from the trust account. Based on current interest rates, we would expect approximately $60,000 per year to be available to us from interest earned on the funds held in the trust account following the investment of such funds in specified U.S. Government Treasury bills, however, we can provide no assurances regarding this amount. This estimate assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option and an interest rate of 0.1% per annum based upon current yields of securities in which the trust account may be invested. In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. Otherwise, such loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the trust account. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants issued to our sponsor. The terms of such loans by our sponsor, affiliate of our sponsor, or certain of our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. |
(5) | Includes estimated amounts that may also be used in connection with our initial business combination to fund a “no shop” provision and commitment fees for financing. |
Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, $60,300,000 (or $69,345,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), will, upon the consummation of this offering, be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Based on current interest rates, we estimate that the interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $60,000 per year, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option and an interest rate of 0.1% per year, following the investment of such funds in specified U.S. government treasury bills or in specified money market funds. We will not be permitted to withdraw any of the principal or interest held in the trust account except for the withdrawal of interest to pay taxes, if any, the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants will not be released from the trust account until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to (A) modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity and (iii) the redemption of all of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), subject to applicable law.
The payment to the sponsor of a monthly fee of $10,000 is for general and administrative services including office space, utilities, and secretarial support. However, pursuant to the terms of such agreement, we may delay payment of such monthly fee upon a determination by our audit committee that we lack sufficient funds held outside the trust to pay actual or anticipated expenses in connection with our initial business combination. Any such unpaid amount will accrue without interest and be due and payable no later than the date of the consummation of our initial business combination. This arrangement is being agreed to by the sponsor for our benefit. We believe that the fee charged by the sponsor is at least as favorable as we could have obtained from an unaffiliated person. This arrangement will terminate upon completion of our initial business combination or the distribution of the trust account to our public shareholders. Other than the $10,000 per month fee, no compensation of any kind (including finder’s fees, consulting fees or other similar compensation) will be paid to our insiders, members of our management and director team or any of our or their respective affiliates, for services rendered to us prior to or in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, such individuals will receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them related to identifying, investigating, negotiating, and completing an initial business combination.
The net proceeds held in the trust account may be used as consideration to pay the sellers of a target business with which we ultimately complete our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination, we may apply the balance of the cash released from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination.
We believe that amounts not held in trust will be sufficient to pay the costs and expenses to which such proceeds are allocated. This belief is based on the fact that while we may begin preliminary due diligence of a target business in connection with an indication of interest, we intend to undertake in-depth due diligence, depending on the circumstances of the relevant prospective acquisition, only after we have negotiated and signed a letter of intent or other preliminary agreement that addresses the terms of a business combination. However, if our estimate of the costs of undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a business combination is less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may be required to raise additional capital, the amount, availability and cost of which is currently unascertainable. If we are required to seek additional capital, we could seek such additional capital through loans or additional investments from our sponsor, the member of our management or their affiliates, but such persons are not under any obligation to advance funds to, or invest in, us.
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Prior to the closing of this offering, our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $400,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of September 30, 2021, we had borrowed $196,744 under the promissory note. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of the closing of this offering or the date which the company determines not to conduct this offering. These loans will be repaid upon the closing of this offering out of the $680,000 of offering proceeds not held in the trust account.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. Otherwise, such loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the trust account. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants will be identical to the private placement warrants. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may also purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. Please see “Proposed Business — Permitted purchases of our securities” for a description of how such persons will determine which shareholders to seek to acquire shares from. The price per share paid in any such transaction may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial business combination. However, such persons have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules.
We may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) and the agreement for our initial business combination may require as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights so that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement or any net worth or cash requirements, we would not proceed with the redemption of our public shares or the business combination, and instead may search for an alternate business combination.
A public shareholder will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to (A) modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity and (iii) the redemption of all of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), subject to applicable law. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account.
Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and any public shares they may hold in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. However, if our sponsor or any of our officers, directors or affiliates acquires public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.
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We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our Board of Directors at such time and we will only pay such dividend out of our profits or share premium (subject to solvency requirements) as permitted under British Virgin Law. In addition, our Board of Directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any share capitalizations in the foreseeable future, except if we increase the size of the offering, in which case we will effect a capitalization or share surrender or redemption or other appropriate mechanism immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our sponsor prior to this offering at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
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The difference between the public offering price per Class A ordinary share, assuming no value is attributed to the warrants and rights included in the units we are offering pursuant to this prospectus or the private placement warrants, and the pro forma net tangible book value per Class A ordinary share after this offering, constitutes the dilution to investors in this offering. Such calculation does not reflect any dilution associated with the sale and exercise of warrants, including the private placement warrants, which would cause the actual dilution to the public shareholders to be higher, particularly where a cashless exercise is utilized. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our net tangible book value, which is our total tangible assets less total liabilities (including the value of Class A ordinary shares which may be redeemed for cash), by the number of issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares.
At September 30, 2021, our net tangible book value deficit was $187,280 or approximately $(0.11) per ordinary share. For purposes of the dilution calculation, in order to present the maximum estimated dilution as a result of this offering, we have assumed (i) the issuance of one-tenth of a share for each right outstanding, as such issuance will occur upon a business combination without the payment of additional consideration and (ii) the number of Class A ordinary shares included in the units offered hereby will be deemed to be 6,600,000 Class A ordinary shares (consisting of 6,000,000 Class A ordinary shares included in the units we are offering by this prospectus and 600,000 Class A ordinary shares for the outstanding rights), and the price per share in this offering will be deemed to be $9.09. After giving effect to the sale of 6,000,000 Class A ordinary shares included in the units we are offering by this prospectus (or 6,900,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), the sale of the private securities, the issuance of the Representative shares and the deduction of underwriting discounts and estimated expenses of this offering, our pro forma net tangible book value at September 30, 2021, would have been $7,532,027 or $2.49 per share (or $8,544,145 and $2.46 per share if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), representing an immediate increase in net tangible book value (as decreased by the value of the approximately 5,138,588 Class A ordinary shares that may be redeemed for cash, or 5,909,377 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) of $2.60 per share (or $2.57 per share if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) to our initial shareholder as of the date of this prospectus and dilution to public shareholders from this offering will be $6.60 per share (or $6.63 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full).
The following table illustrates the dilution to the public shareholders on a per-share basis, assuming no value is attributed to the warrants included in the units or the private placement warrants:
Without Over- allotment |
With Over- allotment |
|||||||
Public offering price | $ | 9.09 | $ | 9.09 | ||||
Net tangible book value before this offering | $ | (0.11 | ) | $ | (0.11 | ) | ||
Increase attributable to public shareholders and private sales | $ | 2.60 | $ | 2.57 | ||||
Pro forma net tangible book value after this offering | $ | 2.49 | $ | 2.46 | ||||
Dilution to public shareholders | $ | 6.60 | $ | 6.63 | ||||
Percentage of dilution to public shareholders | 72.6 | % | 72.9 | % |
For purposes of presentation, we have reduced our pro forma net tangible book value after this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) by $51,385,883 because holders of up to 86% of our public shares may redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account at a per-share redemption price equal to the amount in the trust account as set forth in our tender offer or proxy materials (initially anticipated to be the aggregate amount held in trust two days prior to the commencement of our tender offer or shareholders meeting, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) divided by the number of Class A ordinary shares sold in this offering).
The following table sets forth information with respect to our sponsor and the public shareholders:
Shares | Total Consideration |
Average
Price |
||||||||||||||||||
Holder of | Purchased | Percentage | Amount | Percentage | per Share | |||||||||||||||
Founder shares (1)(2) | 1,500,000 | 18.4 | % | $ | 25,000 | 0.04 | % | $ | 0.02 | |||||||||||
Representative shares(3) | 60,000 | 0.7 | % | $ | - | - | % | $ | - | |||||||||||
Public shares(4) | 6,600,000 | 80.9 | % | $ | 60,000,000 | 99.96 | % | $ | 9.09 | |||||||||||
Total | 8,160,000 | 100.0 | % | $ | 60,025,000 | 100.0 | % |
(1) | Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of an aggregate of 225,000 Class A ordinary shares held by our initial shareholder. |
(2) | The Class B ordinary share will automatically be canceled at the time of our initial business combination. |
(3) | Represents the issuance of 60,000 representative shares to Chardan. |
(4) |
Assumes with the issuance of an additional 600,000 shares underlying the rights included in the public units. |
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The pro forma net tangible book value per share after the offering is calculated as follows:
Without
Over- allotment |
With
Over- allotment |
|||||||
Numerator: | ||||||||
Net tangible book value before this offering | $ | (187,280 | ) | $ | (187,280 | ) | ||
Net proceeds from this offering and private placement (1) | 60,995,000 | 70,040,000 | ||||||
Plus: Offering costs paid for in advance | 210,190 | 210,190 | ||||||
Less: Deferred underwriting discounts | (2,100,000 | ) | (2,415,000 | ) | ||||
Less: Proceeds held in trust subject to redemption (2) | (51,385,883 | ) | (59,093,765 | ) | ||||
$ | 7,532,027 | $ | 8,554,145 | |||||
Denominator: | ||||||||
Class A ordinary shares outstanding prior to this offering | 1,725,000 | 1,725,000 | ||||||
Less: Class A ordinary shares forfeited if over-allotment is not exercised | (225,000 | ) | - | |||||
Class A Ordinary shares to be sold as part of the units in this offering | 6,000,000 | 6,900,000 | ||||||
Class A Ordinary shares underlying the rights included in the units offered | 600,000 | 690,000 | ||||||
Representative Shares including underlying rights | 60,000 | 69,000 | ||||||
Less: shares subject to redemption | (5,138,588 | ) | (5,909,377 | ) | ||||
3,021,412 | 3,474,623 |
(1) | Expenses applied against gross proceeds include offering expenses of $680,000 and underwriting discounts of $1,200,000 or $1,380,000 if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option (excluding deferred underwriting fees). See “Use of Proceeds.” |
(2) |
If we seek shareholders’ approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. In the event of any such purchases of our shares prior to the completion of our initial business combination, the number of Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption will be reduced by the amount of any such purchases, increasing the pro forma net tangible book value per share. See “Proposed Business—Permitted Purchases of Our Securities.” |
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The following table sets forth our capitalization as of September 30, 2021, and as adjusted to give effect to the sale of our 6,000,000 units in this offering for $60,000,000 (or $1.00 per warrant) and the sale of 2,875,000 private placement warrants for $2,875,000 (or $10.05 per unit) and the application of the estimated net proceeds derived from the sale of such securities:
September 30, 2021 | ||||||||
Actual | As Adjusted(1) | |||||||
Promissory note – related party(2) | $ | 196,744 | $ | — | ||||
Deferred underwriting discounts | — | 2,100,000 | ||||||
Class A ordinary share, subject to redemption, -0- and 5,130,132 shares are subject to possible redemption/tender, actual and adjusted respectively (3), (4) | — | 51,385,883 | ||||||
Shareholders’ equity | ||||||||
Preference shares, with no par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted, respectively | — | — | ||||||
Class A ordinary shares, no par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 1,725,000 and 1,560,000 shares issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted, respectively(5) | 25,000 | 7,534,117 | ||||||
Class B ordinary share, with no par value, 100 shares authorized, and 1 share issued and none outstanding, actual and as adjusted, respectively | — | — | ||||||
Accumulated deficit (6) | (2,090 | ) | (2,090 | ) | ||||
Total shareholders’ equity | 22,910 | 7,532,027 | ||||||
Total capitalization | $ | 219,564 | $ | 61,017,910 |
(1) | Assumes the full forfeiture of 225,000 shares that are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. The proceeds of the sale of such shares will not be deposited into the trust account, the shares will not be eligible for redemption from the trust account nor will they be eligible to vote upon the initial business combination. |
(2) | A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. has agreed to loan us up to $400,000 under an unsecured promissory note to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of September 30, 2021, we had borrowed $196,744 under the promissory note. |
(3) | Upon the completion of our initial business combination, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for a cash per-share price equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes. While redemptions cannot cause our net tangible assets to fall below $5,000,001, all Class A shares are redeemable and classified as such on the balance sheet until such date that a redemption event takes place. |
(4) | All of the 6,000,000 Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the offering contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such public shares in connection with our liquidation, if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with the business combination and in connection with certain amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. In accordance with SEC and its guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of a company require ordinary shares subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. Given that the 6,000,000 Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the offering will be issued with other freestanding instruments (i.e., public warrants and public rights), the initial carrying value of Class A ordinary shares classified as temporary equity will be the allocated proceeds determined in accordance with ASC 470-20. Our Class A ordinary shares is subject to ASC 480-10-S99. If it is probable that the equity instrument will become redeemable, we have the option to either (i) accrete changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument or (ii) recognize changes in the redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying amount of the instrument to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. We have elected to accrete the changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument. The accretion or remeasurement will be treated as a deemed dividend (i.e., a reduction to retained earnings, or in absence of retained earnings, additional paid-in capital). |
(5) | Actual share amount is prior to any forfeiture of founder shares by our sponsor and as adjusted share amount assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. |
(6) |
The “as adjusted” shareholders’ equity calculation is calculated the “as adjusted” Class A ordinary share par value of $7,534,117 less the accumulated deficit of $2,090. |
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION
AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands as a BVI business company and incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the private placement of the private placement warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our securities in connection with our initial business combination, our shares, debt or a combination of cash, stock and debt.
The issuance of additional ordinary shares in a business combination:
• | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering; |
• | may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares; |
• | could cause a change of control if a substantial number of our ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; |
• | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and |
• |
may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares, warrants and/or rights. |
Similarly, if we issue debt securities, it could result in:
• | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
• | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
• | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; |
• | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding; |
• | our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares; |
• | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
• | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
• | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
• | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
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As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, as of September 30, 2021, we had no cash, and a working capital deficit of $187,280. Further, we expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete our initial business combination will be successful.
Critical Accounting Policies, Judgements and Estimates
An accounting policy is considered critical if it requires an accounting estimate to be made based on assumptions about matters that are uncertain and requires significant judgment at the time such estimate is made, and if different accounting estimates that reasonably could have been used, or changes in the accounting estimates that are reasonably likely to occur periodically, could materially impact the financial statements.
We prepare our financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP, which requires us to make judgments, estimates and assumptions. We continually evaluate these estimates and assumptions based on the most recently available information, our own historical experiences and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Since the use of estimates is an integral component of the financial reporting process, actual results could differ from our expectations as a result of changes in our estimates. Some of our accounting policies require a higher degree of judgment than others in their application and require us to make significant accounting estimates.
The following descriptions of critical accounting policies, judgments and estimates should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and other disclosures included in this prospectus. When reviewing our financial statements, you should consider (i) our selection of critical accounting policies, (ii) the judgments and other uncertainties affecting the application of such policies and (iii) the sensitivity of reported results to changes in conditions and assumptions.
Redeemable Shares
All of the Public Shares contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such Public Shares in connection with the Company’s liquidation, if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with the Company’s Business Combination and in connection with certain amendments to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”). In accordance with the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and its guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of a company require shares subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. The Class A ordinary shares is subject to ASC 480-10-S99. If it is probable that the equity instrument will become redeemable, the Company has the option to either (i) accrete changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument or (ii) recognize changes in the redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying amount of the instrument to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. The Company has elected to accrete the changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument. The accretion or remeasurement will be treated as a deemed dividend (i.e., a reduction to retained earnings, or in absence of retained earnings, additional paid-in capital). While redemptions cannot cause the Company’s net tangible assets to fall below $5,000,001, the Public Shares are redeemable and will be classified as such on the balance sheet until such date that a redemption event takes place.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”). ASC 740 requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for both the expected impact of differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit carry forwards. ASC 740 additionally requires a valuation allowance to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized.
FASB ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. There were no unrecognized tax benefits as of July 31, 2021. Our management determined that the Cayman Islands is our only major tax jurisdiction. We recognize accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. As of July 31, 2021, there were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts were accrued for the payment of interest and penalties. We are currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.
There is currently no taxation imposed on income by the Government of the Cayman Islands. In accordance with Cayman income tax regulations, income taxes are not levied on us. Consequently, income taxes are not reflected in our financial statements.
Results of Operations and Known Trends or Future Events
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities since inception have been organizational activities and those necessary to prepare for this offering. Following this offering, we will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial business combination. We expect to generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents after this offering. There has been no significant change in our financial or trading position and no material adverse change has occurred since the date of our audited financial statements. After this offering, we expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses. We expect our expenses to increase substantially after the closing of this offering.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our liquidity needs have been satisfied prior to completion of this offering through receipt of $25,000 from the sale of the founder shares to our sponsor and up to $400,000 in loans from our sponsor under an unsecured promissory note. As of September 30, 2021, we had borrowed $196,744 under the promissory note. We estimate that the net proceeds from (i) the sale of the units in this offering, after deducting offering expenses of approximately $680,000 and underwriting discounts of $1,200,000 (not including the deferred underwriting discounts), and (ii) the sale of the private placement warrants for a purchase price of $2,875,000 (or $3,100,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), will be $60,945,000 (or $69,945,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). Of this amount, $60,300,000 or ($69,345,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be deposited into a non-interest bearing trust account. The funds in the trust account will be invested only in specified U.S. government treasury bills or in specified money market funds. The remaining $695,000 will not be held in the trust account. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $680,000 we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $680,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) to complete our initial business combination (including the deferred underwriting discounts payable to Chardan in an amount equal to 3.5% of the total gross proceeds raised in the offering upon consummation of our initial business combination). We may withdraw interest to pay taxes, if any. Our annual income tax obligations will depend on the amount of interest and other income earned on the amounts held in the trust account. To the extent that our ordinary shares or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we will have available to us $695,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account. We will use these funds primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, structure, negotiate and complete a business combination, and to pay taxes to the extent the interest earned on the trust account is not sufficient to pay our taxes.
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants issued to our sponsor. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
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We expect our primary liquidity requirements during that period to include approximately $250,000 for legal, accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses associated with structuring, negotiating and documenting successful business combinations; $100,000 for legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting requirements; $100,000 for diligence; $250,000 for Directors’ and Officers’ insurance premiums; 180,000 for administrative services expenses; and approximately $65,000 for general working capital that will be used for miscellaneous expenses and reserves net of estimated interest income.
These amounts are estimates and may differ materially from our actual expenses. In addition, we could use a portion of the funds not being placed in trust to pay commitment fees for financing, fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business or as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into an agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business, the amount that would be used as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision would be determined based on the terms of the specific business combination and the amount of our available funds at the time. Our forfeiture of such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise) could result in our not having sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conducting due diligence with respect to, prospective target businesses.
We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds following this offering in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business. However, if our estimates of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial business combination. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our initial business combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of our initial business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination.
Controls and Procedures
We are not currently required to certify for the effectiveness of internal controls that we evaluate and report on as defined by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will be required to comply with the internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. Only in the event that we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer would we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company as defined in the JOBS Act, we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement.
Prior to the closing of this offering, we have not completed an assessment, nor have our auditors tested our systems, of internal controls. We expect to assess the internal controls of our target business or businesses prior to the completion of our initial business combination and, if necessary, to implement and test additional controls as we may determine are necessary in order to state that we maintain an effective system of internal controls. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding the adequacy of internal controls. Many small and mid-sized target businesses we may consider for our initial business combination may have internal controls that need improvement in areas such as:
• | staffing for financial, accounting and external reporting areas, including segregation of duties; |
• | reconciliation of accounts; |
• | proper recording of expenses and liabilities in the period to which they relate; |
• | evidence of internal review and approval of accounting transactions; |
• | documentation of processes, assumptions and conclusions underlying significant estimates; and |
• | documentation of accounting policies and procedures. |
Because it will take time, management involvement and perhaps outside resources to determine what internal control improvements are necessary for us to meet regulatory requirements and market expectations for our operation of a target business, we may incur significant expenses in meeting our public reporting responsibilities, particularly in the areas of designing, enhancing, or remediating internal and disclosure controls. Doing so effectively may also take longer than we expect, thus increasing our exposure to financial fraud or erroneous financing reporting.
Once our management’s report on internal controls is complete, we will retain our independent auditors to audit and render an opinion on such report when required by Section 404. The independent auditors may identify additional issues concerning a target business’s internal controls while performing their audit of internal control over financial reporting.
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Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
The net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account will be invested in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.
Related Party Transactions
On June 7, 2021, we issued 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share. On July 19, 2021, 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares were repurchased and cancelled at an aggregate repurchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share, resulting in one Class B ordinary share in issue after the repurchase. On the same day, we issued 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per share. The purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the number of founder shares issued. Subsequently, on January 14, 2022, our sponsor surrendered for no consideration and we canceled 575,000 of the Class A ordinary shares, resulting in 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares remaining outstanding. As such, our sponsor will own 20% of our issued and outstanding shares after this offering (assuming it does not purchase units in this offering and excluding the Representative’ shares). If we increase or decrease the size of the offering, we will effect a capitalization or share surrender or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable with respect to our founder shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of founder shares our sponsor at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. Our sponsor does not intend to purchase any units in this offering.
Our sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.
Commencing on the date of this prospectus, we have agreed to pay our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for general and administrative services including office space, utilities and secretarial support. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
Our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $400,000 under an unsecured promissory note to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of September 30, 2021, we had borrowed $196,744 under the promissory note. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of the closing of this offering or the date which the company determines not to conduct this offering. These loans will be repaid upon the closing of this offering out of the offering proceeds not held in the trust account.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrant would be identical to the private placement warrants issued to our sponsor. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,875,000 warrants (or 3,100,000 warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $2,875,000, or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full. Each private placement warrant will be identical to the warrants sold in this offering, except as described in this prospectus. The private placement warrants will be sold in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering, including the over-allotment option, as applicable. Our initial shareholder has agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares (i) in connection with the consummation of a business combination, (ii) in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months after the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) and (iii) if we fail to consummate a business combination within 12 months after the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) or if we liquidate prior to the expiration of the 12 month period (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). However, our initial shareholder will be entitled to redemption rights with respect to any public shares held by them if we fail to consummate a business combination or liquidate within the 12 month period (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to the founder shares or private placement warrants. The warrants will expire worthless if we do not consummate a business combination within the allotted 12 month period (or up to 18 months from the completion of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time).
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Pursuant to a registration rights agreement we will enter into with our sponsor on or prior to the closing of this offering, we may be required to register certain securities for sale under the Securities Act. These holders, and holders of warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans, if any, are entitled under the registration rights agreement to make up to three demands that we register certain of our securities held by them for sale under the Securities Act and to have the securities covered thereby registered for resale pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders have the right to include their securities in other registration statements filed by us. However, the registration rights agreement provides that we will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until the securities covered thereby are released from their lock-up restrictions, as described herein. We will bear the costs and expenses of filing any such registration statements. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements; Commitments and Contractual Obligations; Quarterly Results
As of September 30, 2021, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations. No unaudited quarterly operating data is included in this prospectus as we have conducted no operations to date.
JOBS Act
On April 5, 2012, the JOBS Act was signed into law. The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We will qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act will be allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company.” we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis), and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the CEO’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our initial public offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.
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General
We are a newly incorporated blank check company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands as a BVI business company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our initial business combination. Our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic location, except that we shall not undertake our initial business combination with any entity with its principal business operations in China (including Hong Kong and Macau). We currently intend to direct part of our efforts in United States and/or Asia (excluding China) and focus on sourcing opportunities that are in the technology, media and telecom sectors. We also intend to focus on prospective target businesses that have potential for revenue growth and/or operating margin expansion and strong market positions within their industries. We will primarily seek to acquire one or more growth businesses with a total enterprise value of between $250 million and $600 million. At the time of preparing this prospectus, we do not have any specific business combination under consideration or contemplation, and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, contacted any prospective target business or had any discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to such a transaction. Our efforts to date are limited to organizational activities related to this offering.
Background and Competitive Strengths
We believe the experience and network of relationships of our management and director team will give us distinct advantages in sourcing, structuring and consummating a business combination. We believe that our team has a diverse set of skills, including experience across business development, entrepreneurship, investment, finance and marketing, which will provide us access to proprietary deals, assist us in identifying and evaluating a target, manage risk and effect a successful business combination. However, none of our management and director team is obligated to remain with the company after an acquisition transaction, and we cannot provide assurance that the resignation or retention of our current management will be a term or condition in any agreement relating to an acquisition transaction. Moreover, despite the competitive advantages we believe we have, we remain subject to significant competition with respect to identifying and executing an acquisition transaction.
We will seek to capitalize on the experience and networks of the members of our management and director team: Mr. Claudius Tsang, Mr. Abuzzal Abusaeri, Mr. John Brebeck, and Mr. Giang Nguyen Hoang. Our team consists of highly experienced professionals who have significant experience in investing in both public and private companies. Members of our management also have extensive experience in sourcing and evaluating potential investment opportunities as well as deal negotiation, corporate finance, business operations and management. We have developed a proprietary network of relationships with business leaders, investors and intermediaries that we believe can generate deal flow for us. We believe that our team has a strong and complementary set of skills which will allow us to identify a target, execute a business combination and deliver returns for our shareholders.
Mr. Claudius Tsang, our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has over 20 years of experience in capital markets, with a strong track record of success in private equity, M&A transactions and PIPE investments. Mr. Abuzzal Abusaeri, who will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, has almost two decades of experience in mergers and acquisitions, growth strategy formulation and capital market transactions across a range of portfolio companies in diverse industries. Mr. John Brebeck, who will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, has over 25 years of experience in corporate management, capital market, strategic development, and business operations. Mr. Giang Nguyen Hoang, who will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, has over 13 years of experience in capital market, business management, strategic management, entrepreneurship, and risk management. Our management and director team’s past performance is not an assurance that we will be able to identify an appropriate candidate for our initial business combination or achieve success with respect to the business combination we intend to consummate. However, we believe that the skills and professional network of our management and director team will enable us to identify, structure and consummate a business combination.
Leadership of an Experienced Management and Director Team
Mr. Claudius Tsang has served as our Chief Executive Officer since April 2021 and Chairman and Chief Financial Officer since July 2021. Mr. Tsang has over 20 years of experience in capital markets, with a strong track record of success in private equity, M&A transactions, and PIPE investments. Mr. Tsang was the Co-head of Private Equity (North Asia) at Templeton Asset Management Limited and a Partner of Templeton Private Equity Partners, a leading global emerging markets private equity firm that is part of Franklin Templeton Investments. During his 15-year career at Templeton, Mr. Tsang served in various positions, including Partner, Senior Executive Director, and Vice President. Mr. Tsang was responsible for the overall investment, management, and operations activities of Templeton Private Equity Partners in North Asia. His role encompassed overseeing the analysis and evaluation of opportunities for strategic equity investments in Asia. During his tenure, Mr. Tsang managed $1 billion in private equity funds, with approximately 50 portfolio companies. He was also involved in the management of a $3 billion fund, which was the largest Central Eastern European listed closed-end fund at the time of IPO in London. From July 2007 to June 2008, Mr. Tsang joined Lehman Brothers, where he managed private equity projects in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and the United States. At Lehman Brothers, Mr. Tsang managed $500 million proprietary funds. Since March 2021, Mr. Tsang has served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Model Performance Acquisition Corp., and since April, 2021, the Chief Investment Officer of JVSPAC Acquisition Corp. He has served as the Chief Executive Officer of A SPAC II Acquisition Corp since July 2021. Mr. Tsang has served as a director of the CFA Society of Hong Kong from 2013 to 2021. Mr. Tsang obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2017, a bachelor’s degree in law from Tsinghua University in 2005, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1998. Mr. Tsang is also a CFA charterholder. We believe that Mr. Tsang is qualified to serve on our Board of Directors based on his experience and expertise.
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Mr. Abuzzal Abusaeri will serve as our independent director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Mr. Abusaeri has almost two decades of experience in mergers and acquisitions, growth strategy formulation and capital market transactions across a range of portfolio companies in diverse industries. Since 2016, Mr. Abusaeri has been the Head of Corporate Finance with a focus on Mergers and Acquisitions for Global Mediacom, a leading media and entertainment group in Indonesia. During his tenure, Mr. Abusaeri manages sell-side and buy-side M&A investments of the company, advises investments within the venture capital space and leads issuance of bonds. His experience entails acquisitions and strategic investments in a number of media and technology companies in emerging markets. From 2009 to 2016, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Vice President of Corporate Finance for Fairways Investment Group, an Indonesian based investment holding company focusing on consumer related companies. Mr. Abusaeri was responsible for managing portfolio companies which included acting as Chief Financial Officer and leading the development of a consumer lending startup, and overseeing the growth strategy and execution of an Indonesian healthcare company. From 2007 to 2009, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Senior Assistant Vice President for Bank Danamon, one of the largest bank of Indonesia with approximately IDR200 trillion asset size in 2020. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Assistant Vice President for Bank Lippo, currently Bank CIMB Niaga. During his tenure, Mr. Abusaeri led the bank’s business and economic research unit where he conducted a number of research within Indonesia’s consumer and corporate banking industry. From 2004 to 2005, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Research Analyst for McKinsey and Co, where he was part of the firm’s financial institution group practice and part of the team that advised a number of large Indonesian banks. From 2003 to 2004, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Research Analyst for DBS Vickers Securities, a securities and derivatives brokerage firm with international Asian focus in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the United States and the United Kingdom. Mr. Abusaeri obtained his Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2018, Master of Science in Investment Management from Bayes Business School, University of London in 2002, and bachelor degree of Economics from the Trisakti University in 1998. We believe that Mr. Abusaeri is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his corporate development, strategic formulation and capital market expertise.
Mr. Giang Nguyen Hoang will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Mr. Giang has over 13 years of experience in capital market, business management, strategic management, entrepreneurship, and risk management. Since 2020, Mr. Giang has served as the Chairman for DNSE Securities JSC, a stock trading and brokerage firm in Vietnam. Since 2018, Mr. Giang has served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Encapital Fintech JSC, a fintech company in Vietnam providing financial technology solutions for investors in Vietnam. During his tenure, Mr. Giang was responsible for setting the vision, direction and strategy for the organization and was responsible for overseeing the growth and expansion of the business. Mr. Giang also serves as a board member of numerous organizations, including TNG Investment and Trading JSC (HNX:TNG), a publicly listed garment manufacturing company in Vietnam (since 2021), Saigon General Services Corporation, a publicly listed automobile retail and real estate development company (since 2020), and Southern Gas Trading Joint Stock Company (since 2019). From 2008 to 2018, Mr. Giang was a 10-year veteran of VNDIRECT Securities Corporation, a publicly listed brokerage firm in Vietnam, focusing on individual investors through a proprietary online trading platform, where he held various positions including Chief Executive Officer, Risk Management Manager, Manager, and Business Analyst for Research and Development Department. During his tenure, Mr. Giang oversaw the company’s business strategy, operations and compliance matters. Mr. Giang obtained his Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and his Bachelor of Science and Computer Engineering from University of Nebraska. We believe that Mr. Giang is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his capital market, business management, strategic management, entrepreneurship, and risk management expertise.
Mr. John Brebeck will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. He has over 25 years of experience in corporate management, capital market, strategic development, and business operations. Since 2021, Mr. Brebeck has served as the Vice President of Investor Relations for Glass House Brands, a cannabis and hemp company. From 2018 to 2021, Mr. Brebeck served as the Senior Advisor to Quantum International Corp., a research-based capital market solution provider specializing in long-term shareholder value creation, AGM-related management, capital market and corporate financial solutions. Since 2008, he has also served as the External Director for Dalton Greater China Fund, an equity fund that targets companies benefiting from China’s growth and that seeks to capitalize on inefficiencies in the China equity markets. From 2014 to 2021, Mr. Brebeck served as a board member for Hydroionic Envirotec Company Limited, a technology company working towards zero heavy metal emissions and focusing heavy metal recycling. From 2014 to 2018, Mr. Brebeck served as the Managing Director for Peace Field Limited, a Hong Kong based professional service provider that offers financial, strategic, and operational advisory services for mid-market companies. Prior to 2014, Mr. Brebeck served in numerous positions, including as President of Yuanta Investment Consulting, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yuanta Financial Holdings, a leading domestic broker in Taiwan, and as research head for The Dalton Greater China Fund and JP Morgan Securities in Taiwan. Mr. Brebeck is a Chartered Financial Analyst. He obtained his Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and his Bachelor of Arts in China Regional Studies from Georgetown University.We believe that Mr. Brebeck is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his corporate management, capital market, strategic development, and business operations expertise.
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Established Deal Sourcing Network
We believe that the collective experience of our management and director team’s strong track record of building and investing in companies will attract candidates, enabling us to strengthen our deep and actionable pipeline of potential acquisition opportunities in our target sectors. We intend to leverage our management and director team’s industry experiences, proven deal sourcing capabilities and broad network of relationships across numerous industries with business executives, entrepreneurs, media relationships, institutional investors, family offices, investment bankers and attorneys. Moreover, we believe that our network will also enable us to pursue complementary follow-on business arrangements for our potential target.
Our team will deploy a proactive sourcing strategy and focus our efforts on companies where we believe the combination of our team’s operating experience, business development prowess, professional relationships and tactical expertise can be catalysts to enhance the growth potential and value of a target business and provide opportunities for attractive returns to our shareholders. We believe that our backgrounds will enable us to identify these companies, conduct efficient and effective due diligence, make an appealing case of strategic relevance to the target and articulate an attractive growth case to public-market investors.
Status as a Publicly Listed Acquisition Company
We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to prospective target businesses. As a publicly listed company, we will offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering process. We believe that some target businesses will favor this alternative, which we believe is less expensive, more efficient and offers a greater certainty of execution and flexibility compared to the traditional initial public offering process. Furthermore, the benefit of being a public listed company includes improved access to capital which could allow the targets to accelerate growth, pursue new projects, retain and hire employees, and expand into new geographies or businesses. Ultimately, the combination of enhanced liquidity and access to capital markets will enable our target to accelerate its growth and increase its resulting value.
With respect to the foregoing examples and descriptions, past performance by our management and director team is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. Potential investors should not rely upon the historical record of our management as indicative of future performance.
Acquisition Strategy
We believe that the acceleration of disruptive trends in the TMT sector is creating substantial opportunity for companies to innovate and grow. Technology is redefining the way consumers interact with the world. The proliferation of high-speed internet and connected devices has allowed technology enabled applications to create new means by which a vast and increasing population interact socially, meet daily needs, experience entertainment, discover and purchase goods, obtain financial services, and engage in lifestyle activities. A wide range of innovations, including in gaming, computing power, battery technology, artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality, and digital video and audio consumption is creating new avenues of entertainment, while 5G and the proliferation of high-speed internet may enable these experiences to flourish.
We believe that the pace of change has increased given the effects of the global pandemic rendering an ever-greater number of public-ready businesses taking advantage of the transition from analog to digital consumption formats.
We believe that the TMT sector encompasses a broad range of companies that could make attractive targets for us. As the TMT sector continue to expand and innovate, we believe there to be many potential targets within this industry that could become attractive public companies.
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Our management member and Board of Directors have extensive experience building, advising and investing in companies operating in the same ecosystem as many of the companies in our target sector. We believe that this will enable us to identify high-quality businesses with robust fundamentals and the opportunity for operational improvement. Our selection process will leverage the deal sourcing capabilities of our board and management’s broad network of relationships with leading start-ups, established and reputable MNCs and respected peers, as well as our industry and execution expertise. Together with this network of trusted partners, we intend to capitalize the target business and create purposeful strategic initiatives in order to achieve attractive growth and performance after our initial business combination. We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or completing the business combination through a joint venture or other forms of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent accounting firm, independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions, or independent investment banking firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
Investment Criteria
Consistent with our strategy, we will primarily seek to acquire one or more growth businesses with a total enterprise value of between $250 million and $600 million. Although we may decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the criteria described below, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines as we evaluate prospective target companies:
• | Distinct competitive advantages and/or underexploited growth opportunities that our team is uniquely positioned to identify; |
We intend to seek target companies that have unique competitive advantages and/or underexploited expansion opportunities and can benefit from access to additional capital as well as expertise. We intend to target businesses that have historically demonstrated revenue growth and possess favorable future growth characteristics, combined with a defensible business model. Our management and director team has significant experience in identifying such targets and in helping company executives assess their strategic and financial strength.
• | Strong management and director team that can create significant value for the target company; |
We will seek to identify companies with strong and experienced management and director team. We believe we can provide a platform for the existing management and director team to leverage the experience of our management and director team. We intent to seek teams that have demonstrated the ability to scale, and is also well-incentivized and aligned in our future vision for creating long term shareholder value.
• | Exhibit value or other characteristics that we believe have been misevaluated by the market; |
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We will seek target companies which exhibit characteristics that we believe have been overlooked or misevaluated by the market based on our company-specific analyses and due diligence. We intend to leverage our significant experience across complex transactions and the disciplined investment approach of our team to identify opportunities that will unlock value for our shareholders.
· | Benefit from being a public company; |
We will look for public-ready management and director team that have a track record of value creation for their shareholders, with the ambition to take advantage of the improved liquidity and additional capital that can come from a successful listing in the United States. We believe that there are a substantial number of potential target businesses with appropriate valuations that can benefit from a public listing and new capital to support significant revenue and earnings growth.
Sourcing of Potential Business Combination Targets
We believe that the operational and transactional experience of our management and director team and their respective affiliates, and the relationships they have developed as a result of such experience, will provide us with a substantial number of potential business combination targets. These individuals and entities have developed a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships around the world. This network has grown through sourcing, acquiring and financing businesses, relationships with sellers, financing sources and target management and director team and experience in executing transactions under varying economic and financial market conditions. We believe that these networks of contacts and relationships will provide us important sources of investment opportunities. In addition, we anticipate that target business candidates may be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment market participants, private equity funds and large business enterprises seeking to divest noncore assets or divisions.
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Our acquisition criteria, due diligence processes and value creation methods are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. Our search for a business combination, ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by factors beyond our control.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or making the acquisition through a joint venture or other forms of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete an initial business combination with a target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions or an independent accounting firm, that such an initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity, or our Board of Directors cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions or from an independent accounting firm that the price we are paying for a target is fair to our company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the business judgment of our Board of Directors, which will have significant discretion in choosing the standard used to establish the fair market value of the target or targets, and different methods of valuation may vary greatly in outcome from one another.. Such standards used will be disclosed in our tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
As more fully discussed in “Management — Conflicts of Interest”, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may be required to present such business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such business combination opportunity to us, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law. All of our officers currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
Other Acquisition Considerations
Members of our management and director team may directly or indirectly own our Class A ordinary shares and/or private placement warrants following this offering, and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
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Each of our directors and officers presently has, and in the future any of our directors and our officers may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present acquisition opportunities to such entity. Accordingly, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an acquisition opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will need to honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such acquisition opportunity to such entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law, we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any officer or director unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue. We do not believe, however, that any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our directors or officers would materially undermine our ability to complete our business combination.
Our efforts in identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic location, except that we shall not undertake our initial business combination with any entity with its principal business operations in China (including Hong Kong and Macau). We intend to focus on businesses in the technology, media and telecom (TMT) sector in the United States and/or Asia (excluding China). We also intend to focus on prospective target businesses that have potential for revenue growth and/or operating margin expansion with high recurring revenue and cash flow, and strong market positions within their industries. We will seek to identify targets that are likely to provide attractive financial returns through business combinations. We have yet to determine a time frame, an investment amount or any other criteria, which would trigger our search for business opportunities. We believe that we will add value to these businesses primarily by providing them with access to the U.S. capital markets.
Our sponsor, officers and directors are and may become a sponsor, an officers or director of other special purpose acquisition companies. Notwithstanding that, such officers and directors will continue to have a pre-existing fiduciary obligation to us and we will, therefore, have priority over any special purpose acquisition companies they subsequently join.
Initial Business Combination
NASDAQ rules require that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the trust account (less deferred underwriting discounts and any taxes payable on interest earned) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. If our Board of Directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions for the type of company we are seeking to acquire or an independent accounting firm. We do not intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination.
We will have until 12 months from the closing of this offering to consummate an initial business combination. However, if we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months, we may extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 18 months to complete a business combination). Pursuant to the terms of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement to be entered into between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company on the date of this prospectus, in order to extend the time available for us to consummate our initial business combination, our sponsor or its affiliates or designees, upon ten days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, must deposit into the trust account $600,000, or up to $690,000 if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per share in either case) on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension (or up to an aggregate of $1,200,000 (or $1,380,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), or $0.20 per share if we extend for the full six months). Any such payments would be made in the form of a loan. Any such loans will be non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of our initial business combination. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. If we do not complete a business combination, we will not repay such loans. Furthermore, the letter agreement with our initial shareholder contains a provision pursuant to which our sponsor has agreed to waive its right to be repaid for such loans out of the funds held in the trust account in the event that we do not complete a business combination. Our sponsor and its affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are unable to consummate an initial business combination within such time period, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, 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 earned on the funds held in the trust account (net of interest that may be used by us to pay our taxes payable and for dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law and as further described herein, and then seek to dissolve and liquidate. We expect the pro rata redemption price to be approximately $10.05 per public share (regardless of whether or not the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option) (subject to increase of up to an additional $0.20 per share in the event that our sponsor elects to extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full six months), without taking into account any interest earned on such funds. However, we cannot assure you that we will in fact be able to distribute such amounts as a result of claims of creditors which may take priority over the claims of our public shareholders.
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We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management and director team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test. If our initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses.
Prior to the date of this prospectus, we will file a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
Effecting our Initial Business Combination
General
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following this offering. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the private placement of the private placement warrants, our shares, new debt, or a combination of these, as the consideration to be paid in our initial business combination. Although substantially all of the net proceeds of this offering and the private placement of private placement warrants are intended to be applied generally toward effecting a business combination as described in this prospectus, the proceeds are not otherwise being designated for any more specific purposes. Accordingly, investors in this offering are investing without first having an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of any one or more business combinations. Our initial business combination may involve the acquisition of, or merger with, a company which does not need substantial additional capital but which desires to establish a public trading market for its shares. In the alternative, we may seek to consummate a business combination with a company that may be in need of capital for development or growth. While we may seek to effect simultaneous business combinations with more than one target business, we will probably have the ability to effect only a single business combination.
If our initial business combination is paid for using shares or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the purchase price in connection with our business combination or used for redemptions of our ordinary shares, we may apply the cash released to us from the trust account that is not applied to the purchase price for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of acquired businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in consummating our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.
We may seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, and we may effectuate our initial business combination using the proceeds of such offering rather than using the amounts held in the trust account.
In the case of an initial business combination funded with assets other than the trust account assets, our tender offer documents or proxy materials disclosing the business combination would disclose the terms of the financing and, only if required by law, we would seek shareholder approval of such financing. There are no prohibitions on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. At this time, we are not a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities or otherwise.
We Have Not Identified a Target Business
We have not identified any target business and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any discussions, directly or indirectly, to identify any acquisition target. From the date of our formation through the date of this prospectus, there have been no communications or discussions between any of our officers, directors or our sponsor and any of their contacts or relationships regarding a potential initial business combination with our company. Additionally, we have not engaged or retained any agent or other representative to identify or locate any suitable acquisition candidate, to conduct any research or take any measures, directly or indirectly, to locate or contact a target business. Subject to the requirement that, so long as our securities are listed on Nasdaq, our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses or assets having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (less deferred underwriting discounts and any taxes payable on interest earned and less any interest earned thereon that is released to us for taxes) at the time of the agreement to enter into such initial business combination, we have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more prospective target businesses. Accordingly, there is no current basis for investors in this offering to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination. Although our management will assess the risks inherent in a particular target business with which we may combine, this assessment may not result in our identifying all risks that a target business may encounter. Furthermore, some of those risks may be outside of our control, meaning that we can do nothing to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
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We may seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination, and we may effectuate our initial business combination using the proceeds of such offering rather than using the amounts held in the trust account. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would consummate such financing only simultaneously with the consummation of our business combination. In the case of an initial business combination funded with assets other than the trust account assets, our tender offer documents or proxy materials disclosing the business combination would disclose the terms of the financing and, only if required by law or the rules of Nasdaq, we would seek shareholder approval of such financing. There are no prohibitions on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. At this time, we are not a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities or otherwise.
Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of a Business Combination
Subject to the requirement that, so long as our securities are listed on Nasdaq, our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses or assets having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (less deferred underwriting discounts and any taxes payable on interest earned and less any interest earned thereon that is released to us for taxes) at the time of the agreement to enter into such initial business combination, our management will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more prospective target businesses, although we will not be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations. In any case, we will only consummate an initial business combination in which we will not be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. There is no basis for investors in this offering to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we will conduct an extensive due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and inspection of facilities, as well as review of financial and other information which is made available to us. This due diligence review will be conducted either by our management or by unaffiliated third parties we may engage, although we have no current intention to engage any such third parties.
The time and costs required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete the business combination cannot presently be ascertained with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which a business combination is not ultimately completed will result in a loss to us and reduce the amount of capital available to otherwise complete a business combination.
Lack of Business Diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business. In addition, we intend to focus our search for an initial business combination in a single industry. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
• | subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact on the particular industry in which we operate after our initial business combination, and |
• | cause us to depend on the marketing and sale of a single product or limited number of products or services. |
Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target Business’ Management
Although we intend to scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting a business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of the target business’ management will prove to be correct. In addition, we cannot assure you that the future management will have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of our officers and directors, if any, in the target business following a business combination cannot presently be stated with any certainty. While it is possible that some of our key personnel will remain associated in senior management or advisory positions with us following a business combination, it is unlikely that they will devote their full time efforts to our affairs subsequent to a business combination. Moreover, they would only be able to remain with the company after the consummation of a business combination if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for them to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to the company after the consummation of the business combination. While the personal and financial interests of our key personnel may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, their ability to remain with the company after the consummation of a business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. Additionally, our officers and directors may not have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
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We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Following a business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that any such additional managers we do recruit will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Shareholders may not have the ability to approve our initial business combination
Although we may seek shareholder approval before we effect our initial business combination, we may not do so for business or legal reasons (so long as such transaction does not require shareholder approval under the Companies Act or the rules of Nasdaq). Presented in the table below is a graphic explanation of the types of initial business combinations we may consider and whether we expect shareholder approval would be required under the Companies Act for each such transaction.
Type of Transaction |
Whether
Shareholder Approval is Required |
|
Purchase of assets | No | |
Purchase of stock of target not involving a merger with the company | No | |
Merger of target with a subsidiary of the company | No | |
Merger of the company with a target | Yes | |
Entering into contractual arrangements with a target to obtain control | No |
Additionally, under Nasdaq’s listing rules, shareholder approval would be required for our initial business combination if, for example:
• | we issue ordinary shares that will be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of ordinary shares then outstanding (other than in a public offering); |
• | any of our directors, officers or substantial shareholders (as defined by Nasdaq rules) has a 5% or greater interest (or such persons collectively have a 10% or greater interest), directly or indirectly, in the target business or assets to be acquired or otherwise and the present or potential issuance of ordinary shares could result in an increase in outstanding ordinary shares or voting power of 5% or more; or |
• | the issuance or potential issuance of ordinary shares will result in our undergoing a change of control. |
We also may be required to obtain shareholder approval if we wish to take certain actions in connection with our initial business combination such as amending our memorandum and articles of association. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing of our securities on Nasdaq, we will be required to comply with such rules.
Redemption rights for public shareholders upon consummation of our initial business combination
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion their shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.05 per share, whether or not the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full. Our initial shareholder has agreed to waive their right to receive liquidating distributions if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within the requisite time period. However, if our initial shareholder or any of our officers, directors or affiliates acquires public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to receive liquidating distributions with respect to such public shares if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within the required time period.
Manner of Conducting Redemptions
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer.
We intend to hold a shareholder vote in connection with our business combination. In such case, we will:
• | conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and |
• | file proxy materials with the SEC. |
In the event that we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon consummation of the initial business combination.
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If we seek shareholder approval, we will consummate our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our initial shareholder has agreed to vote their founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after the offering in favor of our initial business combination and our officers and directors have also agreed to vote any public shares purchased during or after the offering in favor of our initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. In addition, our initial shareholder has agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination.
We will only redeem our public shares so long as (after such redemption) our net tangible assets will be at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ expenses and discounts. Furthermore, the redemption threshold may be further limited by the terms and conditions of our initial business combination. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights so that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement or any net worth or cash requirements, we would not proceed with the redemption of our public shares and the related business combination, and instead may search for an alternate business combination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote in conjunction with our initial business combination for business or other legal reasons (so long as shareholder approval is not required by the Companies Act or the rules of Nasdaq), we will conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and our memorandum and articles of association. In such case, we will:
• | offer to redeem our public shares pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and |
• | file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to consummating our initial business combination which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and we will not be permitted to consummate our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. |
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem shall remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act.
In connection with the successful consummation of our business combination, we will only redeem our public shares so long as (after such redemption) our net tangible assets will be at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon the consummation of our initial business combination. However, the redemption threshold may be further limited by the terms and conditions of our proposed initial business combination. For example, the proposed business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or members of its management and director team, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the allocation of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares that are validly tendered plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not consummate the business combination, we will not purchase any shares pursuant to the tender offer and all shares will be returned to the holders thereof following the expiration of the tender offer. Additionally, since we are required to maintain net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon the consummation of our initial business combination (which may be substantially higher depending on the terms of our potential business combination), the chance that the holders of our ordinary shares electing to redeem in connection with a redemption conducted pursuant to the proxy rules will cause us to fall below such minimum requirement is increased.
When we conduct a tender offer to redeem our public shares upon consummation of our initial business combination, in order to comply with the tender offer rules, the offer will be made to all of our shareholders, not just our public shareholders. Our initial shareholder has agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with any such tender offer.
Permitted purchases of our securities by our affiliates
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our directors, officers or their affiliates may purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the consummation of our initial business combination. Such a purchase would include a contractual acknowledgement that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. Although very unlikely, our initial shareholder, officers, directors and their affiliates could purchase sufficient shares so that the initial business combination may be approved without the majority vote of public shares held by non-affiliates. It is intended that purchases will comply with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, which provides a safe harbor for purchases made under certain conditions, including with respect to timing, pricing and volume of purchases.
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Any purchases by our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors and/or their affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act will only be made to the extent such purchases are able to be made in compliance with Rule 10b-18, which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Rule 10b-18 has certain technical requirements that must be complied with in order for the safe harbor to be available to the purchaser. Our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors and/or their affiliates will not make purchases of ordinary shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act.
The purpose of such purchases would be to (1) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination or (2) to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of the business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. This may result in the consummation of an initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
As a consequence of any such purchases, the public “float” of our ordinary shares may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain the listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange following consummation of a business combination.
Tendering share certificates in connection with a tender offer or redemption rights
We will require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the expiration date set forth in the tender offer documents mailed to such holders, or in the event we distribute proxy materials, up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the business combination, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two days prior to the vote on the business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Given the relatively short exercise period, it is advisable for shareholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $45.00 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
The foregoing is different from the procedures used by many blank check companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the shareholders’ vote on our initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholder to arrange for him to deliver his certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the shareholder then had an “option window” after the consummation of the business combination during which he could monitor the price of the company’s shares in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he could sell his shares in the open market before actually delivering his shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which shareholders were aware they needed to commit before the shareholder meeting, would become “option” rights surviving past the consummation of the business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery at or prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming holder’s election to redeem is irrevocable once the business combination is approved.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the date set forth in the tender offer materials or the date of the shareholder meeting set forth in our proxy materials, as applicable. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
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If the initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public shareholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed business combination is not consummated, we may continue to try to consummate our initial business combination with a different target until 12 months from the closing of this offering, or up to 18 months if the sponsor extends the period of time.
Redemption of public shares and liquidation if no initial business combination
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed that we will complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering. Our sponsor may decide to extend the period of time up to 18 months to consummate a business combination. We may not be able to find a suitable target business and consummate our initial business combination within such time period. If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering, or within up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if our sponsor extends the period, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than five business days thereafter, distribute the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable, and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), pro rata to our public shareholders by way of redemption and cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up of our affairs. This redemption of public shareholders from the trust account shall be effected as required by function of our memorandum and articles of association and prior to any voluntary winding up, although at all times subject to the Companies Act.
Following the redemption of public shares, we intend to enter “voluntary liquidation” which is the statutory process for formally closing and dissolving a company under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. Given that we intend to enter voluntary liquidation following the redemption of public shareholders from the trust account, we do not expect that the voluntary liquidation process will cause any delay to the payment of redemption proceeds from our trust account. In connection with such a voluntary liquidation, the liquidator would give notice to creditors inviting them to submit their claims for payment, by notifying known creditors (if any) who have not submitted claims and by placing a public advertisement in at least one newspaper published in the British Virgin Islands newspaper and in at least one newspaper circulating in the location where the company has its principal place of business, and taking any other steps he considers appropriate to identify the company’s creditors, after which our remaining assets would be distributed. As soon as the affairs of the company are fully wound-up, the liquidator must complete his statement of account and file notice with the Registrar that the liquidation is complete. We would be dissolved once the Registrar issues a Certificate of Dissolution.
Our initial shareholder has agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within the applicable period from the closing of this offering.
However, if our initial shareholder, or any of our officers, directors or affiliates acquire public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to redemption rights with respect to such public shares if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within the required time period. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our private placement warrants, which will expire worthless in the event we do not consummate our initial business combination within 12 months of the closing of this offering, or within up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if our sponsor extends the period. We will pay the costs of our liquidation from our remaining assets outside of the trust account or interest earned on the funds held in the trust account. However, the liquidator may determine that he or she requires additional time to evaluate creditors’ claims (particularly if there is uncertainty over the validity or extent of the claims of any creditors). Also, a creditor or shareholder may file a petition with the BVI court which, if successful, may result in our liquidation being subject to the supervision of that court. Such events might delay distribution of some or all of our remaining assets.
Additionally, in any liquidation proceedings of the company under British Virgin Islands law, the funds held in our trust account may be included in our estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any such claims deplete the trust account we may not be able to return to our public shareholders the liquidation amounts payable to them.
If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of this offering, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders upon our dissolution would be approximately $10.05 (whether or not the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors, which would have higher priority than the claims of our public shareholders. The actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.05, plus interest (net of taxes payable, and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses).
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Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. In order to protect the amounts held in the trust account, our sponsor agreed that it will be liable to us, if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amounts in the trust account to below $10.05 per share (whether or not the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. However, our sponsor may not be able to satisfy those obligations. Other than as described above, none of our other officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses. We have not independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy his indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. We believe the likelihood of our sponsor having to indemnify the trust account is limited because we will endeavor to have all vendors and prospective target businesses as well as other entities execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below $10.05 per share (whether or not the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy any applicable obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in any particular instance. Accordingly, due to claims of creditors, the actual value of the per-share redemption price may be less than $10.05 per share (whether or not the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full).
We will seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We will have access to up to approximately $695,000 not placed in the trust with which to pay any such potential claims. In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, shareholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $680,000, we may fund such excess with funds from the estimated $695,000 not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to hold outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $680,000 the amount of funds we intend to hold outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.
If we are deemed insolvent for the purposes of the Insolvency Act (i.e. (i) we fail to comply with the requirements of a statutory demand that has not been set aside under section 157 of the Insolvency Act; (ii) execution or other process issued on a judgment, decree or order of a British Virgin Islands Court in favor of a creditor of the company is returned wholly or partly unsatisfied; or (iii) either the value of the company’s liabilities exceeds its assets, or the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due), then there are very limited circumstances where prior payments made to shareholders or other parties may be deemed to be a “voidable transaction” for the purposes of the Insolvency Act. A voidable transaction would include, for these purposes, payments made as “unfair preferences” or “transactions at an undervalue”. A liquidator appointed over an insolvent company who considers that a particular transaction or payment is a voidable transaction under the Insolvency Act could apply to the British Virgin Islands Courts for an order setting aside that payment or transaction in whole or in part.
Additionally, if we enter insolvent liquidation under the Insolvency Act, the funds held in our trust account will likely be included in our estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any insolvency claims deplete the trust account you may not be able to return to our public shareholders the liquidation amounts due them.
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Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only (i) in the event of a redemption of the public shares prior to any winding up in the event we do not consummate our initial business combination within 12 months of the closing of the offering, or within up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if our sponsor extends the period, (ii) if they redeem their shares in connection with an initial business combination that we consummate or (iii) if they redeem their shares in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering, or within up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if our sponsor extends the period, or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity. In no other circumstances shall a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a shareholder’s voting in connection with the business combination alone will not result in a shareholder’s redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such shareholder must have also exercised its redemption rights described above.
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business, we may encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources than us and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there may be numerous potential target businesses that we could complete a business combination with utilizing the net proceeds of this offering, our ability to compete in completing a business combination with certain sizable target businesses may be limited by our available financial resources. Furthermore, the requirement that, so long as our securities are listed on Nasdaq, we acquire a target business or businesses having a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the value of the trust account (less deferred underwriting discounts and any taxes payable on interest earned and less any interest earned thereon that is released to us for taxes) at the time of the agreement to enter into the business combination, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights, and our outstanding private placement warrants and the potential future dilution they represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Any of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating our initial business combination.
Status as a Public Company
We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses. As an existing public company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other business combination. In this situation, the owners of the target business would exchange their shares of stock in the target business for our shares or for a combination of our shares and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers. Although there are various costs and obligations associated with being a public company, we believe target businesses will find this method a more certain and cost-effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. In a typical initial public offering, there are additional expenses incurred in marketing, road show and public reporting efforts that may not be present to the same extent in connection with a business combination with us.
Furthermore, once a proposed business combination is completed, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring. Once public, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital and an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with shareholders’ interests. It can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.
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While we believe that our structure and our management and director team’s backgrounds will make us an attractive business partner, some potential target businesses may have a negative view of us since we are a blank check company, without an operating history, and there is uncertainty relating to our ability to obtain shareholder approval of our proposed initial business combination and retain sufficient funds in our trust account in connection therewith.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior December 31, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
Financial Position
With funds available for a business combination initially in the amount of $60,000,000 assuming no redemptions (or $69,000,000 assuming no redemptions if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), in each case before fees and expenses associated with our initial business combination, we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt ratio. Because we are able to complete our initial business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, we have not taken any steps to secure third party financing and there can be no assurance it will be available to us.
Limitation on redemption upon completion of our initial business combination if we seek shareholder approval
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to Excess Shares. We believe this restriction will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed business combination as a means to force us or our sponsor or its affiliates to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us or our sponsor or its affiliates at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Our sponsor, officers and directors have, pursuant to a letter agreement entered into with us and waived their right to have any founder shares or public shares held by them redeemed in connection with our initial business combination. Unless any of our other affiliates acquires founder shares through a permitted transfer from an initial shareholder, and thereby becomes subject to the letter agreement, no such affiliate is subject to this waiver. However, to the extent any such affiliate acquires public shares in this offering or thereafter through open market purchases, it would be a public shareholder and restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to any Excess Shares.
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Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will contain certain requirements and restrictions relating to this offering that will apply to us until the consummation of our initial business combination. If we seek to amend any provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity, we will provide dissenting public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares in connection with any such vote. Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to waive any redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. Specifically, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, among other things, that:
• | prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we shall either (1) seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which shareholders may seek to redeem their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) or (2) provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to tender their shares to us by means of a tender offer (and thereby avoid the need for a shareholder vote) for an amount equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) in each case subject to the limitations described herein; |
• | we will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation and, solely if we seek shareholder approval, a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination; |
• | if our initial business combination is not consummated within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), then our existence will terminate and we will distribute all amounts in the trust account; and |
• | prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional ordinary shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote on any initial business combination. |
These provisions cannot be amended without the approval of holders of at least a majority of our ordinary shares. In the event we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that we may consummate our initial business combination only if approved by a majority of the ordinary shares voted by our shareholders at a duly held shareholders meeting.
Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419
The following table compares the terms of this offering to the terms of an offering by a blank check company subject to the provisions of Rule 419. This comparison assumes that the gross proceeds, underwriting discounts and underwriting expenses of our offering would be identical to those of an offering undertaken by a company subject to Rule 419, and that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option. None of the provisions of Rule 419 apply to our offering.
Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Escrow of offering proceeds |
NASDAQ rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the private placement be deposited in a trust account. $60,300,000 of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants will be deposited into a trust account located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. |
Approximately $53,388,000 of the offering proceeds, representing the gross proceeds of this offering less allowable underwriting discounts, expenses and company deductions under Rule 419, 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. |
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Investment of net proceeds |
$60,300,000 of the net offering proceeds and the sale of the private placement warrants held in trust will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. |
Proceeds could be invested only in specified securities such as a money market fund meeting conditions of the Investment Company Act or in securities that are direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the U.S. |
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Receipt of interest on escrowed funds | Interest on proceeds from the trust account to be paid to shareholders is reduced by (i) any taxes paid or payable and (ii) in the event of our liquidation for failure to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time, up to $50,000 net interest that may be released to us should we have no or insufficient working capital to fund the costs and expenses of our dissolution and liquidation. | Interest on funds in escrow account would be held for the sole benefit of investors, unless and only after the funds held in escrow were released to us in connection with our completion of a business combination. | ||
Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Limitation on fair value or net assets of target business | NASDAQ rules require that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the trust account (less deferred underwriting discounts and any payable on interest earned) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. | The fair value or net assets of a target business must represent at least 80% of the maximum offering proceeds. | ||
Trading of securities issued | The units will begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 90th day following the date of this prospectus unless Chardan informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering, which is anticipated to take place three business days from the date of this prospectus. If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. | No trading of the units or the underlying securities would be permitted until the completion of a business combination. During this period, the securities would be held in the escrow or trust account. | ||
Exercise of the warrants |
The warrants cannot be exercised until the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of the business combination; or (b) 12 months from the date of this prospectus. |
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 |
Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Election to remain an investor | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest, which interest shall be net of taxes payable, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein. We may not be required by law to hold a shareholder vote. If we are not required by law and do not otherwise decide to hold a shareholder vote, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, we hold a shareholder vote, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. Pursuant to the tender offer rules, the tender offer period will be not less than 20 business days and, in the case of a shareholder vote, a final proxy statement would be mailed to public shareholders at least 10 days prior to the shareholder vote. However, we expect that a draft proxy statement would be made available to such shareholders well in advance of such time, providing additional notice of redemption if we conduct redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination. | A prospectus containing information pertaining to the business combination required by the SEC would be sent to each investor. Each investor would be given the opportunity to notify the company in writing, within a period of no less than 20 business days and no more than 45 business days from the effective date of a post-effective amendment to the company’s registration statement, to decide if he, she or it elects to remain a shareholder of the company or require the return of his, her or its investment. If the company has not received the notification by the end of the 45th business day, funds and interest or dividends, if any, held in the trust or escrow account are automatically returned to the shareholder. Unless a sufficient number of investors elect to remain investors, all funds on deposit in the escrow account must be returned to all of the investors and none of the securities are issued. |
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Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. |
Business combination deadline | If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (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 shareholders and our Board of Directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under British Virgin Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. | If an acquisition has not been completed within 18 months after the effective date of the company’s registration statement, funds held in the trust or escrow account are returned to investors. |
Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Release of funds | Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our taxes, if any, the proceeds from this offering will not be released from the trust account until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend and restate our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to (A) modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity and (iii) the redemption of all of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), subject to applicable law. The Company will instruct the Trustee to pay amounts from the trust account directly to redeeming holders. | The proceeds held in the escrow account are not released until the earlier of the completion of a business combination or the failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. |
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Limitation on redemption rights of shareholders holding more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering if we hold a shareholder vote | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect Excess Shares (more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering). Our public shareholders’ inability to redeem Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and they could suffer a material loss on their investment in us if they sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. | Most blank check companies provide no restrictions on the ability of shareholders to redeem shares based on the number of shares held by such shareholders in connection with an initial business combination. |
Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Tendering share certificates in connection with a tender offer or redemption rights | We may require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates (if any) to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option. The tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two days prior to the vote on the business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. | In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, holders could vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holders were seeking to exercise their redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholders to arrange for them to deliver their certificate to verify ownership. |
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank check companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, and operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination, and our outstanding rights and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
Conflicts of Interest
Each of our officers and directors presently has, and in the future any of our directors and our officers may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present acquisition opportunities to such entity. Accordingly, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an acquisition opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will need to honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such acquisition opportunity to such entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law, we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any officer or director unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue. We do not believe, however, that any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our directors or officers would materially undermine our ability to complete our business combination.
Indemnity
Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below (i) $10.05 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. We have not independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy their indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such obligations.
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Facilities
We currently maintain our executive offices at Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 2, 10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983.
Employees
As of the date of this prospectus, we have one officer. Members of our management and director team are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time that our officers or any other members of our management and director team will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the current stage of the business combination process.
Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
We will register our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights under the Exchange Act and have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual reports will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public auditors.
We will provide shareholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials sent to shareholders to assist them in assessing the target business. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, U.S. GAAP, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. While this may limit the pool of potential acquisition candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We will be required to evaluate and report on our internal control procedures for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer will we be required to have our internal control procedures audited. A target company may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
Prior to the date of this prospectus, we will file a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior December 31, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” shall have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.
Legal Proceedings
There is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending against us or any members of our management and director team in their capacity as such.
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Directors and Officers
Upon consummation of this offering, our directors and officers will be as follows:
Name | Age | Position | ||
Claudius Tsang* | 45 | Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chairman | ||
Abuzzal Abusaeri* | 47 | Independent Director Nominee * | ||
Giang Nguyen Hoang* | 35 | Independent Director Nominee * | ||
John Brebeck* | 57 | Independent Director Nominee * |
* The independent director nominees will serve as members of our Board of Directors, upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Mr. Claudius Tsang has served as our Chief Executive Officer since April 2021 and as Chairman and Chief Financial Officer since July 2021. Mr. Tsang has over 20 years of experience in capital markets, with a strong track record of success in private equity, M&A transactions, and PIPE investments. Mr. Tsang was the Co-head of Private Equity (North Asia) at Templeton Asset Management Limited and a Partner of Templeton Private Equity Partners, a leading global emerging markets private equity firm that is part of Franklin Templeton Investments. During his 15-year career at Templeton, Mr. Tsang served in various positions, including Partner, Senior Executive Director, and Vice President. Mr. Tsang was responsible for the overall investment, management, and operations activities of Templeton Private Equity Partners in North Asia. His role encompassed overseeing the analysis and evaluation of opportunities for strategic equity investments in Asia. During his tenure, Mr. Tsang managed $1 billion in private equity funds, with approximately 50 portfolio companies. He was also involved in the management of a $3 billion fund, which was the largest Central Eastern European listed closed-end fund at the time of IPO in London. From July 2007 to June 2008, Mr. Tsang joined Lehman Brothers, where he managed private equity projects in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and the United States. At Lehman Brothers, Mr. Tsang managed $500 million proprietary funds. Since March 2021, Mr. Tsang has served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Model Performance Acquisition Corp., and since April, 2021, the Chief Investment Officer of JVSPAC Acquisition Corp. He has served as the Chief Executive Officer of A SPAC II Acquisition Corp since July 2021. Mr. Tsang has served as a director of the CFA Society of Hong Kong from 2013 to 2021. Mr. Tsang obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2017, a bachelor’s degree in law from Tsinghua University in 2005, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1998. Mr. Tsang is also a CFA charterholder. We believe that Mr. Tsang is qualified to serve on our Board of Directors based on his experience and expertise.
Mr. Abuzzal Abusaeri will serve as our independent director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Mr. Abusaeri has almost two decades of experience in mergers and acquisitions, growth strategy formulation and capital market transactions across a range of portfolio companies in diverse industries. Since 2016, Mr. Abusaeri has been the Head of Corporate Finance with a focus on Mergers and Acquisitions for Global Mediacom, a leading media and entertainment group in Indonesia. During his tenure, Mr. Abusaeri manages sell-side and buy-side M&A investments of the company, advises investments within the venture capital space and leads issuance of bonds. His experience entails acquisitions and strategic investments in a number of media and technology companies in emerging markets. From 2009 to 2016, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Vice President of Corporate Finance for Fairways Investment Group, an Indonesian based investment holding company focusing on consumer related companies. Mr. Abusaeri was responsible for managing portfolio companies which included acting as Chief Financial Officer and leading the development of a consumer lending startup, and overseeing the growth strategy and execution of an Indonesian healthcare company. From 2007 to 2009, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Senior Assistant Vice President for Bank Danamon, one of the largest bank of Indonesia with approximately IDR200 trillion asset size in 2020. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Assistant Vice President for Bank Lippo, currently Bank CIMB Niaga. During his tenure, Mr. Abusaeri led the bank’s business and economic research unit where he conducted a number of research within Indonesia’s consumer and corporate banking industry. From 2004 to 2005, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Research Analyst for McKinsey and Co, where he was part of the firm’s financial institution group practice and part of the team that advised a number of large Indonesian banks. From 2003 to 2004, Mr. Abusaeri served as the Research Analyst for DBS Vickers Securities, a securities and derivatives brokerage firm with international Asian focus in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the United States and the United Kingdom. Mr. Abusaeri obtained his Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2018, Master of Science in Investment Management from Bayes Business School, University of London in 2002, and bachelor degree of Economics from the Trisakti University in 1998. We believe that Mr. Abusaeri is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his corporate development, strategic formulation and capital market expertise.
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Mr. Giang Nguyen Hoang will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Mr. Giang has over 13 years of experience in capital market, business management, strategic management, entrepreneurship, and risk management. Since 2020, Mr. Giang has served as the Chairman for DNSE Securities JSC, a stock trading and brokerage firm in Vietnam. Since 2018, Mr. Giang has served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Encapital Fintech JSC, a fintech company in Vietnam providing financial technology solutions for investors in Vietnam. During his tenure, Mr. Giang was responsible for setting the vision, direction and strategy for the organization and was responsible for overseeing the growth and expansion of the business. Mr. Giang also serves as a board member of numerous organizations, including TNG Investment and Trading JSC (HNX:TNG), a publicly listed garment manufacturing company in Vietnam (since 2021), Saigon General Services Corporation, a publicly listed automobile retail and real estate development company (since 2020), and Southern Gas Trading Joint Stock Company (since 2019). From 2008 to 2018, Mr. Giang was a 10-year veteran of VNDIRECT Securities Corporation, a publicly listed brokerage firm in Vietnam, focusing on individual investors through a proprietary online trading platform, where he held various positions including Chief Executive Officer, Risk Management Manager, Manager, and Business Analyst for Research and Development Department. During his tenure, Mr. Giang oversaw the company’s business strategy, operations and compliance matters. Mr. Giang obtained his Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and his Bachelor of Science and Computer Engineering from University of Nebraska. We believe that Mr. Giang is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his capital market, business management, strategic management, entrepreneurship, and risk management expertise.
Mr. John Brebeck will serve as our Independent Director upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. He has over 25 years of experience in corporate management, capital market, strategic development, and business operations. Since 2021, Mr. Brebeck has served as the Vice President of Investor Relations for Glass House Brands, a cannabis and hemp company. From 2018 to 2021, Mr. Brebeck served as the Senior Advisor to Quantum International Corp., a research-based capital market solution provider specializing in long-term shareholder value creation, AGM-related management, capital market and corporate financial solutions. Since 2008, he has also served as the External Director for Dalton Greater China Fund, an equity fund that targets companies benefiting from China’s growth and that seeks to capitalize on inefficiencies in the China equity markets. From 2014 to 2021, Mr. Brebeck served as a board member for Hydroionic Envirotec Company Limited, a technology company working towards zero heavy metal emissions and focusing heavy metal recycling. From 2014 to 2018, Mr. Brebeck served as the Managing Director for Peace Field Limited, a Hong Kong based professional service provider that offers financial, strategic, and operational advisory services for mid-market companies. Prior to 2014, Mr. Brebeck served in numerous positions, including as President of Yuanta Investment Consulting, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yuanta Financial Holdings, a leading domestic broker in Taiwan, and as research head for The Dalton Greater China Fund and JP Morgan Securities in Taiwan. Mr. Brebeck is a Chartered Financial Analyst. He obtained his Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and his Bachelor of Arts in China Regional Studies from Georgetown University.We believe that Mr. Brebeck is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his corporate management, capital market, strategic development, and business operations expertise.
There is no guarantee that we will be successful with respect to any business combination we may consummate or that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination.
Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings
Except as described below, to the best of our knowledge, none of our directors or executive officers has, during the past ten years:
• | been convicted in a criminal proceeding or been subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses); |
• | had any bankruptcy petition filed by or against the business or property of the person, or of any partnership, corporation or business association of which he was a general partner or executive officer, either at the time of the bankruptcy filing or within two years prior to that time; |
• | been subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, by any court of competent jurisdiction or federal or state authority, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting, his involvement in any type of business, securities, futures, commodities, investment, banking, savings and loan, or insurance activities, or to be associated with persons engaged in any such activity; |
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• | been found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law, and the judgment has not been reversed, suspended, or vacated; |
• | been the subject of, or a party to, any federal or state judicial or administrative order, judgment, decree, or finding, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated (not including any settlement of a civil proceeding among private litigants), relating to an alleged violation of any federal or state securities or commodities law or regulation, any law or regulation respecting financial institutions or insurance companies including, but not limited to, a temporary or permanent injunction, order of disgorgement or restitution, civil money penalty or temporary or permanent cease-and-desist order, or removal or prohibition order, or any law or regulation prohibiting mail or wire fraud or fraud in connection with any business entity; or |
• | been the subject of, or a party to, any sanction or order, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any self-regulatory organization (as defined in Section 3(a)(26) of the Exchange Act), any registered entity (as defined in Section 1(a)(29) of the Commodity Exchange Act), or any equivalent exchange, association, entity or organization that has disciplinary authority over its members or persons associated with a member. |
Number, Terms of Office and Election of Officers and Directors
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we expect that our Board of Directors will consist of members. Holders of our founder shares will have the right to elect all of our directors prior to consummation of our initial business combination and holders of our public shares will not have the right to vote on the election of directors during such time. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a resolution passed by holders of at least a majority of our ordinary shares who are eligible to vote and attend and vote in a general meeting our shareholders. Each of our directors will hold office for a two-year term. Subject to any other special rights applicable to the shareholders, any vacancies on our Board of Directors may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present and voting at the meeting of our board or by a majority of the holders of our founder shares.
Our officers are elected by the Board of Directors and serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our Board of Directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association as it deems appropriate. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that our officers may consist of a Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Vice Presidents, Secretary, Assistant Secretaries, Treasurer and such other offices as may be determined by the Board of Directors.
Collectively, through their positions described above, our officers and directors have extensive experience in public companies and in the consumer/lifestyle industry. These individuals will play a key role in identifying and evaluating prospective acquisition candidates, selecting the target businesses, and structuring, negotiating and consummating the acquisition.
Director Independence
The NASDAQ listing standards require that a majority of our Board of Directors be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person who has no material relationship with the listed company (either directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the company). Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we expect to have three “independent directors” as defined in the NASDAQ listing standards and applicable SEC rules prior to completion of this offering. Our board has determined that each of Mr. Abuzzal Abusaeri, Mr. Giang Nguyen Hoang and Mr. John Brebeck are independent directors under applicable SEC and NASDAQ rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Officer and Director Compensation
None of our officers or directors have received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. Commencing on the date of this prospectus, we have agreed to pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. No other compensation of any kind including any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee or monies in respect of any payment of a loan, will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers and directors, or any affiliate of our sponsor or officers, prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, our sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the trust account.
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management and director team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our shareholders in connection with a proposed business combination. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time such materials are distributed, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors.
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We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management and director team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after the initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms part, our Board of Directors will have three standing committees: an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating committee. Each committee will operate under a charter that has been approved by our board and will have the composition and responsibilities described below. Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, NASDAQ rules and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and NASDAQ rules require that the compensation committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors.
Audit Committee
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish an audit committee of the Board of Directors. The members of our audit committee will be Abuzzal Abusaeri, Giang Nguyen Hoang and John Brebeck. Abuzzal Abusaeri will serve as chairman of the audit committee.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Abuzzal Abusaeri qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules.
We will adopt an audit committee charter, which will detail the principal functions of the audit committee, including:
• | the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent auditors and any other independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us; |
• | pre-approving all audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditors or any other registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures; |
• | reviewing and discussing with the independent auditors all relationships the auditors have with us in order to evaluate their continued independence; |
• | setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent auditors; |
• | setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; |
• | obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent auditors describing (i) the independent auditor’s internal quality-control procedures and (ii) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the audit firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within, the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm and any steps taken to deal with such issues; |
• | reviewing and approving any related party transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC prior to us entering into such transaction; and |
• | reviewing with management, the independent auditors, and our legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. |
Compensation Committee
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish a compensation committee of the Board of Directors. The members of our Compensation Committee will be Abuzzal Abusaeri, Giang Nguyen Hoang and John Brebeck. Abuzzal Abusaeri will serve as chairman of the compensation committee. We will adopt a compensation committee charter, which will detail the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
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• | reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer’s based on such evaluation; |
• | reviewing and approving the compensation of all of our other officers; |
• | reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans; |
• | implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans; |
• | assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements; |
• | approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our officers and employees; |
• | producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and |
• | reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors. |
The charter will also provide that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by NASDAQ and the SEC.
Nominating Committee
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish a nominating committee of the Board of Directors, which will consist of Abuzzal Abusaeri, Giang Nguyen Hoang and John Brebeck, each of whom is an independent director under the NASDAQ listing standards. Abuzzal Abusaeri will serve as chairman of the nominating committee. The nominating committee is responsible for overseeing the selection of persons to be nominated to serve on our Board of Directors. The nominating committee considers persons identified by its members, management, shareholders, investment bankers and others.
Guidelines for Selecting Director Nominees
The guidelines for selecting nominees, which are specified in the nominating committee charter, generally provide that persons to be nominated:
• | should have demonstrated notable or significant achievements in business, education or public service; |
• | should possess the requisite intelligence, education and experience to make a significant contribution to the Board of Directors and bring a range of skills, diverse perspectives and backgrounds to its deliberations; and |
• | should have the highest ethical standards, a strong sense of professionalism and intense dedication to serving the interests of the shareholders. |
The nominating committee will consider a number of qualifications relating to management and leadership experience, background and integrity and professionalism in evaluating a person’s candidacy for membership on the Board of Directors. The nominating committee may require certain skills or attributes, such as financial or accounting experience, to meet specific board needs that arise from time to time and will also consider the overall experience and makeup of its members to obtain a broad and diverse mix of board members. The nominating committee does not distinguish among nominees recommended by shareholders and other persons.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our officers currently serves, and in the past year has not served, (i) as a member of the compensation committee or Board of Directors of another entity, one of whose executive officers served on our compensation committee, or (ii) as a member of the compensation committee of another entity, one of whose executive officers served on our Board of Directors.
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Code of Ethics
Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, we will have adopted a Code of Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. We will file a copy of our form of Code of Ethics and our audit committee charter as exhibits to the registration statement. You will be able to review these documents by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Code of Ethics will be provided without charge upon request from us. We intend to disclose any amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Ethics in a Current Report on Form 8-K. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
Conflicts of Interest
Under British Virgin Islands law, directors and officers owe the following fiduciary duties:
• | duty to act in good faith in what the director or officer believes to be in the best interests of the company as a whole; |
• | duty to exercise powers for the purposes for which those powers were conferred and not for a collateral purpose; |
• | directors should not improperly fetter the exercise of future discretion; |
• | duty to exercise powers fairly as between different classes of shareholders; |
• | duty not to put themselves in a position in which there is a conflict between their duty to the company and their personal interests; and |
• | duty to exercise independent judgment. |
In addition to the above, directors also owe a duty of care which is not fiduciary in nature. This duty has been defined as a requirement to act as a reasonably diligent person having both the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and the general knowledge skill and experience which that director has.
As set out above, directors have a duty not to put themselves in a position of conflict and this includes a duty not to engage in self-dealing, or to otherwise benefit as a result of their position. However, in some instances what would otherwise be a breach of this duty can be forgiven and/or authorized in advance by the shareholders provided that there is full disclosure by the directors. This can be done by way of permission granted in the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or alternatively by shareholder approval at general meetings.
Each of our directors and officers presently has, and in the future any of our directors and our officers may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present acquisition opportunities to such entity. Accordingly, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an acquisition opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will need to honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such acquisition opportunity to such entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law, we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any officer or director unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue. We do not believe, however, that any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our directors or officers would materially undermine our ability to complete our business combination.
In addition, our sponsor, officers and directors are now, and may in the future, sponsor or participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director of, any other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments, may present additional conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented, in pursuing an initial business target and in allocating their time to devote to our affairs. In particular, our officers and directors, and affiliates of our officers and directors, are currently sponsoring other blank check companies, and may look for an acquisition target in any location, has a window in which it may complete its initial business combination that overlaps the corresponding window we have. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination, because our management and director team has experience in identifying and executing multiple acquisition opportunities simultaneously. Potential investors should also be aware of the following other potential conflicts of interest:
• | None of our officers or directors is required to commit his or her full time to our affairs and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating his or her time among various business activities. |
• |
In the course of their other business activities, our officers and directors may become aware of investment and business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to us as well as the other entities with which they are affiliated. Our management may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. For a complete description of our management’s other affiliations, see “Management — Directors and Officers”. |
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• | Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to our founder shares and public shares in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination. Additionally, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months after the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). If we do not complete our initial business combination within such applicable time period, the proceeds of the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares and warrants and rights will expire worthless. With certain limited exceptions, the founder shares will not be transferable, assignable or salable by our sponsor until the earlier of (1) six months after the completion of our initial business combination and (2) the date on which we consummate a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization, or other similar transaction after our initial business combination that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the last sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, rights issuances, subdivisions, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination, the founder shares will be released from the lock-up. With certain limited exceptions, the private placement warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable by our sponsor. Since our sponsor and officers and directors may directly or indirectly own ordinary shares, warrants and rights following this offering, our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. |
• | Our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination. |
The conflicts described above may not be resolved in our favor.
Accordingly, as a result of multiple business affiliations, our officers and directors may have similar legal obligations relating to presenting business opportunities meeting the above-listed criteria to multiple entities. Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our officers and directors currently have fiduciary duties or contractual obligations:
Individual | Entity(1) | Entity’s Business | Affiliation | |||
Claudius Tsang | Model Performance Acquisition Corp. | SPAC | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | |||
Female Entrepreneurs Worldwide | Internet Community | Advisor | ||||
ACH | Financial Services | Partner | ||||
Beijing ReeChain Technology Limited | Blockchain | Chief Executive Officer | ||||
JVSakk Asset Management Limited | Finance | Director | ||||
JVSPAC Acquisition Corp. | SPAC | Chief Investment Officer | ||||
A SPAC II Acquisition Corp. | SPAC | Chief Executive Officer | ||||
Abuzzal Abusaeri | Global Mediacom | Media and entertainment | Head of Corporate Finance | |||
Fairways Capital | Investment | VP Corporate Finance & Strategy | ||||
Bank Danamon | Financial Services | Sr AVP Strategic Planning | ||||
Bank Lippo | Financial Services | AVP | ||||
McKinsey & Co | Management Consulting | Research Analyst | ||||
DBS Vickers | Equity Brokerage | Research Analyst | ||||
Giang Nguyen Hoang | DNSE Securities Joint Stock Company | Securities trading | Chairman | |||
Encapital Financial Technology Joint Stock Company | Fintech software | Founder Chairman & CEO | ||||
Encapital Holdings Joint Stock Company | Investment | Founder, Chairman & CEO | ||||
Eagle Partner Advisory Joint Stock Company | Investment advisory | CEO | ||||
Southern Gas Trading Joint Stock Company | Gas trading | Member of BOD | ||||
TNG Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company | Textile | Member of BOD | ||||
Hong Hai Tourist Corporation | Tourist and Hotel | Member of BOD | ||||
Ninh Van Bay Travel Real Estate Joint Stock Company | Travel and Hotel | Member of BOD | ||||
Saigon General Service Corporation | Logistics | Member of BOD | ||||
Enpay Payment Joint Stock Company | Payment Medetiary | Chairman | ||||
John Brebeck | Glass House Brands | Consumer Packaged Goods | Vice President, Shareholder | |||
Hydroionic Technologies | Metal Reycling | Shareholder | ||||
Northwest Biotherapeutics (NWBO) | Biotechnology | Shareholder | ||||
Dalton Investments | Hedge Fund | External Board member | ||||
Gogolook | Application Software | Shareholder | ||||
eCloud Valley (6689.TW) | Cloud Services Provider | Shareholder | ||||
Grassdoor | Delivery Service | Shareholder | ||||
Bayshore Hospitality | Hospitality | Shareholder | ||||
Healthy Pecan Farms | Pecan grower | Shareholder | ||||
Polarean Imaging PLC (POLX.L) | Medical Imaging | Shareholder | ||||
Remotek (3391.TW) | Telecom Power | Shareholder |
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Accordingly, if any of the above officers or directors become aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for any of the above entities to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law. We do not believe, however, that any of the foregoing fiduciary duties or contractual obligations will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination, because the specific industry focuses of a majority of these entities differ from our focus on in the technology, media and telecom sector in the United States and Asia (excluding China, Hong Kong and Macau) and the type or size of the transaction that such companies would most likely consider are of a size and nature substantially different than what we are targeting.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with such a company, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions or an independent accounting firm, that such an initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
In the event that we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to the terms of a letter agreement entered into with us, to vote any founder shares held by them (and their permitted transferees will agree) and any public shares purchased during or after the offering in favor of our initial business combination.
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
BVI law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any provision providing indemnification may be held by the BVI courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Under our memorandum and articles of association, we indemnify against all expenses, including legal fees, and against all judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement and reasonably incurred in connection with legal, administrative or investigative proceedings for any person who:
● | is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that the person is or was our director; or |
● | is or was, at our request, serving as a director or officer of, or in any other capacity is or was acting for, another body corporate or a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. |
These indemnities only apply if the person acted honestly and in good faith with a view to our best interests and, in the case of criminal proceedings, the person had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
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The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as of the date of this prospectus, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of our Class A ordinary shares included in the units offered by this prospectus, and assuming no purchase of units in this offering, by:
• | each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares; |
• | each of our officers, directors and director nominees that beneficially own ordinary shares; and |
• | all our officers, directors and director nominees as a group. |
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all ordinary shares beneficially owned by them.
The below assumes that the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option, that our sponsor forfeits 225,000 founder shares, and that there are 1,725,000 ordinary shares issued and outstanding after this offering.
Before Offering | After Offering | |||||||||||||||
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) (3) |
Number
of Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned(2) |
Approximate
Percentage of Outstanding Ordinary Shares |
Number
of Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned |
Approximate
Percentage of Outstanding Ordinary Shares |
||||||||||||
A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. | 1,725,000 | 100.0 | % | 1,725,000 | 20 | % | ||||||||||
— | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
Claudius Tsang | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
Abuzzal Abusaeri | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
Giang Nguyen Hoang | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
John Brebeck | ||||||||||||||||
— | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
All executive officers and directors as a group (4 individuals) | 1,725,000 | 100.0 | % | 1,725,000 | 20 | % |
(1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 2, 10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983. |
(2) | Our sponsor is controlled by Mr. Claudius Tsang. |
(3) | Seazen Resources Capital Group Limited is the holding entity for Future Yield. |
Immediately after this offering, our sponsor will beneficially own approximately 20% of the then issued and outstanding ordinary shares and will have the right to elect all of our directors prior to our initial business combination as a result of holding all of the founder shares. Holders of our public shares will not have the right to elect any directors to our Board of Directors prior to our initial business combination. In addition, because of their ownership block, our sponsor may be able to effectively influence the outcome of all other matters requiring approval by our shareholders, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of significant corporate transactions.
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,875,000 warrants (or 3,100,000 warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $2,875,000, or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full. Each private placement warrant will be identical to the warrants sold in this offering, except as described in this prospectus. The private placement warrants will be sold in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering, including the over-allotment option, as applicable. The purchase price of the private placement warrants will be added to the proceeds from this offering to be held in the trust account pending our completion of our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), the proceeds of the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares.
Our sponsor and our officers and directors are deemed to be our “promoters” as such term is defined under the federal securities laws. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” for additional information regarding our relationships with our promoters.
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Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrant
The founder shares, and private placement warrant, and any Class A ordinary shares issued upon conversion or exercise thereof are each subject to transfer restrictions pursuant to lock-up provisions in a letter agreement with us to be entered into by our sponsor, officers and directors. Those lock-up provisions provide that such securities are not transferable or salable (i) in the case of the founder shares, until the earlier of (A) six months after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, rights issuances, subdivisions, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination, or (y) the date following the completion of our initial business combination on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) in the case of the private placement warrants at any time, except in each case (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members of our sponsor, or any affiliates of our sponsor, (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family or an affiliate of such person, or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) in the event of our liquidation prior to our completion of our initial business combination; or (f) by virtue of the laws of the British Virgin Islands or our sponsor’s operating agreement upon dissolution of our sponsor; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (e) or (f) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and by the same agreements entered into by our sponsor with respect to such securities (including provisions relating to voting, the trust account and liquidation distributions described elsewhere in this prospectus).
Registration Rights
The holders of the founder shares, private placement warrants, shares being issued to the underwriters of this offering, and warrants that may be issued on conversion of working capital loans (and in each case holders of their component securities, as applicable) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering requiring us to register such securities for resale (in the case of the founder shares, only after conversion to our Class A ordinary shares). The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination and rights to require us to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. However, the registration rights agreement provides that we will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up period, which occurs (i) in the case of the founder shares, on the earlier of (A) six months after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last sale price of Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, rights issuances, subdivisions, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination, or (y) the date following the completion of our initial business combination on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) in the case of the private placement warrants, including the component securities therein, 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Notwithstanding the above, the shares to be issued to the underwriters in this offering will be further subject to the limitations on registration requirements imposed by FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8). We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
On June 7, 2021, we issued 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share. On July 19, 2021, 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares were repurchased and cancelled at an aggregate repurchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share, resulting in one Class B ordinary share in issue after the repurchase. On the same day, we issued 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per share. Subsequently, on January 14, 2022, our sponsor surrendered for no consideration and we canceled 575,000 of such Class A ordinary shares, resulting in 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares remaining outstanding. Our sponsor will own 20% of our issued and outstanding shares after this offering (assuming it does not purchase units in this offering and excluding the Representative’s shares) and will have the right to elect all of our directors prior to our initial business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering, we will effect a capitalization or share surrender or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our founder shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of founder shares of our sponsor prior to this offering at 20% of our issued and ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering.
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,875,000 warrants (or 3,100,000 warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $2,875,000, or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full. Each private placement warrant will be identical to the warrants sold in this offering, except as described in this prospectus. The private placement warrants will be sold in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering, including the over-allotment option, as applicable. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to the founder shares or private placement warrants. The warrants will expire worthless if we do not consummate a business combination within the allotted 12 month period (or up to 18 months from the completion of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time).
As more fully discussed in “Management — Conflicts of Interest”, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may be required to present such business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such business combination opportunity to us, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under British Virgin Islands law. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
Commencing on the date of this prospectus, we have agreed to pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
Other than the foregoing, no compensation of any kind, including any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee or monies in respect of any payment of a loan, will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers and directors, or any affiliate of our sponsor or officers, prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of an initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, our sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.
As of the date of this prospectus, our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $400,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of September 30, 2021, we had borrowed $196,744 under the promissory note. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of the closing of this offering or the date which the company determines not to conduct this offering. The loans will be repaid upon the closing of this offering. The value of our sponsor’s interest in this transaction corresponds to the principal amount outstanding under any such loan.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants issued to the initial holders, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of the offering, will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.
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After our initial business combination, members of our management who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a shareholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
We have entered into a registration rights agreement with respect to the founder shares, private placement warrants, and warrants that may be issued on conversion of working capital loans (and in each case holders of their component securities, as applicable), which is described under the heading “Principal Shareholders — Registration Rights.”
Related Party Policy
We have not yet adopted a formal policy for the review, approval or ratification of related party transactions. Accordingly, the transactions discussed above were not reviewed, approved or ratified in accordance with any such policy.
Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will adopt a code of ethics requiring us to avoid, wherever possible, all conflicts of interests, except under guidelines or resolutions approved by our Board of Directors (or the appropriate committee of our board) or as disclosed in our public filings with the SEC. Under our code of ethics, conflict of interest situations will include any financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the company. A form of the code of ethics that we plan to adopt prior to the consummation of this offering is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
In addition, our audit committee, pursuant to a written charter that we will adopt prior to the consummation of this offering, will be responsible for reviewing and approving related party transactions to the extent that we enter into such transactions. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the audit committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present will be required in order to approve a related party transaction. A majority of the members of the entire audit committee will constitute a quorum. Without a meeting, the unanimous written consent of all of the members of the audit committee will be required to approve a related party transaction. A form of the audit committee charter that we plan to adopt prior to the consummation of this offering is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We also require each of our directors and executive officers to complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.
These procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee or officer.
To further minimize conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to consummate an initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our sponsor, officers or directors unless we, or a committee of independent directors, have obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions for the type of company we are seeking to acquire or an independent accounting firm, that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. Furthermore, no finder’s fees, reimbursements or cash payments will be made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, for services rendered to us prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. However, the following payments will be made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, none of which will be made from the proceeds of this offering held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination:
• | Repayment of up to an aggregate of up to $400,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor to cover offering-related and organizational expenses; |
• | Reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination; and |
• | Repayment of loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. Up to $1,150,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender; |
• | Payment to an affiliate of our sponsor of $10,000, for up to 12 months (or up to 18 months, if we extend the time to complete a business combination as described in this prospectus), for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. |
Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates.
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We are a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands as a BVI business company (company number 2061693) and our affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act and common law of the British Virgin Islands. Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which will be adopted upon the consummation of this offering, we will be authorized to issue 100,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with no par value each, 100 Class B ordinary shares with no par value each and 1,000,000 preference shares with no par value each. The following description summarizes certain terms of our shares as set out more particularly in our memorandum and articles of association. Because it is only a summary, it may not contain all the information that is important to you.
Units
Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one Class A ordinary share, three-fourths (3/4) of one redeemable warrant and one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share.
You must exercise warrants in multiples of four warrants, at a price of $11.50 per full share, subject to adjustment as described in this prospectus, to validly exercise your warrants. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise his, her or its warrants only for a whole number of Class A ordinary shares. This means that only a whole warrant may be exercised at any given time by a warrant holder. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade.
Each right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon completion of our initial business combination. We will not issue fractional shares in connection with an exchange of rights. Fractional shares will either be rounded down to the nearest whole share or otherwise addressed in accordance with the applicable provisions of British Virgin Islands law. As a result, you must hold rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon closing of a business combination.
The ordinary shares, warrants and rights comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 90th day following the closing of this offering unless Chardan informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below. Once the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights.
In no event will the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights be traded separately until we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering which will include this audited balance sheet, which is anticipated to take place three business days after the date of this prospectus. If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
Ordinary Shares
Upon the closing of this offering ordinary shares will be issued and outstanding (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of 225,000 founder shares by our sponsor), including:
• | 6,000,000 Class A ordinary shares underlying the units being offered in this offering; |
• | 2,875,000 Class A ordinary shares underlying the private placement warrants purchased by the sponsor; and |
• | 1,500,000 Class A ordinary shares held by our sponsor. |
If we increase or decrease the size of the offering, we will effect a capitalization or share surrender or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our founder shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of founder shares by our sponsor prior to this offering at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering.
Class A ordinary shareholders and Class B ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders and vote together as a single class, except as required by law; provided, that holders of our Class B ordinary shares will have the right to elect all of our directors prior to our initial business combination and holders of our Class A ordinary shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association with class rights may not be amended without a resolution passed by holders of at least a majority of the total number of ordinary shares of that class that have voted and are entitled to vote thereon. Unless specified in the Companies Act, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or applicable stock exchange rules, the affirmative vote of a majority of our ordinary shares that are voted is required to approve any such matter voted on by our shareholders (other than the election of directors prior to our initial business combination), and the affirmative vote of a majority of our Class B ordinary shares is required to approve the election of directors prior to our initial business combination. Directors are elected for the term as determined by the holders of Class B ordinary shares prior to the closing of a business combination, and for the term fixed by the shareholders or directors appointing him/her not exceeding two years after the closing of a business combination. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the Class B ordinary shares voted for the election of directors can elect all of the directors prior to our initial business combination. Our shareholders are entitled to receive ratable dividends when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor.
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Because our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize the issuance of up to 100,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, if we were to enter into a business combination, we may (depending on the terms of such a business combination) be required to increase the number of ordinary shares which we are authorized to issue at the same time as our shareholders vote on the business combination to the extent we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination.
In accordance with NASDAQ corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until no later than one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on NASDAQ. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or general meetings or elect directors. We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders prior to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We will provide our Class A public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be approximately $10.05 per public share (subject to increase of up to an additional $0.20 per unit in the event that our sponsor elects to extend the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in this prospectus). The per-share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting discounts we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.
Unlike many blank check companies that hold shareholder votes and conduct proxy solicitations in conjunction with their initial business combinations and provide for related redemptions of public shares for cash upon completion of such initial business combinations even when a vote is not required by law, if a shareholder vote is not required by law and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require these tender offer documents to contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, a shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination. However, the participation of our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates in privately-negotiated transactions (as described in this prospectus), if any, could result in the approval of our initial business combination even if a majority of our public shareholders vote, or indicate their intention to vote, against such business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. We intend to give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the ordinary shares sold in this offering, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Our shareholders’ inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination, and such shareholders could suffer a material loss in their investment if they sell such Excess Shares on the open market. Additionally, such shareholders will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete the business combination. And, as a result, such shareholders will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose such shares would be required to sell their shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
If we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed (and their permitted transferees will agree), pursuant to the terms of a letter agreement entered into with us, to vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.
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Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (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 shareholders and our Board of Directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under British Virgin Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). However, if our sponsor acquires public shares after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time period.
In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the company after a business combination, our shareholders are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining available for distribution to them after payment of liabilities and after provision is made for each class of shares, if any, having preference over the ordinary shares. Our shareholders have no preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the ordinary shares, except that we will provide our shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein.
Founder Shares
The Class A ordinary shares held by our initial shareholder are identical to the Class A ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering, and our initial shareholder has the same shareholder rights as public shareholders, except that (i) Class A ordinary shares held by our initial shareholder are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below, and (ii) our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed (A) to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and (B) to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within such time period. If we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed (and their permitted transferees will agree), pursuant to the terms of a letter agreement entered into with us, to vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholder’s founder shares, we would need only 2,220,001, or 37.0%, of the 6,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction (assuming all outstanding shares are voted in favor of the business combination) in order to have our initial business combination approved or 330,001, or 5.50%, of the 6,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction (assuming only a quorum is present at such meeting held to vote on our initial business combination) (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised).
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With certain limited exceptions, the founder shares are not transferable, assignable or salable (except to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with our sponsor, each of whom will be subject to the same transfer restrictions) until the earlier of (A) six months after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares equal or exceed $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, rights issuances, subdivisions, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination, or (y) the date following the completion of our initial business combination on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Class B Shares
Prior to this offering, our sponsor held one Class B ordinary share. The Class B ordinary share will automatically be canceled at the time of our initial business combination.
Register of Members
Under the Companies Act, we must keep a register of members and there shall be entered therein:
• | the names and addresses of the members of the company; |
• | the number of each class and series of registered shares held by each member; |
• | the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and |
• | the date on which any person ceased to be a member. |
Under British Virgin Islands law, the register of members of our company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (i.e. the register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted) and a member registered in the register of members shall be deemed as a matter of British Virgin Islands law to have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register of members. Upon the closing of this public offering, the register of members shall be immediately updated to reflect the issue of shares by us. Once our register of members has been updated, the shareholders recorded in the register of members shall be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their name. However, there are certain limited circumstances where an application may be made to a British Virgin Islands court for a determination on whether the register of members reflects the correct legal position. Further, the British Virgin Islands court has the power to order that the register of members maintained by a company should be rectified where it considers that the register of members does not reflect the correct legal position. If an application for an order for rectification of the register of members were made in respect of our ordinary shares, then the validity of such shares may be subject to re-examination by a British Virgin Islands court.
Preference Shares
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that preference shares may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Our Board of Directors will be authorized to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences, the relative, participating, optional or other special rights and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, applicable to the shares of each series. Our Board of Directors will be able to, without shareholder approval, issue preference shares with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of the ordinary shares and could have anti-takeover effects. The ability of our Board of Directors to issue preference shares without shareholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or the removal of existing management. We have no preference shares outstanding at the date hereof. Although we do not currently intend to issue any preference shares, we cannot assure you that we will not do so in the future. No preference shares are being issued or registered in this offering.
Warrants
Public Warrants
No warrants are currently outstanding and (ii) you must exercise warrants in multiples of four warrants, at a price of $11.50 per full share, subject to adjustment as described in this prospectus, to validly exercise your warrants. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of Class A ordinary shares. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. The warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) twelve (12) months from the date of this prospectus and (b) thirty (30) days after the first date on which the Company completes an initial business combination. However, no public warrants will be exercisable for cash unless we have an effective and current registration statement covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary share issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to such ordinary shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary share issuable upon exercise of the public warrants is not effective within 90 days from the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to an available exemption from registration under the Securities Act. If an exemption from registration is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. The warrants will expire five years from the closing of our initial business combination at 5:00 p.m., New York City time or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
In addition, if (x) we issue additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination, and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the “Market Price”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the Market Price, and the $16.50 per share redemption trigger price described below will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 165% of the Market Value.
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We may redeem the outstanding warrants:
• in whole and not in part;
• at a price of $0.01 per warrant;
• upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption, which we refer to as the 30-day redemption period; and
• if, and only if, the last reported sale price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $16.50 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which we send the notice of redemption to the warrant holders.
The right to exercise will be forfeited unless the warrants are exercised prior to the date specified in the notice of redemption. On and after the redemption date, a record holder of a warrant will have no further rights except to receive the redemption price for such holder’s warrant upon surrender of such warrant.
The redemption criteria for our warrants have been established at a price which is intended to provide warrant holders a reasonable premium to the initial exercise price and provide a sufficient differential between the then-prevailing share price and the warrant exercise price so that if the share price declines as a result of our redemption call, the redemption will not cause the share price to drop below the exercise price of the warrants.
We will not redeem the warrants unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day redemption period, except if the warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such ordinary shares under the blue sky laws of those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering.
If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the fair market value by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” for this purpose shall mean the average reported last sale price of the ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. For example, if a holder held 400 warrants to purchase 300 shares and the fair market value on the trading date prior to exercise was $15.00, that holder would receive 70 shares without the payment of any additional cash consideration. Whether we will exercise our option to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis” will depend on a variety of factors including the price of our ordinary shares at the time the warrants are called for redemption, our cash needs at such time and concerns regarding dilutive share issuances.
The warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. You should review a copy of the warrant agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, for a complete description of the terms and conditions applicable to the warrants. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision, but requires the approval, by written consent or vote, of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding warrants (including the private placement warrants) in order to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders.
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The exercise price and number of ordinary shares issuable on exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share dividend, extraordinary dividend or our recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of Class A ordinary share at a price below their respective exercise prices.
The warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the warrant certificate on or prior to the expiration date at the offices of the warrant agent, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated, accompanied by full payment of the exercise price (or on a cashless basis, if applicable), by certified or official bank check payable to us, for the number of warrants being exercised. The warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of ordinary shares and any voting rights until they exercise their warrants and receive ordinary shares. After the issuance of ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants, each holder will be entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by shareholders.
Except as described above, no public warrants will be exercisable and we will not be obligated to issue Class A ordinary share unless at the time a holder seeks to exercise such warrant, a prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is current and the Class A ordinary shares have been registered or qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants. Under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed to use our best efforts to meet these conditions and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to do so and, if we do not maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, holders will be unable to exercise their warrants and we will not be required to settle any such warrant exercise. If the prospectus relating to the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the warrants is not current or if the Class A ordinary shares is not qualified or exempt from qualification in the jurisdictions in which the holders of the warrants reside, we will not be required to net cash settle or cash settle the warrant exercise, the warrants may have no value, the market for the warrants may be limited and the warrants may expire worthless.
We have agreed that, subject to applicable law, any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Securities — Our warrant agreement and rights agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants or rights, which could limit the ability of warrant holders and rights holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.”
Private Placement Warrants
The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in this offering except that, (i) they will not be redeemable by us, (ii) they may be transferred, assigned or sold by the Sponsor to the Permitted Transferees and (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis. In addition, the private placement warrants (including the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants) will not be transferable, assignable or salable except for transfers (i) among the initial shareholders or to the initial shareholder’s members or the company’s officers, directors, consultants or their affiliates, (ii) to a holder’s shareholders or members upon the holder’s liquidation, in each case if the holder is an entity, (iii) by bona fide gift to a member of the holder’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is the holder or a member of the holder’s immediate family, in each case for estate planning purposes, (iv) by virtue of the laws of descent and distribution upon death, (v) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, (vi) to the company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of a business combination, (vii) in the event of the company’s liquidation prior to its consummation of an initial business combination or (viii) in the event that, subsequent to the consummation of an initial business combination, the company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of the company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, in each case (except for clauses (vi), (vii) or (viii) or with the company’s prior written consent) on the condition that prior to such registration for transfer, the warrant agent shall be presented with written documentation pursuant to which each permitted transferee or the trustee or legal guardian for such permitted transferee agrees to be bound by the transfer restrictions contained in the warrant agreement and any other applicable agreement the transferor is bound by.
Rights
Each holder of a right will receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination, even if the holder of such right redeemed all Class A ordinary shares held by it in connection with the initial business combination. No additional consideration will be required to be paid by a holder of rights in order to receive its additional shares upon consummation of an initial business combination, as the consideration related thereto has been included in the unit purchase price paid for by investors in this offering. If we enter into a definitive agreement for a business combination in which we will not be the surviving entity, the definitive agreement will provide for the holders of rights to receive the same per share consideration the holders of the Class A ordinary shares will receive in the transaction on an as-converted into Class A ordinary share basis, and each holder of a right will be required to affirmatively convert its rights in order to receive the one-tenth (1/10) share underlying each right (without paying any additional consideration) upon consummation of the business combination. More specifically, the right holder will be required to indicate its election to convert the rights into underlying shares as well as to return the original rights certificates to us.
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If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period and we liquidate the funds held in the trust account, holders of rights will not receive any such funds with respect to their rights, nor will they receive any distribution from our assets held outside of the trust account with respect to such rights, and the rights will expire worthless.
As soon as practicable upon the consummation of our initial business combination, we will direct registered holders of the rights to return their rights to our rights agent. Upon receipt of the rights, the rights agent will issue to the registered holder of such rights the number of full Class A ordinary shares to which it is entitled. We will notify registered holders of the rights to deliver their rights to the rights agent promptly upon consummation of such business combination and have been informed by the rights agent that the process of exchanging their rights for Class A ordinary shares should take no more than a matter of days. The foregoing exchange of rights is solely ministerial in nature and is not intended to provide us with any means of avoiding our obligation to issue the shares underlying the rights upon consummation of our initial business combination. Other than confirming that the rights delivered by a registered holder are valid, we will have no ability to avoid delivery of the shares underlying the rights. Nevertheless, there are no contractual penalties for failure to deliver securities to the holders of the rights upon consummation of an initial business combination.
The shares issuable upon conversion of the rights will be freely tradable (except to the extent held by affiliates of ours). We will not issue fractional shares upon conversion of the rights. Fractional shares will either be rounded down to the nearest whole share or otherwise addressed in accordance with the applicable provisions of British Virgin Islands law. As a result, you must hold rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon closing of a business combination. If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period and we liquidate the funds held in the trust account, holders of rights will not receive any of such funds with respect to their rights, nor will they receive any distribution from our assets held outside of the trust account with respect to such rights, and the rights will expire worthless. Further, there are no contractual penalties for failure to deliver securities to the holders of the rights upon consummation of an initial business combination. Accordingly, the rights may expire worthless.
We have agreed that, subject to applicable law, any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the rights agreement will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction will be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. See “Risk Factors — Our warrants agreement and rights agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants or rights, which could limit the ability of warrants or rights holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company”. This provision applies to claims under the Securities Act but does not apply to claims under the Exchange Act or any claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of a business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of a business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to a business combination will be within the discretion of our Board of Directors at such time. In addition, our Board of Directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any share capitalizations in the foreseeable future, except if we increase the size of the offering, in which case we will effect a share capitalization with respect to our founder shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of founder shares by our sponsor prior to this offering at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. Further, if we incur any indebtedness, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
Our Transfer Agent, Warrant Agent and Right Agent
The transfer agent for our ordinary shares and warrant agent for our warrants and right agent for our rights is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. We have agreed to indemnify Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company in its roles as transfer agent, warrant agent and right agent, its agents and each of its shareholders, directors, officers and employees against all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of the indemnified person or entity.
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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPANY CONSIDERATIONS
Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association and the provisions of applicable British Virgin Islands law, including the Companies Act. The Companies Act differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of some significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders. A brief discussion of certain other provisions of the Companies Act and British Virgin Islands law also follows.
We cannot predict whether British Virgin Islands Courts would reach the same conclusions based on a particular set of facts as the U.S. courts would be expected to reach. Thus, you may have more difficulty in protecting your interests in the face of actions by the management, directors or controlling shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a United States jurisdiction, which has developed a substantial body of case law. The following table provides a comparison between the statutory provisions of the Companies Act together with the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association and the Delaware General Corporation Law relating to shareholders’ rights.
British Virgin Islands | Delaware | |
Shareholder Meetings | ||
Held at a time and place as determined by the directors. | May be held at such time or place as designated in the charter or the by-laws, or if not so designated, as determined by the Board of Directors. | |
May be held within or outside the British Virgin Islands. | May be held within or without Delaware. | |
Notice: | Notice: | |
Under our memorandum and articles of association, a copy of the notice of any meeting shall be given not fewer than ten (10) days before the date of the proposed meeting to those persons whose names appear in the register of members on the date the notice is given and are entitled to vote at the meeting. | Whenever shareholders are required to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given which shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, and the means of remote communication, if any. | |
Shareholders’ Voting Rights | ||
Any person authorized to vote may be represented at a meeting by a proxy who may speak and vote on behalf of the member. | Any person authorized to vote may authorize another person or persons to act for him by proxy. | |
Quorum is fixed by our memorandum and articles of association, to consist of the holder or holders present in person or by proxy entitled to exercise at least 50 percent of the voting rights of the shares of each class or series of shares entitled to vote as a class or series thereon. | For stock corporations, the charter or by-laws may specify the number to constitute a quorum but in no event shall a quorum consist of less than one-third of shares entitled to vote at a meeting. In the absence of such specifications, a majority of shares shall constitute a quorum. |
Under our memorandum and articles of association, subject to any rights or restrictions attached to any shares, at any general meeting on a show of hands every shareholder who is present in person (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) or by proxy shall have one vote and on a poll every shareholder present in person (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly appointed representative) or by proxy shall have one vote for each share which such shareholder is the holder. Voting at any meeting of the shareholders is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by shareholders present in person or by proxy if the shareholder disputes the outcome of the vote on a proposed resolution and the chairman shall cause a poll to be taken. | For non-stock companies, the charter or by-laws may specify the number of shareholders to constitute a quorum. In the absence of this, one-third of the shareholders shall constitute a quorum. |
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Changes in the rights attaching to a class of ordinary shares as set out in our memorandum and articles of association require the approval by way of resolution of a majority of those outstanding ordinary shares of that class attending at the meeting and voting in respect of such resolution. | Except as provided in the charter documents, changes in the rights of shareholders as set forth in the charter documents require approval of a majority of its shareholders. | |
The rights attaching to the preferred shares may be changed by way of a resolution of a majority of the votes of the preferred shares of the same class attending and voting at the relevant meeting or class meeting. |
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The memorandum and articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors. | The memorandum and articles of association may provide for cumulative voting. | |
If we decide to seek shareholder approval in respect of the consummation of our initial business combination, such approval may be by a majority vote of shareholders who being so entitled attend and vote at the general meeting. | Approval of our initial business combination may be by a majority of outstanding shares if such transaction involves the merger of such entity. | |
All other matters to be decided upon by the shareholders require a majority vote of shareholders who being so entitled attend and vote at the general meeting, unless the Companies Act requires a higher majority. Our memorandum and articles of association also may be amended by resolution of directors, including to create the rights, preferences, designations and limitations attaching to any blank check preferred shares. | ||
Directors | ||
Board must consist of at least one director. | Board must consist of at least one member. | |
Maximum and minimum number of directors can be changed by an amendment to the articles of association, with such amendment being passed by a resolution of shareholders or a resolution of directors. | Number of board members shall be fixed by the by-laws, unless the charter fixes the number of directors, in which case a change in the number shall be made only by amendment of the charter. |
Directors do not have to be independent. | Directors do not have to be independent. |
Under our memorandum and articles of association, holders of Class A ordinary shares or the directors shall have no right to vote on the appointment or removal of any director prior to the consummation of our business combination. |
Fiduciary Duties | ||
Directors and officers owe fiduciary duties at both common law and under statute as follows: | Directors and officers must act in good faith, with the care of a prudent person, and in the best interest of the corporation. | |
Duty to act honestly and in good faith in what the directors believe to be in the best interests of the company; | Directors and officers must refrain from self-dealing, usurping corporate opportunities and receiving improper personal benefits. |
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Duty to exercise powers for a proper purpose and directors shall not act, or agree to act, in a matter that contravenes the Companies Act or the memorandum and articles of association; | Decisions made by directors and officers on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action was taken in the best interest of the corporation will be protected by the “business judgment rule.” | |
Duty to exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonable director would exercise in the circumstances taking into account, without limitation: |
(a) | the nature of the company; | |||
(b) | the nature of the decision; and | |||
(c) | the position of the director and the nature of the responsibilities undertaken by him. |
The Companies Act provides that, a director of a company shall, immediately after becoming aware of the fact that he is interested in a transaction entered into, or to be entered into, by the company, disclose the interest to the board of the company. However, the failure of a director to disclose that interest does not affect the validity of a transaction entered into by the director or the company, so long as the transaction was not required to be disclosed because the transaction is between the company and the director himself and is in the ordinary course of business and on usual terms and conditions. Additionally, the failure of a director to disclose an interest does not affect the validity of the transaction entered into by the company if (a) the material facts of the interest of the director in the transaction are known by the shareholders and the transaction is approved or ratified by a resolution of shareholders entitled to vote at a meeting of shareholders or (b) the company received fair value for the transaction. | Directors may vote on a matter in which they have an interest so long as the director has disclosed any interests in the transaction. |
Pursuant to the Companies Act, the company’s memorandum and articles of association, so long as a director has disclosed any interests in a transaction entered into or to be entered into by the company to the board he/she may: | ||
vote on a matter relating to the transaction; | ||
attend a meeting of directors at which a matter relating to the transaction arises and be included among the directors present at the meeting for the purposes of a quorum; and | ||
sign a document on behalf of the company, or do any other thing in his capacity as a director, that relates to the transaction. | ||
Shareholders’ Derivative Actions | ||
Generally speaking, the company is the proper plaintiff in any action. A shareholder may, with the permission of the British Virgin Islands Court, bring an action or intervene in a matter in the name of the company, in certain circumstances. Such actions are known as derivative actions. The British Virgin Islands Court may only grant permission to bring a derivative action where the following circumstances apply: | In any derivative suit instituted by a shareholder of a corporation, it shall be averred in the complaint that the plaintiff was a shareholder of the corporation at the time of the transaction of which he complains or that such shareholder’s stock thereafter devolved upon such shareholder by operation of law. | |
the company does not intend to bring, diligently continue or defend or discontinue the proceedings; and | Complaint shall set forth with particularity the efforts of the plaintiff to obtain the action by the board or the reasons for not making such effort. |
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it is in the interests of the company that the conduct of the proceedings not be left to the directors or to the determination of the shareholders as a whole. | Such action shall not be dismissed or compromised without the approval of the Chancery Court. | |
When considering whether to grant leave, the British Virgin Islands Court is also required to have regard to the following matters: | ||
whether the shareholder is acting in good faith;
whether a derivative action is in the interests of the company, taking into account the directors’ views on commercial matters;
whether the action is likely to succeed;
the costs of the proceedings in relation to the relief likely to be obtained; and
whether another alternative remedy to the derivative action is available. |
If we were a Delaware corporation, a shareholder whose shares were cancelled in connection with our dissolution, would not be able to bring a derivative action against us after the ordinary shares have been cancelled. |
As noted above, the Companies Act differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of some of the significant provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. The Companies Act provides for mergers as that expression is understood under United States corporate law. Under the Companies Act, two or more companies may either merge into one of such existing companies (the “surviving company”) or consolidate with both existing companies ceasing to exist and forming a new company (the “consolidated company”). The procedure for a merger or consolidation between the company and another company (which need not be a BVI company, and which may be the company’s parent or subsidiary, but need not be) is set out in the Companies Act. The directors of the BVI company or BVI companies which are to merge or consolidate must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation which, with the exception of a merger between a parent company and its subsidiary, must also be approved by a resolution of a majority of the shareholders who are entitled to vote and actually vote at a quorate meeting of shareholders or by written resolution of the shareholders of the BVI company or BVI companies which are to merge. A foreign company which is able under the laws of its foreign jurisdiction to participate in the merger or consolidation is required by the Companies Act to comply with the laws of that foreign jurisdiction in relation to the merger or consolidation. The company must then execute articles of merger or consolidation, containing certain prescribed details. The plan and articles of merger or consolidation are then filed with the Registrar of Corporate Affairs in the British Virgin Islands. The Registrar then registers the articles of merger or consolidation and any amendment to the memorandum and articles of the surviving company in a merger or the memorandum and articles of association of the new consolidated company in a consolidation and issue a certificate of merger or consolidation (which is conclusive evidence of compliance with all requirements of the Companies Act in respect of the merger or consolidation). The merger is effective on the date that the articles of merger are registered with the Registrar or on such subsequent date, not exceeding thirty days, as is stated in the articles of merger or consolidation.
As soon as a merger becomes effective: (a) the surviving company or consolidated company (so far as is consistent with its memorandum and articles of association, as amended or established by the articles of merger or consolidation) has all rights, privileges, immunities, powers, objects and purposes of each of the constituent companies; (b) in the case of a merger, the memorandum and articles of association of any surviving company are automatically amended to the extent, if any, that changes to its amended memorandum and articles of association are contained in the articles of merger or, in the case of a consolidation, the memorandum and articles of association filed with the articles of consolidation are the memorandum and articles of the consolidated company; (c) assets of every description, including choses-in-action and the business of each of the constituent companies, immediately vest in the surviving company or consolidated company; (d) the surviving company or consolidated company is liable for all claims, debts, liabilities and obligations of each of the constituent companies; (e) no conviction, judgment, ruling, order, claim, debt, liability or obligation due or to become due, and no cause existing, against a constituent company or against any member, director, officer or agent thereof, is released or impaired by the merger or consolidation; and (f) no proceedings, whether civil or criminal, pending at the time of a merger by or against a constituent company, or against any member, director, officer or agent thereof, are abated or discontinued by the merger or consolidation; but: (i) the proceedings may be enforced, prosecuted, settled or compromised by or against the surviving company or consolidated company or against the member, director, officer or agent thereof; as the case may be; or (ii) the surviving company or consolidated company may be substituted in the proceedings for a constituent company. The Registrar shall strike off the register of companies each constituent company that is not the surviving company in the case of a merger and all constituent companies in the case of a consolidation.
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If the directors determine it to be in the best interests of the company, it is also possible for a merger to be approved as a Court approved plan of arrangement or scheme of arrangement in accordance with the Companies Act. However, we do not anticipate the use of such statutory provisions because we expect the required terms of the initial business combination will be capable of being achieved through other means, such as a merger or consolidation (as described above), a share exchange, asset acquisition or control, through contractual arrangements, of an operating business.
Poison Pill Defenses. Under the Companies Act there are no provisions, which specifically prevent the issuance of preferred shares or any such other ‘poison pill’ measures. The memorandum and articles of association of the company also do not contain any express prohibitions on the issuance of any preferred shares. Therefore, the directors without the approval of the holders of ordinary shares may issue preferred shares that have characteristics that may be deemed to be anti-takeover. Additionally, such a designation of shares may be used in connection with plans that are poison pill plans. However, as noted above under the Companies Act, a director in the exercise of his powers and performance of his duties is required to act honestly and in good faith in what the director believes to be the best interests of the company.
Directors: Our directors are appointed or removed by our class B ordinary shareholders prior to the closing of a business combination and by our shareholders or directors after the closing of a business combination. After the closing of a business combination, each director holds office for the term fixed by the shareholders or directors appointing him/her not exceeding two years and the directors may by resolution appoint any person to be a director to fill a vacancy or as an addition to the existing directors. Where the directors appoint a person as director to fill a vacancy, the term shall not exceed the term that remained when the person who has ceased to be a director ceased to hold office. Under our memorandum and articles of association, a director may not be appointed or removed from office by a resolution of our class A ordinary shareholders or our directors prior to the consummation of our business combination. There is nothing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, which specifically prohibits or restricts the creation of cumulative voting rights for the election of our directors. Our memorandum and articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting for such elections.
There are no share ownership qualifications for directors.
Meetings of our Board of Directors may be convened at any time by any of our directors.
A meeting of our Board of Directors will be quorate if at least a majority of the directors are present or represented by an alternate director. At any meeting of our directors, each director, whether by his or her presence or by his or her alternate, is entitled to one vote. Questions arising at a meeting of our Board of Directors are required to be decided by simple majority votes of the directors present or represented at the meeting. In the case of an equality of votes, the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or deciding vote. Our Board of Directors also may pass resolutions without a meeting by unanimous written consent.
Alternate Directors: Our memorandum and articles of association provide that each of our directors may appoint an alternate (who need not be another director of the company). The alternate of any director shall be entitled to attend board meetings in the absence of the director who appointed him or her and to vote or give written consent in place of that director until the alternate’s appointment lapses or is terminated (an alternate’s appointment, if he has not already done so, will automatically terminate on his appointor ceasing to be a director).
Agents: Our Board of Directors has the power to appoint any person (whether or not a director or other officer of the company) to be an agent of the company. Our memorandum and articles of association provide that an agent of the company shall be able to exercise such powers and authorities of the directors (which may include the power to affix the company’s seal) as the directors may allow when appointing the agent, except that, as stated in our memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Act, no agent shall have be given any power or authority to amend the memorandum or the articles in place of the directors or members; to designate committees of directors; to delegate powers to a committee of directors; to appoint directors; to appoint an agent; to approve a plan of merger, consolidation or arrangement; or to make a declaration of solvency or to approve a liquidation plan. When appointing an agent of the company, our directors may authorize the agent to appoint one or more substitutes or delegates to exercise some or all of the powers conferred on the agent. Our directors may remove an agent and may revoke or vary a power conferred on him.
Indemnification of Directors: Our memorandum and articles of association provide that, subject to certain limitations, the company shall indemnify its directors and officers against all expenses, including legal fees, and against all judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement and reasonably incurred in connection with legal, administrative or investigative proceedings. Such indemnity only applies if the person acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the company and, in the case of criminal proceedings, the person had no reasonable cause to believe that their conduct was unlawful. The decision of the directors as to whether the person acted honestly and in good faith and with a view to the best interests of the company and as to whether the person had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful is, in the absence of fraud, sufficient for the purposes of the memorandum and articles of association, unless a question of law is involved. The termination of any proceedings by any judgment, order, settlement, conviction or the entering of a nolle prosequi does not, by itself, create a presumption that the person did not act honestly and in good faith and with a view to the best interests of the company or that the person had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
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Directors and Conflicts of Interest. As noted in the table above, pursuant to the Companies Act and the company’s memorandum and articles of association, a director of a company who has an interest in a transaction and who has declared such interest to the other directors, may:
(a) | vote on a matter relating to the transaction; |
(b) | attend a meeting of directors at which a matter relating to the transaction arises and be included among the directors present at the meeting for the purposes of a quorum; and |
(c) | sign a document on behalf of the company, or do any other thing in his capacity as a director, that relates to the transaction. |
Shareholders’ Suits. Our British Virgin Islands counsel is not aware of any reported class action having been brought in a British Virgin Islands court. The enforcement of the company’s rights will ordinarily be a matter for its directors.
In certain limited circumstances, a shareholder has the right to seek various remedies against the company in the event the directors are in breach of their duties under the Companies Act. Pursuant to Section 184B of the Companies Act, if a company or director of a company engages in, or proposes to engage in or has engaged in, conduct that contravenes the provisions of the Companies Act or the memorandum or articles of association of the company, the British Virgin Islands Court may, on application of a shareholder or director of the company, make an order directing the company or director to comply with, or restraining the company or director from engaging in conduct that contravenes the Companies Act or the memorandum or articles. Furthermore, pursuant to section 184I(1) of the Companies Act a shareholder of a company who considers that the affairs of the company have been, are being or likely to be, conducted in a manner that is, or any acts of the company have been, or are likely to be oppressive, unfairly discriminatory, or unfairly prejudicial to him in that capacity, may apply to the British Virgin Islands Court for an order which, inter alia, can require the company or any other person to pay compensation to the shareholders.
The Companies Act provides for a series of remedies available to shareholders. Where a company incorporated under the Companies Act conducts some activity, which breaches the Act or the company’s memorandum and articles of association, the court can issue a restraining or compliance order. Under the Companies Act, a shareholder of a company may bring an action against the company for breach of a duty owed by the company to him as a member. A shareholder also may, with the permission of the British Virgin Islands Court, bring an action or intervene in a matter in the name of the company, in certain circumstances. Such actions are known as derivative actions. As noted above, the British Virgin Islands Court may only grant permission to bring a derivative action where the following circumstances apply:
• | the company does not intend to bring, diligently continue or defend or discontinue proceedings; and |
• | it is in the interests of the company that the conduct of the proceedings not be left to the directors or to the determination of the shareholders as a whole. |
• | when considering whether to grant leave, the British Virgin Islands Court is also required to have regard to the following matters: |
• | whether the shareholder is acting in good faith; |
• | whether a derivative action is in the company’s best interests, taking into account the directors’ views on commercial matters; |
• | whether the action is likely to proceed; |
• | the costs of the proceedings; and |
• | whether an alternative remedy is available. |
Any member of a company may apply to the British Virgin Islands Court under the Insolvency Act for the appointment of a liquidator to liquidate the company and the court may appoint a liquidator for the company if it is of the opinion that it is just and equitable to do so.
The Companies Act provides that any shareholder of a company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his shares upon dissenting from any of the following: (a) a merger if the company is a constituent company, unless the company is the surviving company and the member continues to hold the same or similar shares; (b) a consolidation if the company is a constituent company; (c) any sale, transfer, lease, exchange or other disposition of more than 50 per cent in value of the assets or business of the company if not made in the usual or regular course of the business carried on by the company but not including: (i) a disposition pursuant to an order of the court having jurisdiction in the matter, (ii) a disposition for money on terms requiring all or substantially all net proceeds to be distributed to the members in accordance with their respective interest within one year after the date of disposition, or (iii) a transfer pursuant to the power of the directors to transfer assets for the protection thereof; (d) a compulsory redemption of 10 per cent, or fewer of the issued shares of the company required by the holders of 90 percent, or more of the shares of the company pursuant to the terms of the Act; and (e) a plan of arrangement, if permitted by the British Virgin Islands Court.
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Generally any other claims against a company by its shareholders must be based on the general laws of contract or tort applicable in the British Virgin Islands or their individual rights as shareholders as established by the company’s memorandum and articles of association. There are common law rights for the protection of shareholders that may be invoked, largely derived from English common law. Under the general English company law known as the rule in Foss v. Harbottle, a court will generally refuse to interfere with the management of a company at the insistence of a minority of its shareholders who express dissatisfaction with the conduct of the company’s affairs by the majority or the Board of Directors. However, every shareholder is entitled to seek to have the affairs of the company conducted properly according to law and the constituent documents of the corporation. As such, if those who control the company have persistently disregarded the requirements of company law or the provisions of the company’s memorandum and articles of association, then the courts may grant relief. Generally, the areas in which the courts will intervene are the following:
• | a company is acting or proposing to act illegally or beyond the scope of its authority; |
• | the act complained of, although not beyond the scope of the authority, could only be effected if duly authorized by more than the number of votes which have actually been obtained; |
• | the individual rights of the plaintiff shareholder have been infringed or are about to be infringed; or |
• | those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.” |
Under the law of Delaware, the rights of minority shareholders are similar to that which will be applicable to the shareholders of the company.
Compulsory Acquisition: Under the Companies Act, subject to any limitations in a company’s memorandum or articles, members holding 90% of the votes of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, and members holding 90% of the votes of the outstanding shares of each class of shares entitled to vote, may give a written instruction to the company directing the company to redeem the shares held by the remaining members. Upon receipt of such written instruction, the company shall redeem the shares specified in the written instruction, irrespective of whether or not the shares are by their terms redeemable. The company shall give written notice to each member whose shares are to be redeemed stating the redemption price and the manner in which the redemption is to be effected. A member whose shares are to be so redeemed is entitled to dissent from such redemption, and to be paid the fair value of his shares, as described under “Shareholders’ Suits” above.
Share Repurchases and Redemptions: As permitted by the Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association, shares may be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired by us. Depending on the circumstances of the redemption or repurchase, our directors may need to determine that immediately following the redemption or repurchase we will be able to satisfy our debts as they fall due and the value of our assets exceeds our liabilities. Our directors may only exercise this power on our behalf, subject to the Companies Act, our memorandum and articles of association and to any applicable requirements imposed from time to time by the SEC, Nasdaq or any other stock exchange on which our securities are listed.
Dividends: Subject to the Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association, our directors may declare dividends at a time and amount they think fit if they are satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that, immediately after distribution of the dividend, the value of our assets will exceed our liabilities and we will be able to pay our debts as they fall due. No dividend shall carry interest against us.
Rights of Non-resident or Foreign Shareholders and Disclosure of Substantial Shareholdings: There are no limitations imposed by our memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.
Untraceable Shareholders: Under our memorandum and articles of association, we are entitled to sell any shares of a shareholder who is untraceable, as long as: (a) all checks, not being less than three in total number, for any sums payable in cash to the holder of such shares have remained uncashed for a period of 12 years; (b) we have not during that time or before the expiry of the three-month period referred to in (c) below received any indication of the existence of the shareholder or person entitled to such shares by death, bankruptcy or operation of law; and (c) upon expiration of the 12-year period, we have caused an advertisement to be published in newspapers, giving notice of our intention to sell these shares, and a period of three months or such shorter period has elapsed since the date of such advertisement. The net proceeds of any such sale shall belong to us, and when we receive these net proceeds we shall become indebted to the former shareholder for an amount equal to such net proceeds.
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Transfer of Shares: Subject to any applicable restrictions set forth in our memorandum and articles of association, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form, in the case of listed shares, in any manner permitted by and in accordance with the rules of the relevant exchange, or in any other form which our directors may approve.
Inspection of Books and Records: Under the Companies Act, members of the general public, on payment of a nominal fee, can obtain copies of the public records of a company available at the office of the Registrar which will include the company’s certificate of incorporation, its memorandum and articles of association (with any amendments) and records of license fees paid to date and will also disclose any articles of dissolution, articles of merger and a register of charges if the company has elected to file such a register.
A member of a company is entitled, on giving written notice to the company, to inspect:
(a) | the memorandum and articles; |
(b) | the register of members; |
(c) | the register of directors; and |
(d) | the minutes of meetings and resolutions of members and of those classes of members of which he is a member; |
and to make copies of or take extracts from the documents and records referred to in (a) to (d) above.
Subject to the memorandum and articles of association, the directors may, if they are satisfied that it would be contrary to the company’s interests to allow a member to inspect any document, or part of a document, specified in (b), (c) or (d) above, refuse to permit the member to inspect the document or limit the inspection of the document, including limiting the making of copies or the taking of extracts from the records.
Where a company fails or refuses to permit a member to inspect a document or permits a member to inspect a document subject to limitations, that member may apply to the British Virgin Islands Court for an order that he should be permitted to inspect the document or to inspect the document without limitation.
Dissolution; Winding Up: As permitted by the Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association, we may be voluntarily liquidated under Part XII of the Companies Act by resolution of directors and resolution of shareholders if we have no liabilities or we are able to pay our debts as they fall due.
We also may be wound up in circumstances where we are insolvent in accordance with the terms of the Insolvency Act.
Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will contain certain requirements and restrictions relating to this offering that will apply to us until the completion of our initial business combination. These provisions cannot be amended without approval of a majority of our outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting on such amendment.
Our sponsor, who will beneficially own more than 20% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering, will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and will have the discretion to vote in any manner it chooses. Specifically, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, among other things, that:
• | if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter redeem 100% of the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (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 shareholders and our Board of Directors, liquidate and dissolve; |
• | prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional ordinary shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote on any initial business combination; |
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• | although we do not intend to enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or our officers, we are not prohibited from doing so. In the event we enter into such a transaction, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions for the type of company we are seeking to acquire or an independent accounting firm, that such a business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view; |
• | if a shareholder vote on our initial business combination is not required by law and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will offer to redeem our public shares pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, and will file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about our initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act; |
• | so long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on NASDAQ, our initial business combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of our assets held in the trust account (excluding deferred underwriting discounts and the taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination; |
• | if our shareholders approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that would (i) modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time) or (ii) with respect to the other provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their ordinary shares upon such approval at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares; and |
• | we will not effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations. |
In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that under no circumstances will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination.
Anti-Money Laundering — British Virgin Islands
In order to comply with legislation or regulations aimed at the prevention of money laundering, we are required to adopt and maintain anti-money laundering procedures, and may require subscribers to provide evidence to verify their identity and source of funds. Where permitted, and subject to certain conditions, we may also delegate the maintenance of our anti-money laundering procedures (including the acquisition of due diligence information) to a suitable person.
We reserve the right to request such information as is necessary to verify the identity of a subscriber. In the event of delay or failure on the part of the subscriber in producing any information required for verification purposes, we may refuse to accept the application, in which case any funds received will be returned without interest to the account from which they were originally debited.
If any person resident in the British Virgin Islands knows or suspects that another person is engaged in money laundering or terrorist financing and the information for that knowledge or suspicion came to their attention in the course of their business the person will be required to report his belief or suspicion to the Financial Investigation Agency of the British Virgin Islands, pursuant to the Proceeds of Criminal Conduct Act 1997 (as amended). Such a report shall not be treated as a breach of confidence or of any restriction upon the disclosure of information imposed by any enactment or otherwise.
Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association
Our authorized but unissued ordinary shares and preference shares are available for future issuances without shareholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved ordinary shares and preference shares could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Securities Eligible for Future Sale
Immediately after this offering we will have 7,500,000 (or 8,625,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) ordinary shares outstanding. Of these shares, the 6,000,000 Class A ordinary shares (or 6,900,000 shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any shares purchased by one of our affiliates within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. All of the remaining 1,500,000 (or 1,725,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) founder shares and all 2,875,000 (or 3,100,000) if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) private placement warrants (including component securities contained therein) are restricted securities under Rule 144, in that they were issued in private transactions not involving a public offering, and are subject to transfer restrictions as set forth elsewhere in this prospectus.
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Rule 144
Pursuant to Rule 144, a person who has beneficially owned restricted ordinary shares, warrants or rights for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and (ii) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale and have filed all required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the 12 months (or such shorter period as we were required to file reports) preceding the sale.
Persons who have beneficially owned restricted ordinary shares, warrants or rights for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of:
• | 1% of the total number of Class A ordinary shares then outstanding, which will equal 75,000 shares immediately after this offering (or 86,250 if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full), on an as converted basis; or |
• | the average weekly reported trading volume of the ordinary shares during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale. |
Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also limited by manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies
Rule 144 is not available for the resale of securities initially issued by shell companies (other than business combination related shell companies) or issuers that have been at any time previously a shell company. However, Rule 144 also includes an important exception to this prohibition if the following conditions are met:
• | the issuer of the securities that was formerly a shell company has ceased to be a shell company; |
• | the issuer of the securities is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act; |
• | the issuer of the securities has filed all Exchange Act reports and material required to be filed, as applicable, during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the issuer was required to file such reports and materials), other than Current Reports on Form 8-K; and |
• | at least one year has elapsed from the time that the issuer filed current Form 10 type information with the SEC reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company. |
As a result, our sponsor will be able to sell its founder shares and private placement warrant (including the component securities of the private placement warrants)] pursuant to Rule 144 without registration one year after we have completed our initial business combination.
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Registration Rights
The holders of founder shares, private placement warrant and warrants that may be issued on conversion of working capital loans (and in each case holders of their component securities, as applicable) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering requiring us to register such securities for resale (in the case of the founder shares, only after conversion to our Class A ordinary shares). The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination and rights to require us to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. However, the registration rights agreement provides that we will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up period, which occurs (i) in the case of the founder shares, on the earlier of (A) six months after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last sale price of Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, rights issuances, subdivisions, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination, or (y) the date following the completion of our initial business combination on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) in the case of the private placement warrant (and their component securities), 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Notwithstanding the above, the shares to be issued to the underwriters in this offering will be further subject to the limitations on registration requirements imposed by FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8). will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Listing of Securities
We have applied to list our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights on NASDAQ under the symbols “ASCAU,” “ASCA,” “ASCAW,” and “ASCAR,” respectively on or promptly after the effective date of the registration statement. Following the date the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights are eligible to trade separately, we anticipate that the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights will be listed separately and as a unit on NASDAQ. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on NASDAQ.
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The following summary of certain British Virgin Islands and U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to an investment in our units, ordinary shares, warrants and rights is based upon laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this prospectus, all of which are subject to change. This summary does not deal with all possible tax consequences relating to an investment in our ordinary shares, warrants and rights, such as the tax consequences under state, local and other tax laws.
Prospective investors should consult their professional advisors on the possible tax consequences of buying, holding or selling any securities under the laws of their country of citizenship, residence or domicile.
British Virgin Islands Taxation
The following is a discussion on certain British Virgin Islands income tax consequences of an investment in our securities. The discussion is a general summary of present law, which is subject to prospective and retroactive change. It is not intended as tax advice, does not consider any investor’s particular circumstances, and does not consider tax consequences other than those arising under British Virgin Islands law.
The Government of the British Virgin Islands does not, under existing legislation, impose any income, corporate or capital gains tax, estate duty, inheritance tax, gift tax or withholding tax upon the company or its securityholders who are not tax resident in the British Virgin Islands.
The company and all distributions, interest and other amounts paid by the company to persons who are not tax resident in the British Virgin Islands will not be subject to any income, withholding or capital gains taxes in the British Virgin Islands, with respect to the shares in the company owned by them and dividends received on such shares, nor will they be subject to any estate or inheritance taxes in the British Virgin Islands.
No estate, inheritance, succession or gift tax, rate, duty, levy or other charge is payable by persons who are not tax resident in the British Virgin Islands with respect to any shares, debt obligations or other securities of the company.
Except to the extent that we have any interest in real property in the British Virgin Islands, all instruments relating to transactions in respect of the shares, debt obligations or other securities of the company and all instruments relating to other transactions relating to the business of the company are exempt from the payment of stamp duty in the British Virgin Islands.
There are currently no withholding taxes or exchange control regulations in the British Virgin Islands applicable to the company or its securityholders.
Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations
General
The following is a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to ownership and disposition of our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights, which we refer to collectively as our securities. This section does not address any aspect of U.S. federal gift or estate tax, or the state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in our securities, nor does it provide any actual representations as to any tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership or disposition of our securities Because the components of a unit are separable at the option of the holder, the holder of a unit generally should be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as the owner of the underlying Class A ordinary share, warrant, or right components of the unit, as the case may be. As a result, the discussion below of the U.S. federal income tax consequences with respect to actual holders of Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights should also apply to holders of units (as the deemed owners of the underlying Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights that comprise the units).
This discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), its legislative history, and administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions and final, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations as of the date hereof, changes to any of which subsequent to the date of this prospectus may affect the tax consequences described herein.
This discussion assumes that the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights will trade separately and does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to any particular holder based on such holder’s individual circumstances. In particular, this discussion considers only holders that purchase our securities pursuant to this offering and own and hold our securities as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code, and does not address the potential application of the alternative minimum tax or the Medicare Tax on net investment income. In addition, this discussion does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences to holders that are subject to special rules, including:
• |
financial institutions or financial services entities; |
● | broker-dealers, and traders in securities or foreign currencies; | |
● | governments or agencies or instrumentalities thereof; | |
● | regulated investment companies; | |
● | grantor trusts; | |
● | expatriates or former long-term residents of the United States; | |
● | persons that actually or constructively own 5 percent or more of the vote or value of our shares | |
● | persons that acquired our securities pursuant to an exercise of employee share options, in connection with employee share incentive plans or otherwise as compensation; | |
● | controlled foreign corporations; | |
● | passive foreign investment companies; |
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• | insurance companies; |
• | dealers or traders subject to a mark-to-market method of accounting with respect to the securities; |
• | persons holding the securities as part of a “straddle,” hedge, integrated transaction or similar transaction; |
• | U.S. holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
• | partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes; and |
• | tax-exempt entities. |
This discussion does not consider the tax treatment of partnerships or other pass-through entities or persons who hold our securities through such entities. If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is the beneficial owner of our securities, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. This discussion also assumes that any distributions made (or deemed made) by us on our ordinary shares and any consideration received (or deemed received) by a holder in consideration for the sale or other disposition of our securities will be in U.S. dollars.
We have not sought, and will not seek, a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) as to any U.S. federal income tax consequence described herein. The IRS may disagree with the descriptions herein, and its determination may be upheld by a court. Moreover, there can be no assurance that future legislation, regulations, administrative rulings or court decisions will not adversely affect the accuracy of the statements in this discussion.
You are urged to consult your tax advisor with respect to the application of U.S. federal tax laws to your particular situation, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or foreign jurisdiction.
THIS DISCUSSION IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES. IT DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY ACTUAL REPRESENTATIONS AS TO ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES AND WE HAVE NOT OBTAINED ANY OPINION OF COUNSEL WITH RESPECT TO SUCH TAX CONSEQUENCES. AS A RESULT, EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IN OUR SECURITIES IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES TO SUCH INVESTOR OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY U.S. FEDERAL NON-INCOME, STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S. TAX LAWS, AND ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATIES.
Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit
No statutory, administrative or judicial authority directly addresses the treatment of a unit or instruments similar to a unit for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, that treatment is not entirely clear. The acquisition of a unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as the acquisition of one share of our Class A ordinary shares, three-fourths (3/4) of one warrant to acquire one share of our Class A ordinary shares and one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, each holder of a unit generally must allocate the purchase price paid by such holder for such unit among the Class A ordinary share, three-fourths (3/4) of one warrant and one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share based on the relative fair market value of each at the time of issuance. Under U.S. federal income tax law, each investor must make his or her own determination of such value based on all the relevant facts and circumstances. Therefore, we strongly urge each investor to consult his or her tax adviser regarding the determination of value for these purposes. The price allocated to each Class A ordinary share, three-fourths (3/4) of one warrant and one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share should be the shareholder’s tax basis in such share, warrant, or right as the case may be. Any disposition of a unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a disposition of the Class A ordinary share, warrant, and right comprising the unit, and the amount realized on the disposition should be allocated among the Class A ordinary share, warrant, and right based on their respective relative fair market values at the time of disposition (as determined by each such unit holder based on all relevant facts and circumstances). The separation of the Class A ordinary share, warrant, and right comprising a unit should not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
In addition, although we intend to treat the rights for U.S. federal income tax purposes in a manner similar to options to acquire our ordinary shares in the future, there is a risk that alternate characterizations of the rights could result in U.S. federal income tax consequences to the holders of the rights that differ from those described below.
The foregoing treatment of the Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights and a holder’s purchase price allocation are not binding on the IRS or the courts. Because there are no authorities that directly address instruments that are similar to the units, no assurance can be given that the IRS or the courts will agree with the characterization described above or the discussion below. Accordingly, each prospective investor is urged to consult its own tax advisors regarding tax consequences of an investment in a unit (including alternative characterizations of a unit). The balance of this discussion assumes that the characterization of the units described above is respected for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
U.S. Holders
This section applies to you if you are a “U.S. holder.” A U.S. holder is a beneficial owner of our securities who or that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes: (i) an individual citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) that is created or organized (or treated as created or organized) in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (A) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (B) it has in effect a valid election under U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.
Taxation of Distributions
Subject to the passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) rules discussed below, a U.S. holder generally will be required to include in gross income any distribution paid on our ordinary shares that is treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A distribution on such shares generally will be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Such dividends paid by us will be taxable to a corporate U.S. holder at regular rates and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to domestic corporations in respect of dividends received from other domestic corporations.
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Distributions in excess of such earnings and profits generally will be applied against and reduce the U.S. holder’s basis in its ordinary shares (but not below zero) and, to the extent in excess of such tax basis, will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of such ordinary shares.
With respect to non-corporate U.S. holders, under tax laws currently in effect, dividends may be subject to the lower applicable long-term capital gains tax rate (see “— Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares, Warrants and Rights” below) only if our ordinary shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States and certain other requirements are met. U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability of the lower rate for any dividends paid with respect to our ordinary shares.
Possible Constructive Distributions
The terms of each warrant provide for an adjustment to the number of shares for which the warrant may be exercised or to the exercise price of the warrant in certain events. An adjustment which has the effect of preventing dilution generally is not taxable. However, the U.S. holders of the warrants would be treated as receiving a constructive distribution from us if, for example, the adjustment increases the warrant holders’ proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits (e.g., through an increase in the number of ordinary shares that would be obtained upon exercise) as a result of a distribution of cash or other property to the holders of our ordinary shares which is taxable to such holders as a distribution. Such constructive distribution received by a U.S. holder would be subject to tax in the same manner as if the U.S. holders of the warrants received a cash distribution from us equal to the fair market value of such increased interest. For certain information reporting purposes, we are required to determine the date and amount of any such constructive distributions. Recently proposed Treasury regulations, which we may rely on prior to the issuance of final regulations, specify how the date and amount of constructive distributions are determined.
Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares, Warrants and Rights
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, upon a sale or other taxable disposition of our securities (which, in general, may include a redemption of Class A ordinary shares as described below), and including as a result of a dissolution and liquidation in the event we do not consummate an initial business combination within the required time period, a U.S. holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in our securities. A U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its securities generally will equal the U.S. holder’s acquisition cost (that is, the portion of the purchase price of a unit allocated to an ordinary share, warrant, or right as described above under “— Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit”) reduced by any prior distributions treated as a return of capital. See “— Exercise or Lapse of a Warrant” below for a discussion regarding a U.S. holder’s tax basis in an ordinary share acquired pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and “— Acquisition of Ordinary Shares Pursuant to Rights” below for a discussion regarding a U.S. holder’s tax basis in an ordinary share acquired pursuant to the conversion of a right.
The U.S. federal income tax rate on capital gains recognized by U.S. holders generally is the same as the U.S. federal income tax rate on ordinary income, except that under tax law currently in effect long-term capital gains recognized by non-corporate U.S. holders are generally subject to U.S. federal income tax at reduced rates, subject to the PFIC rules. Capital gain or loss will constitute long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder’s holding period for the securities so disposed of exceeds one year. It is unclear, however, whether the redemption rights with respect to the Class A ordinary shares described in this prospectus may suspend the running of the applicable holding period for this purpose. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. U.S. holders who recognize losses with respect to a disposition of our securities should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax treatment of such losses.
Exercise or Lapse of a Warrant
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a U.S. holder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the acquisition of a Class A ordinary share from the exercise of warrants for cash. A Class A ordinary share acquired pursuant to the exercise of warrants for cash generally will have a tax basis equal to the U.S. holder’s tax basis in the warrants, increased by the amount paid to exercise the warrants. It is unclear whether the holding period of such Class A ordinary share would begin on the day or the day after the exercise of the warrants but it would not include the period during which the U.S. holder held the warrants. If a warrant is allowed to lapse unexercised, a U.S. holder generally will recognize a capital loss equal to such holder’s tax basis in the warrant.
The tax consequences of a cashless exercise of warrants are not clear under current tax law. A cashless exercise may be tax-free, either because the exercise is not a realization event or because the exercise is treated as a recapitalization for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In either tax-free situation, a U.S. holder’s basis in the Class A ordinary shares received generally would equal the holder’s basis in the warrants exchanged therefor. If the cashless exercise were treated as not being a realization event, it is unclear whether a U.S. holder’s holding period in the Class A ordinary shares would be treated as commencing on the day of or the day following the date of exercise of the warrants. If the cashless exercise were treated as a recapitalization, the holding period of the Class A ordinary shares received would include the holding period of the warrants exchanged therefor.
It is also possible that a cashless exercise could be treated as a taxable exchange in which gain or loss would be recognized. In such event, a U.S. holder could be deemed to have surrendered a number of warrants with a fair market value equal to the exercise price for the number of warrants deemed exercised. For this purpose, the number of warrants deemed exercised would be equal to the amount needed to receive on exercise the number of Class A ordinary shares issued pursuant to the cashless exercise. In this situation, the U.S. holder would recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the warrants deemed surrendered to pay the exercise price and the U.S. holder’s tax basis in the warrants deemed surrendered. Such gain or loss would be long-term or short-term depending on the U.S. holder’s holding period in the warrants. In this case, a U.S. holder’s tax basis in the Class A ordinary shares received would equal the sum of the fair market value of the warrants deemed surrendered and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the warrants deemed exercised. It is unclear whether a U.S. holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares would commence on the date of exercise of the warrant or the day following the date of exercise of the warrants.
Due to the absence of authority on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise, including when a U.S. holder’s holding period would commence with respect to the Class A ordinary shares received, there can be no assurance which, if any, of the alternative tax consequences and holding periods described above would be adopted by the IRS or a court of law. Accordingly, U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of a cashless exercise of the warrants.
Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, in the event that a U.S. holder’s Class A ordinary shares are redeemed, including pursuant to the redemption provisions described in this prospectus under “Description of Securities — Ordinary Shares,” or if we purchase a U.S. holder’s Class A ordinary shares in an open market transaction (each of which we refer to as a “redemption”), the treatment of the transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes will depend on whether the redemption qualifies as sale of the Class A ordinary shares under Section 302 of the Code. If the redemption qualifies as a sale of ordinary shares, the U.S. holder will be treated as described under “U.S. holders — Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares, Warrants and Rights” above. If the redemption does not qualify as a sale of Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. holder will be treated as receiving a distribution with the tax consequences described above under “U.S. holders — Taxation of Distributions.” Whether a redemption qualifies for sale treatment will depend largely on the total number of our shares treated as held by the U.S. holder (including any shares constructively owned by the U.S. holder as a result of owning warrants or rights) relative to all of our shares outstanding both before and after the redemption. The redemption of Class A ordinary shares generally will be treated as a sale or exchange of the Class A ordinary shares (rather than as a corporate distribution) if the receipt of cash upon the redemption (i) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. holder, (ii) results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. holder’s interest in us or (iii) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the U.S. holder. These tests are explained more fully below.
In determining whether any of the foregoing tests are satisfied, a U.S. holder takes into account not only shares actually owned by the U.S. holder, but also our shares that are constructively owned by it. A U.S. holder may constructively own, in addition to shares owned directly, shares owned by certain related individuals and entities in which the U.S. holder has an interest or that have an interest in such U.S. holder, as well as any shares the U.S. holder has a right to acquire by exercise of an option, which would generally include ordinary shares which could be acquired pursuant to the exercise of warrants. In order to meet the substantially disproportionate test, the percentage of our issued and outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder immediately following the redemption of Class A ordinary shares must, among other requirements, be less than 80% of the percentage of our issued and outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder immediately before the redemption. Prior to our initial business combination, the Class A ordinary shares will not be voting shares for this purpose and, consequently, this substantially disproportionate test will not be applicable. There will be a complete termination of a U.S. holder’s interest if either (i) all of our shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder are redeemed or (ii) all of our shares actually owned by the U.S. holder are redeemed and the U.S. holder is eligible to waive, and effectively waives in accordance with specific rules, the attribution of shares owned by certain family members and the U.S. holder does not constructively own any other shares (including any shares constructively owned by the U.S. holder as a result of owning warrants). The redemption of the Class A ordinary shares will not be essentially equivalent to a dividend if a U.S. holder’s conversion results in a “meaningful reduction” of the U.S. holder’s proportionate interest in us. Whether the redemption will result in a meaningful reduction in a U.S. holder’s proportionate interest in us will depend on the particular facts and circumstances. However, the IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate interest of a small minority shareholder in a publicly held corporation who exercises no control over corporate affairs may constitute such a “meaningful reduction.” A U.S. holder should consult with its own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of a redemption.
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If none of the foregoing tests is satisfied, then the redemption will be treated as a corporate distribution and the tax effects will be as described under “— U.S. Holders — Taxation of Distributions,” above. After the application of those rules, any remaining tax basis of the U.S. holder in the redeemed Class A ordinary shares will be added to the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its remaining shares. If there are no remaining ordinary shares, a U.S. holder should consult its own tax advisors as to the allocation of any remaining basis.
U.S. holders who actually or constructively own five percent (or, if our Class A ordinary shares are not then publicly traded, one percent) or more of our shares (by vote or value) may be subject to special reporting requirements with respect to a redemption of Class A ordinary shares, and such holders should consult with their own tax advisors with respect to their reporting requirements.
Acquisition of Ordinary Shares Pursuant to Rights
The treatment of the rights to acquire ordinary shares is uncertain. The right may be viewed as a forward contract, derivative security or similar interest in our company (analogous to an option with no exercise price), and thus the holder of the right would not be viewed as owning the ordinary shares issuable pursuant to the rights until such ordinary shares are actually issued. There may be other alternative characterizations of the rights that the IRS may successfully assert, including that the rights are treated as equity in our company at the time the rights are issued.
The tax consequences of an acquisition of our ordinary shares pursuant to rights are unclear and will depend on the treatment of any initial business combination. Accordingly, U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of an acquisition of ordinary shares pursuant to rights and the consequences of any initial business combination.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
A foreign (i.e. non-U.S.) corporation will be classified as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes if at least 75% of its gross income in a taxable year, including its pro rata share of the gross income of any entity in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the interest by value, is passive income. Alternatively, a foreign corporation will be a PFIC if at least 50% of its assets in a taxable year of the foreign corporation, ordinarily determined based on fair market value and averaged quarterly over the year, including its pro rata share of the assets of any entity in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the interest by value, are held for the production of, or produce, passive income. Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, rents and royalties (other than rents or royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business) and gains from the disposition of passive assets.
Because we are a blank check company, with no current active business, we believe that it is likely that we will meet the PFIC asset or income test for our current taxable year. Pursuant to a start-up exception, however, a corporation will not be a PFIC for the first taxable year the corporation has gross income (the “start-up year”), if (1) no predecessor of the corporation was a PFIC; (2) the corporation satisfies the IRS that it will not be a PFIC for either of the first two taxable years following the start-up year; and (3) the corporation is not in fact a PFIC for either of those years. The applicability of the start-up exception to us will not be known until after the close of our current taxable year and possibly not until after the close of our next taxable year. After the acquisition of a company or assets in a business combination, we may still meet one of the PFIC tests depending on the timing of the acquisition and the amount of our passive income and assets as well as the passive income and assets of the acquired business. If the company that we acquire in a business combination is a PFIC, then we will likely not qualify for the start-up exception and will be a PFIC since our inception. Our actual PFIC status for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. Accordingly, there can be no assurance with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any future taxable year.
If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. holder of our securities and, in the case of our ordinary shares, the U.S. holder did not make either a timely qualified electing fund (“QEF”) election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. holder held (or was deemed to hold) ordinary shares, a QEF election along with a deemed sale (or purging) election, or a valid “mark-to-market” election, in each case as described below, such holder generally will be subject to special rules with respect to: (i) any gain recognized by the U.S. holder on the sale or other disposition of our securities; and (ii) any “excess distribution” made to the U.S. holder (generally, any distributions to such U.S. holder during a taxable year of the U.S. holder that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions received by such U.S. holder in respect of the ordinary shares during the three preceding taxable years of such U.S. holder or, if shorter, such U.S. holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares).
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Under these rules:
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the U.S. Holder’s gain or excess distribution will be allocated ratably over the U.S. holder’s holding period for our securities; the amount allocated to the U.S. holder’s taxable year in which the U.S. holder recognized gain or received the excess distribution, or to the period in the U.S. holder’s holding period before the first day of our first taxable year in which we are a PFIC, will be taxed as ordinary income; |
• | the amount allocated to other taxable years (or portions thereof) of the U.S. holder and included in its holding period will be taxed at the highest tax rate in effect for that year and applicable to the U.S. holder; and |
• | the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed in respect of the tax attributable to each such other taxable year of the U.S. holder. |
In general, if we are determined to be a PFIC, a U.S. holder will avoid the PFIC tax consequences described above in respect to our ordinary shares (but not our warrants or rights) by making either (i) a timely and valid QEF election (if eligible to do so) (or a QEF election along with a purging election) to include in income its pro rata share of our net capital gains (as long-term capital gain) and other earnings and profits (as ordinary income), on a current basis, in each case whether or not distributed, in the taxable year of the U.S. holder in which or with which our taxable year ends or (ii) a valid “mark-to-market” election. A U.S. holder may make a separate election to defer the payment of taxes on undistributed income inclusions under the QEF rules, but if deferred, any such taxes will be subject to an interest charge.
A U.S. holder may not make a QEF election with respect to its warrants or rights to acquire our ordinary shares. As a result, if a U.S. holder sells or otherwise disposes of such warrants or rights (other than upon exercise of such warrants or conversion of such rights), any gain recognized generally will be subject to the special tax and interest charge rules treating the gain as an excess distribution, as described above, if we were a PFIC at any time during the period the U.S. holder held the warrants or rights. If a U.S. holder that exercises such warrants or converts such rights properly makes a QEF election with respect to the newly acquired ordinary shares (or has previously made a QEF election with respect to our ordinary shares), the QEF election will apply to the newly acquired ordinary shares, but the adverse tax consequences relating to PFIC shares, adjusted to take into account the current income inclusions resulting from the QEF election, will continue to apply with respect to such newly acquired ordinary shares (which generally will be deemed to have a holding period for purposes of the PFIC rules that includes the period the U.S. holder held the warrants or rights), unless the U.S. holder makes a purging election under the PFIC rules. The purging election creates a deemed sale of such shares at their fair market value.
The gain recognized by the purging election will be subject to the special tax and interest charge rules treating the gain as an excess distribution, as described above. As a result of the purging election, the U.S. holder will increase the adjusted tax basis in the ordinary shares acquired upon the exercise of the warrants or the conversion of the rights by the gain recognized and will also have a new holding period in such ordinary shares for purposes of the PFIC rules. U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors as to the application of the rules governing purging elections to their particular circumstances.
The QEF election is made on a shareholder-by-shareholder basis and, once made, can be revoked only with the consent of the IRS. A U.S. holder generally makes a QEF election by attaching a completed IRS Form 8621 (Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund), including the information provided in a PFIC annual information statement, to a timely filed U.S. federal income tax return for the tax year to which the election relates. Retroactive QEF elections generally may be made only by filing a protective statement with such return and if certain other conditions are met or with the consent of the IRS. U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a retroactive QEF election under their particular circumstances.
In order to comply with the requirements of a QEF election, a U.S. holder must receive a PFIC annual information statement from us. If we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. holder upon request such information as the IRS may require, including a PFIC annual information statement, in order to enable the U.S. holder to make and maintain a QEF election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information. In addition, there is no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of our status as a PFIC in the future or of the required information to be provided.
If a U.S. holder has made a QEF election with respect to our ordinary shares, and the special tax and interest charge rules do not apply to such shares (because of a timely QEF election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. holder holds (or is deemed to hold) such shares or a purge of the PFIC taint pursuant to a purging election, as described above), any gain recognized on the sale of our ordinary shares generally will be taxable as capital gain and no interest charge will be imposed under the PFIC rules. As discussed above, U.S. holders of a QEF generally are currently taxed on their pro rata shares of its earnings and profits, whether or not distributed. In such case, a subsequent distribution of such earnings and profits that were previously included in income generally should not be taxable as a dividend to such U.S. holders. The adjusted tax basis of a U.S. holder’s shares in a QEF will be increased by amounts that are included in income, and decreased by amounts distributed but not taxed as dividends, under the above rules.
Although a determination as to our PFIC status will be made annually, an initial determination that our company is a PFIC will generally apply for subsequent years to a U.S. holder who held ordinary shares, warrants or rights while we were a PFIC, whether or not we meet the test for PFIC status in those subsequent years. A U.S. holder who makes the QEF election discussed above for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. holder holds (or is deemed to hold) our ordinary shares, however, will not be subject to the PFIC tax and interest charge rules discussed above in respect to such shares. In addition, such U.S. holder will not be subject to the QEF inclusion regime with respect to such shares for any taxable year of us that ends within or with a taxable year of the U.S. holder and in which we are not a PFIC. On the other hand, if the QEF election is not effective for each of our taxable years in which we are a PFIC and the U.S. holder holds (or is deemed to hold) our ordinary shares, the PFIC rules discussed above will continue to apply to such shares unless the holder files on a timely filed U.S. federal income tax return (including extensions) a QEF election and a purging election to recognize under the PFIC rules any gain that the U.S. holder would otherwise recognize if the U.S. holder had sold our shares for their fair market value on the “qualification date.” The qualification date is the first day of our tax year in which we qualify as a QEF with respect to such U.S. holder. The purging election can only be made if such U.S. holder who held our shares on the qualification date. The gain recognized by the purging election will be subject to the special tax and interest charge rules treating the gain as an excess distribution, as described above. As a result of the purging election, the U.S. holder will increase the adjusted tax basis in our shares by the amount of the gain recognized and will also have a new holding period in the shares for purposes of the PFIC rules.
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Alternatively, if a U.S. holder, at the close of its taxable year, owns shares in a PFIC that are treated as marketable stock, the U.S. holder may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such shares for such taxable year. If the U.S. holder makes a valid mark-to-market election for the first taxable year of the U.S. holder in which the U.S. holder holds (or is deemed to hold) ordinary shares in us and for which we are determined to be a PFIC, such holder generally will not be subject to the PFIC rules described above in respect to its ordinary shares as long as such shares continue to be treated as marketable stock. Instead, in general, the U.S. holder will include as ordinary income each year that we are treated as a PFIC the excess, if any, of the fair market value of its ordinary shares at the end of its taxable year over the adjusted basis in its ordinary shares. The U.S. holder also will be allowed to take an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of the adjusted basis of its ordinary shares over the fair market value of its ordinary shares at the end of its taxable year (but only to the extent of the net amount of previously included income as a result of the mark-to-market election). The U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its ordinary shares will be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amounts, and any further gain recognized on a sale or other taxable disposition of the ordinary shares in a taxable year in which we are treated as a PFIC will be treated as ordinary income. Special tax rules may also apply if a U.S. holder makes a mark-to-market election for a taxable year after the first taxable year in which the U.S. holder holds (or is deemed to hold) its ordinary shares and for which we are treated as a PFIC. Currently, a mark-to-market election may not be made with respect to our warrants or rights.
The mark-to-market election is available only for stock that is regularly traded on a national securities exchange that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including NASDAQ (on which we intend to list the ordinary shares), or on a foreign exchange or market that the IRS determines has rules sufficient to ensure that the market price represents a legitimate and sound fair market value. U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a mark-to-market election in respect to our ordinary shares under their particular circumstances.
If we are a PFIC and, at any time, have a foreign subsidiary that is classified as a PFIC, U.S. holders generally would be deemed to own a portion of the shares of such lower-tier PFIC, and generally could incur liability for the deferred tax and interest charge described above if we receive a distribution from, or dispose of all or part of our interest in, the lower-tier PFIC or the U.S. holders otherwise were deemed to have disposed of an interest in the lower-tier PFIC. Upon request, we will endeavor to cause any lower-tier PFIC to provide to a U.S. holder the information that may be required to make or maintain a QEF election with respect to the lower-tier PFIC. However, there can be no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of the status of any such lower-tier PFIC. In addition, we may not hold a controlling interest in any such lower-tier PFIC and thus there can be no assurance we will be able to cause the lower-tier PFIC to provide the required information. A mark-to-market election generally would not be available with respect to such lower-tier PFIC. U.S. holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax issues raised by lower-tier PFICs.
A U.S. holder that owns (or is deemed to own) shares in a PFIC during any taxable year of the U.S. holder, may have to file an IRS Form 8621 (whether or not a QEF or mark-to-market election is or has been made) with such U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax return and provide and such other information as may be required by the U.S. Treasury Department. Failure to do so, if required, will extend the statute of limitations until such required information is furnished to the IRS.
The rules dealing with PFICs and with the QEF and mark-to-market elections are very complex and are affected by various factors in addition to those described above. Accordingly, U.S. holders of our securities should consult their own tax advisors concerning the application of the PFIC rules to our securities under their particular circumstances.
Tax Reporting
Certain U.S. holders may be required to file an IRS Form 926 (Return of a U.S. Transferor of Property to a Foreign Corporation) to report a transfer of property (including cash) to us. Substantial penalties may be imposed on a U.S. holder that fails to comply with this reporting requirement. Furthermore, certain U.S. holders who are individuals and to the extent provided in future Treasury regulations, certain entities, will be required to report information with respect to such U.S. holder’s investment in “specified foreign financial assets” on IRS Form 8938, subject to certain exceptions. An interest in the Company constitutes a specified foreign financial asset for these purposes. Persons who are required to report specified foreign financial assets and fail to do so may be subject to substantial penalties. Potential Investors are urged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the foreign financial asset reporting obligations and their application to an investment in our securities. Each U.S. holder is urged to consult with its own tax advisor regarding this reporting obligation.
Non-U.S. Holders
This section applies to you if you are a “Non-U.S. holder.” A Non-U.S. holder is a beneficial owner of our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights who or that is neither a U.S. holder nor a partnership (or entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes), but generally does not include an individual who is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition. If you are such an individual, you should consult your tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of any income derived from, or gain attributable to the sale or other disposition of, our securities.
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Dividends (including constructive dividends) paid or deemed paid to a Non-U.S. holder in respect to our Class A ordinary shares generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax, unless the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the U.S. (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains in the U.S.). In addition, a Non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain attributable to a sale or other disposition of our Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights unless such gain is effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the U.S. (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains in the U.S.) or the Non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of sale or other disposition and certain other conditions are met (in which case, such gain from United States sources generally is subject to tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable tax treaty rate).
Dividends (including constructive dividends) and gains that are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the U.S. (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base in the U.S.) generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the same regular U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to a comparable U.S. holder and, in the case of a Non-U.S. holder that is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable income tax treaty rate.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
In general, information reporting for U.S. federal income tax purposes should apply to distributions made on our ordinary shares within the United States to a U.S. holder (other than an exempt recipient) and to the proceeds from sales and other dispositions of our securities by a U.S. holder (other than an exempt recipient) to or through a U.S. office of a broker. Payments made (and sales and other dispositions effected at an office) outside the United States will be subject to information reporting in limited circumstances. In addition, certain information concerning a U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its securities and whether any gain or loss with respect to such securities is long-term or short-term may be required to be reported to the IRS.
Moreover, backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax, currently at a rate of 24%, generally will apply to dividends paid on our securities to a U.S. holder (other than an exempt recipient) and the proceeds from sales and other dispositions of our securities by a U.S. holder (other than an exempt recipient), in each case who:
• | fails to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number; |
• | is notified by the IRS that backup withholding is required; or |
• | fails to comply with applicable certification requirements. |
A Non-U.S. holder generally may eliminate the requirement for information reporting and backup withholding by providing certification of its foreign status, under penalties of perjury, on a duly executed applicable IRS Form W-8 or by otherwise establishing an exemption.
We will withhold all taxes required to be withheld by law from any amounts otherwise payable to any holder of our securities, including tax withholding required by the backup withholding rules. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the amount of any backup withholding will be allowed as a credit against a U.S. holder’s or a Non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such holder to a refund, provided that the requisite information is timely furnished to the IRS. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of backup withholding and the availability of and procedure for obtaining an exemption from backup withholding in their particular circumstances.
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We are offering the units described in this prospectus through the underwriters named below. Chardan is acting as sole book-running manager of this offering and as representative of the underwriters. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the representative. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, each of the underwriters has severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, the number of units listed next to its name in the following table.
Underwriter |
Number of
Units |
|||
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC | [●] | |||
[●] | [●] | |||
Total | [●]6,000,000 |
The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters must buy all of the units if they buy any of them. However, the underwriters are not required to purchase the units covered by the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units as described below.
Our units are offered subject to a number of conditions, including:
• | receipt and acceptance of our units by the underwriters; and |
• | the underwriters’ right to reject orders in whole or in part. |
We have been advised by the representative that the underwriters intend to make a market in our units but that they are not obligated to do so and may discontinue making a market at any time without notice.
In connection with this offering, certain of the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses electronically.
Option to Purchase Additional Units
We have granted the underwriters an option to buy up to an aggregate of 900,000 additional units. The underwriters have 45 days from the date of this prospectus to exercise this option. If the underwriters exercise this option, they will each purchase additional units approximately in proportion to the amounts specified in the table above.
Underwriting Discounts
Units sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus. Any units sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount of up to $0.55 per unit from the initial public offering price. Sales of units made outside of the U.S. may be made by affiliates of the underwriters. If all the units are not sold at the initial public offering price, the representative may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Upon execution of the underwriting agreement, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase the units at the prices and upon the terms stated therein.
The following table shows the per unit and total underwriting discounts we will pay to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to 900,000 additional units. No discounts or commissions will be paid on the sale of the private placement warrants.
No Exercise |
Full
Exercise |
|||||||
Per Unit (1) | $ | 0.55 | $ | 0.55 | ||||
Total | $ | 3,300,000 | $ | 3,795,000 |
(1) Includes $2,100,000, or $0.35 per unit, equal to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of this offering (or $2,415,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) payable to the underwriters as deferred underwriting discounts from the funds to be placed in the trust account described in this prospectus. The deferred underwriting discounts will be released to the underwriters upon consummation of an initial business combination, as described in this prospectus. If the business combination is not consummated, the underwriters will not be entitled to any interest accrued on the deferred underwriting discounts.
In addition to the underwriting discounts, we paid Chardan $50,000, upon the execution of the engagement letter, as an advance against out-of-pocket accountable expenses actually anticipated to be incurred by the underwriters. We have agreed to pay or reimburse the underwriters for travel, lodging and other “road show” expenses; certain diligence and other fees including background checks on our directors, director nominees and executive officers, up to a maximum amount of $100,000, inclusive of any advance already paid. We estimate that our portion of the total expenses of this offering payable by us will be $680,000, excluding underwriting discounts
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Representative’s Ordinary Shares
We have agreed to issue to Chardan and/or its designees 60,000 Class A ordinary shares (or 69,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) to be issued to Chardan at the closing of this offering.
The shares have been deemed compensation by FINRA and therefore, pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1). these securities 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 following the date of commencement of sales in this offering, nor may they be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated for a period of 180 days following the date of commencement of sales in this offering except to any underwriter and selected dealer participating in the offering and their officers, partners, registered persons or affiliates.
Right of First Refusal
For a period beginning on the closing of this offering and ending 18 months from the closing of a business combination, we have granted Chardan a right of first refusal right of first refusal to act as book-running manager, with at least 20% of the economics, for any and all future public and private equity and debt offerings, or in the case of a “three-handed” deal, 15% of the economics. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(6)(A), such right of first refusal shall not have a duration of more than three years from the commencement of sales in this offering.
Indemnification
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act. If we are unable to provide this indemnification, we have agreed to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
NASDAQ Listing
We have applied for our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights to be listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbols “ASCAU,” “ASCA,” “ASCAW,” and “ASCAR,” respectively.
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Price Stabilization, Short Positions
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in activities that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of units during and after this offering, including:
• | stabilizing transactions; |
• | short sales; |
• | purchases to cover positions created by short sales; |
• | imposition of penalty bids; and |
• | syndicate covering transactions. |
Stabilizing transactions consist of bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our units while this offering is in progress. Stabilization transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. These transactions may also include making short sales of our units, which involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of units than they are required to purchase in this offering and purchasing units on the open market to cover short positions created by short sales. Short sales may be “covered short sales,” which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units referred to above, or may be “naked short sales,” which are short positions in excess of that amount.
The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option, in whole or in part, or by purchasing units in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of units available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase units through the over-allotment option.
Naked short sales are short sales made in excess of the over-allotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the units in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchased in this offering.
The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representative has repurchased units sold by or for the account of that underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.
These stabilizing transactions, short sales, purchases to cover positions created by short sales, the imposition of penalty bids and syndicate covering transactions may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our units or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our units. As a result of these activities, the price of our units may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on NASDAQ, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise. Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the units. Neither we, nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the underwriters will engage in these stabilization transactions or that any transaction, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
Determination of Offering Price
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights. The initial public offering price will be determined by negotiation between us and the representative of the underwriters. The principal factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price include:
• | the information set forth in this prospectus and otherwise available to the representative; |
• | our history and prospects and the history and prospects for the industry in which we compete; |
• | our past and present financial performance; |
• | our prospects for future earnings and the present state of our development; |
• | the general condition of the securities market at the time of this offering; |
• | the recent market prices of, and demand for, publicly traded units of generally comparable companies; and |
• | other factors deemed relevant by the underwriters and us. |
The estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this preliminary prospectus is subject to change as a result of market conditions and other factors. Neither we nor the underwriters can assure investors that an active trading market will develop for our units, warrants, rights or Class A ordinary shares or that the units will trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.
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Affiliations
The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters and their affiliates may from time to time in the future engage with us and perform services for us or in the ordinary course of their business for which they will receive customary fees and expenses. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of us. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of these securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in these securities and instruments.
Conflicts of Interest
We are not under any contractual obligation to engage any of the underwriters to provide any services for us after this offering, and have no present intent to do so. However, any of the underwriters may introduce us to potential target businesses or assist us in raising additional capital in the future. If any of the underwriters provide services to us after this offering, we may pay such underwriter fair and reasonable fees that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with any of the underwriters and no fees for such services will be paid to any of the underwriters prior to the date that is 90 days from the date of this prospectus, unless FINRA determines that such payment would not be deemed underwriter’s compensation in connection with this offering and we may pay the underwriters of this offering or any entity with which they are affiliated a finder’s fee or other compensation for services rendered to us in connection with the completion of a business combination.
Electronic Distribution
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the Internet sites or through other online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters participating in this offering, or by their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and, depending upon the particular underwriter, prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of units for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the underwriters on the same basis as other allocations. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on any underwriter’s website and any information contained in any other website maintained by an underwriter is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or any underwriter in its capacity as underwriter and should not be relied upon by investors.
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Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area
In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area the Prospectus Regulation lays down requirements for the drawing up, approval and distribution of the prospectus to be published when securities are offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market situated or operating within a member state. An offer of units described in this prospectus may not be made to the public in that member state prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the units that has been approved by the competent authority in that relevant member state or, where appropriate, approved in another relevant member state and notified to the competent authority in that relevant member state, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that, an offer of our units may be made to the public in that relevant member state at any time:
• | to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation; |
• | to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Regulation), as permitted under the Prospectus Regulation, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the relevant Dealer or Dealers nominated by the issuer for any such offer; or |
• | in any other circumstances that do not require the publication by us of a prospectus pursuant to Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation. |
provided that no such offer of units referred to in the bullet points above shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.
Each purchaser of units described in this prospectus located within a relevant member state will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation.
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For the purpose of this provision, the expression an “offer of units to the public” in any member state means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the units to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the units and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
We have not authorized and do not authorize the making of any offer of units through any financial intermediary on their behalf, other than offers made by the underwriters with a view to the final placement of the units as contemplated in this prospectus. Accordingly, no purchaser of the units, other than the underwriters, is authorized to make any further offer of the units on behalf of us or the underwriters.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom
This prospectus is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that are qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation that are also (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (each such person being referred to as a “relevant person”). The units are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to purchase or otherwise acquire such units will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. This prospectus and its contents are confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by recipients to any other persons in the United Kingdom. Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this prospectus or any of its contents.
Notice to Prospective Investors in France
Neither this prospectus nor any other offering material relating to the units described in this prospectus has been submitted to the clearance procedures of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers or of the competent authority of another member state of the European Economic Area and notified to the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. The units have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France. Neither this prospectus nor any other offering material relating to the units has been or will be:
• | released, issued, distributed or caused to be released, issued or distributed to the public in France; or |
• | used in connection with any offer for subscription or sale of the units to the public in France. |
Such offers, sales and distributions will be made in France only:
• | To qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) and/or to a restricted circle of investors (cercle restreint d’investisseurs), in each case investing for their own account, all as defined in, and in accordance with, articles L.411-2, D.411-1, D.411-2, D.734-1, D.744-1, D.754-1 and D.764-1 of the French Code monétaire et financier; |
• | to investment services providers authorized to engage in portfolio management on behalf of third parties; or |
• | in a transaction that, in accordance with article L.411-2-II-1° -or-2° -or 3° of the French Code monétaire et financier and article 211-2 of the General Regulations (Règlement Général) of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, does not constitute a public offer (appel public à l’épargne). |
The units may be resold directly or indirectly, only in compliance with articles L.411-1, L.411-2, L.412-1 and L.621-8 through L.621-8-3 of the French Code monétaire et financier.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada
The units may be sold in Canada only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the units must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.
Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.
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Resale Restrictions
We intend to distribute our units in the Province of Ontario, Canada (the “Canadian Offering Jurisdiction”) by way of a private placement and exempt from the requirement that we prepare and file a prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in such Canadian Offering Jurisdiction. Any resale of our units in Canada must be made under applicable securities laws that will vary depending on the relevant jurisdiction and which may require resales to be made under available statutory exemptions or under a discretionary exemption granted by the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authority. Canadian resale restrictions in some circumstances may apply to resales of interests made outside of Canada. Canadian purchasers are advised to seek legal advice prior to any resale of our units. We may never be a “reporting issuer”, as such term is defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation, in any province or territory of Canada in which our units will be offered and there currently is no public market for any of the securities in Canada, and one may never develop. Canadian investors are advised that we have no intention to file a prospectus or similar document with any securities regulatory authority in Canada qualifying the resale of the securities to the public in any province or territory in Canada.
Representations of Purchasers
A Canadian purchaser will be required to represent to us and the dealer from whom the purchase confirmation is received that:
• | the purchaser is entitled under applicable provincial securities laws to purchase our units without the benefit of a prospectus qualified under those securities laws; |
• | where required by law, that the purchaser is purchasing as principal and not as agent; |
• | the purchaser has reviewed the text above under Resale Restrictions; and |
• | the purchaser acknowledges and consents to the provision of specified information concerning its purchase of our units to the regulatory authority that by law is entitled to collect the information. |
Rights of Action — Ontario Purchasers Only
Under Ontario securities legislation, certain purchasers who purchase a security offered by this prospectus during the period of distribution will have a statutory right of action for damages, or while still the owner of our units, for rescission against us in the event that this prospectus contains a misrepresentation without regard to whether the purchaser relied on the misrepresentation. The right of action for damages is exercisable not later than the earlier of 180 days from the date the purchaser first had knowledge of the facts giving rise to the cause of action and three years from the date on which payment is made for our units. The right of action for rescission is exercisable not later than 180 days from the date on which payment is made for our units. If a purchaser elects to exercise the right of action for rescission, the purchaser will have no right of action for damages against us. In no case will the amount recoverable in any action exceed the price at which our units were offered to the purchaser and, if the purchaser is shown to have purchased the securities with knowledge of the misrepresentation, we will have no liability. In the case of an action for damages, we will not be liable for all or any portion of the damages that are proven to not represent the depreciation in value of our units as a result of the misrepresentation relied upon. These rights are in addition to, and without derogation from, any other rights or remedies available at law to an Ontario purchaser. The foregoing is a summary of the rights available to an Ontario purchaser. Ontario purchasers should refer to the complete text of the relevant statutory provisions.
Enforcement of Legal Rights
All of our directors and officers as well as the experts named herein are located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible for Canadian purchasers to effect service of process within Canada upon us or those persons. All of our assets and the assets of those persons are located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible to satisfy a judgment against us or those persons in Canada or to enforce a judgment obtained in Canadian courts against us or those persons outside of Canada.
Collection of Personal Information
If a Canadian purchaser is resident in or otherwise subject to the securities laws of the Province of Ontario, the purchaser authorizes the indirect collection of personal information pertaining to the Canadian purchaser by the Ontario Securities Commission (the “OSC”) and each Canadian purchaser will be required to acknowledge and agree that the Canadian purchaser has been notified by us (i) of the delivery to the OSC of personal information pertaining to the Canadian purchaser, including, without limitation, the full name, residential address and telephone number of the Canadian purchaser, the number and type of securities purchased and the total purchase price paid in respect of the securities, (ii) that this information is being collected indirectly by the OSC under the authority granted to it in securities legislation, (iii) that this information is being collected for the purposes of the administration and enforcement of the securities legislation of Ontario, and (iv) that the title, business address and business telephone number of the public official in Ontario who can answer questions about the OSC’s indirect collection of the information is the Administrative Assistant to the Director of Corporate Finance, the Ontario Securities Commission, Suite 1903, Box 5520, Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3S8, Telephone: (416) 593-8086, Facsimile: (416) 593-8252.
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Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong
The units may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong) and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the units may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to units which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.
The contents of this prospectus have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. You are advised to exercise caution in relation to the offer. If you are in any doubt about any of the contents of this prospectus, you should obtain independent professional advice.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the units may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the units be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to compliance with conditions set forth in the SFA.
Where the units are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
• | shares, debentures and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except: |
• | to an institutional investor (for corporations, under Section 274 of the SFA) or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person pursuant to an offer that is made on terms that such shares, debentures and debentures of that corporation or such rights and interest in that trust are acquired at a consideration of not less than $200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction, whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets, and further for corporations, in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA; |
Notification under Section 309B(1)(c) of the Securities and Futures Act: Solely for the purposes of its obligations pursuant to sections 309B(1)(a) and 309B(1)(c) of the Securities and Futures Act and the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018 of Singapore (the “CMP Regulations 2018”), the Issuer has determined, and hereby notifies all relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A of the SFA) that the notes are (A) prescribed capital markets products (as defined in the CMP Regulations 2018) and (B) Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).
Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan
The units offered in this prospectus have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan. The units have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the account of any resident of Japan (including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), except (i) pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law and (ii) in compliance with any other applicable requirements of Japanese law.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre
This prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”). This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the prospectus. The securities to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale.
Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.
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Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia
No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”), in relation to the offering. This prospectus does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001 (the “Corporations Act”), and does not purport to include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act. Any offer in Australia of the securities may only be made to persons (the “Exempt Investors”) who are “sophisticated investors” (within the meaning of section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), “professional investors” (within the meaning of section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the securities without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.
The securities applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12 months after the date of allotment under the offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring securities must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions. This prospectus contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this prospectus is appropriate to their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland
The units may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This prospectus has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the units or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the company or the securities have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this prospectus will not be filed with, and the offer of securities will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, or FINMA, and the offer of securities has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of units.
152
Loeb & Loeb LLP, New York, New York, is acting as counsel in connection with the registration of our securities under the Securities Act, and as such, will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this prospectus with respect to units, warrants and rights. Ogier, British Virgin Islands, will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this prospectus with respect to the ordinary shares and matters of British Virgin Islands law. Certain United States legal matters will be passed upon on behalf of the underwriters by Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC.
The balance sheet of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. as of June 8, 2021 and the related statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the period from April 29, 2021 (inception) through June 8, 2021 appearing in this prospectus have been audited by Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, which contains an explanatory paragraph relating to substantial doubt about the ability of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. to continue as a going concern as described in Note 1 to the financial statements, appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities we are offering by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information about us and our securities, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement. Whenever we make reference in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the references are materially complete but may not include a description of all aspects of such contracts, agreements or other documents, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or other document.
Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and will file annual, quarterly and current event reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
153
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholder and Board of Directors of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) as of June 8, 2021, the related statements of operations, changes in shareholder’s equity and cash flows for the period from April 29, 2021 (inception) through June 8, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of June 8, 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from April 29, 2021 (inception) through June 8, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Explanatory Paragraph – Going Concern
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As more fully described in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company’s ability to execute its business plan is dependent upon its completion of the proposed initial public offering described in Note 3 to the financial statements. The Company had a working capital deficit as of June 8, 2021 and lacks the financial resources it needs to sustain operations for a reasonable period of time, which is considered to be one year from the issuance date of the financial statements. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. Management's plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1 and Note 3. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
F-2
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2021.
New York, NY
June 24, 2021, except for Note 8, as to which the date January14, 2022
F-3
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
(1) | This number includes an aggregate of up to 225,000 Class A ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriter (see Note 4). |
(2) | Shares have been retroactively restated to reflect a share repurchase and subscription. On June 7, 2021, we issued 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share. On July 19, 2021, 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares were repurchased and cancelled at an aggregate repurchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share, resulting in one Class B ordinary share in issue after the repurchase. On the same day, we issued 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per share. Subsequently, on January 14, 2022, our sponsor surrendered for no consideration and we canceled 575,000 of such Class A ordinary shares, resulting in 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares remaining outstanding. |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements
F-4
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
For
the period
April 29, 2021 (inception) through September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) |
For
the period
April 29, 2021 (inception) through June 8, 2021 |
|||||||
EXPENSES | ||||||||
General and administrative expenses | $ | 2,090 | $ | 2,010 | ||||
Total expenses | 2,090 | 2,010 | ||||||
NET LOSS | (2,090 | ) | (2,010 | ) | ||||
WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING, BASIC AND DILUTED (1) | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | ||||||
BASIC AND DILUTED NET LOSS PER SHARE | $ | (0.00 | ) | $ | (0.00 | ) |
(1) | This number excludes an aggregate of up to 225,000 Class A ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the overallotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriter (see Note 4). |
(2) | Shares have been retroactively restated to reflect a share repurchase and subscription agreement. On July 19, 2021, 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares were repurchased and cancelled at an aggregate repurchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share, resulting in one Class B ordinary share in issue after the repurchase. On the same day, we issued 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per share. (of which an aggregate of up to 225,000 shares are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriter). (See Note 4). |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements
F-5
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDER’S EQUITY
Ordinary Shares | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A | Class B | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Accumulated | stockholder's | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | deficit | equity | |||||||||||||||||||
Balance, April 29, 2021 (inception) | - | $ | - | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||||||||||
Issuance of Class A ordinary shares to Sponsor (1), (2) | 1,725,000 | 25,000 | - | 25,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss | - | - | - | (2,010 | ) | (2,010 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, June 08, 2021 | 1,725,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | (2,010 | ) | $ | 22,990 | ||||||||||||||||
Net loss | - | - | - | - | (80 | ) | (80 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Balance, September 30, 2021(Unaudited) | 1,725,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | (2,090 | ) | $ | 22,910 |
(1) | This number includes an aggregate of up to 225,000 Class A ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the overallotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriter (see Note 4). |
(2) | Shares have been retroactively restated to reflect a share repurchase and subscription agreement. On July 19, 2021, 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares were repurchased and cancelled at an aggregate repurchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share, resulting in one Class B ordinary share in issue after the repurchase. On the same day, we issued 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per share. Subsequently, on January 14, 2022, our sponsor surrendered for no consideration and we canceled 575,000 of such Class A ordinary shares, resulting in 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares remaining outstanding (of which an aggregate of up to 225,000 Class A ordinary shares are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriter). (See Note 4). |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements
F-6
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
For
the period
April 29, 2021 (inception) through September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) |
For
the period
April 29, 2021 (inception) through June 08, 2021 |
|||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
Net loss | $ | (2,090 | ) | $ | (2,010 | ) | ||
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
General and administrative expenses paid by affiliate | 2,090 | 2,010 | ||||||
Net cash flows used in operating activities | - | - | ||||||
NET CHANGE IN CASH | - | - | ||||||
CASH, BEGINNING OF PERIOD | - | - | ||||||
CASH, END OF PERIOD | $ | - | $ | - | ||||
Supplemental disclosure of noncash activities: | ||||||||
Payment of deferred offering costs by note payable - related party | $ | 194,654 | $ | 100,750 | ||||
Deferred offering costs included in accrued offering costs | $ | 25,558 | $ | 14,000 | ||||
Payment of deferred offering costs by the Sponsor in exchange for the issuance of Class B ordinary shares | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements
F-7
Note 1 – Description of Organization, Business Operations and Going Concern
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on April 29, 2021. The Company was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). Although the Company is not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination, the Company intends to focus its search on the technology, media and telecom industries with a focus in the United States and Asia.
As of September 30, 2021, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from April 29, 2021 (inception) through September 30, 2021, relates to the Company’s formation and the proposed initial public offering described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the Proposed Public Offering (as defined below). The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The Company’s ability to commence operations is contingent upon obtaining adequate financial resources through a proposed public offering (the “Proposed Public Offering”) of 6,000,000 units (each, a “Unit” and collectively, the “Units”) at $10.00 per Unit (or 6,900,000 Units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), which is discussed in Note 3, and the sale of 2,920,000 warrants for an aggregate of $2,920,000 (or 3,100,000 warrants if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, for an aggregate of $3,100,000 (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. (the “Sponsor”), that will close simultaneously with the Proposed Public Offering as described in Note 5. Each Unit and consists of one Class A Ordinary Share (the “Ordinary Shares”) and a warrant to purchase three-quarters of Class A Ordinary Share (the “Public Warrants” and collectively with the Private Placement Warrants the “Warrants”), and one right to receive one-twentieth of one Class A ordinary share at the closing of the Company’s Business Combination (the “Public Rights”) as described in Note 7.
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Proposed Public Offering and the sale of Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully.
The Company must complete one or more initial Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding deferred underwriting discounts and taxes payable on income earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination. However, the Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering, management has agreed that an amount equal to at least $10.00 per Unit sold in the Proposed Public Offering will be held in a trust account (“Trust Account”), located in the United States at JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA, with Continental Stock and Trust Company acting as trustee, and invested only in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 180 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of paragraphs (d)(2), (d)(3) and (d)(4) of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account as described below.
F-8
The Company will provide the holders of the outstanding Class A ordinary shares sold with the Units (the “Public Shares”) sold in the Proposed Public Offering (the “Public Shareholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $10.00 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest then in the Trust Account, net of taxes payable).
All of the Public Shares contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such Public Shares in connection with the Company’s liquidation, if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with the Company’s Business Combination and in connection with certain amendments to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”). In accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity” (“ASC 480”) Subtopic 10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of a company require ordinary shares subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. Given that the Public Shares will be issued with other freestanding instruments (i.e., Public Warrants and Public Rights), the initial carrying value of ordinary shares classified as temporary equity will be the allocated proceeds determined in accordance with ASC 470-20 “Debt with Conversion and other Options”. The ordinary shares is subject to ASC 480-10-S99. If it is probable that the equity instrument will become redeemable, the Company has the option to either (i) accrete changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument or (ii) recognize changes in the redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying amount of the instrument to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. The Company has elected to recognize the changes immediately.. While redemptions in connection with our initial business combination cannot cause the Company’s net tangible assets to fall below $5,000,001, the Public Shares are redeemable and will be classified as such on the balance sheet until such date that a redemption event takes place.
Redemptions of the Company’s Public Shares may be subject to the satisfaction of conditions, including minimum cash conditions, pursuant to an agreement relating to the Company’s Business Combination. If the Company seeks shareholder approval of the Business Combination, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination, or such other vote as required by law or stock exchange rule. If a shareholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Certificate of Incorporation, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, or the Company decides to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If the Company seeks shareholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Founder Shares (as defined in Note 4) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Proposed Public Offering in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each Public shareholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.
Subsequent to the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering, the Company will adopt an insider trading policy which will require insiders to: (i) refrain from purchasing shares during certain blackout periods and when they are in possession of any material non-public information and (ii) to clear all trades with the Company’s legal counsel prior to execution. In addition, the initial shareholder has agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their Founder Shares and Public Shares in connection with the completion of a Business Combination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Certificate of Incorporation provides that a Public Shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% or more of the Class A ordinary shares sold in the Proposed Public Offering, without the prior consent of the Company.
The Company’s Sponsor, officers and directors (the “Initial Shareholder”) has agreed not to propose an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination, unless the Company provides the public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares in conjunction with any such amendment.
If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within 12 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering (the “Combination Period”) ((or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering if the Company extends the period of time to consummate a Business Combination), the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to us to pay the Company’s franchise and income taxes (less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining shareholders and the Company’s Board of Directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under British Virgin Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
The Initial Shareholder have agreed to waive their liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Initial Shareholders should acquire Public Shares in or after the Proposed Public Offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such Public Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the residual assets remaining available for distribution (including Trust Account assets) will be only $10.00 per share initially held in the Trust Account. In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account. This liability will not apply with respect to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Proposed Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.
F-9
Risks and Uncertainties
In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of a novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) as a pandemic which continues to spread throughout the United States and the world. As of the date the financial statements were issued, there was considerable uncertainty around the expected duration of this pandemic. Management continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Company has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that COVID-19 could have a negative effect on completing the Proposed Public Offering and subsequently identifying a target company for a Business Combination, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of the financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Going Concern Consideration
As of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021, the Company had no cash and a working capital deficit of approximately $187,280 and $41,010 (excluding deferred offering costs of $210,910 and $64,000), respectively. Further, the Company has incurred and expects to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of its financing and acquisition plans. The Company lacks the financial resources it needs to sustain operations for a reasonable period of time, which is considered to be one year from the issuance date of the financial statements. Management’s plans to address this need for capital through the Proposed Public Offering. The Company cannot assure that its plans to raise capital or to consummate an initial Business Combination will be successful.
These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as going concern one year from the date these financial statements are issued. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from its inability to consummate the Proposed Public Offering or its inability to continue as a going concern.
Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Emerging Growth Company
The Company is an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 102(b)(1) of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard.
This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company that is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company that has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Net Loss Per Common Share
The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC 260, “Earnings Per Share.” Net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Weighted average shares were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 225,000 Class B ordinary shares that are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised by the underwriters (Note 5). As of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into shares of ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per share is the same as basic loss per share for the period presented.
Cash and cash equivalents
The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash or cash equivalents as of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash accounts in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation limit. At September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021, the Company has not experienced losses on these accounts and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such accounts.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under the FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
Warrant Instruments
The Company accounts for warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the instruments’ specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in ASC 480 and ASC 815, “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC 815”). The assessment considers whether the instruments are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, and whether the instruments meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the instruments are indexed to the Company’s own ordinary shares and whether the instrument holders could potentially require “net cash settlement” in a circumstance outside of the Company’s control, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of warrant issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the instruments are outstanding. As discussed in Note 7, the Company determined that upon further review of the warrant agreement, management concluded that the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants issued pursuant to the warrant agreement qualify for equity accounting treatment.
F-10
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Income Taxes
The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” (“ASC 740”) which requires an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.
ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. There were no unrecognized tax benefits as of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021. The Company’s management determined that the British Virgin Islands is the Company’s only major tax jurisdiction. The Company is not currently aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals, or material deviation from its position. The Company is subject to tax examinations by major taxing authorities since inception. There is currently no taxation imposed by the Government of the British Virgin Islands. In accordance with British Virgin Islands income tax regulations, income taxes are not levied on the Company. Consequently, income taxes are not reflected in the Company’s financial statements. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.
Deferred Offering Costs
Deferred offering costs consist of direct costs incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Proposed Public Offering and that will be charged to shareholders’ equity upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. Should the Proposed Public Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses to be incurred, will be charged to operations. As of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021, the Company has incurred $210,190 and $64,000 of deferred offering costs, respectively.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
The Company’s management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
Note 3 – Public Offering
Pursuant to the Proposed Public Offering, the Company intends to offer for sale 6,000,000 Units (or 6,900,000 Units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit and consists of one Class A Ordinary Share, three-fourths (3/4) of one redeemable warrant (Public Warrant), and one right to receive one-twentieth (1/20) of one Class A ordinary share at the closing of the Company’s Business Combination (Public Right).
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Note 4 – Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
On April 29, 2021, the Sponsor purchased 2,300,000 shares (the “Founder Shares”) of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares, with no par value (“Class B ordinary shares”) for an aggregate price of $25,000. Founder Shares have been retroactively restated to reflect a share repurchase and subscription agreement pursuant to which on July 19, 2021, 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares were repurchased and cancelled at an aggregate repurchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share, resulting in one Class B ordinary share in issue after the repurchase. On the same day, we issued 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per share. Subsequently, on January 14, 2022, we canceled 575,000 of such founder shares, resulting in 1,725,000 founder shares remaining outstanding (of which an aggregate of up to 225,000 shares are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriter). The remaining Class B share will be forfeited upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering.
The Initial Shareholder have agreed to forfeit up to 225,000 Class A ordinary shares to the extent that the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the underwriters. The forfeiture will be adjusted to the extent that the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the underwriters so that the Founder Shares will represent 20.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Proposed Public Offering. If the Company increases or decreases the size of the offering, the Company will effect a stock dividend or share contribution back to capital, as applicable, immediately prior to the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering in such amount as to maintain the Founder Share ownership of the Company’s shareholders prior to the Proposed Public Offering at 20.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering.
The Initial Shareholder will agree, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of its Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of the initial Business Combination or (B) subsequent to the initial Business Combination, (x) if the last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day after the initial Business Combination, or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Promissory Note - Related Party
On June 4, 2021, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company an aggregate of up to $400,000 to cover expenses related to the Proposed Public Offering pursuant to a promissory note (the “Note”). This loan is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of December 31, 2021 or the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. As of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021, the Company had $196,744 and $102,760 of borrowings under the Note, respectively.
Working Capital Loans
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,150,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The unit would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. As of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021 there were no Working Capital Loans outstanding.
Administrative support agreement
Commencing on the closing of the Proposed Public Offering, the Company will agree to pay the Sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities, secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of the Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees.
Note 5 – Private Placement Warrants
The Sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,920,000 Private Placement Warrants (or 3,100,000 Private Placement Warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $2,920,000, or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. A portion of the proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants will be added to the proceeds from the Proposed Public Offering to be held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law), and the Private Placement Warrants and all underlying securities will expire worthless.
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Note 6 – Commitments & Contingencies
Registration & Shareholder Rights
The holders of the Founder Shares, the Private Placement Warrants, and any warrants that may be issued in payment of Working Capital Loans (and all underlying securities) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of the Proposed Public Offering requiring the Company to register such securities for resale. The holders of a majority of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands that the Company register such securities. The holders of the majority of the Founders Shares can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time commencing three months prior to the date on which these ordinary shares are to be released from escrow. The holders of a majority of the Private Placement Warrants and securities issued in payment of Working Capital Loans can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time commencing on the date that the Company consummates a Business Combination. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the consummation of a Business Combination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the underwriter may not exercise its demand and “piggyback” registration rights after five (5) and seven (7) years, respectively, after the effective date of the Proposed Public Offering and may not exercise its demand rights on more than one occasion. The registration rights agreement does not contain liquidating damages or other cash settlement provisions resulting from delays in registering the Company’s securities. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The Company will grant the underwriters a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to 900,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Proposed Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and discounts.
The underwriters will be entitled to an underwriting discount of $0.20 per unit, or $1,200,000 in the aggregate (or $1,380,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering and $0.35 per unit, or $2,100,000 in the aggregate (or $2,415,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting discounts. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
The Company will, upon the consummation of a Business Combination, issue to Chardan Capital Markets LLC 60,000 ordinary shares (or 69,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) representing 1% of the gross proceeds of Proposed Public Offering (exclusive of any applicable finders’ fees which might become payable).
Representative’s Ordinary Shares
We have agreed to issue to Chardan and/or its designees, 60,000 Class A ordinary shares (or 69,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) at the closing of this offering.
The shares have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a lock-up for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of the commencement of sales in this offering pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1). Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), these securities 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 of which this prospectus forms a part, nor may they be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part except to any underwriter and selected dealer participating in the offering and their officers, partners, registered persons or affiliates.
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Note 7—Shareholders’ Equity
Recapitalization
On July 19, 2021, 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares were repurchased and cancelled at an aggregate repurchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share, resulting in one Class B ordinary share in issue after the repurchase. On the same day, we issued 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to our Sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per share. Subsequently, on January 14, 2022, our Sponsor surrendered for no consideration and we canceled 575,000 of such Class A ordinary shares, resulting in 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares remaining outstanding (of which an aggregate of up to 225,000 Class A ordinary shares are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriter).
Ordinary shares
Class A Ordinary shares—The Company is authorized to issue 100,000,000 shares of Class A ordinary shares with no par value. As of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021, there were 1,725,000 shares of Class A ordinary shares outstanding. Of the 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares outstanding, an aggregate of up to 225,000 shares are subject to forfeiture to the Company by the Sponsor for no consideration to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part, so that the Initial Shareholders will collectively own 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares after the Proposed Public Offering.
Class B Ordinary shares—The Company is authorized to issue 100 Class B ordinary shares with no par value. Holders of Class B ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share. As of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021, there was 1 Class B ordinary share outstanding which will be forfeited upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering.
Prior to this offering, our sponsor held 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares, or founder shares (up to 225,000 of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and 1 Class B ordinary shares. The Class B ordinary share will automatically be canceled at the time of our initial business combination. The holders of our Class B ordinary shares will have the right to elect all of our directors prior to our initial business combination and the holders of our Class A ordinary shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. All of the founder shares issued and outstanding prior to the date of this prospectus will be placed in escrow with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as escrow agent, until the earlier to occur of : (A) six months after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial combination, (x) the date on which the closing price of the ordinary share equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, share issuances, subdivisions, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination or (y) the date following the completion of our initial business combination on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction after our initial business combination that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Up to 225,000 of the founder shares may also be released from escrow earlier than this date for forfeiture and cancellation if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full as described above.
Preference shares—The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of preference shares with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors. As of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021, there were no shares of preference shares issued or outstanding.
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Warrants—As of September 30, 2021 and June 8, 2021, there were no Warrants outstanding. The Company will account for the Warrants as equity instruments. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of the completion of a Business Combination and twelve months from the effective date of this registration statement. No warrants will be exercisable for cash unless the Company has an effective and current registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants and a current prospectus relating to such ordinary shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of a Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise Pubic Warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their Public Warrants on a cashless basis. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
Redemption of warrants when the price per ordinary shares equals or exceeds $16.50
Once the Warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants (except as described herein with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):
in whole and not in part;
• | at a price of $0.01 per Warrant; |
• | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption, which the Company refers to as the “30-day redemption period”; and |
• | if, and only if, the last reported sale price (the “closing price”) of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $16.50 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant as described under the heading “Description of Securities—Warrants—Public shareholders’ Warrants—Anti-Dilution Adjustments”) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
The Company will not redeem the Warrants as described above unless an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day redemption period.
No fractional Class A ordinary shares will be issued upon redemption. If, upon redemption, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, the Company will round down to the nearest whole number of the number of Class A ordinary shares to be issued to the holder. Please see the section entitled “Description of Securities—Warrants—Public Warrants” for additional information.
If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement.
The exercise price and number of Class A ordinary shares issuable on exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share splits, share capitalization, share dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like. However, the Warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of Class A ordinary shares at a price below their respective exercise prices. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the Warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the Warrants may expire worthless.
In addition, if the Company issues additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of a Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of ordinary shares (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors, and in the case of any such issuance to the Initial Shareholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by them prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of a Business Combination on the date of the consummation of a Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the greater of (i) the Market Value or (ii) the Newly Issued Price, and the $16.50 share redemption trigger price described below under “Description of Securities — Redeemable Warrants” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 165% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
The Private Placement Warrants will be identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units being sold in the Proposed Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants (i) they will not be redeemable by the Company, (ii) they may be transferred, assigned or sold by the Sponsor to the Permitted Transferees and (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis.
Rights—Except in cases where the Company is not the surviving company in a Business Combination, each holder of a Public Right will automatically receive one-twentieth (1/20) of one share of ordinary shares upon consummation of a Business Combination, even if the holder of a Public Right converted all shares held by him, her or it in connection with a Business Combination or an amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation with respect to its pre-business combination activities. In the event that the Company will not be the surviving company upon completion of a Business Combination, each holder of a Public Right will be required to affirmatively convert his, her or its rights in order to receive the one-twentieth (1/20) of a share underlying each Public Right upon consummation of the Business Combination. No additional consideration will be required to be paid by a holder of Public Rights in order to receive his, her or its additional ordinary shares upon consummation of a Business Combination. The shares issuable upon exchange of the rights will be freely tradable (except to the extent held by affiliates of the Company). If the Company enters into a definitive agreement for a Business Combination in which the Company will not be the surviving entity, the definitive agreement will provide for the holders of Public Rights to receive the same per share consideration the holders of the ordinary shares will receive in the transaction on an as-converted into ordinary shares basis.
The Company will not issue fractional shares in connection with an exchange of Public Rights. Fractional shares will either be rounded down to the nearest whole share or otherwise addressed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the British Virgin Islands General Corporation Law. As a result, the holders of the Public Rights must hold rights in multiples of 20 in order to receive shares for all of the holders’ rights upon closing of a Business Combination. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of Public Rights will not receive any of such funds with respect to their Public Rights, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with respect to such Public Rights, and the Public Rights will expire worthless. Further, there are no contractual penalties for failure to deliver securities to the holders of the Public Rights upon consummation of a Business Combination. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the rights. Accordingly, the rights may expire worthless.
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Note 8 – Subsequent Events
In accordance with ASC 855, “Subsequent Events”, the Company has evaluated subsequent events through January 14, 2022 which was the date these financial statements were available for issuance and determined that there were no significant unrecognized events through that date except those noted below.
On January 11, 2022, the Company changed the amount of the Proposed Public Offering from $80,000,000 (or $92,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) to $60,000,000 ($69,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full).
On January 11, 2022, the Company added a warrant to purchase three-quarters of one Class A ordinary share to be included with the Units and changed the amount of Public Rights from one-tenth of one Class A ordinary share to one-twentieth of one Class A ordinary share included with each Unit.
On January 11, 2022, the Company agreed to pay the underwriters’ a deferred underwriting fee of $0.35 per unit, or $2,100,000 in the aggregate (or $2,415,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. In addition, the Company agreed to, upon the consummation of a Business Combination, issue to Chardan Capital Markets LLC 60,000 ordinary shares (or 69,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) representing 1% of the gross proceeds of Proposed Public Offering (exclusive of any applicable finders’ fees which might become payable).
On January 11, 2022, the Sponsor agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,920,000 Private Placement Warrants (or 3,100,000 Private Placement Warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $2,920,000, or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. Prior to this change, the Sponsor had agreed to purchase Units that were identical to the Units sold in the Proposed Public Offering.
On January 11, 2022, the amount of representative shares was lowered from 70,000 Class A ordinary shares (or 80,500 shares if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full) to 60,000 (or 69,000 shares if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full).
On January 14, 2022, the Sponsor surrendered for no consideration, and we canceled 575,000 Class A ordinary shares, resulting in 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares remaining outstanding (of which an aggregate of up to 225,000 Class A ordinary shares are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriter).
Note 9 – Event (Unaudited) Subsequent to the Date of the Independent Auditor's Report
On February 4, 2022, the Sponsor changed the Private Placement Warrants to be purchased from an aggregate of 2,920,000 Private Placement Warrants (or 3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) to 2,875,000 Private Placement Warrants (or 3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) for an aggregate purchase price of $2,875,000, (or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full). Prior to this change, the Sponsor had agreed to purchase 2,920,000 Private Placement Warrants (or 3,100,000 Private Placement Warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) for an aggregate purchase price of $2,920,000, (or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full).
On February 4, 2022, the Company changed the amount of Public Rights from one-twentieth of one Class A ordinary share to one-tenth of one Class A ordinary share included with each Unit.
On February 4, 2022, the Company changed the amount to be held in the Trust Account from $10.00 per Public Share to $10.05 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest then in the Trust Account, net of taxes payable.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The estimated expenses payable by us in connection with the offering described in this registration statement (other than the underwriting discounts) will be as follows:
Legal fees and expenses | 350,000 | |||
Accounting fees and expenses | 100,000 | |||
SEC/FINRA Expenses | 19,089 | |||
NASDAQ listing and filing fees | 75,000 | |||
Printing and engraving expenses | 35,000 | |||
Miscellaneous expenses | 100,911 | |||
Total offering expenses | $ | 680,000 |
Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
British Virgin Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the British Virgin Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide for indemnification of our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud or willful default. We may purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
On July 19, 2021, 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares were repurchased and cancelled at an aggregate repurchase price of $25,000 or approximately $0.01 per share, resulting in one Class B ordinary share in issue after the repurchase. On the same day, we issued 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.01 per share. Subsequently, on January 14, 2022, our sponsor surrendered for no consideration and we canceled 575,000 of such Class A ordinary shares, resulting in 1,725,000 Class A ordinary shares remaining outstanding. Such securities were issued in connection with our organization pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Our sponsor is an accredited investor for purposes of Rule 501 of Regulation D.
In addition, our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,875,000 warrants (or 3,100,000 warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $2,875,000, or $3,100,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full. Each private placement warrant will be identical to the warrants sold in this offering, except as described in this prospectus. The private placement warrants will be sold in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering, including the over-allotment option, as applicable. This purchase will take place on a private placement basis simultaneously with the completion of our initial public offering. This issuance will be made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sales.
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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) | Exhibits. The list of exhibits following the signature page of this registration statement is incorporated herein by reference. |
(b) | Financial Statements. See page F-1 for an index to the financial statements and schedules included in the registration statement. |
Item 17. Undertakings.
(a) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser. |
(b) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
(c) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that: |
(1) | For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
(2) | For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
(3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
(4) | For the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, if the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use. |
(5) | For the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of an undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
(i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
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(ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by an undersigned registrant; |
(iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
(iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on the 7th day of February 2022.
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. | ||
By: | /s/ Claudius Tsang | |
Name: Claudius Tsang | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Director |
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Claudius Tsang his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments including post-effective amendments to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact or his substitute, each acting alone, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities on February 7th, 2022.
Name | Position | |
/s/ Claudius Tsang | Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Director | |
(Principal Executive Officer) |
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 6(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned has signed this registration statement, solely in its capacity as the duly authorized representative of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., in the City of New York, State of New York, on the 7th day of February 2022.
By: | /s/ Giovanni Caruso | |
Name: Giovanni Caruso | ||
Title: Authorized Representative |
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EXHIBIT INDEX
* Filed herewith
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Exhibit 1.1
6,000,000 Units
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
[●], 2022
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
17 State Street, 21st Floor
New York, New York 10004
As Representative of the Underwriters named on Schedule A hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a blank check company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (“Company”), hereby confirms its agreement with Chardan Capital Markets, LLC (hereinafter referred to as “you”, “Chardan”, or as the “Representative”) and with the other underwriters named on Schedule A hereto for which you are acting as representative (the Representative and the other Underwriters being collectively referred to herein as the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”), as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale of Securities.
1.1. Firm Securities.
1.1.1. Purchase of Firm 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, severally and not jointly, to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of 6,000,000 units (the “Firm Units”) of the Company at a purchase price (net of discounts) of $9.80 per Firm Unit. 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 attached hereto and made a part hereof. The Firm Units (and the Option Units (as hereinafter defined), if any) are to be offered initially to the public (the “Offering”) at the offering price of $10.00 per Firm Unit. Each Firm Unit consists of one of Class A ordinary share, with no par value (the “Class A Ordinary Shares)”), three-fourths of one redeemable warrant (the “Warrant(s)”), and one (1) right (the “Right(s)”) to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A Ordinary Share upon the consummation of a Business Combination (as defined below). The Class A Ordinary Shares, the Warrants and the Rights included in the Firm Units will not be separately transferable until the earlier of the 90th day after the date that the Registration Statement (as defined below) is declared effective (the “Effective Date”) or the announcement by the Company of the Representative’s decision to have earlier trading, subject, however, to the requirement that Company filing a Current Report on Form 8-K (“Form 8-K”) with the Commission (as defined below) containing an audited balanced sheet reflecting the Company’s receipt of the gross proceeds of the Offering and issuing a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin, as decided.
In no event will the Company allow separate trading until (i) the preparation of an audited balance sheet of the Company reflecting receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering and the filing of such audited balance sheet with the Commission (as herein defined) on a Form 8-K or similar form by the Company which includes such balance sheet and (ii) the issuance of a press release announcing when such separate trading shall begin, as decided. Each whole Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per full share, subject to adjustment, terms and limitations as described in the Prospectus (as defined herein). Each Right entitles the holder to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A Ordinary Share upon the closing of a Business Combination (as defined herein). As used herein, the term “Business Combination” shall mean any acquisition by share exchange, share reconstruction and amalgamation with, purchasing all or substantially all of the assets of, entering into contractual arrangements with, or engaging in any other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities by the Company. As used herein, the term “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which national banks or The New York Stock Exchange in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, national 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 other similar orders or restrictions of the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including wire transfers) of national banks in New York, New York are generally open for use by customers on such day.
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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 Effective Date of the Registration Statement (or the third (3rd) Business Day following the Effective Date, if the Registration Statement is declared effective on or after 4:00 p.m.) or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company at the offices of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. The closing of the public offering contemplated by this Agreement 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 at the Representative’s election by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds or by certified or bank cashier’s check(s) in New York Clearing House funds. $60,000,000 ($69,000,000 if the Over-allotment Option (as defined in Section 1.2) is exercised in full), or $10.00 per Unit, of the proceeds received by the Company for the Firm Units and from the Private Placement (as defined in Section 1.5) shall be deposited in the trust account established by the Company for the benefit of the public shareholders as described in the Registration Statement (the “Trust Account”) pursuant to the terms of an Investment Management Trust Agreement (the “Trust Agreement”) by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC. Such amount includes an aggregate of up to $2,100,000 (or up to $2,415.000 if the Over-allotment Option is exercised in full), or $0.35 per Unit (as defined below), payable to Chardan as a Deferred Underwriting Commission in accordance with, and subject to adjustment pursuant to, Section 1.3 hereof, to be placed by the Underwriters in the Trust Account. Payment of two percent (2.0%) of the underwriting discount to Chardan shall be paid at the closing of the Offering. The proceeds (less discounts, expense allowance and actual expense payments or other fees payable pursuant to this Agreement) shall be paid to the order of the Company upon delivery to the Representative of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Firm Units (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Units shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date. The Company will permit the Representative 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 Representative for all the Firm Units.
1.2. Over-Allotment Option.
1.2.1. Option Units. For the purpose of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Units, the Underwriters are hereby granted, severally and not jointly, an option to purchase up to an additional 900,000 units from the Company (the “Over-allotment Option”). Such additional 900,000 units shall be identical in all respects to the Firm Units and are hereinafter referred to as “Option Units.” The Firm Units and the Option Units are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Units,” and the Units, the Class A Ordinary Shares, the Warrants and the Rights included in the Units and the Class A Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants or conversion of the Rights are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Public Securities.” The purchase price to be paid for the Option Units (net of discounts) will be $9.80 per Option Unit. The Option Units are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price of $10.00 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 Representative 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. The Underwriters 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 from the Representative, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail, facsimile transmission or e-mail transmission setting forth the number of Option Units to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Units, which will not be later than five (5) Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of the Representative or at such other place or in such other manner as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option Units does not occur on the Closing Date, the date and time of the closing for such Option Units will be as set forth in the notice (hereinafter the “Option Closing Date”). Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option, the Company will become obligated to convey to the Underwriters, and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters will become obligated to purchase, the number of Option Units specified in such notice.
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1.2.3. Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Option Units shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the Option Closing Date or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company at the offices of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. Payment for the Option Units shall be made at the Representative’s election by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds or by certified or bank cashier’s check(s) in New York Clearing House funds, by deposit of the sum of $9.80 per Firm Unit in the Trust Account pursuant to the Trust Agreement upon delivery to the Representative of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Option Units (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Units shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request not less than two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and will be made available to the Representative for inspection, checking and packaging at the aforesaid office of the Company’s transfer agent or correspondent not less than one (1) full Business Day prior to such Closing Date or Option Closing Date.
1.3. Deferred Underwriting Commission. The Underwriters agree that 3.5% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Firm Units ($2,100,000) and 3.5% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Option Units (up to $315,000) (the “Deferred Underwriting Commission”) will be deposited and held in the Trust Account and payable directly from the Trust Account, without accrued interest, to Chardan for its own account upon consummation of the Business Combination. The Deferred Underwriting Commission is due and payable to the Underwriters. In the event that the Company is unable to consummate a Business Combination and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 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 Underwriters agree that: (i) the Underwriters hereby forfeit any rights or claims to the Deferred Underwriting Commission any Underwriter may have; 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.
1.4. Representative’s Class A Ordinary Shares.
1.4.1 At the Closing, we will issue to Chardan and/or its designees, 60,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and up to an additional 9,000 Class A Ordinary Shares at the Option Closing if the Over-allotment Option is exercised in full(the “Representative’s Class A Ordinary Shares”). Chardan and/or its designees has agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any such Representative’s Class A Ordinary Shares until the completion of the initial Business Combination. In addition, Chardan has agreed (i) to waive its redemption rights with respect to such shares in connection with the completion of the initial Business Combination and (ii) to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such shares if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within 12 months from the closing of the Offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this Offering if the Company extends the period of time to consummate an initial Business Combination by the full amount of time). Chardan will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representative’s Class A Ordinary Shares, or cause the Representative’s Class A Ordinary Shares to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the Issuance Shares by any person, for a period of 180 days (pursuant to Rule 5110(e)(1) of the Conduct Rules of FINRA) beginning on the commencement of sales of the Offering other than (i) Chardan or an underwriter or selected dealer in connection with the Offering, or (ii) any officers, partners, registered persons or affiliates of Chardan or of any such underwriter or selected dealer. On and after the 181st day following the commencement of sales of the Offering, transfers to others may be made subject to compliance with or exemptions from applicable securities laws
1.5 Private Placement.
1.5.1. Placement Warrants. Simultaneously with the Closing, the Sponsor shall purchase from the Company, pursuant to a written purchase agreement an aggregate 2,875,000 warrants (the “Placement Warrants”) at a purchase price of $1.00 per Placement Warrant in a private placement (the “Private Placement”). Each Placement Warrant shall be identical to the warrants sold in the Offering, except as described in the Prospectus.. Except as disclosed in the registration statement, there will be no placement agent in the Private Placement and no party shall be entitled to a placement fee or expense allowance from the sale of the Placement Warrants.
1.5.2. Additional Placement Warrants. Simultaneously with the Option Closing, the Sponsor shall purchase from the Company pursuant to the Subscription Agreement (as defined in Section 2.23.2 hereof) an additional number of warrants (up to a maximum of 225,000 warrants) (the “Additional Placement Warrants”), at a purchase price of $1.00 per Additional Placement Warrant in a private placement (the “Additional Private Placement”). Each Additional Placement Warrant shall be identical to the warrants sold in the Offering except as disclosed in the Prospectus. Except as disclosed in registration statement, there will be no placement agent in the Additional Private Placement and no party shall be entitled to a placement fee or expense allowance from the sale of the Additional Private Securities.
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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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement and, if applicable, an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-258184), 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 Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in conformity in all material respects with the requirements of the Act, and the rules and regulations (the “Regulations”) of the Commission under the Act. The conditions for use of Form S-1 to register the Offering under the Act, as set forth in the General Instructions to such Form, have been satisfied in all material respects. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement becomes effective (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 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. If the Company has filed, or is required pursuant to the terms hereof to file, a registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act registering additional Public Securities (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), then, unless otherwise specified, any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Other than a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, which, if filed, becomes effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission. All of the Public Securities have been registered under the Act pursuant to the Registration Statement or, if any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is filed, will be duly registered under the Act with the filing of such Rule 462(b) 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 Representative has determined that at the Time of Sale the Prospectus included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted a statement of material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and have agreed to provide an opportunity to purchasers of the Units to terminate their old purchase contracts and enter into new purchase contracts, the Prospectus will be deemed to include any additional information available to purchasers at the time of entry into the first such new purchase contract.
2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Company has filed with the Commission a 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, the Class A ordinary Shares, the Warrants and the Rights. The registration of the Units, Class A Ordinary Shares, Warrants and Rights under the Exchange Act will be declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the Effective Date.
2.2. No Stop Orders, Etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order or threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary 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 the Registration Statement became effective, upon the filing or first use (within the meaning of the Regulations) of the Prospectus and at the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Registration Statement 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. Neither the Registration Statement nor any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, nor any amendment or supplement thereto, on their respective dates, did or will 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 Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading. When any Preliminary Prospectus was first filed with the Commission (whether filed as part of the Registration Statement for the registration of the Public Securities or any amendment thereto or pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the Regulations) or first used (within the meaning of the Regulations) and when any amendment thereof or supplement thereto was first filed with the Commission or first used (within the meaning of the Regulations), such Preliminary Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto complied or will have been corrected in the Prospectus to comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Act and the Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. 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 Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. It is understood the following identified statements set forth in the Prospectus under the heading “Underwriting” constitute, for the purposes of this Agreement, information furnished by the Representative with respect to the Underwriters: (i) the table of underwriters in the first paragraph of “Underwriting” and (ii) the first paragraph of the Underwriting subsection “Underwriting Discounts.”
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2.3.2. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary 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 Preliminary 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, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus 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 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 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 material 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.
2.3.4. Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus concerning the effects of national, federal, state and local regulation on the Company’s business as currently contemplated fairly summarize, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, such effects 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. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus or specifically stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and/or the Prospectus: (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 and the Prospectus.
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2.4.2. Recent Securities Transactions, Etc. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement 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 capital stock.
2.5. Independent Accountants. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP (“B&P”), whose report is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, are independent accountants as required by the Act and the Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (including the rules and regulations promulgated by such entity, the “PCAOB”). To the best of the Company’s knowledge, B&P is duly registered and in good standing with the PCAOB. B&P has 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.
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 Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus fairly present 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 generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied throughout the periods involved; and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, no other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus. The Registration Statement, the Preliminary 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, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, there are no pro forma or as adjusted financial statements which are required to be included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in accordance with Regulation S-X which have not been included as so required.
2.6.2. Statistical Data. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, if any, 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 the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, as the case may be, duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date of the Prospectus and on the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, there will be no options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued Class A Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into Class A Ordinary Shares, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell Class A Ordinary Shares or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
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2.8. Valid Issuance of Securities, Etc.
2.8.1. Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities 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 Public Securities conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Share were at all relevant times either registered under the Act and the applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares, exempt from such registration requirements.
2.8.2. Securities Sold. The Public Securities and the Representative’s Class A Ordinary Shares have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and when issued and paid for, 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 and the Representative’s Class A Ordinary 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 actions required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Public Securities and the Representative’s Class A Ordinary Shares have been duly and validly taken. The Public Securities and the Representative’s Class A Ordinary Shares conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, as the case may be.
2.8.3. Placement Warrants. The Placement Warrants and the Additional Placement Warrants have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance; the Placement Warrants and the Additional Placement 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 actions required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Placement Warrants and the Additional Placement Warrants have been duly and validly taken. When issued, the Placement Warrants and the Additional Placement Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company to issue and sell, upon exercise thereof and payment of the exercise price therefor, the number and type of securities of the Company called for thereby in accordance with the terms thereof, and such Placement Warrants and Additional Placement Warrants are 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 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. The Class A ordinary Shares underlying the Placement Warrants and the Additional Placement Warrants have been reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Placement Warrants and the Additional Placement Warrants, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Placement Warrants and the Additional Placement Warrants, will be duly and validly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders.
2.8.4 No Integration. Subject to the disclosure contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and/or the Prospectus with respect to the Placement Warrants and Additional Placement, 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 Preliminary Prospectus or 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.
2.10. Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement, the Trust Agreement, the Services Agreement (as defined in Section 3.5.2 hereof), the Insider Letter (as defined in Section 2.23.1), the Subscription Agreement (as defined in Section 2.23.2 hereof), the Rights Agreement (as defined in Section 2.22), the Warrant Agreement ( as defined in Section 2.22) and the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined in Section 2.23.3 hereof) have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and 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 the 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.
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2.11. No Conflicts, Etc. The execution, delivery, and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Rights Agreement, the Trust Agreement, the Services Agreement, the Insider Letter, the Subscription Agreement, the Warrant Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, 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 material breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material 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 or instrument to which the Company is a party; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation and amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company; or (iii) violate 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 properties or business.
2.12. No Defaults; Violations. No material default 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 material agreement, 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, except for such violations which would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company. The Company is not in violation of any term or provision of its certificate of incorporation and amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
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 Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. To the Company’s knowledge, the disclosures in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state and local regulation on the 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 (with respect to the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading. Since its formation, the Company has conducted no business and has incurred no liabilities other than in connection with and in furtherance of the Offering.
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 is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Public Securities, the Placement Warrants, the Additional Placement Warrants or the Representative’s Class A Ordinary Shares and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Trust Agreement, the Services Agreement, the Insider Letter, the Subscription Agreement, the Rights Agreement, the Warrant Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and as contemplated by the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal and state securities laws and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
2.14. D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by the Company’s shareholders immediately prior to the Offering (the “Initial Shareholders”) and each of the Company’s officers and directors and provided to the Underwriters is true and correct and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the questionnaires completed by the Initial Shareholders and each officer or director, to become inaccurate and incorrect.
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2.15. Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, the Initial Shareholders, which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Questionnaires, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
2.16. Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized, is validly existing and is in good standing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands 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 Company.
2.17. No Contemplation of a Business Combination. Prior to the date hereof, neither the Company, its officers and directors nor the Initial Shareholders had, and as of the Closing, the Company and such officers and directors and Initial Shareholders will not have had: (i) any specific Business Combination under consideration or contemplation; or (ii) any substantive interactions or discussions with any target business regarding a possible Business Combination.
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 of the respondents and provided to the Representative, as such FINRA Questionnaires may be have been updated from time to time and confirmed by each of the respondents, is true and correct and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the FINRA Questionnaire to become inaccurate or incorrect.
2.18.2. Except as described in the Preliminary Prospectus and/or 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 the Initial Shareholders with respect to the sale of the Public Securities, the Placement Warrants or the Additional Placement Warrants hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, the Initial Shareholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.18.3. 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 FINRA member; or (iii) to any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve (12) months prior to the Effective Date, other than payments to the Representative.
2.18.4. No officer, director, or beneficial owner of any class of the Company’s securities (whether debt or equity, registered or unregistered, regardless of the time acquired or the source from which derived) (any such individual or entity, a “Company Affiliate”) is a member, a person associated, or affiliated with a member of FINRA.
2.18.5. No Company Affiliate is an owner of stock or other securities of any member of FINRA (other than securities purchased on the open market).
2.18.6. No Company Affiliate has made a subordinated loan to any member of FINRA.
2.18.7. No proceeds from the sale of the Public Securities (excluding underwriting compensation) or the Placement Warrants or Additional Placement Warrants will be paid to any FINRA member, or any persons associated or affiliated with a member of FINRA, except as specifically authorized herein and in the Subscription Agreement.
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 potential underwriter in the Offering or a related person (as defined by FINRA rules) of such an underwriter within the one hundred eighty (180)-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement.
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2.18.9. No person to whom securities of the Company have been privately issued within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement has any relationship or affiliation or association with any member of FINRA.
2.18.10. No FINRA member intending to participate in the Offering has a conflict of interest with the Company. For this purpose, a “conflict of interest” exists when a member of FINRA and its associated persons, parent or affiliates in the aggregate beneficially own ten percent (10%) or more of the Company’s outstanding subordinated debt or common equity, or ten percent (10%) or more of the Company’s preferred equity. “Members participating in the Offering” include managing agents, syndicate group members and all dealers which are members of FINRA.
2.18.11. Except with respect to the Representative 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 one hundred eighty (180)-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement, which arrangement or agreement provides for the receipt of any item of value and/or the transfer of any warrants, options, or other securities from the Company to a FINRA member, any person associated with a member (as defined by FINRA rules), any potential underwriters in the Offering and any related persons.
2.19. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor the Initial Shareholders or any other person acting on behalf of the Company has, directly or indirectly, 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) that: (i) might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding; (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a material adverse effect on the assets, business or operations of the Company as reflected in any of the financial statements contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and/or the Prospectus; or (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company. The Company’s internal accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
2.20. Patriot Act. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any officer, director or Initial Shareholder has violated: (i) the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended; (ii) the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, as amended; 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.
2.21. Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to the Representative’s counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2.22. Rights Agreement; Warrant Agreement. The Company has entered into a rights agreement with respect to the Rights, the Representative’s Rights, the Placement Rights and the Additional Placement Rights with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Rights Agreement”). The Company has entered into a warrant agreement with respect to the Warrants, the Placement Warrants and the Additional Placement Warrants with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Warrant Agreement”).
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2.23. Agreements With Officers, Directors and Initial Shareholders.
2.23.1. 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 or non-compete provision may be limited under the 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) annexed as exhibits to the Registration Statement (the “Insider Letter”), pursuant to which each of the officers, directors and Initial Shareholders of the Company agree to certain matters described as being agreed to by them under the “Proposed Business” Section of the Prospectus.
2.23.2. Subscription Agreement. The Sponsor has executed and delivered an agreement, the form of which is attached as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Subscription Agreement”), pursuant to which the Sponsor, among other things, will purchase an aggregate of 2,875,000 Placement Warrants (or 3,100,000 Placement Warrants if the Underwriters exercise the Over-allotment Option in full) in the Private Placement. Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, all of the proceeds from the sale of the Placement Warrants and Additional Placement Warrants will be deposited by the Company in the Trust Account in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement prior to the Closing or the Over-allotment Closing, as applicable.
2.23.3. Registration Rights Agreement. The Company and the Initial Shareholders have entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) substantially in the form annexed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, whereby the 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.
2.23.4. Escrow Agreement. The Company has caused the Initial Shareholders to enter into an escrow agreement (the “Escrow Agreement”) with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, whereby the Class A Ordinary Shares owned by the Initial Shareholders will be held in escrow during the period in which they are subject to the transfer restrictions as set forth in the Prospectus. During such escrow period, the Initial Shareholders shall be prohibited from selling or otherwise transferring such shares (except as otherwise set forth in the Escrow Agreement) but will retain the right to vote any such Class A Ordinary Shares. To the Company’s knowledge, the Escrow Agreement is enforceable against each of the Initial Shareholders 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, any agreement or instrument to which any of the Initial Shareholders is a party.
2.24. 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.
2.25. Covenants Not to Compete. The officers and directors of the Company are not subject to any non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer which could materially affect its ability to be an employee, officer or director of the Company.
2.26. Investments. No more than forty-five percent (45%) of the “value” (as defined in Section 2(a)(41) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”)) of the Company’s total assets consist of, and no more than forty-five percent (45%) of the Company’s net income after taxes is derived from, securities other than “Government Securities” (as defined in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act).
2.27. Subsidiaries. The Company does not own an interest in any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other business entity.
2.28. 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, shareholder, 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 Preliminary Prospectus and/or the Prospectus which is not so described and described as required. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and/or 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.
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2.29. 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: (i) a customer or supplier of the Company or any Company Affiliate to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or such affiliate; or (ii) a journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any such affiliate.
2.30. Trading of the Public Securities on the Nasdaq Global Market. As of the Effective Date and the Closing Date, the Public Securities will have been authorized for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market and no proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would effect, and no event or circumstance has occurred as of the Effective Date which is reasonably likely to effect, the listing of the Public Securities on the Nasdaq Global Market.
2.31. Definition of “Knowledge”. As used in this Agreement, the term “knowledge of the Company” (or similar language) shall mean the knowledge of the officers and directors of the Company who are named in the Prospectus, 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 Representative, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and will not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative 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 commercially 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 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 Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will notify the Representative 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 Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.
3.2.2. Filing of Final Prospectus. The Company will file the Prospectus (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Rule 424 of the Regulations.
3.2.3. Exchange Act Registration. For a period of five (5) years from the Effective Date, or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company will use all reasonable efforts to maintain the registration of the Units, Class A Ordinary Shares, Warrants and Rights under the provisions of the Exchange Act. The Company will not deregister the Units, Class A Ordinary Shares, Warrants and Rights prior to the Business Combination without the prior written consent of the Representative.
3.2.4. 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 the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, 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.
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3.2.5. Blue Sky Filing. Unless the Public Securities are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market or another national securities exchange, the Company, at its expense, will endeavor in good faith, in cooperation with the Representative, at or prior to the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, to qualify the Public Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate, provided that no such 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. In each jurisdiction where such qualification shall be effected, the Company will, unless the Representative agrees that such action is not at the time necessary or advisable, use all reasonable efforts to file and make such statements or reports at such times as are or may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction.
3.2.6. Delivery to Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to each of the several Underwriters, without charge, from time to time during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Act or the Exchange Act such number of copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents as such Underwriters may reasonably request and, as soon as the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto becomes effective, deliver to the Representative two original executed Registration Statements, including exhibits, and all post-effective amendments thereto and copies of all exhibits filed therewith or incorporated therein by reference and all original executed consents of certified experts.
3.3. Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company will use all reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective and will notify the Representative 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 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 Section 3.4 hereof that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and/or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and/or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, (with respect to the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading. If the Commission or any 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.
3.4. Review of Financial Statements. Until the earlier of five (5) years from the Effective Date, or until such earlier date upon which the Company is required to be liquidated, 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 or filing of quarterly financial information, if any.
3.5. Affiliated Transactions.
3.5.1. Business Combinations. The Company will not consummate a Business Combination with any entity which is affiliated with the Initial Shareholders or an officer or director of the Company unless the Company obtains an opinion from an independent investment banking firm regulated by FINRA or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions or an independent accounting firm to determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses for the Business Combination.
3.5.2. Administrative Services. The Company has entered into an administrative services agreement (the “Services Agreement”) with the Sponsor in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement pursuant to which the Sponsor has made and will continue to make available to the Company general and administrative services including office space and utilities for the Company’s use for $10,000 per month.
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3.5.3. Compensation. Except as set forth in this Section 3.5, the Company shall not pay any officer, director or Initial Shareholder, or any of their affiliates, any fees or compensation from the Company, for services rendered to the Company prior to, or in connection with, the Offering or the consummation of a Business Combination; provided that upon consummation of a Business Combination, they shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Company for out-of-pocket expenses in connection with activities on behalf of the Company as described in the Prospectus.
3.6. Secondary Market Trading. In the event the Public Securities are not listed on the Nasdaq Global Market or another national securities exchange, the Company will (i) apply to be included in Mergent, Inc. Manual for a period of five (5) 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 such jurisdictions and (iii) take such other action as may be reasonably requested by the Representative to obtain a secondary market trading exemption in such other states as may be requested by the Representative; 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 entity doing business in such jurisdiction.
3.7. Reports to the Representative.
3.7.1. Periodic Reports, Etc. For a period of five (5) years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Company is dissolved, the Company will furnish to the Representative and its 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 Representative: (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 Form 8-K or Schedules 13D, 13G, 14D-1 or 13E-4 received or prepared by the Company; (iv) five (5) copies of each Registration Statement; and (v) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request; provided that the Representative shall sign, if requested by the Company, a Regulation FD compliant confidentiality agreement which is reasonably acceptable to the Representative and its counsel in connection with the Representative’s receipt of such information. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”) shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Representative pursuant to this section.
3.7.2. Transfer Sheets. For a period of five (5) years following the Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Company is dissolved, the Company shall retain a transfer agent acceptable to the Representative (the “Transfer Agent”). In the event the Public Securities are not listed on the Nasdaq Global Market or another national securities exchange, the Company will furnish to the Underwriters at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the Company’s securities as the Representative may request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC is an acceptable Transfer Agent to the Representative.
3.7.3. Trading Reports. If the Public Securities are quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board (or any successor trading market) or a market operated by the OTC Market Group Inc. (or similar publisher of quotations), then during such time the Company shall provide to the Representative, at its expense, such reports published by the OTC Bulletin Board or the OTC Market Group Inc. relating to price trading of the Public Securities, as the Representative shall reasonably request. In addition to the requirements of the preceding sentence, if the Public Securities are not listed on the Nasdaq Global Market or such other national securities exchange for a period of two (2) years from the Closing Date, the Company, at its expense, shall provide Chardan, upon written request (email shall suffice), a subscription to the Company’s weekly Depository Transfer Company Security Position Reports.
3.8. Disqualification of Form S-1. For a period equal to seven (7) years from the date hereof, the Company will not take any action or actions which may prevent or disqualify the Company’s use of Form S-1 (or other appropriate form) for the registration of the securities underlying the Representative’s Interests under the Act.
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3.9. Payment of Expenses.
3.9.1. General Expenses Related to the Offering. 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 the Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (i) the Company’s legal and accounting fees and disbursements; (ii) the costs of preparing, printing, mailing (including the payment of postage with respect to such mailing) and delivering the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and final Prospectus contained therein and amendments thereto, post-effective amendments and supplements thereto, 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; (iii) the printing, engraving, issuance and delivery of the Units, the Class A Ordinary Shares, the Warrants and the Rights included in the Units, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon; (iv) if the Public Securities are not listed on the Nasdaq Global Market or such other national securities exchange, the qualification of the Public Securities under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws specified by Representative, including the costs of printing and mailing the “Preliminary Blue Sky Memorandum,” and all amendments and supplements thereto, and fees and disbursements for counsel of the Representative’s choice retained for such purpose; (v) filing fees (including SEC filing fees), costs and expenses (including third party expenses and disbursements) incurred in registering the Offering; (vi) filing fees incurred in registering the Offering with FINRA; (vii) fees and disbursements of the registrar and transfer and rights and warrant agent; (viii) the Company’s expenses associated with “due diligence” meetings arranged by the Representative (none of which will be received or paid on behalf of an “underwriter and related person” as such term is defined in Rule 5110 of FINRA’s Rules); (ix) all costs and expenses 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; (x) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of the Company’s directors, director nominees and executive officers; and (xi) all other reasonable costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 3.10.1 that the Underwriters have notified the Company about on or prior to the Closing Date. The Representative may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the fees and expenses set forth above to be paid by the Company to the Representative and others, as agreed to by the Company in writing; provided, however, that such fees and expenses deducted from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company shall not exceed $100,000 in the aggregate. If the Offering is not consummated for any reason whatsoever, except as a result of the Representative’s or any Underwriter’s breach or default with respect to any of its obligations described in this Agreement, then the Company shall reimburse the Representative for all reasonable documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Representative in connection with the Offering including, without limitation, its legal fees (less any amounts previously paid), up to an aggregate amount of $100,000. It is acknowledged that the Company already paid $50,000 to the Representative, which shall be credited against the aggregate amount of $100,000. To the extent that the Representative’s out-of-pocket expenses are less than this advance, the Representative shall refund the excess to the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, other than counsel and background check fees, Chardan will not incur any expense in excess of $5,000 without the Company’s prior written consent.
3.9.2. Fee on Termination of Offering. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, upon termination of the Offering the Company shall: (A) reimburse the Representative for, or otherwise pay and bear, the expenses and fees to be paid and borne by the Company as provided for in Section 3.10.1 above, as applicable, and (B) reimburse the Representative for the full amount of its accountable out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred to such date (which shall include, but shall not be limited to, all fees and disbursements of the Representative’s counsel, travel, lodging and other “road show” expenses, mailing, printing and reproduction expenses, and any expenses incurred by the Representative in conducting its due diligence, including background checks of the Company’s officers and directors), up to an aggregate amount of $100,000, less the amounts previously paid and any amounts previously paid to the Representative in reimbursement for such expenses which was 50k. It is acknowledged that the Company already paid $50,000 to the Representative, which shall be credited against the aggregate amount of $100,000. If applicable, and solely in the event of a termination of this Offering, the Representative shall refund to the Company any portion of any advance payment previously received by the Representative which is in excess of the accountable out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred to such date by the Representative.
3.10. Application of Net Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.
3.11. 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 fifteenth (15th) 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 (12) consecutive months beginning after the Effective Date.
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3.12. Notice to FINRA.
3.12.1. Business Combination. In the event any person or entity (regardless of any FINRA affiliation or association) is engaged to assist the Company in its search for a merger candidate or to provide any other merger and acquisition services, the Company will provide the following to FINRA and the Representative prior to the consummation of the Business Combination: (i) complete details of all services and copies of agreements governing such services; and (ii) justification as to why the person or entity providing the merger and acquisition services should not be considered an “underwriter and related person” (as such term is defined in Rule 5110 of FINRA’s Rules) with respect to the Offering. The Company also agrees that proper disclosure of such arrangement or potential arrangement will be made in any proxy or tender offer statement which the Company files in connection with the Business Combination.
3.12.2. 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 FINRA.
3.13. Stabilization. Neither the Company, nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representative) 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.
3.14. Internal Controls. 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 generally accepted accounting principles 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.
3.15. Accountants. For a period of five (5) years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company shall retain Marcum or other independent public accountants reasonably acceptable to the Representative.
3.16. Form 8-K. The Company shall, on the date hereof, retain its independent public accountants to audit the financial statements of the Company as of the Closing Date (the “Audited Financial Statements”) reflecting the receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering and the Private Placement, as well as the proceeds from the exercise of the Over-Allotment if such exercise has occurred on the date of the Prospectus. Within four (4) Business Days of the Closing Date, the Company will file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which Report shall contain the Audited Financial Statements.
3.17. FINRA. The Company shall advise FINRA 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 Company’s Public Securities.
3.18. 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.
3.19. Investment Company. The Company shall cause the proceeds of the Offering to be held in the Trust Account to be invested only in “government securities” with specific maturity dates or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act as set forth in the Trust Agreement 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.
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3.20. Business Combination Announcement. Within four (4) Business Days following the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination, the Company shall cause an announcement (“Business Combination Announcement”) to be issued by a press release service announcing the consummation of the Business Combination and indicating that the Representative was one of the co-managing underwriters in the Offering and also indicating the name and location of any other financial advisors engaged by the Company as a merger and acquisitions advisor; the Company will file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission. The Company shall supply the Representative with a draft of the Business Combination Announcement and the 8-K and provide the Representative with a reasonable advance opportunity to comment thereon. The Company will not issue the Business Combination Announcement or file the 8-K without the final approval of the Representative, which approval will not be unreasonably withheld.
3.21. Press Releases. The Company agrees that it will not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without Chardan’s prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), for a period of twenty-five (25) days after the Effective Date.
3.22. Electronic Prospectus. The Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered to the Representative, at its expense, within one (1) Business Day from the Effective Date, 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 Representative, that may be transmitted electronically by the other Underwriters to offerees and purchasers of the Units for at least the period during which a Prospectus relating to the Units 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 Representative, 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 Units 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.
3.23. Reservation of Shares. The Company will reserve and keep available that maximum number of its authorized but unissued securities which are issuable upon exercise or conversion of the Warrants, the Over-allotment Warrants, the Rights, the Over-allotment Rights, the Placement Warrants and the Additional Placement Warrants outstanding from time to time.
3.24. Private Placement Proceeds. Immediately upon establishment of the Trust Account and prior to the Closing, the Company shall deposit all of the proceeds from the sale of the Placement Warrants in the Private Placement in the Trust Account and shall provide the Representative with evidence of the same.
3.25. No Amendment to Charter.
3.25.1. Prior to the closing of a Business Combination, the Company covenants and agrees it will not seek to amend or modify its certificate of incorporation and amended and restated memorandum and articles of association without the prior approval of its Board of Directors and the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the voting power of the Class A Ordinary Shares.
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3.25.2. The Company acknowledges that the purchasers of the Firm Units and Option Units in this Offering shall be deemed to be third party beneficiaries of this Section 3.26.
3.25.3. The Representative and the Company specifically agree that this Section 3.26 shall not be modified or amended in any way without the approval of at least a majority of the voting power of the Class A Ordinary Shares.
3.26. Financial Printer. The Company shall retain a financial printer, reasonably acceptable to the Representative, for the purpose of facilitating the Company’s EDGAR filings and the printing of the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus.
3.27. Listing on the Nasdaq Global Market. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Public Securities on the Nasdaq Global Market or another national securities exchange until the earlier of five (5) years from the Effective Date or until the Public Securities are no longer registered under the Exchange Act.
3.28. Issuance of Representative’s Class A Ordinary Shares. At Closing, the Company agrees that it will issue to Chardan and/or its designees 60,000 Class A Ordinary Shares (or 69,000 Class A Ordinary Shares if the Over-allotment Option is exercised in full).
3.29. Right of First Refusal. The Company agrees that if the Firm Units are sold in accordance with the terms of this Underwriting Agreement, the Company shall grant Representative the right to act as a book-running manager or placement agent with at least 20%, or 15% in the case of a “three-handed” deal, of the economics, for any and all future public and private equity, equity linked and debt offerings of the Company, or any successor to or any subsidiary or merger partner of the Company. The right of participation shall terminate on the fifteen (15) month anniversary of the initial Business Combination. The Company and any such subsidiary or successor will use commercially reasonable efforts to offer the Representative the opportunity to purchase or sell any securities in such a proposed financing on the same terms than it or they can secure elsewhere. If the Representative fails to accept such offer within five (5) Business Days after receiving a written notice (email shall suffice) containing the material terms of the proposed financing, then the Representative shall have no further claim or right with respect to the financing proposal contained in such notice. If, however, the terms of such financing proposal are subsequently modified in any material respect, the preferential right referred to herein shall apply to such modified proposal as if the original proposal had not been made. The Representative’s failure to exercise its preferential right with respect to any particular proposal shall not affect its preferential rights relative to future proposals.
3.30 Payment of Deferred Underwriting Commission on Business Combination. Upon the consummation of a Business Combination, the Company agrees that it will cause the Trustee to pay the Deferred Underwriting Commission directly from the Trust Account to Chardan, in accordance with Section 1.3.
4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Units, 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 each 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. Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1. 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 Representative, and, at each of the Closing Date and the Option 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 to the reasonable satisfaction of Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC.
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4.1.2. FINRA Clearance. By the Effective Date, the Representative shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.3. No Commission Stop Order. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, the Commission has not issued any order or threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any part thereof, and has not instituted or threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an order.
4.1.4. No Blue Sky Stop Orders. No order suspending the sale of the Units in any jurisdiction designated by the Representative pursuant to Section 3.3 hereof, if any, shall have been issued on either the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be contemplated.
4.1.5. The Nasdaq Global Market. By the Effective Date, the Public Securities shall have been approved for trading on the Nasdaq Global Market.
4.2. Company Counsels Matters.
4.2.1. Closing Date Opinions of Counsels. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinions of Loeb & Loeb LLP (“Loeb”), U.S. counsel to the Company, and Ogier (“Ogier”), BVI counsel to the Company, each dated the Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and the other Underwriters and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative. The opinion of Loeb shall further include a statement to the effect that such counsel has participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent public accountants for the Company and representatives of the Underwriters at which the contents of the Registration Statement, final Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and related matters were discussed and although such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement, final Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (except as otherwise set forth in such opinion), no facts have come to the attention of such counsel which lead them to believe that either the Registration Statement, final Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, as of the date of such opinion contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a 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 (it being understood that such counsel need express no opinion with respect to the financial statements and related notes and schedules and other financial and statistical data included in the Registration Statement, final Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or matters relating to the sale of securities in any jurisdiction outside the U.S.). The opinion of counsel shall state that such counsel is not opining as to the Placement Warrants with respect to any rights to rescind or the effect any exercise of such rights will have on any other securities of the Company or on the Offering.
4.2.2. Option Closing Date Opinions of Counsels. On each Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinions of Loeb and Ogier, each dated each Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel to the Representative, confirming as of each Option Closing Date, the statements made by Loeb in its opinion delivered on the Closing Date.
4.2.3. 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 Representative) of other counsel reasonably acceptable to the Representative, 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 jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the good standing of the Company, provided that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to the Underwriters’ counsel if requested. The opinion of counsel 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.
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4.3. Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed, and at each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a letter, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects (including the nature of the changes or decreases, if any, referred to in Section 4.3.3 below) to the Representative and its counsel from B&P dated, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any.
4.3.1. Confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable Regulations;
4.3.2. Stating that in their opinion the financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Regulations thereunder;
4.3.3. Stating that, on the basis of limited procedures which included 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) at a date not later than five (5) days prior to the Effective Date, Closing Date or Option 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 September 30, 2021 balance sheet included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, other than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, or, if there was any decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease; and (c) during the period from September 30, 2021 (balance sheet date) to a specified date not later than five (5) days prior to the Effective Date, Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there was any decrease in net earnings or net earnings per Class A Ordinary Share, in each case as compared with the Statement of Operations for the period from January 13, 2021 (inception) to September 30, 2021 included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or, if there was any such decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease;
4.3.4. Stating they have compared specific dollar amounts, numbers of shares, percentages of earnings, statements and other financial information pertaining to the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus 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 the standards of the PCAOB) set forth in the letter and found them to be in agreement; and
4.3.5. Statements as to such other matters incident to the transaction contemplated hereby as the Representative may reasonably request.
4.4. Officers’ Certificates.
4.4.1. Officers’ Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Chief Financial Officer or the President and the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, 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, or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and that the conditions set forth in Section 4 hereof have been satisfied as of such date and that, as of Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2 hereof are true and correct. In addition, the Representative will have received such other and further certificates of officers of the Company as the Representative may reasonably request.
4.4.2. Secretary’s Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, certifying: (i) that the certificate of incorporation and amended and restated memorandum and articles of association 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 the Nasdaq Stock Market; 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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4.5. No Material Changes. Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no material adverse change or development that is likely to result in 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 and Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or the Initial Shareholders before or by any court or 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 Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Preliminary 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 neither the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus nor the Prospectus nor 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 Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading.
4.6. Delivery of Agreements.
4.6.1. Effective Date Deliveries. On the Effective Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Trust Agreement, the Rights Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Services Agreement, all of the Insider Letters, the Subscription Agreement, and the Registration Rights Agreement.
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 Representative that participates in the offer and sale of the Units (each a “Selected Dealer”) and each of their respective directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter (“Controlling Person”) within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, 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 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 in which is included the securities underlying the Representative’s Interests; 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 Units under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Nasdaq Stock Market or any securities exchange; 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, or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereof. 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 3.2 hereof. The Company agrees to promptly notify the Representative 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 within reasonable time under the circumstances; (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action; or (iii) 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, or another conflict of interest or conflict as to legal representation exists (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.
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 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, or 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 Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, or 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 sentence of Section 2.3.1. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, or 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 a 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, 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, and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 5.3.1, 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 (15) days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representative) 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 representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid fifteen (15) 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 5.3 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 or Option Units. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Units or the Option Units, if the Over-allotment Option is exercised, hereunder, and if the number of the Firm Units or Option Units with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate ten percent (10%) of the number of Firm Units or Option Units that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Units or Option 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 or Option Units. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 above relates to more than ten percent (10%) of the Firm Units or Option Units, the Representative may in its discretion arrange for itself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Units or Option Units to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than ten percent (10%) of the Firm Units or Option Units, the Representative does not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Units or Option 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 Company and the Representative to purchase said Firm Units or Option Units on such terms. In the event neither the Company nor the Representative arranges for the purchase of the Firm Units or Option Units to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement may be terminated by the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.10 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such default occurs with respect to the Option Units, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Units; and provided further 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 the Firm Units or Option 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 Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or Option 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, the Preliminary Prospectus 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, the Preliminary Prospectus and/or the Prospectus, as the case may be, that in the 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. The Company hereby agrees that until the Company consummates a Business Combination, it shall not issue any Class A Ordinary Shares or any options or other securities convertible into Class A Ordinary Shares, or any class of shares which participate in any manner in the Trust Account or which vote as a class with the Class A Ordinary Shares on a Business Combination.
7.2. Trust Account Waiver Acknowledgments. The Company hereby agrees that it will not commence its due diligence investigation of any operating business or businesses which the Company seeks to acquire (each, a “Target Business”) unless and until such Target Business acknowledges in writing, whether through a letter of intent, memorandum of understanding or other similar document (and subsequently acknowledges the same in any definitive document replacing any of the foregoing), that: (i) it has read the Prospectus and understands that the Company has established the Trust Account, initially in an amount of $60,300,000 (or $69,345,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) for the benefit of the public shareholders, and that (ii) for and in consideration of the Company agreeing to evaluate such Target Business for purposes of consummating a Business Combination with it, such Target Business 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 Company further agrees that it will use all reasonable efforts, prior to obtaining the services of any vendor, to obtain a written acknowledgment from such vendor, whether through a letter of intent, memorandum of understanding or other similar document (and subsequently acknowledges the same in any definitive document replacing any of the foregoing), that: (i) such vendor has read the Prospectus and understands that the Company has established the Trust Account, initially in an amount of $60,300,000 (or $69,345,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) for the benefit of the public shareholders, and that (ii) for and in consideration of the Company agreeing to engage the services of the vendor, such vendor agrees that it does not have any 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 form attached hereto as Exhibit A and B, respectively. Furthermore, each officer and director of the Company shall execute a waiver letter in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.
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 among the Initial Shareholders, the officers and directors of the Company, and the Company or the Subscription Agreement and will not allow any amendments to, or waivers of, such Insider Letters or the Subscription Agreement without the prior written consent of the Representative.
7.4. Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles Association. The Company shall not take any action or omit to take any action that would cause the Company to be in material breach or violation of its certificate of incorporation and amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Except as provided in Section 3.26, prior to the consummation of a Business Combination, the Company will not amend its certificate of incorporation and amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, without the prior written consent of the Representative.
7.5. Tender Offer Documents, Proxy Materials and Other Information. The Company shall provide counsel to the Representative with copies of all tender offer documents or proxy information and all related material filed with the Commission in connection with a Business Combination concurrently with such filing with the Commission. In addition, the Company shall furnish any other State in which the Offering was registered, such information as may be required by such State.
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7.6. Acquisition/Liquidation Procedure. The Company agrees that it will comply with its certificate of incorporation and amended and restated memorandum and articles of association in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination or the failure to consummate a Business Combination within 12 months from the Effective Date (subject to extension for two additional three month periods, as described in the Prospectus).
7.7. 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 all commercially reasonable 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.
7.8. Presentation of Potential Target Businesses. The Company shall cause the Company’s officers, directors and Initial Shareholders to agree that, in order to minimize potential conflicts of interest which may arise from multiple affiliations, the Company’s officers, directors and Initial Shareholders 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 Company, subject to any pre-existing fiduciary obligations the Initial Shareholders might have.
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 the Option Closing Date, if any, and such representations, warranties and agreements of the Underwriters and the 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 Units to the several Underwriters until the earlier of the expiration of any applicable statute of limitations and the seventh anniversary of the later of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, if any, 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.
9.2. Termination. The Representative 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 Representative’s 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, the Nasdaq Stock Market 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 initiation or increase in 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 markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity (including, without limitation, a calamity relating to a public health matter or natural disaster) or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in the Representative’s opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Units; or (vii) if any of the Company’s representations, warranties or covenants hereunder are breached; or (viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a material adverse change in the conditions or prospects of the Company, or such material adverse change in general market conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities or any other calamity (including, without limitation, a calamity relating to a public health matter or natural disaster) after the date hereof, as in the Representative’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Units or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Units.
9.3. Expenses. In the event this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, except as a result of the Representative’s or any Underwriters’ breach or default with respect to any of its material obligations pursuant to this Agreement, 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 actually incurred by the Representative related to the transactions contemplated herein shall be governed by Section 3.10 hereof.
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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 affected 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, delivered by hand or reputable overnight courier or emailed, and shall be deemed given when so delivered or emailed, or if mailed three days after such mailing:
If to the Representative:
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
17 State Street, 21st Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn.:
Email:
Copy to (which copy shall not be deemed to constitute notice to the Representative):
Hunter Taubman Fischer & LI LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, New York 10005
Attn:
Email:
If to the Company:
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983
Attn:
Email:
Copy to (which copy shall not be deemed to constitute notice to the Company):
Loeb & Loeb LLP
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
Attn:
Email:
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.
10.3. Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.
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10.4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes 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 Representative, 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.
10.6.1. 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 Representative and the Company (and any individual signatory hereto): (i) agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement and/or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted exclusively in New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York; (ii) waives any objection which such party may have or hereafter have to the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding; and (iii) irrevocably and exclusively consents to the jurisdiction of the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in any such suit, action or proceeding.
10.6.2. Each of the Representative and the Company (and any individual signatory hereto) further agrees to accept and acknowledge service of any and all process which may be served in any such suit, action or proceeding in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and agrees that service of process upon the Company or any such individual mailed by certified mail to the Company’s address shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company or any such individual in any such suit, action or proceeding, and service of process upon the Representative mailed by certified mail to the Representative’s addresses shall be deemed in every respect effective service process upon the Representative, in any such suit, action or proceeding.
10.6.3. THE COMPANY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS EQUITY HOLDERS AND CREDITORS) HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROSPECTUS.
10.6.4. The Company 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 effect 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. 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, 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 Company’s 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.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
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[Signature Page of the Underwriting Agreement]
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,
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
By: | / | |
Name: | ||
Title: |
Agreed to and accepted on the date first above written.
CHARDAN CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC, as Representative of the several Underwriters
By: | /s/ | |
Name: | George Kaufman | |
Title: | Partner and Head of Investment Banking |
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SCHEDULE A
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
Underwriter |
Number of
Firm Units to be Purchased |
|||
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC | 6,000,000 | |||
TOTAL | 6,000,000 |
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EXHIBIT A
Form of Target Business Letter
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Final Prospectus of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”), dated [______], 2022 (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 a “trust account”, initially in an amount of at least $60,3000,000 (or $69,345,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) for the benefit of the “public shareholders” and the underwriters of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Underwriters”) and that, except for interest earned on the trust account that may be released to the Company to pay any taxes it incurs, proceeds in the trust account will not be released until (a) the consummation of a Business Combination, or (b) the dissolution and liquidation of the Company if it is unable to consummate a Business Combination within the allotted time.
For and in consideration of the Company agreeing to evaluate the undersigned for purposes of consummating a business combination or other form of acquisition 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 (the “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
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EXHIBIT B
Form of Vendor Letter
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Final Prospectus of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”), dated [______], 2022 (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 a “trust account”, initially in an amount of at least $60,300,000 (or $69,345,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) for the benefit of the “public shareholders” and the underwriters of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Underwriters”) and that, except for interest earned by the trust account that may be released to the Company to pay any taxes it incurs, proceeds in the trust account will not be released until (a) the consummation of a Business Combination, or (b) the dissolution and liquidation of the Company if it is unable to consummate a Business Combination within the allotted time.
For and in consideration of the Company agreeing to use the products or 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 (the “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 Vendor
Authorized Signature of Vendor
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EXHIBIT C
Form of Director/Officer Letter
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned officer or director of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) hereby acknowledges that the Company has established the “trust account”, initially in an amount of at least 60,300,000 (or $69,345,000if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) for the benefit of the “public shareholders” and the underwriters of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Underwriters”) and that, except for interest earned by the trust account that may be released to the Company to pay any taxes it incurs, proceeds in the trust account will not be released until (a) the consummation of a Business Combination, or (b) the dissolution and liquidation of the Company if it is unable to consummate a Business Combination within the allotted time.
The undersigned hereby agrees that, except for its liquidation rights with respect to any Units and/or Class A Ordinary Shares acquired in the Offering or in the aftermarket, it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account (the “Claim”) and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any contracts or agreements with the Company and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, such waiver shall not apply to any shares acquired by the undersigned in the public market.
Print Name of Officer/Director
Signature of Officer/Director
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Exhibit 3.1 |
Territory of the British Virgin Islands
The BVI Business Companies Act, 2004
|
||
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Incorporated as a BVI Business Company on 29 April 2021
Amended and Restated on [Date]
|
||
1 |
TERRITORY OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
THE BVI BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT 2004
AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
A COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
AMENDED AND RESTATED ON [DATE]
1 | NAME |
The name of the Company is A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
2 | STATUS |
The Company shall be a company limited by shares.
3 | REGISTERED OFFICE AND REGISTERED AGENT |
3.1 | The first registered office of the Company is at Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, PO Box 3170, Road Town, Tortola VG 1110, British Virgin Islands, the office of the first registered agent. |
3.2 | The first registered agent of the Company is Ogier Global (BVI) Limited of Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, PO Box 3170, Road Town, Tortola VG 1110, British Virgin Islands. |
3.3 | The Company may change its registered office or registered agent by a Resolution of Directors or a Resolution of Members. The change shall take effect upon the Registrar registering a notice of change filed under section 92 of the Act. |
4 | CAPACITY AND POWER |
4.1 | The Company has, subject to the Act and any other British Virgin Islands legislation for the time being in force, irrespective of corporate benefit: |
(a) | full capacity to carry on or undertake any business or activity, do any act or enter into any transaction; and |
(b) | for the purposes of paragraph (a), full rights, powers and privileges. |
4.2 | There are subject to Clause 4.1 and Regulation 24, no limitations on the business that the Company may carry on. |
2 |
5 | NUMBER AND CLASSES OF SHARES |
5.1 | The Company is authorised to issue a maximum of 111,000,000 Shares with no par value divided into three classes of shares as follows: |
(a) 100,000,000 class A ordinary shares with no par value (Class A Ordinary Shares);
(b) 100 class B ordinary shares with no par value (Class B Ordinary Shares and together with the Class A Ordinary Shares being referred to as the Ordinary Shares);
(c) 1,000,000 preferred shares with no par value (Preferred Shares).
5.2 | The Company may at the discretion of the Board of Directors, but shall not otherwise be obliged to, issue fractional Shares or round up or down fractional holdings of Shares to its nearest whole number and a fractional Share (if authorised by the Board of Directors) may have the corresponding fractional rights, obligations and liabilities of a whole share of the same class or series of shares. |
6 | DESIGNATIONS POWERS PREFERENCES OF SHARES |
6.1 | Save and except for the rights referred to in Regulation 3 and Regulation 10 and as otherwise set out in these Articles, and subject to Clause 7 and the power of the Directors to issue Preference Shares with such preferred rights as they shall determine pursuant to Regulation 2.2, each Ordinary Share in the Company confers upon the Member (unless waived by such Member): |
(a) | Subject to Clause 11, the right to one vote at a meeting of the Members of the Company or on any Resolution of Members; |
(b) | the right to be redeemed on an Automatic Redemption Event in accordance with Regulation 24.2 or pursuant to either a Tender Redemption Offer or Redemption Offer in accordance with Regulation 24.5 or pursuant to an Amendment Redemption Event in accordance with Regulation 24.11; |
(c) | the right to an equal share with each other Ordinary Share in any dividend paid by the Company; and |
(d) | subject to satisfaction of and compliance with Regulation 24, the right to an equal share with each other Ordinary Share in the distribution of the surplus assets of the Company on its liquidation provided that in the event that the Company enters liquidation prior to or without having consummated a Business Combination then, in such circumstances, in the event any surplus assets (Residual Assets) of the Company remain following the Company having complied with its applicable obligations to redeem Public Shares and distribute the funds held in the Trust Account in respect of such redemptions pursuant to Regulation 24, the Public Shares shall not have any right to receive any share of those Residual Assets which are held outside the Trust Account and such Residual Assets shall be distributed (on a pro rata basis) only in respect of those Ordinary Shares that are not Public Shares. |
3 |
6.2 | The rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions attaching to the Preferred Shares shall be stated in this Memorandum, which shall be amended accordingly prior to the issue of such Preferred Shares. Such rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions may include subject to Regulation 24.7: |
(a) | the number of shares and series constituting that class and the distinctive designation of that class; |
(b) | the dividend rate of the Preferred Shares of that class, if any, whether dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from which date or dates, and whether they shall be payable in preference to, or in relation to, the dividends payable on any other class or classes of Shares; |
(c) | whether that class shall have voting rights, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights; |
(d) | whether that class shall have conversion or exchange privileges, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange, including provision for adjustment of the conversion or exchange rate in such events as the Board of Directors shall determine; |
(e) | whether or not the Preferred Shares of that class shall be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption, including the manner of selecting such Shares for redemption if less than all Preferred Shares are to be redeemed, the date or dates upon or after which they shall be redeemable, and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount maybe less than fair value and which may vary under different conditions and at different dates; |
(f) | whether that class shall be entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund to be applied to the purchase or redemption of Preferred Shares of that class, and, if so, the terms and amounts of such sinking fund; |
(g) | the right of the Preferred Shares of that class to the benefit of conditions and restrictions upon the creation of indebtedness of the Company or any subsidiary, upon the issue of any additional Preferred Shares (including additional Preferred Shares of such class of any other class) and upon the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions on, and the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or any subsidiary of any outstanding Preferred Shares of the Company; |
(h) | the right of the Preferred Shares of that class in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company and whether such rights be in preference to, or in relation to, the comparable rights or any other class or classes of Shares; and |
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(i) | any other relative, participating, optional or other special rights, qualifications, limitations or restrictions of that class. |
6.3 | The Directors may at their discretion by Resolution of Directors redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire all or any of the Shares in the Company subject to Regulation 7 and Regulation 24 of the Articles. |
6.4 | The Directors have the authority and the power by Resolution of Directors: |
(a) | to authorise and create additional classes of shares; and |
(b) | to fix the designations, powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions, if any, appertaining to any and all classes of shares that may be authorised to be issued under this Memorandum. |
7 | VARIATION OF RIGHTS |
7.1 | Subject to the limitations set out in Clause 11 in respect of amendments to the Memorandum and Articles, the rights attached to a class of the Ordinary Shares as specified in Clause 6.1 may only, whether or not the Company is being wound up, be varied by a resolution passed at a meeting by the holders of more than fifty percent (50%) of the total number of Ordinary Shares of that class that have voted (and are entitled to vote thereon) in relation to any such resolution, unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of such class, and any such variation that has to be approved under this Clause 7.1 shall also be subject to compliance with Regulation 24.11 of the Articles. |
7.2 | The rights attached to any Preferred Shares in issue as specified in Clause 6.2 may only, whether or not the Company is being wound up, be varied by a resolution passed at a meeting by the holders of more than fifty percent (50%) of the Preferred Shares of the same class present at a duly convened and constituted meeting of the Members of the Company holding Preferred Shares in such class which were present at the meeting and voted unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of such class. |
8 | RIGHTS NOT VARIED BY THE ISSUE OF SHARES PARI PASSU |
The rights conferred upon the holders of the Shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the Shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further Shares ranking pari passu therewith. For the avoidance of doubt, the creation, designation or issuance of any Preferred Shares with rights and privileges ranking in priority to any existing class of Shares pursuant to Clause 6.2 shall not be deemed to be a variation of the rights of such existing class.
9 | REGISTERED SHARES |
9.1 | The Company shall issue registered shares only. |
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9.2 | The Company is not authorised to issue bearer shares, convert registered shares to bearer shares or exchange registered shares for bearer shares. |
10 | TRANSFER OF SHARES |
A Share may be transferred in accordance with Regulation 4 of the Articles.
11 | AMENDMENT OF MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES |
11.1 | The Company may amend its Memorandum or Articles by a Resolution of Members or by a Resolution of Directors, save that no amendment may be made by a Resolution of Directors: |
(a) | to restrict the rights or powers of the Members to amend the Memorandum or Articles; |
(b) | to change the percentage of Members required to pass a Resolution of Members to amend the Memorandum or Articles; |
(c) | in circumstances where the Memorandum or Articles cannot be amended by the Members; or |
(d) | to change Clauses 7 or 8, this Clause 11 or Regulation 24 (or any of the defined terms used in any such Clause or Regulation). |
11.2 | Notwithstanding Clause 11.1, no amendment may be made to the Memorandum or Articles to amend: |
(a) | Regulation 24 prior to the Business Combination unless the holders of the Public Shares are provided with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares upon the approval of any such amendment in the manner and for the price as set out in Regulation 24.11; or |
(b) | this Clause 11.2 during the Target Business Acquisition Period. |
12 | DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION |
12.1 | In this Memorandum of Association and the attached Articles of Association, if not inconsistent with the subject or context: |
(a) | Act means the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 (as amended) and includes the regulations made under the Act; |
(b) | AGM means an annual general meeting of the Members; |
(c) | Amendment has the meaning ascribed to it in Regulation 24.11; |
(d) | Amendment Redemption Event has the meaning ascribed to it in Regulation 24.11; |
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(e) | Applicable Law means, with respect to any person, all provisions of laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, permits, certificates, judgments, decisions, decrees or orders of any governmental authority applicable to such person; |
(f) | Approved Amendment has the meaning ascribed to it in Regulation 24.11; |
(g) | Articles means the attached Articles of Association of the Company; |
(h) | Automatic Redemption Event shall have the meaning given to it in Regulation 24.2; |
(i) | Board of Directors means the board of directors of the Company; |
(j) | Business Combination shall mean the initial acquisition by the Company, whether through a merger, share exchange, share reconstruction or amalgamation, asset or share acquisition, a contractual arrangement or other similar business combination transaction, with a Target Business at Fair Value; |
(k) | Business Combination Articles means Regulation 24 relating to the Company's obligations regarding the consummation of a Business Combination; |
(l) | Business Days means a day other than a Saturday or Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in New York are required or are authorised to be closed for business; |
(m) | Chairman means a person who is appointed as chairman to preside at a meeting of the Company and Chairman of the Board means a person who is appointed as chairman to preside at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company, in each case, in accordance with the Articles; |
(n) | Designated Stock Exchange means the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board, the Global Select Market, Global Market or the Capital Market of the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, the NYSE American or the New York Stock Exchange, as applicable; provided, however, that until the Shares are listed on any such Designated Stock Exchange, the rules of such Designated Stock Exchange shall be inapplicable to the Company and this Memorandum or the Articles; |
(o) | Director means any director of the Company, from time to time; |
(p) | Distribution in relation to a distribution by the Company means the direct or indirect transfer of an asset, other than Shares, to or for the benefit of a Member in relation to Shares held by a Member, and whether by means of a purchase of an asset, the redemption or other acquisition of Shares, a distribution of indebtedness or otherwise, and includes a dividend; |
(q) | Eligible Person means individuals, corporations, trusts, the estates of deceased individuals, partnerships and unincorporated associations of persons; |
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(r) | Enterprise means the Company and any other corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which an Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a Director, Officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent; |
(s) | Exchange Act means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; |
(t) | Expenses shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all legal fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses, in each case reasonably incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding, including reasonable compensation for time spent by the Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses shall also include any or all of the foregoing expenses incurred in connection with all judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred (whether by an Indemnitee, or on his behalf) in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, or any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, but shall not include amounts paid in settlement by an Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against an Indemnitee; |
(u) | Fair Value shall mean a value at least equal to 80% of the balance in the Trust Account (excluding any deferred underwriting fees and any taxes payable on the Trust Account balance) at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for a Business Combination; |
(v) | FINRA means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority of the United States; |
(w) | Indemnitee means any person detailed in sub regulations (a) and (b) of Regulation 16; |
(x) | Initial Shareholders means the Sponsor and any of the Directors or officers of the Company who hold shares prior to the IPO; |
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(y) | IPO means the initial public offering of units, consisting of ordinary shares of the Company and rights to receive ordinary shares of the Company; |
(z) | Member means an Eligible Person whose name is entered in the share register of the Company as the holder of one or more Shares or fractional Shares; |
(aa) | Memorandum means this Memorandum of Association of the Company; |
(bb) | Officer means any officer of the Company, from time to time; |
(cc) | Ordinary Shares has the meaning ascribed to it in Clause 5.1; |
(dd) | Over-Allotment Option means the option of the Underwriters to purchase up to an additional 15% of the firm units (as described in Regulation 2.10) sold in the IPO at a price equal to US$10.00 per unit, less underwriting discount and commissions. |
(ee) | Per-Share Redemption Price means: |
(i) | with respect to an Automatic Redemption Event, the aggregate amount on deposit in the Trust Account including interest earned, but net of taxes payable and less up to US$50,000 of any interest earned to pay liquidation expenses divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares; |
(ii) | with respect to an Amendment Redemption Event, the aggregate amount on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned but net of taxes payable, divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares; and |
(iii) | with respect to either a Tender Redemption Offer or a Redemption Offer, the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned but net of taxes payable, on the date that is two Business Days prior to the consummation of the Business Combination, divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares; |
(ff) | Preferred Shares has the meaning ascribed to it in Clause 5.1; |
(gg) | Proceeding means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the name of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative nature, in which an Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that such Indemnitee is or was a Director or Officer of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by him or of any action (or failure to act) on his part while acting as a Director, Officer, employee or adviser of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he is or was serving at the request of the Company as a Director, Officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee, adviser or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under these Articles; |
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(hh) | Public Shares means the Shares included in the units issued in the IPO; |
(ii) | Redemption Offer has the meaning ascribed to it in Regulation 24.5(b); |
(jj) | Registration Statement has the meaning ascribed to it in Regulation 24.10; |
(kk) | relevant system means a relevant system for the holding and transfer of shares in uncertificated form; |
(ll) | Resolution of Directors means either: |
(i) | subject to sub-paragraph (ii) below, a resolution approved at a duly convened and constituted meeting of Directors of the Company or of a committee of Directors of the Company by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors present at the meeting who voted except that where a Director is given more than one vote, he shall be counted by the number of votes he casts for the purpose of establishing a majority; or |
(ii) | a resolution consented to in writing by all Directors or by all members of a committee of Directors of the Company, as the case may be; |
(mm) | Resolution of Members means a resolution approved at a duly convened and constituted meeting of the Members of the Company by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes of the Shares entitled to vote thereon which were present at the meeting and were voted; |
(nn) | Seal means any seal which has been duly adopted as the common seal of the Company; |
(oo) | SEC means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission; |
(pp) | Securities means Shares, other securities and debt obligations of every kind of the Company, and including without limitation options, warrants, rights to receive Shares or other securities or debt obligations; |
(qq) | Securities Act means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended; |
(rr) | Share means a share issued or to be issued by the Company and Shares shall be construed accordingly; |
(ss) | Sponsor means A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp., a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands; |
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(tt) | Sponsor Group means the Sponsor and its respective affiliates, successors and assigns; |
(uu) | Target Business means any businesses or entity with whom the Company wishes to undertake a Business Combination; |
(vv) | Target Business Acquisition Period shall mean the period commencing from the effectiveness of the registration statement filed with the SEC in connection with the Company's IPO up to and including the first to occur of (i) a Business Combination; or (ii) the Termination Date. |
(ww) | Tender Redemption Offer has the meaning ascribed to it in Regulation 24.5(a); |
(xx) | Termination Date has the meaning given to it in Regulation 24.2; |
(yy) | Treasury Share means a Share that was previously issued but was repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired by the Company and not cancelled; |
(zz) | Trust Account shall mean the trust account established by the Company prior to the IPO and into which a certain amount of the IPO proceeds and the proceeds from a simultaneous private placement of like units comprising like securities to those in included in the IPO by the Company are deposited, interest on the balance of which may be released to the Company from to time to time to pay the Company’s income or other tax obligations, and up to US$ 50,000 of such interest on the balance of the Trust Account may also be released to pay the liquidation expenses of the Company if applicable; |
(aaa) | Underwriters means the underwriters of the IPO from time to time, and any successor underwriter, and Underwriter means any of them; and |
(bbb) | written or any term of like import includes information generated, sent, received or stored by electronic, electrical, digital, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, biometric or photonic means, including electronic data interchange, electronic mail, telegram, telex or telecopy, and "in writing" shall be construed accordingly. |
12.2 | In the Memorandum and the Articles, unless the context otherwise requires a reference to: |
(a) | a Regulation is a reference to a regulation of the Articles; |
(b) | a Clause is a reference to a clause of the Memorandum; |
(c) | voting by Member is a reference to the casting of the votes attached to the Shares held by the Member voting; |
(d) | the Act, the Memorandum or the Articles is a reference to the Act or those documents as amended; and |
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(e) | the singular includes the plural and vice versa. |
12.3 | Any words or expressions defined in the Act unless the context otherwise requires bear the same meaning in the Memorandum and Articles unless otherwise defined herein. |
12.4 | Headings are inserted for convenience only and shall be disregarded in interpreting the Memorandum and Articles. |
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We, Ogier Global (BVI) Limited of Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, PO Box 3170, Road Town, Tortola VG1110, British Virgin Islands, for the purpose of incorporating a BVI business company under the laws of the British Virgin Islands hereby sign this Memorandum of Association.
Dated 29 April 2021
Incorporator
Signed for and on behalf of Ogier Global (BVI) Limited of Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, PO Box 3170, Road Town, Tortola VG1110, British Virgin Islands
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Signature of authorised signatory | ||
Print name | ||
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TERRITORY OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
THE BVI BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT 2004
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
A COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
AMENDED AND RESTATED ON [date]
1 | REGISTERED SHARES |
1.1 | Every Member is entitled to a certificate signed by a Director of the Company or under the Seal specifying the number of Shares held by him and the signature of the Director and the Seal may be facsimiles. |
1.2 | Any Member receiving a certificate shall indemnify and hold the Company and its Directors and officers harmless from any loss or liability which it or they may incur by reason of any wrongful or fraudulent use or representation made by any person by virtue of the possession thereof. If a certificate for Shares is worn out or lost it may be renewed on production of the worn out certificate or on satisfactory proof of its loss together with such indemnity as may be required by a Resolution of Directors. |
1.3 | If several Eligible Persons are registered as joint holders of any Shares, any one of such Eligible Persons may give an effectual receipt for any Distribution. |
1.4 | Nothing in these Articles shall require title to any Shares or other Securities to be evidenced by a certificate if the Act and the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange permit otherwise. |
1.5 | Subject to the Act and the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, the Board of Directors without further consultation with the holders of any Shares or Securities may resolve that any class or series of Shares or other Securities in issue or to be issued from time to time may be issued, registered or converted to uncertificated form and the practices instituted by the operator of the relevant system. No provision of these Articles will apply to any uncertificated shares or Securities to the extent that they are inconsistent with the holding of such shares or securities in uncertificated form or the transfer of title to any such shares or securities by means of a relevant system. |
1.6 | Conversion of Shares held in certificated form into Shares held in uncertificated form, and vice versa, may be made in such manner as the Board of Directors, in its absolute discretion, may think fit (subject always to the requirements of the relevant system concerned). The Company or any duly authorised transfer agent shall enter on the register of members how many Shares are held by each member in uncertificated form and certificated form and shall maintain the register of members in each case as is required by the relevant system concerned. Notwithstanding any provision of these Articles, a class or series of Shares shall not be treated as two classes by virtue only of that class or series comprising both certificated shares and uncertificated shares or as a result of any provision of these Articles which applies only in respect of certificated shares or uncertificated shares. |
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1.7 | Nothing contained in Regulation 1.5 and 1.6 is meant to prohibit the Shares from being able to trade electronically. For the avoidance of doubt, Shares shall only be traded and transferred electronically upon consummation of the IPO. |
2 | SHARES |
2.1 | Subject to the provisions of these Articles and, where applicable, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, the unissued Shares of the Company shall be at the disposal of the Directors and Shares and other Securities may be issued and option to acquire Shares or other Securities may be granted at such times, to such Eligible Persons, for such consideration and on such terms as the Directors may by Resolution of Directors determine. |
2.2 | Without prejudice to any special rights previously conferred on the holders of any existing Preferred Shares, any Preferred Shares may be issued with such preferred, deferred or other special rights or such restrictions, whether in regard to dividend, voting or otherwise as the Directors may from time to time determine subject to Regulation 24.7. |
2.3 | Section 46 of the Act does not apply to the Company. |
2.4 | A Share may be issued for consideration in any form, including money, a promissory note, real property, personal property (including goodwill and know-how) or a contract for future services. |
2.5 | No Shares may be issued for a consideration other than money, unless a Resolution of Directors has been passed stating: |
(a) | the amount to be credited for the issue of the Shares; and |
(b) | that, in their opinion, the present cash value of the non-money consideration for the issue is not less than the amount to be credited for the issue of the Shares. |
2.6 | The Company shall keep a register (the share register) containing: |
(a) | the names and addresses of the persons who hold Shares; |
(b) | the number of each class and series of Shares held by each Member; |
(c) | the date on which the name of each Member was entered in the share register; and |
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(d) | the date on which any Eligible Person ceased to be a Member. |
2.7 | The share register may be in any such form as the Directors may approve, but if it is in magnetic, electronic or other data storage form, the Company must be able to produce legible evidence of its contents. Until the Directors otherwise determine, the magnetic, electronic or other data storage form shall be the original share register. |
2.8 | A Share is deemed to be issued when the name of the Member is entered in the share register. |
2.9 | Subject to the provisions of the Act and the Business Combination Articles, Shares may be issued on the terms that they are redeemable, or at the option of the Company be liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner as the Directors before or at the time of the issue of such Shares may determine. The Directors may issue options, warrants, rights or convertible securities or securities or a similar nature conferring the right upon the holders thereof to subscribe for, purchase or receive any class of Shares or Securities on such terms as the Directors may from time to time determine. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Directors may also issue options, warrants, rights to acquire or receive shares or convertible securities in connection with the Company's IPO. |
2.10 | With respect to redeeming or repurchasing the Shares: |
(a) | Members who hold Public Shares are entitled to request the redemption of such Shares in the circumstances described in Regulation 24.5; |
(b) | Class B Ordinary Shares held by the Sponsor shall, following consummation of the Company's initial Business Combination, be surrendered by the Sponsor for no consideration and cancelled; and |
(c) | Public Shares shall be repurchased by way of tender offer in the circumstances set out in Regulation 24.5. |
3 | CLASS B ORDINARY SHARES |
3.1 | On the first business day following the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination, the issued Class B Ordinary Shares shall be surrendered by the Sponsor for no consideration and cancelled. |
4 | FORFEITURE |
4.1 | Shares that are not fully paid on issue are subject to the forfeiture provisions set forth in this Regulation and for this purpose Shares issued for a promissory note or a contract for future services are deemed to be not fully paid. |
4.2 | A written notice of call specifying the date for payment to be made shall be served on the Member who defaults in making payment in respect of the Shares. |
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4.3 | The written notice of call referred to in Regulation 4.2 shall name a further date not earlier than the expiration of 14 days from the date of service of the notice on or before which the payment required by the notice is to be made and shall contain a statement that in the event of non-payment at or before the time named in the notice the Shares, or any of them, in respect of which payment is not made will be liable to be forfeited. |
4.4 | Where a written notice of call has been issued pursuant to Regulation 4.2 and the requirements of the notice have not been complied with, the Directors may, at any time before tender of payment, forfeit and cancel the Shares to which the notice relates. |
4.5 | The Company is under no obligation to refund any moneys to the Member whose Shares have been cancelled pursuant to Regulation 4.4 and that Member shall be discharged from any further obligation to the Company. |
5 | TRANSFER OF SHARES |
5.1 | Subject to the Memorandum, certificated shares may be transferred by a written instrument of transfer signed by the transferor and containing the name and address of the transferee, which shall be sent to the Company for registration. A member shall be entitled to transfer uncertificated shares by means of a relevant system and the operator of the relevant system shall act as agent of the Members for the purposes of the transfer of such uncertificated shares. |
5.2 | The transfer of a Share is effective when the name of the transferee is entered on the share register. |
5.3 | If the Directors of the Company are satisfied that an instrument of transfer relating to Shares has been signed but that the instrument has been lost or destroyed, they may resolve by Resolution of Directors: |
(a) | to accept such evidence of the transfer of Shares as they consider appropriate; and |
(b) | that the transferee's name should be entered in the share register notwithstanding the absence of the instrument of transfer. |
5.4 | Subject to the Memorandum, the personal representative of a deceased Member may transfer a Share even though the personal representative is not a Member at the time of the transfer. |
6 | DISTRIBUTIONS |
6.1 | Subject to the Business Combination Articles, the Directors of the Company may, by Resolution of Directors, authorise a distribution at a time and of an amount they think fit if they are satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that, immediately after the distribution, the value of the Company's assets will exceed its liabilities and the Company will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due. |
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6.2 | Dividends may be paid in money, shares, or other property. |
6.3 | The Company may, by Resolution of Directors, from time to time pay to the Members such interim dividends as appear to the Directors to be justified by the profits of the Company, provided always that they are satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that, immediately after the distribution, the value of the Company's assets will exceed its liabilities and the Company will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due. |
6.4 | Notice in writing of any dividend that may have been declared shall be given to each Member in accordance with Regulation 22 and all dividends unclaimed for three years after such notice has been given to a Member may be forfeited by Resolution of Directors for the benefit of the Company. |
6.5 | No dividend shall bear interest as against the Company. |
7 | REDEMPTION OF SHARES AND TREASURY SHARES |
7.1 | The Company may purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire and hold its own Shares save that the Company may not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire its own Shares without the consent of the Member whose Shares are to be purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired unless the Company is permitted or required by the Act or any other provision in the Memorandum or Articles to purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire the Shares without such consent. |
7.2 | The purchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Company of its own Shares is deemed not to be a distribution where: |
(a) | the Company purchases, redeems or otherwise acquires the Shares pursuant to a right of a Member to have his Shares redeemed or to have his shares exchanged for money or other property of the Company, or |
(b) | the Company purchases, redeems or otherwise acquires the Shares by virtue of the provisions of section 179 of the Act. |
7.3 | Sections 60, 61 and 62 of the Act shall not apply to the Company. |
7.4 | Subject to the provisions of Regulation 24, shares that the Company purchases, redeems or otherwise acquires pursuant to this Regulation may be cancelled or held as Treasury Shares except to the extent that such Shares are in excess of 50 percent of the issued Shares in which case they shall be cancelled but they shall be available for reissue. |
7.5 | All rights and obligations attaching to a Treasury Share are suspended and shall not be exercised by the Company while it holds the Share as a Treasury Share. |
7.6 | Treasury Shares may be disposed of by the Company on such terms and conditions (not otherwise inconsistent with the Memorandum and Articles) as the Company may by Resolution of Directors determine. |
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7.7 | Where Shares are held by another body corporate of which the Company holds, directly or indirectly, shares having more than 50 per cent of the votes in the election of Directors of the other body corporate, all rights and obligations attaching to the Shares held by the other body corporate are suspended and shall not be exercised by the other body corporate. |
8 | MORTGAGES AND CHARGES OF SHARES |
8.1 | Unless a Member agrees otherwise, a Member may by an instrument in writing mortgage or charge his Shares. |
8.2 | There shall be entered in the share register at the written request of the Member: |
(a) | a statement that the Shares held by him are mortgaged or charged; |
(b) | the name of the mortgagee or chargee; and |
(c) | the date on which the particulars specified in subparagraphs (a) and (b) are entered in the share register. |
8.3 | Where particulars of a mortgage or charge are entered in the share register, such particulars may be cancelled: |
(a) | with the written consent of the named mortgagee or chargee or anyone authorised to act on his behalf; or |
(b) | upon evidence satisfactory to the Directors of the discharge of the liability secured by the mortgage or charge and the issue of such indemnities as the Directors shall consider necessary or desirable. |
8.4 | Whilst particulars of a mortgage or charge over Shares are entered in the share register pursuant to this Regulation: |
(a) | no transfer of any Share the subject of those particulars shall be effected; |
(b) | the Company may not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any such Share; and |
(c) | no replacement certificate shall be issued in respect of such Shares, |
without the written consent of the named mortgagee or chargee.
9 | MEETINGS AND CONSENTS OF MEMBERS |
9.1 | Any Director of the Company may convene meetings of the Members at such times and in such manner and places within or outside the British Virgin Islands as the Director considers necessary or desirable. Following consummation of the Business Combination, an AGM shall be held annually at such date and time as may be determined by the Directors. |
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9.2 | Upon the written request of the Members entitled to exercise 30 percent or more of the voting rights in respect of the matter for which the meeting is requested the Directors shall convene a meeting of Members. |
9.3 | The Director convening a meeting of Members shall give not less than 10 nor more than 60 days' written notice of such meeting to: |
(a) | those Members whose names on the date the notice is given appear as Members in the share register of the Company and are entitled to vote at the meeting; and |
(b) | the other Directors. |
9.4 | The Director convening a meeting of Members shall fix in the notice of the meeting the record date for determining those Members that are entitled to vote at the meeting. |
9.5 | A meeting of Members held in contravention of the requirement to give notice is valid if Members holding at least 90 per cent of the total voting rights on all the matters to be considered at the meeting have waived notice of the meeting and, for this purpose, the presence of a Member at the meeting shall constitute waiver in relation to all the Shares which that Member holds. |
9.6 | The inadvertent failure of a Director who convenes a meeting to give notice of a meeting to a Member or another Director, or the fact that a Member or another Director has not received notice, does not invalidate the meeting. |
9.7 | A Member may be represented at a meeting of Members by a proxy who may speak and vote on behalf of the Member. |
9.8 | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be produced at the place designated for the meeting before the time for holding the meeting at which the person named in such instrument proposes to vote. |
9.9 | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in substantially the following form or such other form as the chairman of the meeting shall accept as properly evidencing the wishes of the Member appointing the proxy. |
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
I/We being a Member of the above Company HEREBY APPOINT ……………………………………………………………………………..…… of ……………………………………...……….…………..………… or failing him …..………………………………………………….…………………….. of ………………………………………………………..…..…… to be my/our proxy to vote for me/us at the meeting of Members to be held on the …… day of …………..…………, 20…… and at any adjournment thereof.
(Any restrictions on voting to be inserted here.)
Signed this …… day of …………..…………, 20……
……………………………
Member
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9.10 | The following applies where Shares are jointly owned: |
(a) | if two or more persons hold Shares jointly each of them may be present in person or by proxy at a meeting of Members and may speak as a Member; |
(b) | if only one of the joint owners is present in person or by proxy he may vote on behalf of all joint owners; and |
(c) | if two or more of the joint owners are present in person or by proxy they must vote as one and in the event of disagreement between any of the joint owners of Shares then the vote of the joint owner whose name appears first (or earliest) in the share register in respect of the relevant Shares shall be recorded as the vote attributable to the Shares. |
9.11 | A Member shall be deemed to be present at a meeting of Members if he participates by telephone or other electronic means and all Members participating in the meeting are able to hear each other. |
9.12 | A meeting of Members is duly constituted if, at the commencement of the meeting, there are present in person or by proxy not less than 50 per cent of the votes of the Shares entitled to vote on Resolutions of Members to be considered at the meeting. If the Company has two or more classes of shares, a meeting may be quorate for some purposes and not for others. A quorum may comprise a single Member or proxy and then such person may pass a Resolution of Members and a certificate signed by such person accompanied where such person holds a proxy by a copy of the proxy instrument shall constitute a valid Resolution of Members. |
9.13 | If within two hours from the time appointed for the meeting of Members, a quorum is not present, the meeting, at the discretion of the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall either be dissolved or stand adjourned to a business day in the jurisdiction in which the meeting was to have been held at the same time and place, and if at the adjourned meeting there are present within one hour from the time appointed for the meeting in person or by proxy not less than one third of the votes of the Shares entitled to vote or each class or series of Shares entitled to vote, as applicable, on the matters to be considered by the meeting, those present shall constitute a quorum but otherwise the meeting shall either be dissolved or stand further adjourned at the discretion of the Chairman of the Board of Directors. |
9.14 | At every meeting of Members, the Chairman of the Board shall preside as chairman of the meeting. If there is no Chairman of the Board or if the Chairman of the Board is not present at the meeting, the Members present shall choose one of their number to be the chairman. If the Members are unable to choose a chairman for any reason, then the person representing the greatest number of voting Shares present in person or by proxy at the meeting shall preside as chairman failing which the oldest individual Member or representative of a Member present shall take the chair. |
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9.15 | The person appointed as chairman of the meeting pursuant to Regulation 9.14 may adjourn any meeting from time to time, and from place to place. For the avoidance of doubt, a meeting can be adjourned for as many times as may be determined to be necessary by the chairman and a meeting may remain open indefinitely for as long a period as may be determined by the chairman. |
9.16 | Voting at any meeting of the Members is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded by the chairman. On a show of hands every Member who is present in person (or, in the case of a Member being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) or by proxy shall have one vote and on a poll every Member shall present in person (or, in the case of a Member being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) or by proxy shall have one vote for each Share which such Member is the holder. Any Member present in person or by proxy who disputes the announcement by the chairman of the result of any vote may immediately following such announcement demand that a poll be taken and the chairman shall cause a poll to be taken. If a poll is taken at any meeting, the result shall be announced to the meeting and recorded in the minutes of the meeting. |
9.17 | Subject to the specific provisions contained in this Regulation for the appointment of representatives of Members other than individuals the right of any individual to speak for or represent a Member shall be determined by the law of the jurisdiction where, and by the documents by which, the Member is constituted or derives its existence. In case of doubt, the Directors may in good faith seek legal advice and unless and until a court of competent jurisdiction shall otherwise rule, the Directors may rely and act upon such advice without incurring any liability to any Member or the Company. |
9.18 | Any Member other than an individual may by resolution of its Directors or other governing body authorise such individual as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of Members or of any class of Members, and the individual so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same rights on behalf of the Member which he represents as that Member could exercise if it were an individual. |
9.19 | The chairman of any meeting at which a vote is cast by proxy or on behalf of any Member other than an individual may at the meeting but not thereafter call for a notarially certified copy of such proxy or authority which shall be produced within 7 days of being so requested or the votes cast by such proxy or on behalf of such Member shall be disregarded. |
9.20 | Directors of the Company may attend and speak at any meeting of Members and at any separate meeting of the holders of any class or series of Shares. |
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9.21 | Until the consummation of the Company's IPO, any action that may be taken by the Members at a meeting may also be taken by a Resolution of Members consented to in writing, without the need for any prior notice. If any Resolution of Members is adopted otherwise than by the unanimous written consent of all Members, a copy of such resolution shall forthwith be sent to all Members not consenting to such resolution. The consent may be in the form of counterparts, each counterpart being signed by one or more Members. If the consent is in one or more counterparts, and the counterparts bear different dates, then the resolution shall take effect on the earliest date upon which Eligible Persons holding a sufficient number of votes of Shares to constitute a Resolution of Members have consented to the resolution by signed counterparts. Following the Company's IPO, any action required or permitted to be taken by the Members of the Company must be effected by a meeting of the Company, such meeting to be duly convened and held in accordance with these Articles. |
10 | DIRECTORS |
10.1 | Prior to the closing of a Business Combination, the Directors shall be elected or removed by Resolution of Members of the Class B Ordinary Shares for such term as the Members determine. For the avoidance of doubt, prior to the closing of a Business Combination holders of Class A Ordinary Shares or the Directors shall have no right to vote on the appointment or removal of any director. |
10.2 | After the closing of a Business Combination, the Directors shall be elected or removed by Resolution of Members or by Resolution of Directors. |
10.3 | No person shall be appointed as a Director of the Company unless he has consented in writing to act as a Director. |
10.4 | The minimum number of Directors shall be one and there shall be no maximum number of Directors. |
10.5 | Each Director holds office for the term fixed by the Resolution of Members or Resolution of Directors appointing him, but such term shall not exceed two years, or pursuant to Regulation 10.1 or 10.7, or until his earlier death, resignation or removal. For the avoidance of doubt, a Director who has completed his term of service is eligible for re-election in accordance with Regulation 10.1. If no term is fixed on the appointment of a Director, the Director serves the term of two years until his earlier death, resignation or removal. |
10.6 | A Director may resign his office by giving written notice of his resignation to the Company and the resignation has effect from the date the notice is received by the Company at the office of its registered agent or from such later date as may be specified in the notice. A Director shall resign forthwith as a Director if he is, or becomes, disqualified from acting as a Director under the Act. |
10.7 | After the closing of a Business Combination, the Directors may at any time appoint any person to be a Director either to fill a vacancy or as an addition to the existing Directors. Where the Directors appoint a person as Director to fill a vacancy, the term shall not exceed the term that remained when the person who has ceased to be a Director ceased to hold office. |
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10.8 | A vacancy in relation to Directors occurs if a Director dies or otherwise ceases to hold office prior to the expiration of his term of office. |
10.9 | The Company shall keep a register of Directors containing: |
(a) | the names and addresses of the persons who are Directors of the Company; |
(b) | the date on which each person whose name is entered in the register was appointed as a Director of the Company; |
(c) | the date on which each person named as a Director ceased to be a Director of the Company; and |
(d) | such other information as may be prescribed by the Act. |
10.10 | The register of Directors may be kept in any such form as the Directors may approve, but if it is in magnetic, electronic or other data storage form, the Company must be able to produce legible evidence of its contents. Until a Resolution of Directors determining otherwise is passed, the magnetic, electronic or other data storage shall be the original register of Directors. |
10.11 | The Directors, or if the Shares (or depository receipts therefore) are listed or quoted on a Designated Stock Exchange, and if required by the Designated Stock Exchange, any committee thereof, may, by a Resolution of Directors, fix the remuneration of Directors with respect to services to be rendered in any capacity to the Company, provided that no cash remuneration shall be paid to any Director prior to the consummation of a Business Combination. The Directors shall also, whether prior to or after the consummation of a Business Combination, be entitled to be paid all out of pocket expenses properly incurred by them in connection with activities on behalf of the Company, including identifying and consummating a Business Combination. |
10.12 | A Director is not required to hold a Share as a qualification to office. |
10.13 | Prior to the consummation of any transaction with: |
(a) | any affiliate of the Company; |
(b) | any Member owning an interest in the voting power of the Company that gives such Member a significant influence over the Company; |
(c) | any Director or executive officer of the Company and any relative of such Director or executive officer; and |
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(d) | any person in which a substantial interest in the voting power of the Company is owned, directly or indirectly, by a person referred to in Regulations 10.13(b) and (c) or over which such a person is able to exercise significant influence, |
such transaction must be approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who do not have an interest in the transaction, such directors having been provided with access (at the Company's expense) to the Company's attorney or independent legal counsel, unless the disinterested directors determine that the terms of such transaction are no less favourable to the Company than those that would be available to the Company with respect to such a transaction from unaffiliated third parties.
11 | POWERS OF DIRECTORS |
11.1 | The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed by, or under the direction or supervision of, the Directors of the Company. The Directors of the Company have all the powers necessary for managing, and for directing and supervising, the business and affairs of the Company. The Directors may pay all expenses incurred preliminary to and in connection with the incorporation of the Company and may exercise all such powers of the Company as are not by the Act or by the Memorandum or the Articles required to be exercised by the Members. |
11.2 | If the Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of a holding company, a Director of the Company may, when exercising powers or performing duties as a Director, act in a manner which he believes is in the best interests of the holding company even though it may not be in the best interests of the Company. |
11.3 | Each Director shall exercise his powers for a proper purpose and shall not act or agree to the Company acting in a manner that contravenes the Memorandum, the Articles or the Act. Each Director, in exercising his powers or performing his duties, shall act honestly and in good faith in what the Director believes to be the best interests of the Company. |
11.4 | Any Director which is a body corporate may appoint any individual as its duly authorised representative for the purpose of representing it at meetings of the Directors, with respect to the signing of consents or otherwise. |
11.5 | The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body. |
11.6 | Subject to Regulation 24.7, the Directors may by Resolution of Directors exercise all the powers of the Company to incur indebtedness, liabilities or obligations and to secure indebtedness, liabilities or obligations whether of the Company or of any third party, provided always that if the same occurs prior to the consummation of a Business Combination, the Company must first obtain from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account. |
11.7 | All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other negotiable instruments and all receipts for moneys paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed, as the case may be, in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by Resolution of Directors. |
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11.8 | Section 175 of the Act shall not apply to the Company. |
12 | PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS |
12.1 | Any one Director of the Company may call a meeting of the Directors by sending a written notice to each other Director. |
12.2 | The Directors of the Company or any committee thereof may meet at such times and in such manner and places within or outside the British Virgin Islands as the notice calling the meeting provides. |
12.3 | A Director is deemed to be present at a meeting of Directors if he participates by telephone or other electronic means and all Directors participating in the meeting are able to hear each other. |
12.4 | A Director may by a written instrument appoint an alternate who need not be a Director, any such alternate shall be entitled to attend meetings in the absence of the Director who appointed him and to vote or consent in place of the Director until the appointment lapses or is terminated. |
12.5 | A Director shall be given not less than three days' notice of meetings of Directors, but a meeting of Directors held without three days' notice having been given to all Directors shall be valid if all the Directors entitled to vote at the meeting who do not attend waive notice of the meeting, and for this purpose the presence of a Director at a meeting shall constitute waiver by that Director. The inadvertent failure to give notice of a meeting to a Director, or the fact that a Director has not received the notice, does not invalidate the meeting. |
12.6 | A meeting of Directors is duly constituted for all purposes if at the commencement of the meeting there are present in person or, following the consummation of a Business Combination, by alternate not less than one-half of the total number of Directors, unless there are only two Directors in which case the quorum is two. |
12.7 | If the Company has only one Director the provisions herein contained for meetings of Directors do not apply and such sole Director has full power to represent and act for the Company in all matters as are not by the Act, the Memorandum or the Articles required to be exercised by the Members. In lieu of minutes of a meeting the sole Director shall record in writing and sign a note or memorandum of all matters requiring a Resolution of Directors. Such a note or memorandum constitutes sufficient evidence of such resolution for all purposes. |
12.8 | At meetings of Directors at which the Chairman of the Board is present, he shall preside as chairman of the meeting. If there is no Chairman of the Board or if the Chairman of the Board is not present, the Directors present shall choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. If the Directors are unable to choose a chairman for any reason, then the oldest individual Director present (and for this purpose an alternate Director shall be deemed to be the same age as the Director that he represents) shall take the chair. In the case of an equality of votes at a meeting of Directors, the Chairman of the Board shall have a casting vote. |
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12.9 | An action that may be taken by the Directors or a committee of Directors at a meeting may also be taken by a Resolution of Directors or a resolution of a committee of Directors consented to in writing by all Directors or by all members of the committee, as the case may be, without the need for any notice. The consent may be in the form of counterparts each counterpart being signed by one or more Directors. If the consent is in one or more counterparts, and the counterparts bear different dates, then the resolution shall take effect on the date upon which the last Director has consented to the resolution by signed counterparts. |
13 | COMMITTEES |
13.1 | The Directors may, by Resolution of Directors, designate one or more committees, each consisting of one or more Directors, and delegate one or more of their powers, including the power to affix the Seal, to the committee. |
13.2 | The Directors have no power to delegate to a committee of Directors any of the following powers: |
(a) | to amend the Memorandum or the Articles; |
(b) | to designate committees of Directors; |
(c) | to delegate powers to a committee of Directors; |
(d) | to appoint Directors; |
(e) | to appoint an agent; |
(f) | to approve a plan of merger, consolidation or arrangement; or |
(g) | to make a declaration of solvency or to approve a liquidation plan. |
13.3 | Regulations 13.2(b) and (c) do not prevent a committee of Directors, where authorised by the Resolution of Directors appointing such committee or by a subsequent Resolution of Directors, from appointing a sub-committee and delegating powers exercisable by the committee to the sub-committee. |
13.4 | The meetings and proceedings of each committee of Directors consisting of 2 or more Directors shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the provisions of the Articles regulating the proceedings of Directors so far as the same are not superseded by any provisions in the Resolution of Directors establishing the committee. |
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14 | OFFICERS AND AGENTS |
14.1 | The Company may by Resolution of Directors appoint officers of the Company at such times as may be considered necessary or expedient. Such officers may consist of a Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Chief Financial Officer (in each case there may be more than one of such officers), one or more vice-presidents, secretaries and treasurers and such other officers as may from time to time be considered necessary or expedient. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. |
14.2 | The officers shall perform such duties as are prescribed at the time of their appointment subject to any modification in such duties as may be prescribed thereafter by Resolution of Directors. In the absence of any specific prescription of duties it shall be the responsibility of the Chairman of the Board (or Co-Chairman, as the case may be) to preside at meetings of Directors and Members, the Chief Executive Officer (or Co-Chief Executive Officer, as the case may be) to manage the day to day affairs of the Company, the vice-presidents to act in order of seniority in the absence of the Chief Executive Officer (or Co-Chief Executive Officer, as the case may be) but otherwise to perform such duties as may be delegated to them by the Chief Executive Officer (or Co-Chief Executive Officer, as the case may be), the secretaries to maintain the share register, minute books and records (other than financial records) of the Company and to ensure compliance with all procedural requirements imposed on the Company by Applicable Law, and the treasurer to be responsible for the financial affairs of the Company. |
14.3 | The emoluments of all officers shall be fixed by Resolution of Directors. |
14.4 | The officers of the Company shall hold office until their death, resignation or removal. Any officer elected or appointed by the Directors may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by Resolution of Directors. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Company may be filled by Resolution of Directors. |
14.5 | The Directors may, by a Resolution of Directors, appoint any person, including a person who is a Director, to be an agent of the Company. An agent of the Company shall have such powers and authority of the Directors, including the power and authority to affix the Seal, as are set forth in the Articles or in the Resolution of Directors appointing the agent, except that no agent has any power or authority with respect to the matters specified in Regulation 13.1. The Resolution of Directors appointing an agent may authorise the agent to appoint one or more substitutes or delegates to exercise some or all of the powers conferred on the agent by the Company. The Directors may remove an agent appointed by the Company and may revoke or vary a power conferred on him. |
15 | CONFLICT OF INTERESTS |
15.1 | A Director of the Company shall, forthwith after becoming aware of the fact that he is interested in a transaction entered into or to be entered into by the Company, disclose the interest to all other Directors of the Company. |
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15.2 | For the purposes of Regulation 15.1, a disclosure to all other Directors to the effect that a Director is a member, Director or officer of another named entity or has a fiduciary relationship with respect to the entity or a named individual and is to be regarded as interested in any transaction which may, after the date of the entry or disclosure, be entered into with that entity or individual, is a sufficient disclosure of interest in relation to that transaction. |
15.3 | Provided that the requirements of Regulation 10.13 have first been satisfied, a Director of the Company who is interested in a transaction entered into or to be entered into by the Company may: |
(a) | vote on a matter relating to the transaction; |
(b) | attend a meeting of Directors at which a matter relating to the transaction arises and be included among the Directors present at the meeting for the purposes of a quorum; and |
(c) | sign a document on behalf of the Company, or do any other thing in his capacity as a Director, that relates to the transaction, |
and, subject to compliance with the Act and these Articles shall not, by reason of his office be accountable to the Company for any benefit which he derives from such transaction and no such transaction shall be liable to be avoided on the grounds of any such interest or benefit.
16 | INDEMNIFICATION |
16.1 | Subject to the limitations hereinafter provided the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate against all direct and indirect costs, fees and Expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, any person who: |
(a) | is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding by reason of the fact that such person is or was a Director, officer, key employee, adviser of the Company or who at the request of the Company; or |
(b) | is or was, at the request of the Company, serving as a Director of, or in any other capacity is or was acting for, another Enterprise. |
16.2 | The indemnity in Regulation 16.1 only applies if the relevant Indemnitee acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of criminal proceedings, the Indemnitee had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. |
16.3 | The decision of the Directors as to whether an Indemnitee acted honestly and in good faith and with a view to the best interests of the Company and as to whether such Indemnitee had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful is, in the absence of fraud, sufficient for the purposes of the Articles, unless a question of law is involved. |
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16.4 | The termination of any Proceedings by any judgment, order, settlement, conviction or the entering of a nolle prosequi does not, by itself, create a presumption that the relevant Indemnitee did not act honestly and in good faith and with a view to the best interests of the Company or that such Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. |
16.5 | The Company may purchase and maintain insurance, purchase or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond in relation to any Indemnitee or who at the request of the Company is or was serving as a Director, officer or liquidator of, or in any other capacity is or was acting for, another Enterprise, against any liability asserted against the person and incurred by him in that capacity, whether or not the Company has or would have had the power to indemnify him against the liability as provided in these Articles. |
17 | RECORDS |
17.1 | The Company shall keep the following documents at the office of its registered agent: |
(a) | the Memorandum and the Articles; |
(b) | the share register, or a copy of the share register; |
(c) | the register of Directors, or a copy of the register of Directors; and |
(d) | copies of all notices and other documents filed by the Company with the Registrar of Corporate Affairs in the previous 10 years. |
17.2 | If the Company maintains only a copy of the share register or a copy of the register of Directors at the office of its registered agent, it shall: |
(a) | within 15 days of any change in either register, notify the registered agent in writing of the change; and |
(b) | provide the registered agent with a written record of the physical address of the place or places at which the original share register or the original register of Directors is kept. |
17.3 | The Company shall keep the following records at the office of its registered agent or at such other place or places, within or outside the British Virgin Islands, as the Directors may determine: |
(a) | minutes of meetings and Resolutions of Members and classes of Members; |
(b) | minutes of meetings and Resolutions of Directors and committees of Directors; and |
(c) | an impression of the Seal, if any. |
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17.4 | Where any original records referred to in this Regulation are maintained other than at the office of the registered agent of the Company, and the place at which the original records is changed, the Company shall provide the registered agent with the physical address of the new location of the records of the Company within 14 days of the change of location. |
17.5 | The records kept by the Company under this Regulation shall be in written form or either wholly or partly as electronic records complying with the requirements of the Electronic Transactions Act. |
18 | REGISTERS OF CHARGES |
18.1 | The Company shall maintain at the office of its registered agent a register of charges in which there shall be entered the following particulars regarding each mortgage, charge and other encumbrance created by the Company: |
(a) | the date of creation of the charge; |
(b) | a short description of the liability secured by the charge; |
(c) | a short description of the property charged; |
(d) | the name and address of the trustee for the security or, if there is no such trustee, the name and address of the chargee; |
(e) | unless the charge is a security to bearer, the name and address of the holder of the charge; and |
(f) | details of any prohibition or restriction contained in the instrument creating the charge on the power of the Company to create any future charge ranking in priority to or equally with the charge. |
19 | CONTINUATION |
The Company may by Resolution of Members or by a Resolution of Directors continue as a company incorporated under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the British Virgin Islands in the manner provided under those laws.
20 | SEAL |
The Company may have more than one Seal and references herein to the Seal shall be references to every Seal which shall have been duly adopted by Resolution of Directors. The Directors shall provide for the safe custody of the Seal and for an imprint thereof to be kept at the registered office. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein the Seal when affixed to any written instrument shall be witnessed and attested to by the signature of any one Director or other person so authorised from time to time by Resolution of Directors. Such authorisation may be before or after the Seal is affixed, may be general or specific and may refer to any number of sealings. The Directors may provide for a facsimile of the Seal and of the signature of any Director or authorised person which may be reproduced by printing or other means on any instrument and it shall have the same force and validity as if the Seal had been affixed to such instrument and the same had been attested to as hereinbefore described.
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21 | ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT |
21.1 | The Company shall keep records that are sufficient to show and explain the Company's transactions and that will, at any time, enable the financial position of the Company to be determined with reasonable accuracy. |
21.2 | The Company may by Resolution of Members call for the Directors to prepare periodically and make available a profit and loss account and a balance sheet. The profit and loss account and balance sheet shall be drawn up so as to give respectively a true and fair view of the profit and loss of the Company for a financial period and a true and fair view of the assets and liabilities of the Company as at the end of a financial period. |
21.3 | The Company may by Resolution of Members call for the accounts to be examined by auditors. |
21.4 | If the Shares are listed or quoted on a Designated Stock Exchange that requires the Company to have an audit committee, the Directors shall adopt a formal written audit committee charter and review and assess the adequacy of the formal written charter on an annual basis. |
21.5 | If the Shares are listed or quoted on the Designated Stock Exchange, the Company shall conduct an appropriate review of all related party transactions on an ongoing basis and, if required, shall utilise the audit committee for the review and approval of potential conflicts of interest. |
21.6 | If applicable, and subject to applicable law and the rules of the SEC and the Designated Stock Exchange: |
(a) | at the AGM or at a subsequent general meeting in each year, the Members shall appoint an auditor who shall hold office until the Members appoint another auditor. Such auditor may be a Member but no Director or officer or employee of the Company shall during, his continuance in office, be eligible to act as auditor; |
(b) | a person, other than a retiring auditor, shall not be capable of being appointed auditor at an AGM unless notice in writing of an intention to nominate that person to the office of auditor has been given not less than ten days before the AGM and furthermore the Company shall send a copy of such notice to the retiring auditor; and |
(c) | the Members may, at any meeting convened and held in accordance with these Articles, by resolution remove the auditor at any time before the expiration of his term of office and shall by resolution at that meeting appoint another auditor in his stead for the remainder of his term. |
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21.7 | The remuneration of the auditors shall be fixed by Resolution of Directors in such manner as the Directors may determine or in a manner required by the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange and the SEC. |
21.8 | The report of the auditors shall be annexed to the accounts and shall be read at the meeting of Members at which the accounts are laid before the Company or shall be otherwise given to the Members. |
21.9 | Every auditor of the Company shall have a right of access at all times to the books of account and vouchers of the Company, and shall be entitled to require from the Directors and officers of the Company such information and explanations as he thinks necessary for the performance of the duties of the auditors. |
21.10 | The auditors of the Company shall be entitled to receive notice of, and to attend any meetings of Members at which the Company's profit and loss account and balance sheet are to be presented. |
22 | NOTICES |
22.1 | Any notice, information or written statement to be given by the Company to Members may be given by personal service by mail, facsimile or other similar means of electronic communication, addressed to each Member at the address shown in the share register. |
22.2 | Any summons, notice, order, document, process, information or written statement to be served on the Company may be served by leaving it, or by sending it by registered mail addressed to the Company, at its registered office, or by leaving it with, or by sending it by registered mail to, the registered agent of the Company. |
22.3 | Service of any summons, notice, order, document, process, information or written statement to be served on the Company may be proved by showing that the summons, notice, order, document, process, information or written statement was delivered to the registered office or the registered agent of the Company or that it was mailed in such time as to admit to its being delivered to the registered office or the registered agent of the Company in the normal course of delivery within the period prescribed for service and was correctly addressed and the postage was prepaid. |
23 | VOLUNTARY WINDING UP |
The Company may by a Resolution of Members or by a Resolution of Directors appoint a voluntary liquidator.
24 | BUSINESS COMBINATION |
24.1 | Regulations 24.1 to 24.11 shall terminate upon consummation of any Business Combination. |
24.2 | The Company has until 12 months from the closing of the IPO to consummate a Business Combination, provided however that if the Board of Directors anticipates that the Company may not be able to consummate a Business Combination within 12 months of the closing of the IPO, the Company may, by Resolution of Directors, at the request of the Initial Shareholders, extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 18 months to complete a Business Combination), subject to the Initial Shareholders depositing additional funds into the Trust Account in accordance with terms as set out in the Trust Agreement and referred to in the Registration Statement. In the event that the Company does not consummate a Business Combination within 12 months from the closing of the IPO or within up to 18 months from the closing of the IPO (subject in the latter case to valid three months extensions having been made in each case (such date falling 12 months or up to 18 months, as applicable, after the closing of the IPO being referred to as the Termination Date), such failure shall trigger an automatic redemption of the Public Shares (an Automatic Redemption Event) and the Directors of the Company shall take all such action necessary (i) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten (10) Business Days thereafter to redeem the Public Shares in cash at a per-share amount equal to the applicable Per-Share Redemption Price; and (ii) as promptly as practicable, to cease all operations except for the purpose of making such distribution and any subsequent winding up of the Company's affairs. In the event of an Automatic Redemption Event, only the holders of Public Shares shall be entitled to receive pro rata redeeming distributions from the Trust Account with respect to their Public Shares. |
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24.3 | Unless a shareholder vote is required by law or the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, or, at the sole discretion of the Directors, the Directors determine to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, the Company may enter into a Business Combination without submitting such Business Combination to its Members for approval. |
24.4 | Although not required, in the event that a shareholder vote is held, and a majority of the votes of the Shares entitled to vote thereon which were present at the meeting to approve the Business Combination are voted for the approval of such Business Combination, the Company shall be authorised to consummate the Business Combination. |
24.5 |
(a) | In the event that a Business Combination is consummated by the Company other than in connection with a shareholder vote under Regulation 24.4, the Company will, subject to as provided below, offer to redeem the Public Shares for cash in accordance with Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act and subject to any limitations (including but not limited to cash requirements) set forth in the definitive transaction agreements related to the initial Business Combination (the Tender Redemption Offer), provided however that the Company shall not redeem those Shares held by the Initial Shareholders or their affiliates pursuant to such Tender Redemption Offer, whether or not such holders accept such Tender Redemption Offer. The Company will file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to consummating the Business Combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the Business Combination and the redemption rights as would be required in a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act. In accordance with the Exchange Act, the Tender Redemption Offer will remain open for a minimum of 20 Business Days and the Company will not be permitted to consummate its Business Combination until the expiry of such period. If in the event a Member holding Public Shares accepts the Tender Redemption Offer and the Company has not otherwise withdrawn the tender offer, the Company shall, promptly after the consummation of the Business Combination, pay such redeeming Member, on a pro rata basis, cash equal to the applicable Per-Share Redemption Price. |
34 |
(b) | In the event that a Business Combination is consummated by the Company in connection with a shareholder vote held pursuant to Regulation 24.4 in accordance with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act (the Redemption Offer), the Company will, subject as provided below, offer to redeem the Public Shares, other than those Shares held by the Initial Shareholders or their affiliates, regardless of whether such shares are voted for or against the Business Combination, for cash, on a pro rata basis, at a per-share amount equal to the applicable Per-Share Redemption Price, provided however that: (i) the Company shall not redeem those Shares held by the Initial Shareholders or their affiliates pursuant to such Redemption Offer, whether or not such holders accept such Redemption Offer; and (ii) any other redeeming Member who either individually or together with any affiliate of his or any other person with whom he is acting in concert or as a "group" (as such term is defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act) shall not be permitted to redeem, without the consent of the Directors, more than fifteen percent (15%) of the total Public Shares sold in the IPO. |
(c) | In no event will the Company consummate the Tender Redemption Offer or the Redemption Offer under Regulation 24.5(a) or 24.5(b) or an Amendment Redemption Event under Regulation 24.11 if such redemptions would cause the Company to have net tangible assets of less than US$5,000,001 prior to or upon consummation of a Business Combination. |
24.6 | A holder of Public Shares shall be entitled to receive distributions from the Trust Account only in the event of an Automatic Redemption Event, an Amendment Redemption Event or in the event he accepts a Tender Redemption Offer or a Redemption Offer where the Business Combination is consummated. In no other circumstances shall a holder of Public Shares have any right or interest of any kind in or to the Trust Account. |
24.7 | Following the IPO, the Company will not issue any Securities (other than Public Shares) prior to a Business Combination that would entitle the holder thereof to (i) receive funds from the Trust Account; or (ii) vote on any Business Combination. |
24.8 | In the event the Company seeks to complete a Business Combination with a company that is affiliated with an Initial Shareholder, the Company will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or independent accounting firm that such a Business Combination is fair to the Company from a financial point of view. |
35 |
24.9 | The Company will not effectuate a Business Combination with another "blank cheque" company or a similar company with nominal operations. |
24.10 | Immediately after the Company's IPO, that amount of the net proceeds received by the Company from the IPO (including proceeds of any exercise of the underwriter's over-allotment option) and from the simultaneous private placement by the Company as is stated in the Company's registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC (such registration statement at the time it initially goes effective, the Registration Statement) to be deposited in the Trust Account shall be so deposited and thereafter held in the Trust Account until released in the event of a Business Combination or otherwise in accordance with this Regulation 24. Neither the Company nor any officer, Director or employee of the Company will disburse any of the proceeds held in the Trust Account until the earlier of (i) a Business Combination, or (ii) an Automatic Redemption Event or in payment of the acquisition price for any shares which the Company elects to purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire in accordance with this Regulation 24, in each case in accordance with the trust agreement governing the Trust Account; provided that interest earned on the Trust Account (as described in the Registration Statement) may be released from time to time to the Company to pay the Company’s tax obligations and up to US$ 50,000 of such interest may also be released from the Trust Account to pay any liquidation expenses of the Company if applicable. |
24.11 | In the event the Directors of the Company propose any amendment to Regulation 24 or to any of the other rights of the Ordinary Shares as set out at Clause 6.1 of the Memorandum prior to, but not for the purposes of approving or in conjunction with the consummation of, a Business Combination that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligations as described in this Regulation 24 to pay or to offer to pay the Per-Share Redemption Price to any holder of the Public Shares (an Amendment) and such Amendment is (i) duly approved by a Resolution of Members; and (ii) the amended Memorandum and Articles reflecting such amendment are to be filed at the Registry of Corporate Affairs (an Approved Amendment), the Company will offer to redeem the Public Shares of any Member for cash, on a pro rata basis, at a per-share amount equal to the applicable Per-Share Redemption Price (an Amendment Redemption Event), provided however that the Company shall not redeem those Shares held by the Initial Shareholders or their affiliates pursuant to such offer, whether or not such holders accept such offer. |
25 | Business Opportunities |
25.1 | In recognition and anticipation of the facts that: (a) directors, managers, officers, members, partners, managing members, employees and/or agents of one or more members of the Sponsor Group (each of the foregoing, a Sponsor Group Related Person) may serve as directors and/or officers of the Company; and (b) the Sponsor Group engages, and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Company, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Company, directly or indirectly, may engage, the provisions under this heading “Business Opportunities” are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Company as they may involve the Members and the Sponsor Group Related Persons, and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Company and its officers, directors and Members in connection therewith. |
36 |
25.2 | To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the directors and officers of the Company shall have no duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, and subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Applicable Law, the Company renounces any interest or expectancy of the Company in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity offered to any director and officer of the Company, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other, unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such director or officer of the Company solely in their capacity as an Officer or director of the Company and the opportunity is one the Company is permitted to complete on a reasonable basis. |
25.3 | Except as provided elsewhere in the Articles, the Company hereby renounces any interest or expectancy of the Company in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for both the Company and the Sponsor Group, about which a director and/or officer of the Company who is also an Sponsor Group Related Person acquires knowledge. |
25.4 | To the extent a court might hold that the conduct of any activity related to a corporate opportunity that is renounced in this Article to be a breach of duty to the Company or its Members, the Company hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, any and all claims and causes of action that the Company may have for such activities. To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the provisions of this Article apply equally to activities conducted in the future and that have been conducted in the past. |
37 |
We, Ogier Global (BVI) Limited of Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, PO Box 3170, Road Town, Tortola VG1110, British Virgin Islands, for the purpose of incorporating a BVI business company under the laws of the British Virgin Islands hereby sign these Articles of Association.
Dated 29 April 2021
Incorporator
Signed for and on behalf of Ogier Global (BVI) Limited of Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, PO Box 3170, Road Town, Tortola VG1110, British Virgin Islands
|
||
Signature of authorised signatory | ||
Print name | ||
38 |
Exhibit 4.1
NUMBER
U-_______________________
|
|
UNITS | |||
SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS | A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP. | ||||
CUSIP
UNITS CONSISTING OF ONE CLASS A ORDINARY SHARE, THREE-FOURTHS OF ONE REDEEMABLE WARRANT TO RECEIVE ONE CLASS A ORDINARY SHARE AND
ONE RIGHT TO RECEIVE ONE-TENTH OF ONE CLASS A ORDINARY SHARE
THIS CERTIFIES THAT ______________________________________________________________________________________________
is the owner of ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Units.
Each Unit (“Unit”) consists of one Class A ordinary share, no par value, of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands company (the “Company”), three-fourths (3/4) of one redeemable warrant (“Warrant”) to receive one Class A ordinary share and one right (“Right”) to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share. Each redeemable Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase three-fourths (3/4) of one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per full share (subject to adjustment), upon the later to occur of (i) 30 days after the Company’s completion of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (a “Business Combination”) or (ii) 12 months from the effective date of the registration statement with respect to the Company’s initial public offering. Every twenty Rights entitles the holder thereof to receive one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination. The Class A ordinary shares, Warrants and Rights comprising the Units represented by this certificate are not transferable separately prior to the ninetieth(90th) day after the date of the prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering, unless Chardan Capital Markets, LLC (“Chardan”) determines that an earlier date is acceptable, but in no event will the Class A ordinary shares, Warrants and Rights be traded separately until the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a current report on Form 8-K which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting the receipt by the Company of the gross proceeds from its initial public offering including the proceeds received by the Company from the exercise of the over-allotment option thereto, if the over-allotment option is exercised. If Chardan allows separate trading of the Class A ordinary shares, Warrants and Rights prior to the 90th day after the date of the prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering, the Company will issue a press release and file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC announcing when such separate trading shall begin.
The terms of the Warrants and the Rights are governed by a warrant agreement (the “Warrant Agreement”), dated as of [·], 2022, and a rights agreement (the “Rights Agreement”), dated as of [·], 2022, respectively, both between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust, as the warrant agent and the 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. Copies of the Warrant Agreement and the Rights Agreement are on file at the office of Continental Stock Transfer & Trust at 1 State Street, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10004 and are available to any Warrant holder or Rights holder on written request and without cost.
This certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer Agent and Registrar of the Company.
Each Unit may be mandatorily split by the Company in connection with the closing of a Business Combination.
Witness the facsimile seal of the Company and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers.
This Unit Certificate shall be governed and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof.
[Seal]
By | ||
Director | Chief Financial Officer |
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
The Company will furnish without charge to each shareholder who so requests, a statement of the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of shares or series thereof of the Company and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN COM – | as tenants in common | UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - | Custodian | |||
TEN ENT – | as tenants by the entireties | (Cust) | (Minor) | |||
JT TEN – | as joint tenants with right of survivorship | under Uniform Gifts to Minors | ||||
and not as tenants in common | Act | |||||
(State) |
Additional Abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.
For value received, ___________________________ hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto
PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER | ||
IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE(S) | ||
(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE(S))
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 will 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 of this certificate shall be entitled to receive funds with respect to the underlying Class A ordinary shares from the trust fund only in the event of the Company’s liquidation upon failure to consummate a business combination or if the holder seeks to convert his or her respective Class A ordinary shares underlying the unit upon consummation of such business combination or in connection with certain amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association. In no other circumstances shall the holder have any right or interest of any kind in or to the trust fund.
Exhibit 4.2
SPECIMEN ORDINARY SHARE CERTIFICATE
CERTIFICATE NUMBER | SHARES _________ |
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
CLASS A ORDINARY SHARE
SEE REVERSE FOR
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
THIS CERTIFIES THAT | CUSIP: |
IS THE OWNER OF
FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES OF NO PAR VALUE
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
transferable on the books of the Company in person
or by duly authorized
attorney upon surrender of this certificate properly endorsed. This certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer Agent
and registered by the Registrar. Witness the seal of
the Company and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers.
Dated:
|
|
Director | Chief Financial Officer |
A
SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
CORPORATE
SEAL 2022
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
2
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
The Company will furnish without charge to each shareholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of share or series thereof of the Company and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. This certificate and the Class A Ordinary Shares represented thereby are issued and shall be held subject to all the provisions of the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association and all amendments thereto and resolutions of the Board of Directors providing for the issuance of Class A Ordinary Shares (copies of which may be obtained from the secretary of the Company), to all of which the holder of this certificate by acceptance hereof assents.
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN COM - as tenants in common
TEN ENT - as tenants by the entireties
JT TEN - as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common
UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - | Custodian | ||||
(Cust) | (Minor) | ||||
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)
3
shares |
of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
Attorney |
to transfer the said share on the books of the within named Corporation will full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated | ||||
NOTICE: | The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever. |
Signature(s) Guaranteed:
THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15). |
The holder of this certificate shall be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only in the event of (i) the liquidation of the trust account upon a failure to consummate a business combination, as described in the prospectus covering the securities or (ii) if the holder seeks to convert his respective shares or sells them to the Company in a tender offer, in each case in connection with (1) the consummation of a business combination or (2) in connection with an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association prior to the consummation of a business combination. In no other circumstances shall the holder have any right or interest of any kind in or to the trust account. |
4
Exhibit 4.3
NUMBER [•] |
RIGHTS |
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
RIGHT
SEE REVERSE FOR
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
CUSIP [•]
THIS CERTIFIES THAT, for value received
is the registered holder of a right or rights (each, a “Right”) to automatically receive one-tenth of one Class A ordinary share, no par value (“Ordinary Share”), of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) for each Right evidenced by this Rights Certificate on the Company’s completion of an initial business combination (as defined in the prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering (“Prospectus”)) upon surrender of this Right Certificate pursuant to the Rights Agreement between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent. In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle any Right.
Upon liquidation of the Company in the event an initial business combination is not consummated during the required period as identified in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Right shall expire and be worthless. The holder of a Right shall have no right or interest of any kind in the Company’s trust account (as defined in the Prospectus).
Upon due presentment for registration of transfer of the Right Certificate at the office or agency of the Rights Agent, a new Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Rights shall be issued to the transferee in exchange for this Right Certificate, without charge except for any applicable tax or other governmental charge. The Company shall not issue fractional shares upon exchange of Rights. The Company reserves the right to deal with any fractional entitlement at the relevant time in any manner (as provided in the Rights Agreement).
The Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the registered holder as the absolute owner of this Right Certificate (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone), for the purpose of any conversion hereof, of any distribution to the registered holder, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
This Right does not entitle the registered holder to any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company.
Dated:
DIRECTOR | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER |
_____________________________________________
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN COM – as tenants in common | UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - | Custodian | ||||
TEN ENT – as tenants by the entireties | (Cust) | (Minor) | ||||
JT TEN – as joint tenants with right of survivorship | under Uniform Gifts to Minors | |||||
and not as tenants in common | Act | |||||
(State) | ||||||
Additional Abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
The Company will furnish without charge to each shareholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of shares or series thereof of the Company and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. This certificate and the rights represented thereby are issued and shall be held subject to all the provisions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association and all amendments thereto and resolutions of the Board of Directors providing for the issue of Ordinary Shares (copies of which may be obtained from the secretary of the Company), to all of which the holder of this certificate by acceptance hereof assents.
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)
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 of this certificate shall have no right or interest of any kind in or to the funds held in the Company’s trust account (as defined in the Prospectus).
Exhibit 4.4
SPECIMEN WARRANT CERTIFICATE
NUMBER | [ ] WARRANTS | |
(THIS WARRANT WILL BE VOID IF NOT EXERCISED PRIOR TO 5:00 P.M.
NEW YORK CITY TIME, FIVE YEARS FROM THE CLOSING DATE OF THE COMPANY’S INITIAL
BUSINESS COMBINATION)
A SPAC I GROUP ACQUISITION CORP.
CUSIP [•]
WARRANT
THIS WARRANT CERTIFIES THAT, for value received , or registered agents, is the registered holder of a Warrant or Warrants (the “Warrant”), expiring on a date which is five (5) years from the completion of the Company’s initial business combination, to purchase three-fourths (3/4) of one fully paid and non-assessable Class A ordinary share (the “Warrant Shares”), no par value, of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands company (the “Company”), for each Warrant evidenced by this Warrant Certificate. This Warrant Certificate is subject to and shall be interpreted under the terms and conditions of the Warrant Agreement (as defined below).
The Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase from the Company, from time to time, in whole or in part, commencing on the later to occur of (i) the completion of the Company’s initial business combination or (ii) twelve (12) months following the effective date of the registration statement with respect to the Company’s initial public offering, a number of Warrant Shares initially at the price of $11.50 per full share (the “Warrant Price”), upon surrender of this Warrant Certificate and payment of the Warrant Price at the office or agency of Continental Stock Transfer & Trust (the “Warrant Agent”), such payment to be made subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the Warrant Agreement, dated [·], 2022, between the Company and the Warrant Agent (the “Warrant Agreement”). In no event shall the registered holder(s) of this Warrant be entitled to receive a net-cash settlement in lieu of physical settlement in Warrant Shares of the Company. The Warrant Agreement provides that, upon the occurrence of certain events, the Warrant Price and the number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder, set forth on the face hereof, may be adjusted, subject to certain conditions. The term “Warrant Price” as used in this Warrant Certificate refers to the price per full Warrant Share at which Warrant Shares may be purchased at the time the Warrant is exercised. The Warrant Agreement provides that upon the occurrence of certain events the Warrant Price, the Redemption Trigger Price (as defined below), and the number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder, set forth on the face hereof, may, subject to certain conditions, be adjusted.
This Warrant will expire on the date first referenced above if it is not exercised prior to such date by the registered holder pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agreement or if it is not redeemed by the Company prior to such date.
Upon any exercise of the Warrant for less than the total number of full Warrant Shares provided for herein, there shall be issued to the registered holder(s) hereof or its assignee(s) a new Warrant Certificate covering the number of Warrant Shares for which the Warrant has not been exercised.
Warrant Certificates, when surrendered at the office or agency of the Warrant Agent by the registered holder(s) hereof in person or by attorney duly authorized in writing, may be exchanged in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement, but without payment of any service charge, for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates of like tenor and evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Warrants.
Upon due presentment for registration of transfer of the Warrant Certificate at the office or agency of the Warrant Agent, a new Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates of like tenor and evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Warrants shall be issued to the transferee(s) in exchange for this Warrant Certificate, subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement, without charge except for any applicable tax or other governmental charge.
The Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the registered holder(s) as the absolute owner(s) of this Warrant Certificate (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone) for the purpose of any exercise hereof, of any distribution to the registered holder(s), and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
This Warrant does not entitle the registered holder(s) to any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company.
After the Warrant becomes exercisable and prior to its expiration date, the Company reserves the right to call the Warrant at any time, with a notice of call in writing to the holder(s) of record of the Warrant, giving thirty (30) days’ written notice of such call if the last reported sale price of the shares has been equal to or greater than $16.50 per share (the “Redemption Trigger Price”) for any twenty (20) trading days within a thirty (30) trading day period ending on the third (3rd) trading day prior to the date on which notice of such call is given, provided that (i) a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”) with respect to the Class A ordinary shares underlying the Warrants issuable upon exercise must be effective and a current prospectus must be available for use by the registered holders hereof or (ii) the Warrants may be exercised on cashless basis as set forth in the Warrant Agreement and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Act. The call price is $0.01 per Warrant Share.
If the foregoing conditions are satisfied and the Company calls the Warrant for redemption, each holder will then be entitled to exercise his, her or its Warrant prior to the date scheduled for redemption; provided that the Company may require the Registered Holder who desires to exercise the Warrant, to elect cashless exercise as set forth in the Warrant Agreement, and such Registered Holder must exercise the Warrants on a cashless basis if the Company so requires. Any Warrant either not exercised or tendered back to the Company by the end of the date specified in the notice of call shall be canceled on the books of the Company and have no further value except for the $0.01 call price.
COUNTERSIGNED:
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST
WARRANT AGENT
BY:________________________________
AUTHORIZED OFFICER
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DATED:_____________________________
(Signature)
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
(Seal)
(Signature)
SECRETARY
[REVERSE OF CERTIFICATE]
SUBSCRIPTION FORM
To Be Executed by the Registered Holder(s) in Order to Exercise Warrants
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by this Warrant Certificate, to receive Class A ordinary shares in accordance with the terms of this Warrant Certificate and pursuant to the method selected below. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined have the respective meanings set forth in the Warrant Certificate. PLEASE CHECK ONE METHOD OF PAYMENT:
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a “Cash Exercise” with respect to Warrant Shares; and/or | |||
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a “Cashless Exercise” with respect to Warrant Shares because on the date of this exercise, there is no effective registration statement registering the Warrant Shares, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the resale of the Warrant Shares, in which event the Company shall deliver to the registered holder(s) Class A ordinary shares pursuant to Section 3.3.2 of the Warrant Agreement. |
The undersigned requests that a certificate for such shares be registered in the name(s) of:
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(PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT NAME(S) AND ADDRESS) |
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(SOCIAL SECURITY OR TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S)) |
and be delivered to |
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(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME(S) AND ADDRESS) |
and, if such number of Warrants shall not be all the Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate, that a new Warrant Certificate for the balance of such Warrants be registered in the name of, and delivered to, the registered holder(s) at the address(es) stated below:
Dated:
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(SIGNATURE(S)) |
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(ADDRESS(ES)) |
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(TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S)) |
ASSIGNMENT
To Be Executed by the Registered Holder in Order to Assign Warrants
For Value Received, hereby sell(s), assign(s), and transfer(s) unto
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(PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)) | ||
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(SOCIAL SECURITY OR TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S))
and to be delivered to |
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(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)) | ||||
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(SOCIAL SECURITY OR TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S))
of the Warrants represented by this Warrant Certificate, and hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney to transfer this Warrant Certificate on the books of the Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated:
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(SIGNATURE(S)) |
NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.
Signature(s) Guaranteed:
By |
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THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15).
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Exhibit 4.5
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of [ ], 2022 between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands business company, with offices at Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 2, 10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983 (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation, with offices at 1 State Street, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10004 (the “Rights Agent”).
WHEREAS, the Company has received a firm commitment from Chardan Capital Markets, LLC (“Chardan”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 6,000,000 units, each unit (“Unit”) comprised of one class A ordinary share of the Company, no par value (the “Ordinary Shares”), three-quarters of one warrant (the “Public Warrants”) and one right to receive one-tenth of one Ordinary Share (a “Public Right”) upon the happening of the triggering event described herein, and in connection therewith, will issue and deliver up to an aggregate of 6,900,000 Public Rights upon consummation of such public offering, 900,000 of which are attributable to the over-allotment option (“Public Offering”);
WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a Registration Statement on Form S-1, File No. 333- 258184 (“Registration Statement”), for the registration, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Act”) of, among other securities, the Public Rights and the Ordinary Shares issuable to the holders of the Public Rights;
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Rights Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Rights Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer and exchange of the Rights;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the form and provisions of the Rights, the terms upon which they shall be issued, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Rights Agent, and the holders of the Rights; and
WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Rights, when executed on behalf of the Company and countersigned by or on behalf of the Rights Agent, as provided herein, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company for the Rights, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
2. Rights.
2.1 Form of Right. Each Right shall be issued in registered or book entry form, as requested by the Company or the holder of a Right. Any Rights issued in registered form shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein and shall be signed by, or bear the facsimile signature of, the Chairman of the Board or Chief Financial Officer and shall bear a facsimile of the Company’s seal, if any. In the event the person whose facsimile signature has been placed upon any Right shall have ceased to serve in the capacity in which such person signed the Right before such Right is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he or she had not ceased to be such at the date of issuance.
2.2 Effect of Countersignature. Unless and until countersigned by the Rights Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a registered Right shall be invalid and of no effect and may not be exchanged for Ordinary Shares.
2.3 Registration.
2.3.1 Right Register. The Rights Agent shall maintain books (“Right Register”) for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Rights. Upon the initial issuance of the Rights, the Rights Agent shall issue and register the Rights in the names of the respective holders thereof in such denominations and otherwise in accordance with instructions delivered to the Rights Agent by the Company.
2.3.2 Registered Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Right, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name such Right shall be registered upon the Right Register (“registered holder”) as the absolute owner of such Right and of each Right represented thereby (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing on the Right Certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent), for the purpose of the exchange thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
2.4 Detachability of Rights. The securities comprising the Units, including the Rights, will not be separately transferable until the ninetiteth (90th) business day after the date hereof unless Chardan informs the Company and the Rights Agent of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, but in no event will separate trading of the securities comprising the Units begin until (i) the Company files a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting the receipt by the Company of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering including the proceeds received by the Company from the exercise of the over-allotment option, if the over-allotment option is exercised on the date hereof, and (ii) the Company files a Current Report on Form 8-K announcing when such separate trading shall begin.
3. Terms and Exchange of Rights.
3.1 Rights. Each Right shall entitle the holder thereof to receive one-twentieth of one Ordinary Share upon the happening of the Exchange Event (described below). No additional consideration shall be paid by a holder of Rights in order to receive his, her or its Ordinary Shares upon the Exchange Event as the purchase price for such Ordinary Shares has been included in the purchase price for the Units. In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the Rights or issue fractional Ordinary Shares. The provisions of this Section 3.1 may not be modified, amended or deleted without the prior written consent of Chardan.
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3.2 Exchange Event. The Exchange Event shall be the Company’s consummation of an initial Business Combination (as defined in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association).
3.3 Exchange of Rights.
3.3.1 Issuance of Certificates. As soon as practicable upon the occurrence of the Exchange Event, the Company shall direct holders of the Rights to return their Rights Certificates to the Rights Agent. If the Company is not the surviving entity in a Business Combination, the holder of Rights must affirmatively elect to such conversion. Upon receipt of a valid Rights Certificate, the Rights Agent shall issue to the registered holder of such Right(s) a certificate or certificates for the number of full Ordinary Shares to which he, she or it is entitled, registered in such name or names as may be directed by him, her or it. Notwithstanding the foregoing, or any provision contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the Rights. The Company shall not issue fractional shares upon exchange of Rights. At the time of the Exchange Event, the Company will instruct the Rights Agent to round down to the nearest whole Ordinary Share or otherwise inform it how fractional shares will be addressed in accordance with British Virgin Islands law.
3.3.2 Valid Issuance. All Ordinary Shares issued upon an Exchange Event in conformity with this Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
3.3.3 Date of Issuance. Each person in whose name any such certificate for Ordinary Shares is issued shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such shares on the date of the Exchange Event, irrespective of the date of delivery of such certificate.
3.3.4 Company Not Surviving Following Exchange Event. If the Exchange Event results in the Company not continuing as a publicly held reporting entity, the definitive agreement will provide for the holders of Rights to receive the same per share consideration as the holders of the Ordinary Shares will receive in with the Exchange Event, for the number of shares such holder is entitled to pursuant to Section 3.1 above.
3.4 Duration of Rights. If an Exchange Event does not occur within the time period set forth in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, as the same may be amended from time to time, the Rights shall expire and shall be worthless.
4. Transfer and Exchange of Rights.
4.1 Registration of Transfer. The Rights Agent shall register the transfer, from time to time, of any outstanding Right upon the Right Register, upon surrender of such Right for transfer, properly endorsed with signatures properly guaranteed and accompanied by appropriate instructions for transfer. Upon any such transfer, a new Right representing an equal aggregate number of Rights shall be issued and the old Right shall be cancelled by the Rights Agent. The Rights so canceled shall be delivered by the Rights Agent to the Company from time to time upon request.
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4.2 Procedure for Surrender of Rights. Rights may be surrendered to the Rights Agent, together with a written request for exchange or transfer, and thereupon the Rights Agent shall issue in exchange therefor one or more new Rights as requested by the registered holder of the Rights so surrendered, representing an equal aggregate number of Rights; provided, however, that in the event that a Right surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Rights Agent shall not cancel such Right and issue new Rights in exchange therefor until the Rights Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the new Rights must also bear a restrictive legend.
4.3 Fractional Rights. The Rights Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the issuance of a Right Certificate for a fraction of a Right.
4.4 Service Charges. There shall be a reasonable service charge paid to the Rights Agent for any exchange or registration of transfer of Rights.
4.5 Right Execution and Countersignature. The Rights Agent is hereby authorized to countersign and to deliver, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Rights required to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 4, and the Company, whenever required by the Rights Agent, will supply the Rights Agent with Rights duly executed on behalf of the Company for such purpose.
5. Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Rights.
5.1 No Rights as Shareholder. Until exchange of a Right for Ordinary Shares as provided for herein, a Right does not entitle the registered holder thereof to any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to receive dividends, or other distributions, exercise any preemptive rights to vote or to consent or to receive notice as shareholders in respect of the meetings of shareholders or the election of directors of the Company or any other matter.
5.2 Lost, Stolen, Mutilated, or Destroyed Rights. If any Right is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed, the Company and the Rights Agent may on such terms as to indemnity or otherwise as they may in their discretion impose (which shall, in the case of a mutilated Right, include the surrender thereof), issue a new Right of like denomination, tenor, and date as the Right so lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed. Any such new Right shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the allegedly lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed Right shall be at any time enforceable by anyone.
5.3 Reservation of Ordinary Shares. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exchange of all outstanding Rights issued pursuant to this Agreement.
6. Concerning the Rights Agent and Other Matters.
6.1 Payment of Taxes. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Rights Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of Ordinary Shares upon the exchange of Rights, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Rights or such shares.
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6.2 Resignation, Consolidation, or Merger of Rights Agent.
6.2.1 Appointment of Successor Rights Agent. The Rights Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving sixty (60) days’ notice in writing to the Company. If the office of the Right Agent becomes vacant by resignation or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Rights Agent in place of the RightsAgent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Rights Agent or by the holder of the Right (who shall, with such notice, submit his, her or its Right for inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Right may apply to the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York for the appointment of a successor Rights Agent at the Company’s cost. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, in good standing and having its principal office in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Rights Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Rights Agent with like effect as if originally named as Rights Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed; but if for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate, the predecessor Rights Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Rights Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Rights Agent hereunder; and upon request of any successor Rights Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Rights Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.
6.2.2 Notice of Successor Rights Agent. In the event a successor Rights Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Rights Agent and the transfer agent for the Ordinary Shares not later than the effective date of any such appointment.
6.2.3 Merger or Consolidation of Rights Agent. Any corporation into which the Right Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent shall be a party shall be the successor Rights Agent under this Agreement without any further act.
6.3 Fees and Expenses of Rights Agent.
6.3.1 Remuneration. The Company agrees to pay the Rights Agent reasonable remuneration for its services as such Rights Agent hereunder and will reimburse the Rightst Agent upon demand for all expenditures that the Rights Agent may reasonably incur in the execution of its duties hereunder.
6.3.2 Further Assurances. The Company agrees to perform, execute, acknowledge, and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged, and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments, and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing of the provisions of this Agreement.
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6.4 Liability of Rights Agent.
6.4.1 Reliance on Company Statement. Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer and delivered to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent may rely upon such statement for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
6.4.2 Indemnity. The RightsAgent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. The Company agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent and save it harmless against any and all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in the execution of this Agreement except as a result of the Rights Agent’s gross negligence, willful misconduct, or bad faith.
6.4.3 Exclusions. The Rights Agent shall have no responsibility with respect to the validity of this Agreement or with respect to the validity or execution of any Right (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right; nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right or as to whether any Ordinary Shares will, when issued, be valid and fully paid and nonassessable.
6.5 Acceptance of Agency. The RightsAgent hereby accepts the agency established by this Agreement and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions herein set forth.
6.6 Waiver. TheRights Agent hereby waives any right of set-off or any other right, title, interest or claim of any kind (“Claim”) in, or to any distribution of, the Trust Account (as defined in that certain Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Company and the Rights Agent as trustee thereunder) and hereby agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction for any Claim against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
7. Miscellaneous Provisions.
7.1 Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.
7.2 Notices. Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Rights Agent), as follows:
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A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard
Singapore 018983
Attn: Claudius Tsang
Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the holder of any Right or by the Company to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Rights Agent with the Company), as follows:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attn: George Dalton
and
Loeb & Loeb LLP
35 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
Attn: Giovanni Caruso, Esq.
and
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
17 State Street
21st Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: George Kaufman
and
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, New York 10005
Attn: Lou Taubman
7.3 Applicable Law. The validity, interpretation, and performance of this Agreement and of the Rights shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company 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 7.2 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim.
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7.4 Persons Having Rights under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto and the registered holders of the Rights and, for the purposes of Sections 3.1, 7.4 and 7.8 hereof, Chardan, any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof. Chardan shall be deemed to be a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement with respect to Sections 3.1, 7.4 and 7.8 hereof. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises, and agreements contained in this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto (and Chardan with respect to Sections 3.1, 7.4 and 7.8 hereof) and their successors and assigns and of the registered holders of the Rights.
7.5 Examination of this Agreement. A copy of this Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Rights Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, State of New York, for inspection by the registered holder of any Right. The Rights Agent may require any such holder to submit his, her or its Right for inspection by it.
7.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
7.7 Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.
7.8 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto without the consent of any registered holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or of curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the registered holders in any material respect. All other modifications or amendments shall require the written consent or vote of the registered holders of a majority of the then outstanding Rights. The provisions of this Section 7.8 may not be modified, amended or deleted without the prior written consent of Chardan.
7.9 Severability. This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be valid and enforceable.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first above written.
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: Claudius Tsang | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer | ||
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Rights Agreement between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company]
EXHIBIT A
Form of Right
Exhibit 4.6
WARRANT AGREEMENT
THIS WARRANT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [●], 2022, is by and between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands company (the “Company”), and [l], a [l] corporation, as warrant agent (the “Warrant Agent”, also referred to herein as the “Transfer Agent”).
WHEREAS, the Company is engaged in an initial public offering (the “Public Offering”) of up to 6,000,000 units (including up to 900,000 units subject to the Over-allotment Option (as defined below)) (“Public Units”), each Public Unit comprised of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, no par value per share (“Ordinary Share”), three-fourths (3/4) of one warrant, where each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per whole share, subject to adjustment as described herein, and one right to receive one-tenth(1/10) of one Class A ordinary share, and in connection therewith, will issue and deliver up to 5,175,000 warrants (including up to 675,000 warrants subject to the Over-allotment Option) (the “Public Warrants”) to the public investors in connection with the Public Offering; and
WHEREAS, the Company has received binding commitments from A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. (the “Sponsor”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 2,875,000 private warrants (or up to 3,100,000 private warrants if the overallotment is exercised in full) (the “Private Warrants”) bearing the legend set forth in Exhibit B hereto, in a private placement transaction to occur simultaneously with the consummation of the Public Offering; and
WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-258184 (the “Registration Statement”) and prospectus (the “Prospectus”), for the registration, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the Units, the Public Warrants and the Ordinary Shares included in the Units; and
WHEREAS, the Company may issue up to an additional 1,150,000 warrants (the “Working Capital Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Working Capital Warrant, in satisfaction of certain working capital loans made by the Company’s officers, directors, initial stockholders and their affiliates; and
WHEREAS, following consummation of the Public Offering, the Company may issue additional warrants (“Post IPO Warrants” and together with the Public Warrants, Private Warrants, and Working Capital Warrants, the “Warrants”) in connection with, or following the consummation by the Company of, a Business Combination (defined below); and
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange, redemption and exercise of the Warrants; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the form and provisions of the Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants; and
WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Warrants, when executed on behalf of the Company and countersigned by or on behalf of the Warrant Agent, as provided herein, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company for the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
2. Warrants.
2.1. Form of Warrant. Each Warrant shall be issued in registered form only, shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein and shall be signed by, or bear the facsimile signature of, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer, Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company and shall bear a facsimile of the Company’s seal. In the event the person whose facsimile signature has been placed upon any Warrant shall have ceased to serve in the capacity in which such person signed the Warrant before such Warrant is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he or she had not ceased to be such at the date of issuance.
2.2. Uncertificated Warrants. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Warrant, or portion thereof, may be issued as part of, and be represented by, a Unit, and any Warrant may be issued in uncertificated or book-entry form through the Warrant Agent and/or the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (the “DTC”) or other book-entry depositary system, in each case as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company or by an authorized committee thereof. Any Warrant so issued shall have the same terms, force and effect as a certificated Warrant that has been duly countersigned by the Warrant Agent in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
2.3. Effect of Countersignature. Except with respect to uncertificated Warrants as described above, unless and until countersigned by the Warrant Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Warrant shall be invalid and of no effect and may not be exercised by the holder thereof.
2.4. Registration.
2.4.1. Warrant Register. The Warrant Agent shall maintain books (“Warrant Register”) for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Warrants. Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants, the Warrant Agent shall issue and register the Warrants in the names of the respective holders thereof in such denominations and otherwise in accordance with instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company.
2.4.2. Registered Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name such Warrant is then registered in the Warrant Register (“Registered Holder”) as the absolute owner of such Warrant and of each Warrant represented thereby (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing on the Warrant certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Warrant Agent), for the purpose of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
2.5. Detachability of Warrants. The Ordinary Shares and Public Warrants comprising the Units shall begin separate trading on the 90th day following the date of the Prospectus or, if such 90th day is not on a day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday, on which banks in New York City are generally open for normal business (a “Business Day”), then on the immediately succeeding Business Day following such date, or earlier (the “Detachment Date”) with the consent of Chardan Capital Markets, LLC, as representative of the several underwriters (the “Representative”), but in no event shall the Ordinary Shares and the Public Warrants comprising the Units be separately traded until (A) the Company has filed a current report on Form 8-K with the Commission containing an audited balance sheet reflecting the receipt by the Company of the gross proceeds of the Offering, including the proceeds received by the Company from the exercise by the underwriters of their right to purchase additional Units in the Offering (the “Over-Allotment Option”), if the Over-Allotment Option is exercised prior to the filing of the Form 8-K, and (B) the Company files with the Commission a current report on Form 8-K announcing when such separate trading shall begin.
2.6. Private Warrant and Working Capital Warrant Attributes. The Private Warrants and Working Capital Warrants (i) will be exercisable either for cash or on a cashless basis at the holder’s option pursuant to Section 3.3.1(c) hereof and (ii) will not be redeemable by the Company.
2.7. Post IPO Warrants. The Post IPO Warrants, when and if issued, shall have the same terms and be in the same form as the Public Warrants except as may be agreed upon by the Company.
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3. Terms and Exercise of Warrants
3.1. Warrant Price. Each whole Warrant shall entitle the Registered Holder thereof, subject to the provisions of such Warrant and of this Agreement, to purchase from the Company the number of Ordinary Shares stated therein, at the price of $11.50 per whole share, subject to the adjustments provided in Section 4 hereof and in the last sentence of this Section 3.1. The term “Warrant Price” as used in this Agreement shall mean the price per share at which Ordinary Shares may be purchased at the time a Warrant is exercised. The Company in its sole discretion may lower the Warrant Price at any time prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below) for a period of not less than twenty (20) Business Days; provided, that the Company shall provide at least five (5) days’ prior written notice of such reduction to Registered Holders of the Warrants; and provided further, that any such reduction shall be identical among all of the Warrants.
3.2. Duration of Warrants. A Warrant may be exercised only during the period commencing on the later of (a) twelve (12) months from the date of the final prospectus included with the Registration Statement and (b) the consummation by the Company of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (“Business Combination”) (as described more fully in the Registration Statement), and terminating at 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the earlier to occur of (i) five years from the consummation of a Business Combination, (ii) the Redemption Date as provided in Section 6.2 of this Agreement and (iii) the liquidation of the Company (“Expiration Date”). The period of time from the date the Warrants will first become exercisable until the expiration of the Warrants shall hereafter be referred to as the “Exercise Period.” Except with respect to the right to receive the Redemption Price (as set forth in Section 6 hereunder), as applicable, each Warrant not exercised on or before the Expiration Date shall become void, and all rights thereunder and all rights in respect thereof under this Agreement shall cease at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date. The Company in its sole discretion may extend the duration of the Warrants by delaying the Expiration Date; provided, however, that the Company will provide at least twenty (20) days’ prior written notice of any such extension to registered holders and, provided further that any such extension shall be applied consistently to all of the Warrants.
3.3. Exercise of Warrants.
3.3.1. Payment. Subject to the provisions of the Warrant and this Agreement, a Warrant, when countersigned by the Warrant Agent, may be exercised by the Registered Holder thereof by surrendering it, at the office of the Warrant Agent, or at the office of its successor as Warrant Agent, in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, with the subscription form, as set forth in the Warrant, duly executed, and by paying in full the Warrant Price for each Ordinary Share as to which the Warrant is exercised and any and all applicable taxes due in connection with the exercise of the Warrant, as follows:
(a) in lawful money of the United States, by good certified check or wire payable to the Warrant Agent; or;
(b) in the event of a redemption pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof in which the Company’s management has elected to force all holders of Warrants to exercise such Warrants on a “cashless basis,” by surrendering the Warrants for that number of Ordinary Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the difference between the Warrant Price and the “Fair Market Value” (defined below) by (y) the Fair Market Value. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.3.1(b), the “Fair Market Value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Ordinary Shares for the ten (10) trading days ending on the day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of the Warrants, pursuant to Section 6 hereof; or
(c) in the event the registration statement required by Section 7.4 hereof is not effective and current within ninety (90) Business Days after the closing of a Business Combination, by surrendering such Warrants for that number of Ordinary Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the Warrants and the “Fair Market Value” by (y) the Fair Market Value; provided, however, that no cashless exercise shall be permitted unless the Fair Market Value is equal to or higher than the exercise price. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.3.1(c), the “Fair Market Value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Ordinary Shares for the ten (10) trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date of exercise.
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3.3.2. Issuance of Ordinary Shares. As soon as practicable after the exercise of any Warrant and the clearance of the funds in payment of the Warrant Price (if any), the Company shall issue to the Registered Holder of such Warrant a certificate or certificates, or book entry position, for the number of Ordinary Shares to which he, she or it is entitled, registered in such name or names as may be directed by him, her or it, and if such Warrant shall not have been exercised in full, a new countersigned Warrant, or book entry position, for the number of shares as to which such Warrant shall not have been exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the Warrant exercise. No Warrant shall be exercisable for cash and the Company shall not be obligated to issue Ordinary Shares upon exercise of a Warrant unless the Ordinary Shares issuable upon such Warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the Registered Holder of the Warrants. In the event that the condition in the immediately preceding sentence is not satisfied with respect to a Warrant, the holder of such Warrant shall not be entitled to exercise such Warrant for cash and such Warrant may have no value and expire worthless, in which case the purchaser of a Unit containing such Warrants shall have paid the full purchase price for the Unit solely for the Ordinary Shares underlying such Unit. Warrants may not be exercised by, or securities issued to, any Registered Holder in any state in which such exercise or issuance would be unlawful.
3.3.3. Valid Issuance. All Ordinary Shares issued upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
3.3.4. Date of Issuance. Each person in whose name any book entry position or certificate for Ordinary Shares is issued shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such shares on the date on which the Warrant, or book entry position representing such Warrant, was surrendered and payment of the Warrant Price was made, irrespective of the date of delivery of such certificate, except that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date when the share transfer books of the Company or book entry system of the Warrant Agent are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of such shares at the close of business on the next succeeding date on which the share transfer books or book entry system are open.
3.3.5 Maximum Percentage. A holder of a Warrant may notify the Company in writing in the event it elects to be subject to the provisions contained in this subsection 3.3.5; however, no holder of a Warrant shall be subject to this subsection 3.3.5 unless he, she or it makes such election. If the election is made by a holder, the Warrant Agent shall not effect the exercise of the holder’s Warrant, and such holder shall not have the right to exercise such Warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such person’s affiliates), to the Warrant Agent’s actual knowledge, would beneficially own in excess of 9.8% (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates shall include the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude Ordinary Shares that would be issuable upon (x) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of the Warrant beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates and (y) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this paragraph, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). For purposes of the Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares, the holder may rely on the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares as reflected in (1) the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly report on Form 10-Q, current report on Form 8-K or other public filing with the SEC as the case may be, (2) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (3) any other notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding. For any reason at any time, upon the written request of the holder of the Warrant, the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days, confirm orally and in writing to such holder the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of equity securities of the Company by the holder and its affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding Ordinary Shares was reported. By written notice to the Company, the holder of a Warrant may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage applicable to such holder to any other percentage specified in such notice; provided, however, that any such increase shall not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company.
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4. Adjustments.
4.1. Stock Dividends; Split Ups. If after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.6 below, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is increased by a stock dividend payable in Ordinary Shares, or by a split up of Ordinary Shares, or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such stock dividend, split up or similar event, the number of Ordinary Shares issuable on exercise of each Warrant shall be increased in proportion to such increase in outstanding Ordinary Shares.
4.2. Aggregation of Shares. If after the date hereof, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination, reverse stock split or reclassification of Ordinary Shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, reverse stock split, reclassification or similar event, the number of Ordinary Shares issuable on exercise of each Warrant shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding Ordinary Shares.
4.3 Extraordinary Dividends. If the Company, at any time while the Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, shall pay a dividend or make a distribution in cash, securities or other assets to the holders of the Ordinary Shares or other shares of the Company’s capital stock into which the Warrants are convertible (an “Extraordinary Dividend”), then the Warrant Price shall be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such Extraordinary Dividend, by the amount of cash and the fair market value (as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, in good faith) of any securities or other assets paid in respect of such Extraordinary Dividend divided by all outstanding shares of the Company at such time (whether or not any stockholders waived their right to receive such dividend); provided, however, that none of the following shall be deemed an Extraordinary Dividend for purposes of this provision: (a) any adjustment described in subsection 4.1 above, (b) any cash dividends or cash distributions which, when combined on a per share basis with all other cash dividends and cash distributions paid on the Ordinary Shares during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such dividend or distribution does not exceed $0.50 per share (taking into account all of the outstanding shares of the Company at such time (whether or not any stockholders waived their right to receive such dividend) and as adjusted to appropriately reflect any of the events referred to in other subsections of this Section 4 and excluding cash dividends or cash distributions that resulted in an adjustment to the Warrant Price or to the number of Ordinary Shares issuable on exercise of each Warrant) but only with respect to the amount of the aggregate cash dividends or cash distributions equal to or less than $0.50, (c) any payment to satisfy the conversion rights of the holders of the Ordinary Shares in connection with a proposed initial Business Combination or certain amendments to the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association (as described in the Registration Statement) or (d) any payment in connection with the Company’s liquidation and the distribution of its assets upon its failure to consummate a Business Combination. Solely for purposes of illustration, if the Company, at a time while the Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pays a cash dividend of $0.35 and previously paid an aggregate of $0.40 of cash dividends and cash distributions on the Ordinary Shares during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such $0.35 dividend, then the Warrant Price will be decreased, effectively immediately after the effective date of such $0.35 dividend, by $0.25 (the absolute value of the difference between $0.75 (the aggregate amount of all cash dividends and cash distributions paid or made in such 365-day period, including such $0.35 dividend) and $0.50 (the greater of (x) $0.50 and (y) the aggregate amount of all cash dividends and cash distributions paid or made in such 365-day period prior to such $0.35 dividend)). Furthermore, solely for the purposes of illustration, if following the closing of the Company’s initial Business Combination, there were 100,000,000 shares outstanding and the Company paid a $1.00 dividend to each of 17,500,000 of such shares (with the remaining 82,500,000 shares waiving their right to receive such dividend), then no adjustment to the Warrant Price would occur as a $17.5 million dividend payment divided by 100,000,000 shares equals $0.175 per share which is less than $0.50 per share.
4.4 Adjustments in Exercise Price. Whenever the number of Ordinary Shares purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants is adjusted, as provided in Sections 4.1 and 4.2 above, the Warrant Price shall be adjusted (to the nearest cent) by multiplying such Warrant Price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which shall be the number of Ordinary Shares purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants immediately prior to such adjustment, and (y) the denominator of which shall be the number of Ordinary Shares so purchasable immediately thereafter.
4.5. Replacement of Securities upon Reorganization, etc. In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Ordinary Shares (other than a change covered by Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.3 hereof or that solely affects the par value of the Ordinary Shares), or in the case of any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Ordinary Shares), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the assets or other property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which the Company is dissolved, the Warrant holders shall thereafter have the right to purchase and receive, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in the Warrants and in lieu of the Ordinary Shares of the Company immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented thereby, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, that the Warrant holder would have received if such Warrant holder had exercised his, her or its Warrant(s) immediately prior to such event. If any reclassification also results in a change in the Ordinary Shares covered by Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.3, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 and this Section 4.5. The provisions of this Section 4.5 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, mergers or consolidations, sales or other transfers. In no event will the Warrant Price be reduced to less than the par value per share issuable upon exercise of the Warrant. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in the event of any tender offer for Ordinary Shares, the offeror shall not make any tender offer for Warrants if the effect of such offer would be to require the Warrants to be accounted for as liabilities under applicable accounting principles.
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4.6. Issuance in connection with a Business Combination. If, in connection with a Business Combination, the Company (a) issues additional Ordinary Shares or equity-linked securities at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share (with such issue price or effective issue price as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, in good faith, and in the case of any such issuance to the Company’s initial stockholders, or their affiliates, without taking into account any founders’ shares held by them prior to such issuance), (b) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of the Business Combination on the date of the consummation of such Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (c) the Fair Market Value (as defined below) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the greater of (i) the Fair Market Value or (ii) the price at which the Company issues the Ordinary Shares or equity-linked securities, and the $16.50 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 165% of the higher of the Fair Market Value and the price at which the Company issues Ordinary Shares or equity-linked securities. Solely for purposes of this Section 4.6, the “Fair Market Value” shall mean the volume weighted average reported trading price of the Ordinary Shares for the twenty (20) trading days starting on the trading day prior to the date of the consummation of the Business Combination.
4.7 Notices of Changes in Warrant. Upon every adjustment of the Warrant Price or the number of shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, the Company shall give written notice thereof to the Warrant Agent, which notice shall state the Warrant Price resulting from such adjustment and the increase or decrease, if any, in the number of shares purchasable at such price upon the exercise of a Warrant, setting forth in reasonable detail the method of calculation and the facts upon which such calculation is based. Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, or 4.6, then, in any such event, the Company shall give written notice to each Warrant holder, at the last address set forth for such holder in the Warrant Register, of the record date or the effective date of the event. Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such event.
4.8. No Fractional Warrants or shares. Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not issue fractional shares upon exercise of Warrants. If, by reason of any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 4, the holder of any Warrant would be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in a share, the Company shall, upon such exercise, round down to the nearest whole number of Ordinary Shares to be issued to the Warrant holder.
4.9. Form of Warrant. The form of Warrant need not be changed because of any adjustment pursuant to this Section 4, and Warrants issued after such adjustment may state the same Warrant Price and the same number of shares as is stated in the Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement. However, the Company may at any time in its sole discretion make any change in the form of Warrant that the Company may deem appropriate and that does not affect the substance thereof, and any Warrant thereafter issued or countersigned, whether in exchange or substitution for an outstanding Warrant or otherwise, may be in the form as so changed.
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4.10 Other Events. In case any event shall occur affecting the Company as to which none of the provisions of preceding subsections of this Section 4 are strictly applicable, but which would require an adjustment to the terms of the Warrants in order to (i) avoid an adverse impact on the Warrants and (ii) effectuate the intent and purpose of this Section 4, then, in each such case, the Company shall appoint a firm of independent public accountants, investment banking or other appraisal firm of recognized national standing, which shall give its opinion as to whether or not any adjustment to the rights represented by the Warrants is necessary to effectuate the intent and purpose of this Section 4 and, if they determine that an adjustment is necessary, the terms of such adjustment. The Company shall adjust the terms of the Warrants in a manner that is consistent with any adjustment recommended in such opinion.
5. Transfer and Exchange of Warrants.
5.1. Registration of Transfer. The Warrant Agent shall register the transfer, from time to time, of any outstanding Warrant upon the Warrant Register, upon surrender of such Warrant for transfer, properly endorsed with signatures, in the case of certificated Warrants, properly guaranteed and accompanied by appropriate instructions for transfer. Upon any such transfer, a new Warrant representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants shall be issued and the old Warrant shall be cancelled by the Warrant Agent. In the case of certificated Warrants, the Warrants so cancelled shall be delivered by the Warrant Agent to the Company from time to time upon request.
5.2. Procedure for Surrender of Warrants. Warrants may be surrendered to the Warrant Agent, either in certificated form or in book entry position, together with a written request for exchange or transfer, and thereupon the Warrant Agent shall issue in exchange therefor one or more new Warrants, or book entry positions, as requested by the Registered Holder of the Warrants so surrendered, representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants; provided, however, that in the event that a Warrant surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Warrant Agent shall not cancel such Warrant and issue new Warrants in exchange therefor until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the new Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend.
5.3. Fractional Warrants. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the issuance of a warrant certificate or book-entry position for a fraction of a Warrant.
5.4. Service Charges. No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Warrants.
5.5. Warrant Execution and Countersignature. The Warrant Agent is hereby authorized to countersign and to deliver, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Warrants required to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5, and the Company, whenever required by the Warrant Agent, will supply the Warrant Agent with Warrants duly executed on behalf of the Company for such purpose.
5.6. Private Warrants and Working Capital Warrants. The Warrant Agent shall not register any transfer of Private Warrants or Working Capital Warrants, except for transfers (i) among the initial shareholders or to the initial shareholder’s members or the Company’s officers, directors, consultants or their affiliates, (ii) to a holder’s shareholders or members upon the holder’s liquidation, in each case if the holder is an entity, (iii) by bona fide gift to a member of the holder’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is the holder or a member of the holder’s immediate family, in each case for estate planning purposes, (iv) by virtue of the laws of descent and distribution upon death, (v) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, (vi) to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, (vii) in the event of the Company’s liquidation prior to its consummation of an initial Business Combination or (viii) in the event that, subsequent to the consummation of an initial Business Combination, the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Ordinary Shares for cash, securities or other property, in each case (except for clauses (vi), (vii) or (viii) or with the Company’s prior written consent) on the condition that prior to such registration for transfer, the Warrant Agent shall be presented with written documentation pursuant to which each transferee (each, a “Permitted Transferee”) or the trustee or legal guardian for such Permitted Transferee agrees to be bound by the transfer restrictions contained in this Agreement and any other applicable agreement the transferor is bound by.
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5.7. Transfers prior to Detachment. Prior to the Detachment Date, the Public Warrants may be transferred or exchanged only together with the Unit in which such Warrant is included, and only for the purpose of effecting, or in conjunction with, a transfer or exchange of such Unit. Furthermore, each transfer of a Unit on the register relating to such Units shall operate also to transfer the Warrants included in such Unit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 5.7 shall have no effect on any transfer of Warrants on or after the Detachment Date.
6. Redemption.
6.1. Redemption. Not less than all of the outstanding Warrants may be redeemed, at the option of the Company, at any time during the Exercise Period, at the office of the Warrant Agent, upon the notice referred to in Section 6.2, at the price of $0.01 per Warrant (“Redemption Price”), provided that the closing price of the Ordinary Shares equals or exceeds $16.50 per share (the “Redemption Trigger Price subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 4 hereof), on each of twenty (20) trading days within any thirty (30) trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which notice of redemption is given and provided that there is an effective registration statement covering the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, and a current prospectus relating thereto, available throughout the 30-day redemption or the Company has elected to require the exercise of the Warrants on a “cashless basis” pursuant to subsection 3.3.1(b); provided, however, that if and when the Warrants become redeemable by the Company, the Company may not exercise such redemption right if the issuance of Ordinary Shares upon exercise of the Warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or the Company is unable to effect such registration or qualification.
6.2. Date Fixed for, and Notice of, Redemption. In the event the Company shall elect to redeem all of the Warrants that are subject to redemption, the Company shall fix a date for the redemption (the “Redemption Date”). Notice of redemption shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, by the Company not less than thirty (30) days prior to the Redemption Date to the Registered Holders of the Warrants to be redeemed at their last addresses as they shall appear on the registration books. Any notice mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given whether or not the Registered Holder received such notice.
6.3. Exercise After Notice of Redemption. The Warrants may be exercised, for cash (or on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3 of this Agreement) at any time after notice of redemption shall have been given by the Company pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof and prior to the Redemption Date. In the event the Company determines to require all holders of Warrants to exercise their Warrants on a “cashless basis” pursuant to Section 3.3.1(b), the notice of redemption will contain the information necessary to calculate the number of Ordinary Shares to be received upon exercise of the Warrants, including the “Fair Market Value” in such case. On and after the Redemption Date, the record holder of the Warrants shall have no further rights except to receive, upon surrender of the Warrants, the Redemption Price.
7. Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants.
7.1. No Rights as Shareholder. A Warrant does not entitle the Registered Holder thereof to any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to receive dividends, or other distributions, exercise any preemptive rights to vote or to consent or to receive notice as shareholders in respect of the meetings of shareholders or the election of directors of the Company or any other matter.
7.2. Lost, Stolen, Mutilated, or Destroyed Warrants. If any Warrant is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed, the Company and the Warrant Agent may on such terms as to indemnity or otherwise as they may in their discretion impose (which shall, in the case of a mutilated Warrant, include the surrender thereof), issue a new Warrant of like denomination, tenor, and date as the Warrant so lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed. Any such new Warrant shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the allegedly lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed Warrant shall be at any time enforceable by anyone.
7.3. Reservation of Ordinary Shares. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Agreement.
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7.4. Registration of Ordinary Shares. The Company agrees that as soon as practicable after the closing of its initial Business Combination, it shall use its best efforts to file with the Commission a registration statement for the registration, under the Act, of the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, and it shall use its best efforts to take such action as is necessary to register or qualify for sale, in those states in which the Warrants were initially offered by the Company and in those states where holders of Warrants then reside, the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, to the extent an exemption is not available. The Company will use its best efforts to cause the same to become effective and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement, and a current prospectus relating thereto, until the expiration of the Warrants in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. If any such registration statement has not been declared effective by the 90th day following the closing of the Business Combination, holders of the Warrants shall have the right, during the period beginning on the 91st day after the closing of the Business Combination and ending upon such registration statement being declared effective by the Commission, and during any other period when the Company shall fail to have maintained an effective registration statement covering the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, to exercise such Warrants on a “cashless basis” as determined in accordance with Section 3.3.1(c). The Company shall provide the Warrant Agent with an opinion of counsel for the Company (which shall be an outside law firm with securities law experience) stating that (i) the exercise of the Warrants on a cashless basis in accordance with this Section 7.4 is not required to be registered under the Act and (ii) the Ordinary Shares issued upon such exercise will be freely tradable under U.S. federal securities laws by anyone who is not an affiliate (as such term is defined in Rule 144 under the Act) of the Company and, accordingly, will not be required to bear a restrictive legend. For the avoidance of any doubt, unless and until all of the Warrants have been exercised on a cashless basis, the Company shall continue to be obligated to comply with its registration obligations under the first three sentences of this Section 7.4. The provisions of this Section 7.4 may not be modified, amended, or deleted without the prior written consent of the Representative.
8. Concerning the Warrant Agent and Other Matters.
8.1. Payment of Taxes. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of Warrants, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such Ordinary Shares.
8.2. Resignation, Consolidation, or Merger of Warrant Agent.
8.2.1. Appointment of Successor Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving sixty (60) days’ notice in writing to the Company. If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of any Warrant (who shall, with such notice, submit his Warrant for inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Warrant may apply to the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at the Company’s cost. Any successor Warrant Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, in good standing and having its principal office in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed; but if for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder; and upon request of any successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.
8.2.2. Notice of Successor Warrant Agent. In the event a successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the Transfer Agent for the Ordinary Shares not later than the effective date of any such appointment.
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8.2.3. Merger or Consolidation of Warrant Agent. Any corporation into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Agreement without any further act.
8.3. Fees and Expenses of Warrant Agent.
8.3.1. Remuneration. The Company agrees to pay the Warrant Agent reasonable remuneration for its services as such Warrant Agent hereunder and will reimburse the Warrant Agent upon demand for all expenditures that the Warrant Agent may reasonably incur in the execution of its duties hereunder.
8.3.2. Further Assurances. The Company agrees to perform, execute, acknowledge, and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged, and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments, and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing of the provisions of this Agreement.
8.4. Liability of Warrant Agent.
8.4.1. Reliance on Company Statement. Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Warrant Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary or Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company and delivered to the Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent may rely upon such statement for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
8.4.2. Indemnity. The Warrant Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. The Company agrees to indemnify the Warrant Agent and save it harmless against any and all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees, for anything done or omitted by the Warrant Agent in the execution of this Agreement except as a result of the Warrant Agent’s fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct, or bad faith.
8.4.3. Exclusions. The Warrant Agent shall have no responsibility with respect to the validity of this Agreement or with respect to the validity or execution of any Warrant (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Warrant; nor shall it be responsible to make any adjustments required under the provisions of Section 4 hereof or responsible for the manner, method, or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment; nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement, or any Warrant or as to whether any Ordinary Shares will, when issued, be valid and fully paid and nonassessable.
8.5. Acceptance of Agency. The Warrant Agent hereby accepts the agency established by this Agreement and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions herein set forth and among other things, shall account promptly to the Company with respect to Warrants exercised and concurrently account for, and pay to the Company, all monies received by the Warrant Agent for the purchase of Ordinary Shares through the exercise of Warrants.
9. Miscellaneous Provisions.
9.1. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Warrant Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.
9.2. Notices. Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of any Warrant to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given (i) if by email when the email is sent, (ii) if by hand or overnight delivery, when so delivered, or (iii) if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five (5) days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Warrant Agent), as follows:
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A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2, 10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983
Attention: Claudius Tsang
E-mail:
Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the holder of any Warrant or by the Company to or on the Warrant Agent shall be sufficiently given (i) if by email, when the email is sent, (ii) if by hand or overnight delivery, when so delivered, or (iii) if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Warrant Agent with the Company), as follows:
[l]
[l]
Attn: [l]
with a copy in each case to:
Loeb & Loeb LLP
345 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10154
Attn: Giovanni Caruso, Esq.
E-mail: gcaruso@loeb.com
9.3. Applicable Law and Exclusive Forum. The validity, interpretation, and performance of this Agreement and of the Warrants shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. Subject to applicable law, the Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement, including under the Act, shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this paragraph will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum.
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in the Warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in this Section 9.3. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions above, is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any warrant holder, such warrant holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant holder.
9.4. Persons Having Rights under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto and the Registered Holders of the Warrants and, for the purposes of Sections 7.4, 9.4 and 9.8 hereof, the Representative, any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Warrant Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof. The Representative shall be deemed to be a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement with respect to Sections 7.4, 9.4 and 9.8 hereof. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises, and agreements contained in this Warrant Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto (and the Representative with respect to the Sections 7.4, 9.4 and 9.8 hereof) and their successors and assigns and of the Registered Holders of the Warrants.
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9.5. Examination of the Warrant Agreement. A copy of this Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Warrant Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, for inspection by the Registered Holder of any Warrant. The Warrant Agent may require any such holder to submit his Warrant for inspection by it.
9.6. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
9.7. Effect of Headings. The section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.
9.8 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto without the consent of any Registered Holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity or to correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions hereof to the description of the terms of the Warrants and this Agreement set forth in the Prospectus, or curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein, or of curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the Registered Holders. All other modifications or amendments, including any amendment to increase the Warrant Price or shorten the Exercise Period, shall require the written consent or vote of the Registered Holders of (i) a majority of the then outstanding Public Warrants if such modification or amendment is being undertaken prior to, or in connection with, the consummation of a Business Combination or (ii) a majority of the then outstanding Warrants if such modification or amendment is being undertaken after the consummation of a Business Combination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may lower the Warrant Price or extend the duration of the Exercise Period pursuant to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, without the consent of the Registered Holders. The provisions of this Section 9.8 may not be modified, amended or deleted without the prior written consent of the Representative.
9.9 Trust Account Waiver. The Warrant Agent acknowledges and agrees that it shall not make any claims or proceed against the trust account established by the Company in connection with the Public Offering (as more fully described in the Registration Statement) (“Trust Account”), including by way of set-off, and shall not be entitled to any funds in the Trust Account under any circumstance. In the event that the Warrant Agent has a claim against the Company under this Agreement, the Warrant Agent will pursue such claim solely against the Company and not against the property held in the Trust Account.
9.10 Severability. This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be valid and enforceable.
[signature page follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
[l], as Warrant Agent | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Warrant Agreement]
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF WARRANT CERTIFICATE
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EXHIBIT B
LEGEND
“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF UNLESS REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED ) EXCEPT TO A PERMITTED TRANSFEREE (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 5 OF THE WARRANT AGREEMENT ) WHO AGREES IN WRITING WITH THE COMPANY TO BE SUBJECT TO SUCH TRANSFER PROVISIONS.
SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE AND ORDINARY SHARES OF THE COMPANY ISSUED UPON EXERCISE OF SUCH SECURITIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS UNDER A REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT TO BE EXECUTED BY THE COMPANY.”
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Exhibit 5.1
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. Ritter House Wickhams Cay II PO Box 3170 Road Town Tortola VG1110 British Virgin Islands
|
D: +852 3656 6054 | |
E: nathan.powell@ogier.com | ||
Reference: NMP/RYH/181753.00003 | ||
4 February 2021 |
Dear Sirs
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the Company)
We have acted as counsel as to British Virgin Islands law to the Company in connection with the Company’s registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), on Form S-1, such registration statement including all amendments or supplements to such form filed with the Commission (the Registration Statement), related to:
(a) | the offering and sale (the Offering) of 6,000,000 units (with an additional 900,000 units if the underwriter's over-allotment option is exercised in full ) (each a Unit and together the Units), with each Unit consisting of: (i) one class A ordinary share of no par value in the Company (each a Share and together the Shares); (ii) three-fourths (3/4) of one redeemable warrant to purchase one Share (each a Warrant and together the Warrants); and (iii) one right (each a Right and together the Rights) to receive one-tenth of one Share, granted to the underwriters of the Offering for whom Chardan Capital Markets, LLC is acting as representative (the Representative); |
(b) | all Shares, Warrants and Rights issued as part of the Units and all Shares underlying those Warrants and Rights comprised in such Units (which together constitute all of the ordinary shares, warrants or rights to acquire the same in the Company being registered pursuant to the Registration Statement). |
This opinion is given in accordance with the terms of the legal matters section of the Registration Statement.
Ogier British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Jersey and Luxembourg practitioners
Floor 11 Central Tower 28 Queen's Road Central Central Hong Kong
T +852 3656 6000 F +852 3656 6001 ogier.com |
Partners Nicholas Plowman Nathan Powell Anthony Oakes Oliver Payne Kate Hodson David Nelson Michael Snape |
Justin Davis Florence Chan Lin Jacobsen Cecilia Li James Bergstrom Marcus Leese
|
1 | Documents |
1.1 | In preparing this opinion, we have reviewed copies of the following documents: |
(a) | the Registration Statement; |
(b) | (i) | the constitutional documents and public records of the Company obtained from the Registry of Corporate Affairs in the British Virgin Islands on 30 July 2021 (the Company Registry Records); |
(ii) | the public information revealed from a search of the electronic records of the Civil Division and the Commercial Division of the Registry of the High Court and of the Court of Appeal (Virgin Islands) Register, each from 1 January 2000, as maintained on the Judicial Enforcement Management System (the High Court Database) by the Registry of the High Court of the Virgin Islands on 30 July 2021 (the Court Records, together with the Company Registry Records, each as updated by update search on 11 August 2021 and 4 February 2022, the Public Records); |
(c) | the certificate of incumbency issued by the Company’s registered agent dated 4 February 2022 (the Certificate of Incumbency); |
(d) | written resolutions of the sole director of the Company dated 23 July 2021, 14 January 2022 and 4 February 2022 approving, inter alia, the Registration Statement (together, the Director’s Resolutions). |
1.2 | We have not made any enquiries or undertaken any searches concerning, and have not examined any other documents entered into by or affecting the Company or any other person, save for the examinations referred to in paragraph 1.1 above. In particular, but without limitation, we have not examined any documents referred to within the Registration Statement save as expressly referred to above and our opinion is limited accordingly. |
2 | Assumptions |
This opinion is given only as to the circumstances existing on the date hereof and as to British Virgin Islands law in force on this date. We have relied on the Certificate of Incumbency without further enquiry and upon the following assumptions, which we have not independently verified:
(a) | all parties to the Registration Statement (other than the Company) have the capacity, power and authority to exercise their rights and perform their obligations under such Registration Statement; |
(b) | the Registration Statement has been or, as the case may be, will be duly authorised by or on behalf of all relevant parties (other than the Company); |
(c) | copies of documents or records provided to us are true copies of the originals which are authentic and complete; |
(d) | all signatures and seals on all documents are genuine and authentic and in particular that any signatures on the documents we have reviewed are the true signatures of the persons authorised to execute the same; |
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(e) | the Director's Resolutions remain in full force and effect and the sole director of the Company has acted in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company and has exercised the standard of care, diligence and skill that is required of him in approving the Offering and the sole director does not have a financial interest in or other relationship to a party of the transactions contemplated by the Offering which has not been properly disclosed in the Director's Resolutions; |
(f) | the Company is, and will be, solvent at all relevant times; |
(g) | neither the directors and shareholders of the Company have taken any steps to appoint a liquidator of the Company and no receiver has been appointed over any of the Company’s property or assets; |
(h) | the maximum number of Shares to be issued by the Company under the Offering (including those Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants and Rights) would not exceed the maximum number of shares that the Company is authorised to issue; |
(i) | the accuracy and completeness of the Certificate of Incumbency as at the date hereof; and |
(j) | the information and documents disclosed by the searches of the Public Records was and is accurate, up-to-date and remains unchanged as at the date hereof and there is no information or document which has been delivered for registration by any party (other than the Company), or which is required by the laws of the British Virgin Islands to be delivered for registration by any party (other than the Company), which was not included and available for inspection in the Public Records. |
3 | Opinion |
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications expressed below, we are of the opinion that:
(a) | The Company is a company duly incorporated with limited liability under the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 (the BCA) and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. It is a separate legal entity and is subject to suit in its own name. |
(b) | The Company has the capacity and power to exercise its rights and perform its obligations under and as described in the Registration Statement. |
(c) | The Shares included in the Units to be offered and sold by the Company as contemplated by the Registration Statement have been duly authorised for issue and, when: |
(i) | issued by the Company against payment in full of the consideration therefor in accordance with the terms set out in the Registration Statement and the terms in the underwriting agreement referred to within the Registration Statement and the Company's then effective memorandum and articles of association; and |
(ii) | duly registered in the Company’s register of members as fully paid shares, |
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
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(d) | Any Shares which are to be issued pursuant to the Warrants and Rights, in each case when the Warrants and/or Rights are exercisable under the terms of the warrant agreement and rights agreement, respectively, as described in the Registration Statement, have been duly authorised for issue and, when: |
(i) | issued by the Company upon due exercise of the Warrants and Rights in accordance with the terms of the warrant agreement and rights agreement, respectively, as described in the Registration Statement and in accordance with the Company's then effective memorandum and articles of association, and |
(ii) | duly registered in the Company’s register of members as fully paid shares, |
will be, subject to payment of the exercise price therefore under the terms of the Warrants and Rights (as applicable), validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(e) | The performance of the Company's obligations under the Registration Statement do not and will not conflict with or result in any breach of: |
(i) | the memorandum and articles of association of the Company; or |
(ii) | any law of the British Virgin Islands applicable to the Company. |
(f) | Based solely on our review of the Court Records, no litigation was pending against the Company in the High Court of the British Virgin Islands. |
(g) | Based solely on our review of the Public Records, no currently valid order or resolution for the winding-up of the Company and no current notice of appointment of a receiver in the British Virgin Islands over the Company, or any of its assets, appears on the records maintained by the Registry of Corporate Affairs in the British Virgin Islands or the High Court of the British Virgin Islands (in each case to the extent those records are revealed by the Public Records) in respect of the Company. It is a requirement under section 118 of the Insolvency Act 2003 that notice of appointment of a receiver be registered with the Registry of Corporate Affairs, however, it should be noted that failure to file a notice of appointment of a receiver does not invalidate the receivership but gives rise to penalties on the part of the receiver. |
4 | Limitations and Qualifications |
4.1 | We offer no opinion: |
(a) | in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the British Virgin Islands (and we have not made any investigation into such laws); |
(b) | in relation to any representation or warranty made or given by the Company in the Registration Statement; or |
(c) | as to the commerciality of the transactions envisaged in the Registration Statement or, save as expressly stated in this opinion, whether the Registration Statement and the transaction envisaged therein achieve the commercial, tax, legal, regulatory or other aims of the parties to the Registration Statement. |
4.2 | Under the BCA an annual fee must be paid in respect of the Company to the Registry of Corporate Affairs in the British Virgin Islands. Failure to pay the annual fees by the relevant due date will render the Company liable to a penalty fee in addition to the amount of the outstanding fees. If the license fee remains unpaid from the due date, the Company will be liable to be struck off the Register of Companies. |
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4.3 | For the purposes of this opinion "in good standing" means only that as of the date of this opinion the Company is up-to-date with the payment of its annual fee to the Registry of Corporate Affairs under the BCA. We have made no enquiries into the Company's good standing with respect to any filings or payment of fees, or both, that it may be required to make under the laws of the British Virgin Islands other than the BCA. |
4.4 | We have not undertaken any enquiry and express no view as to the compliance of the Company with the Economic Substance (Companies and Limited Partnerships) Act 2018. |
4.5 | The Public Records and our searches thereof may not reveal the following: |
(a) | in the case of the Company Registry Records, details of matters which have not been lodged for registration or have been lodged for registration but not actually registered at the time of our search; |
(b) | in the case of the Court Records, details of proceedings which have been filed but not actually entered in the High Court Database at the time of our search; |
(c) | whether an application for the appointment of a liquidator or a receiver has been presented to the High Court of the British Virgin Islands or whether a liquidator or a receiver has been appointed out of court, or whether any out of court dissolution, reconstruction or reorganisation of the Company has been commenced; or |
(d) | any originating process (including an application to appoint a liquidator) in respect of the Company in circumstances where the High Court of the British Virgin Islands has prior to the issuance of such process ordered that such process upon issuance be anonymised (whether on a temporary basis or otherwise), |
and the following points should also be noted:
(e) | the Court Records reflect the information accessible remotely on the High Court Database, we have not conducted a separate search of the underlying Civil Cause Book (the Civil Cause Book) or the Commercial Cause Book (the Commercial Cause Book) at the Registry of the High Court of the British Virgin Islands. Although the High Court Database should reflect the content of the Civil Cause Book and the Commercial Cause Book, neither the High Court Database nor the Civil Cause Book or Commercial Cause Book is updated every day, and for that reason neither facility can be relied upon to reveal whether or not a particular entity is a party to litigation in the British Virgin Islands; |
(f) | the High Court Database is not updated if third parties or noticed parties are added to or removed from the proceedings after their commencement; and |
(g) | while it is a requirement under Section 118 of the Insolvency Act 2003 that notice of the appointment of a receiver be registered with the Registry of Corporate Affairs, however, it should be noted that failure to file a notice of appointment of a receiver does not invalidate the receivership but gives rise to penalties on the part of the receiver. |
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5 | Governing Law and Reliance |
5.1 | This opinion shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the British Virgin Islands and is limited to the matters expressly stated herein. This opinion is confined to and given on the basis of the laws and practice in the British Virgin Islands at the date hereof. |
5.2 | We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm in the legal matters and taxation sections of the Registration Statement. In the giving of our consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission thereunder. |
Yours faithfully
Ogier
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Exhibit 5.2
Loeb & Loeb LLP
345 Park Avenue New York, NY 10154-1895
|
Main Fax |
212.407.4000 212.407.4990 |
February 7, 2022
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 2 10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983 |
|
Re: A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands business company (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), covering an underwritten public offering of (i) 6,900,000 units (the “Units”), with each Unit consisting of one of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, no par value (the “Ordinary Shares”), three-fourths of one redeemable warrant, each warrant entitling its holder to purchase three-fourths of one Ordinary Share (the “Warrants”) and one right to receive one-tenth of an Ordinary Share (the “Rights”); (ii) up to 900,000 Units (the “Over-Allotment Units”) for which the underwriters have been granted an over-allotment option, (iii) and underwriter’s shares issued as compensation in the amount of 60,000 Ordinary Shares (up to 69,000 Over-Allotment Units) (the “Underwriter’s Ordinary Shares”) granted to Chardan Capital Markets, LLC (the “Underwriter”), (iv) all Ordinary Shares, Warrants, and Rights issued as part of the Units, Over-Allotment Units and the Underwriter’s Ordinary Shares; (v) all Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants included in the Units and Over-Allotment Units; and (vi) all Ordinary Shares issuable upon conversion of the Rights included in the Units and Over-Allotment Units..
We have examined such documents and considered such legal matters as we have deemed necessary and relevant as the basis for the opinion set forth below. With respect to such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as reproduced or certified copies, and the authenticity of the originals of those latter documents. As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we have, to the extent deemed appropriate, relied upon certain representations of certain officers of the Company. Because the agreements governing the Warrants and the Rights, the Warrants, the Rights, the Units and the Underwriter’s Ordinary Shares contain provisions stating that they are to be governed by the laws of the State of New York, we are rendering this opinion as to New York law. We are admitted to practice in the State of New York, and we express no opinion as to any matters governed by any law other than the law of the State of New York. In particular, we do not purport to pass on any matter governed by the laws of the British Virgin Islands.
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. February 7, 2022 Page 2 |
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that each of the Warrants (including the Warrants issuable in connection with the Over-Allotment Units), that the Rights (including the Rights issuable in connection with the Over-Allotment Units), the Units and the Over-Allotment Units, if and when paid for in accordance with the terms of the underwriting agreement between the Company and the Underwriter (the “Underwriting Agreement”), will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
In addition, the foregoing opinions are qualified to the extent that (a) enforceability may be limited by and be subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including, without limitation, concepts of notice and materiality), and by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors’ and debtors’ rights generally (including, without limitation, any state or federal law in respect of fraudulent transfers); and (b) no opinion is expressed herein as to compliance with or the effect of federal or state securities or blue sky laws.
We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, to the use of our name as your U.S. counsel and to all references made to us in the Registration Statement and in the prospectus forming a part thereof. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Loeb & Loeb LLP
Loeb & Loeb LLP
Exhibit 10.1
THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”). THIS NOTE HAS BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT ONLY AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED IN THE ABSENCE OF REGISTRATION OF THE RESALE THEREOF UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY IN FORM, SCOPE AND SUBSTANCE TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED.
PROMISSORY NOTE
Principal Amount: $400,000 | Dated as of June 4, 2021 |
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands company (the “Maker”), promises to pay to the order of A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. or its registered assigns or successors in interest (the “Payee”) the principal sum of Four-hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000) in lawful money of the United States of America, on the terms and conditions described below. All payments on this Note shall be made by check or wire transfer of immediately available funds or as otherwise determined by the Maker to such account as the Payee may from time to time designate by written notice in accordance with the provisions of this Note.
1. Principal. The principal balance of this Promissory Note (this “Note”) shall be payable promptly after the date on which the Maker consummates an initial public offering of its securities or the date on which the Company determines not to conduct an initial public offering of its securities. The principal balance may be prepaid at any time.
2. Interest. No interest shall accrue on the unpaid principal balance of this Note.
3. Application of Payments. All payments shall be applied first to payment in full of any costs incurred in the collection of any sum due under this Note, including (without limitation) reasonable attorney’s fees, then to the payment in full of any late charges and finally to the reduction of the unpaid principal balance of this Note.
4. Events of Default. The following shall constitute an event of default (“Event of Default”):
(a) Failure to Make Required Payments. Failure by Maker to pay the principal of this Note within five (5) business days following the date when due.
(b) Voluntary Liquidation, Etc. The commencement by Maker of a proceeding relating to its bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, rehabilitation or other similar action, or the consent by it to the appointment of, or taking possession by, a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator (or other similar official) for Maker or for any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of any assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the failure of Maker generally to pay its debts as such debts become due, or the taking of corporate action by Maker in furtherance of any of the foregoing.
(c) Involuntary Bankruptcy, Etc. The entry of a decree or order for relief by a court having jurisdiction in the premises in respect of maker in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, for the appointing of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) for Maker or for any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of the affairs of Maker, and the continuance of any such decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days.
5. Remedies.
(a) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Section 4(a) hereof, Payee may, by written notice to Maker, declare this Note to be due immediately and payable, whereupon the unpaid principal amount of this Note, and all other amounts payable thereunder, shall become immediately due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived, anything contained herein or in the documents evidencing the same to the contrary notwithstanding.
(b) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Sections 4(b) and 4(c), the unpaid principal balance of this Note, and all other sums payable with regard to this Note, shall automatically and immediately become due and payable, in all cases without any action on the part of Payee.
6. Waivers. Maker and all endorsers and guarantors of, and sureties for, this Note waive presentment for payment, demand, notice of dishonor, protest, and notice of protest with regard to the Note, all errors, defects and imperfections in any proceedings instituted by Payee under the terms of this Note, and all benefits that might accrue to Maker by virtue of any present or future laws exempting any property, real or personal, or any part of the proceeds arising from any sale of any such property, from attachment, levy or sale under execution, or providing for any stay of execution, exemption from civil process, or extension of time for payment; and Maker agrees that any real estate that may be levied upon pursuant to a judgment obtained by virtue hereof, on any writ of execution issued hereon, may be sold upon any such writ in whole or in part in any order desired by Payee.
7. Unconditional Liability. Maker hereby waives all notices in connection with the delivery, acceptance, performance, default, or enforcement of the payment of this Note, and agrees that its liability shall be unconditional, without regard to the liability of any other party, and shall not be affected in any manner by any indulgence, extension of time, renewal, waiver or modification granted or consented to by Payee, and consents to any and all extensions of time, renewals, waivers, or modifications that may be granted by Payee with respect to the payment or other provisions of this Note, and agrees that additional makers, endorsers, guarantors, or sureties may become parties hereto without notice to Maker or affecting Maker’s liability hereunder.
8. Notices. Any notice called for hereunder shall be deemed properly given if (i) sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, (ii) personally delivered, (iii) dispatched by any form of private or governmental express mail or delivery service providing receipted delivery or (iv) sent by facsimile or (v) to the following addresses or to such other address as either party may designate by notice in accordance with this Section:
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If to Maker:
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Ritter House
Wickhams Cay II
PO Box 3170
Road Town, Tortola VG1110
British Virgin Islands
If to Payee:
A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp.
Ritter House
Wickhams Cay II
PO Box 3170
Road Town, Tortola VG1110
British Virgin Islands
Notice shall be deemed given on the earlier of (i) actual receipt by the receiving party, (ii) the date shown on a facsimile transmission confirmation, (iii) the date reflected on a signed delivery receipt, or (iv) two (2) Business Days following tender of delivery or dispatch by express mail or delivery service.
9. Construction. THIS NOTE SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS THEREOF.
10. Jurisdiction. The courts of New York have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute arising out of or in connection with this agreement (including a dispute relating to any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with this agreement) and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New York.
11. Severability. Any provision contained in this Note which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
12. Trust Waiver. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Payee hereby waives any and all right, title, interest or claim of any kind (“Claim”) in or to any amounts contained in the trust account in which the proceeds of the initial public offering (the “IPO“) conducted by the Maker and the proceeds of the sale of securities in a private placement to occur prior to the effectiveness of the IPO, as described in greater detail in the registration statement and prospectus to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the IPO, will be placed, and hereby agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction for any Claim from the trust account or any distribution therefrom for any reason whatsoever.
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13. Amendment; Waiver. Any amendment hereto or waiver of any provision hereof may be made with, and only with, the written consent of the Maker and the Payee.
14. Assignment. No assignment or transfer of this Note or any rights or obligations hereunder may be made by any party hereto (by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other party hereto and any attempted assignment without the required consent shall be void.
15. Further Assurance. The Maker shall, at its own cost and expense, execute and do (or procure to be executed and done by any other necessary party) all such deeds, documents, acts and things as the Payee may from time to time require as may be necessary to give full effect to this Promissory Note.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Maker, intending to be legally bound hereby, has caused this Note to be duly executed on the day and year first above written.
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. | |||
By: | /s/ Serena Shie | ||
Name: | Serena Shie Wing Shie | ||
Title: | Director |
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Exhibit 10.2
[ ], 2022
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard
Singapore 018983
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
17 State Street
21st Floor
New York, NY 10004
Re: Initial Public Offering
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter is being delivered to you in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) entered into by and between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands business company (the “Company”), and Chardan Capital Markets, LLC, as Underwriter (the “Underwriter”), relating to an underwritten initial public offering (the “IPO”) of the Company’s units (the “Units”), each comprised of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, no par value (the “Ordinary Shares”), three-fourths of one redeemable warrant (the “Warrants”) and one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Ordinary Share (the “Rights”). Certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in paragraph 17 hereof.
In order to induce the Company and the Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the IPO, and in recognition of the benefit that such IPO will confer upon the undersigned as a shareholder of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees with the Company as follows:
1. If the Company solicits approval of its shareholders of a Business Combination, the undersigned will vote all Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by him, her or it, whether acquired before, in or after the IPO, in favor of such Business Combination. If the Company engages in a tender offer in connection with any proposed Business Combination, the undersigned agrees that it, he or she will not seek to sell its, his or her Ordinary Share to the Company in connection with such tender offer.
2. (a) Unless the Company’s shareholders are previously given the option to redeem their shares in connection with amending applicable documents to extend the time that the Company has to complete a Business Combination and the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within 12 months from the closing of the Company’s IPO (or, in the event that the Company extended the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months, up to 18 months from the closing of the Company’s IPO), the undersigned shall take all reasonable steps to (i) cause the Trust Fund to be liquidated and distributed to the holders of the IPO Shares and (ii) cause the Company to liquidate as soon as reasonably practicable
(b) The undersigned hereby waives any and all right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any distribution of the Trust Fund and any remaining net assets of the Company as a result of such liquidation with respect to his, her or its Insider Shares including any shares underlying the Private Warrants (“Claim”) and hereby waives any Claim the undersigned may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any contracts or agreements with the Company and will not seek recourse against the Trust Fund for any reason whatsoever. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that there will be no distribution from the Trust Fund with respect to any shares underlying the Private Warrants, all of which will terminate on the Company’s liquidation.
3. In the event of the liquidation of the Trust Fund, the undersigned agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any and all loss, liability, claims, damage and expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, whether pending or threatened, or any claim whatsoever) which the Company may become subject as a result of any claim by any target business or vendor or other person who is owed money by the Company for services rendered or products sold or contracted for, but only to the extent necessary to ensure that such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense does not reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Fund; provided that such indemnity shall not apply if such target business, vendor or other person has executed an agreement waiving any claims against the Trust Fund.[1]
4. In the event that the Company does not consummate a Business Combination and must liquidate and its remaining net assets are insufficient to complete such liquidation, the undersigned agrees to advance such funds necessary to complete such liquidation and agrees not to seek recourse for such expenses.[2]
5. The undersigned agrees that until the Company consummates a Business Combination, the undersigned’s Private Warrants will be subject to the transfer restrictions described in the Subscription Agreement relating to the undersigned’s Private Warrants.
6. The undersigned agrees that until the Company consummates a Business Combination, the undersigned’s Founder Shares will be subject to the transfer restrictions described in the Registration Rights Agreement related to the undersigned’s Founder Shares.
7. In order to minimize potential conflicts of interest which may arise from multiple affiliations, the undersigned agrees to present to the Company for its consideration, prior to presentation to any other person or entity, any suitable opportunity to acquire a target business, until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination or the liquidation of the Company, subject to any pre-existing fiduciary and contractual obligations the undersigned might have.
[1] Applicable only to A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. Only.
[2] Applicable only to A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. Only.
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8. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that prior to entering into a Business Combination with a target business that is affiliated with any Insiders of the Company or their affiliates, including any company that is a portfolio company of, or otherwise affiliated with, or has received financial investment from, an entity with which any Insider or their affiliates is affiliated, such transaction must be approved by a majority of the Company’s disinterested independent directors and the Company must obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that such Business Combination is fair to the Company’s unaffiliated shareholders from a financial point of view.
9. Neither the undersigned, any member of the family of the undersigned, nor any affiliate of the undersigned will be entitled to receive and will not accept any compensation or other cash payment prior to, or for services rendered in connection with, the consummation of the Business Combination; provided that the Company shall be allowed to repay working capital loans made by the undersigned to the Company in cash upon consummation of the Business Combination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned and any affiliate of the undersigned shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Company for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with identifying, investigating and consummating a Business Combination with approval from the Chief Financial Officer from proceeds held outside the Trust Account.
10. Neither the undersigned, any member of the family of the undersigned, nor any affiliate of the undersigned will be entitled to receive or accept a finder’s fee or any other compensation in the event the undersigned, any member of the family of the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned originates a Business Combination.
11. The undersigned agrees to be a director/officer of the Company until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination or the liquidation of the Company. The undersigned’s biographical information previously furnished to the Company and the Underwriter is true and accurate in all material respects, does not omit any material information with respect to the undersigned’s biography and contains all of the information required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 401 of Regulation S-K, promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933. The undersigned’s FINRA Questionnaire previously furnished to the Company and the Underwriter is true and accurate in all material respects. The undersigned represents and warrants that:
(a) | He, she or it has never had a petition under the federal bankruptcy laws or any state insolvency law been filed by or against (i) him, her or it, or any partnership in which he or she was a general partner at or within two years before the time of filing; or (ii) any corporation or business association of which he or she was an executive officer at or within two years before the time of such filing; |
(b) | He, she or it has never had a receiver, fiscal agent or similar officer been appointed by a court for his business or property, or any such partnership; |
(c) | He, she or it has never been convicted of fraud in a civil or criminal proceeding; |
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(d) | He, she or it has never been convicted in a criminal proceeding or named the subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and minor offenses); |
(e) | He, she or it has never been the subject of any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining or otherwise limiting him, her or it from (i) acting as a futures commission merchant, introducing broker, commodity trading advisor, commodity pool operator, floor broker, leverage transaction merchant, any other person regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) or an associated person of any of the foregoing, or as an investment adviser, underwriter, broker or dealer in securities, or as an affiliated person, director or employee of any investment company, bank, savings and loan association or insurance company, or from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with any such activity; or (ii) engaging in any type of business practice; or (iii) engaging in any activity in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or commodity or in connection with any violation of federal or state securities or federal commodities laws; |
(f) | He, she, or it has never been the subject of any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any federal or state authority barring, suspending or otherwise limiting for more than 60 days his, her or its right to engage in any activity described in 11(e)(i) above, or to be associated with persons engaged in any such activity; |
(g) | He, she, or it has never been found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the SEC to have violated any federal or state securities law, where the judgment in such civil action or finding by the SEC has not been subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated; |
(h) | He, she, or it has never been found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the CFTC to have violated any federal commodities law, where the judgment in such civil action or finding by the CFTC has not been subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated; |
(i) | He, she, or it has never been the subject of, or a party to, any Federal, State or foreign judicial or administrative order, judgment, decree or finding, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, relating to an alleged violation of (i) any Federal, State or foreign securities or commodities law or regulation, (ii) any law or regulation respecting financial institutions or insurance companies including, but not limited to, a temporary or permanent injunction, order of disgorgement or restitution, civil money penalty or temporary or permanent cease-and desist order, or removal or prohibition order or (iii) any law or regulation prohibiting mail or wire fraud or fraud in connection with any business entity; |
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(j) | He, she or it has never been the subject of, or party to, any sanction or order, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, or any self-regulatory organization, any registered entity, or any equivalent exchange, association, entity or organization that has disciplinary authority over its members or persons associated with a member; |
(k) | He, she or it has never been convicted of any felony or misdemeanor: (i) in connection with the purchase or sale of any security; (ii) involving the making of any false filing with the SEC; or (iii) arising out of the conduct of the business of an underwriter, broker, dealer, municipal securities dealer, investment advisor or paid solicitor of purchasers of securities; |
(l) | He, she or it was never subject to a final order of a state or foreign securities commission (or an agency of officer of a state performing like functions); a state or foreign authority that supervises or examines banks, savings associations, or credit unions; a state or foreign insurance commission (or an agency or officer of a state performing like functions); an appropriate federal or foreign banking agency; the CFTC; or the National Credit Union Administration that is based on a violation of any law or regulation that prohibits fraudulent, manipulative, or deceptive conduct; |
(m) | He, she or it has never been subject to any order, judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, that, at the time of the sale of the Units, restrained or enjoined him, her or it from engaging or continuing to engage in any conduct or practice: (i) in connection with the purchase or sale of any security; (ii) involving the making of any false filing with the SEC or any foreign regulatory agency with similar functions; or (iii) arising out of the conduct of the business of an underwriter, broker, dealer, municipal securities dealer, investment adviser or paid solicitor of purchasers of securities; |
(n) | He, she or it has never been subject to any order of the SEC or any foreign regulatory agency with similar functions that orders him, her or it to cease and desist from committing or causing a future violation of: (i) any scienter-based anti-fraud provision of the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, Section 17(a)(1) of the Securities Act, Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, Section 15(c) and Section 206(1) of the Advisers Act or any other rule or regulation thereunder; or (ii) Section 5 of the Securities Act; |
(o) | He, she or it has never filed (as a registrant or issuer), or been named as an underwriter in any registration statement or Regulation A offering statement filed with the SEC that was the subject of a refusal order, stop order, or order suspending the Regulation A exemption, or is, currently, the subject of an investigation or proceeding to determine whether a stop order or suspension order should be issued; |
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(p) | He, she or it has never been subject to a United States Postal Service false representation order, or is currently subject to a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction with respect to conduct alleged by the United States Postal Service to constitute a scheme or device for obtaining money or property through the mail by means of false representations; |
(q) | He, she or it is not subject to a final order of a state securities commission (or an agency of officer of a state performing like functions); a state authority that supervises or examines banks, savings associations, or credit unions; a state insurance commission (or an agency or officer of a state performing like functions); an appropriate federal banking agency; the CFTC; or the National Credit Union Administration that bars the undersigned from: (i) association with an entity regulated by such commission, authority, agency or officer; (ii) engaging in the business of securities, insurance or banking; or (iii) engaging in savings association or credit union activities; |
(r) | He, she or it is not subject to an order of the SEC entered pursuant to section 15(b) or 15B(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) or section 203(e) or 203(f) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”) that: (i) suspends or revokes the undersigned’s registration as a broker, dealer, municipal securities dealer or investment adviser; (ii) places limitations on the activities, functions or operations of, or imposes civil money penalties on, such person; or (iii) bars the undersigned from being associated with any entity or from participating in the offering of any penny stock; and |
(s) | He, she or it has never been suspended or expelled from membership in, or suspended or barred from association with a member of, a securities self-regulatory organization (e.g., a registered national securities exchange or a registered national or affiliated securities association) for any act or omission to act constituting conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade. |
12. The undersigned has full right and power, without violating any agreement by which he, she or it is bound, to enter into this letter agreement and to serve as a Director and/or officer of the Company.
13. In the event the over-allotment option granted to the underwriters of the IPO is not exercised in full, the undersigned acknowledges and agrees that it (and, if applicable, any transferee of any of the Class A Ordinary Shares purchased and issued to the undersigned hereunder) shall forfeit any and all rights to such number of the Class A Ordinary Shares purchased and issued to the undersigned hereunder (up to an aggregate of all of the 225,000 Class A Ordinary Shares so purchased and issued and pro rata based upon the percentage of the over-allotment option exercised) such that immediately following such forfeiture, the undersigned (and any such transferees of the undersigned) will own, in total, an aggregate number of the ordinary shares (not including the ordinary shares underlying any private placement warrants that may be issued to the undersigned upon exercise of any securities or rights purchased by the undersigned in the IPO or in the aftermarket) equal to 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of the Company immediately following the IPO. If any of the Class A Ordinary Shares are forfeited in accordance with this clause 11, then after such time the undersigned (or any successor in interest), shall no longer have any rights as a holder of such forfeited Class A Ordinary Shares, and the Company shall take such action as is appropriate to redeem and cancel such forfeited Class A Ordinary Shares, which may include by way of the compulsory redemption and cancellation of such Class A Ordinary Shares for nil consideration. In addition, the undersigned hereby irrevocably grants the Company a limited power of attorney for the purpose of effectuating the foregoing and agrees to take any and all action reasonably requested by the Company necessary to effect any adjustment in this clause 11 (including any such redemption as is referred to herein above).[3]
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14. The undersigned hereby waives his, her or its right to exercise redemption rights with respect to any Ordinary Shares owned or to be owned by the undersigned, directly or indirectly, whether purchased by the undersigned prior to the IPO, in the IPO or in the aftermarket, and agrees that he, she or it will not seek redemption with respect to or otherwise sell, such shares in connection with any vote to approve a Business Combination with respect thereto, a vote to amend the provisions of the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, or a tender offer by the Company prior to a Business Combination.
15. The undersigned hereby agrees to not propose, or vote in favor of, an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association with respect to the Company’s pre-Business Combination activities prior to the consummation of a Business Combination unless the Company offers holders of IPO Shares the right to receive their pro rata portion of the funds then held in the Trust Fund.
16. In connection with Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law of the State of New York, this letter agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflicts of law that would result in the application of the substantive law of another jurisdiction. The parties hereto agree that any action, proceeding or claim arising out of or relating in any way to this letter agreement shall be resolved through final and binding arbitration in accordance with the International Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”). The arbitration shall be brought before the AAA International Center for Dispute Resolution’s offices in New York City, New York, will be conducted in English and will be decided by a panel of three arbitrators selected from the AAA Commercial Disputes Panel and that the arbitrator panel’s decision shall be final and enforceable by any court having jurisdiction over the party from whom enforcement is sought. The cost of such arbitrators and arbitration services, together with the prevailing party’s legal fees and expenses, shall be borne by the non-prevailing party or as otherwise directed by the arbitrators.
17. As used herein, (i) a “Business Combination” shall mean a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, contractual arrangement, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities; (ii) “Insiders” shall mean all officers, directors and shareholders of the Company immediately prior to the IPO; (iii) “Insider Shares” shall mean all of the Ordinary Shares of the Company acquired by an Insider prior to the IPO and any Ordinary Shares underlying the Private Warrants; (iv) “IPO Shares” shall mean the Ordinary Shares issued in the Company’s IPO; (v) “Private Warrants” shall mean (x) the Warrants purchased in the private placement taking place simultaneously with the consummation of the Company’s IPO and (y) the additional Warrants that may be purchased in connection with the exercise of the over-allotment option by the underwriters in the IPO as described in the Registration Statement; (vi) “Registration Statement” means the registration statement on Form S-1 filed by the Company with respect to the IPO; and (vii) “Trust Fund” shall mean the trust fund into which a portion of the net proceeds of the Company’s IPO will be deposited.
[3] Applicable to A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. only.
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18. Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this letter agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery or facsimile transmission.
If to the Underwriter:
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
17 State Street
21st Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attn: Jack Y. Liu
with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:
Hunter Taubmann Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
Attn: Lou Taubman, Esq.
If to the Company:
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard
Singapore 018983
Attn: Claudius Tsang, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:
Loeb & Loeb LLP
345 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10154
Attn: Giovanni Caruso, Esq.
Facsimile: (212) 504-3013
19. No party hereto may assign either this letter agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee. This letter agreement shall be binding on the parties hereto and any successors and assigns thereof.
20. The undersigned acknowledges and understands that the Underwriters and the Company will rely upon the agreements, representations and warranties set forth herein in proceeding with the IPO.
[Signature Page Follows]
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Sincerely, | ||
A SPAC (HOLDINGS) ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
By: | /s/ | |
Name: | ||
Title: Authorized Signatory | ||
/s/ | ||
Abuzzal Abusaeri | ||
/s/ | ||
Claudius Tsang | ||
/s/ | ||
Giang Nguyen Hoang | ||
/s/ | ||
John Brebeck | ||
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
Acknowledged and Agreed: |
||
By: | ||
Name: Claudius Tsang | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer |
[Signature Page to Letter Agreement]
Exhibit 10.3
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT TRUST AGREEMENT
This Investment Management Trust Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made effective as of [ ], 2022 by and between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands company (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as New York corporation (“Trustee”).
WHEREAS, the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1, No. 333-258184 (the “Registration Statement”) for the initial public offering of the Company’s units (the “Units”), each of which consists of one share of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, no par value (the “Ordinary Share”), three-fourths (3/4) of one redeemable warrant, each whole warrant to purchase one Ordinary Share at a price of $11.50 per full share, subject to adjustment, terms and limitations as described in the Registration Statement, and one right to receive one-tenth of one Class A ordinary share (such initial public offering hereinafter referred to as the “IPO”) has been declared effective as of the date hereof (“Effective Date”) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Registration Statement);
WHEREAS, the Company has entered into an Underwriting Agreement, dated [ ], 2022 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), with Chardan Capital Markets, LLC (“Chardan”) acting as the underwriter in the IPO;
WHEREAS, if a business combination (“Business Combination”) is not consummated within the initial 12 month period following the closing of the IPO, the Company’s insiders may extend such period two times by an additional three-months each time, up to a maximum of 18 months in the aggregate, by depositing $600,300 (or $690,345 if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) into Trust Account (as defined below) no later than the 12 month anniversary of the IPO or the 18 month anniversary of the IPO (each, an “Applicable Deadline”), as applicable, for each three-month extension (each, an “Extension”), in exchange for which they will receive promissory notes;
WHEREAS, as described in the Registration Statement, and in accordance with the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, $60,300,000 of the gross proceeds of the IPO and a private placement taking place simultaneously therewith ($69,345,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full), plus any amount eventually deposited on account of any Extension, will be delivered to the Trustee to be deposited and held in the Trust Account for the benefit of the Company and the holders of the Company’s Ordinary Shares, no par value , issued in the IPO as hereinafter provided (the proceeds to be delivered to the Trustee, including the proceeds from any loans in connection with an Extension, if any, will be referred to herein as the “Property”; the shareholders for whose benefit the Trustee shall hold the Property will be referred to as the “Public Shareholders,” and the Public Shareholders and the Company will be referred to together as the “Beneficiaries”);
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, a portion of the Property equal to $2,100,000, or $2,415,000 if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, is attributable to deferred underwriting discounts and commissions (the “Deferred Discount”) that will be payable by the Company to the Underwriters upon and concurrently with the consummation of the Business Combination; and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions pursuant to which the Trustee shall hold the Property.
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED:
1. Agreements and Covenants of Trustee. The Trustee hereby agrees and covenants to:
(a) Hold the Property in trust for the Beneficiaries in accordance with the terms of this Agreement in a segregated trust account (“Trust Account”), which Trust Account shall be established by the Trustee in the United States at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (or at another U.S. chartered commercial bank with consolidated assets of $100 billion or more) in the United States, maintained by Trustee, and at a brokerage institution selected by the Trustee that is reasonably satisfactory to the Company;
(b) Manage, supervise and administer the Trust Account subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein;
(c) In a timely manner, upon the written instruction of the Company, invest and reinvest the Property solely in United States government securities within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), having a maturity of 185 days or less, or in money market funds meeting the conditions of paragraphs (d)(1), (d)(2), (d)(3) and (d)(4) of Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act (or any successor rule), which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, as determined by the Company; it being understood that the Trust Account will earn no interest while account funds are uninvested awaiting the Company’s instructions hereunder and while the account funds are invested or uninvested, the Trustee may earn bank credits or other consideration during such periods;
(d) Collect and receive, when due, all principal, interest or other income arising from the Property, which shall become part of the “Property,” as such term is used herein;
(e) Promptly notify the Company and Chardan of all communications received by the Trustee with respect to any Property requiring action by the Company;
(f) Supply any necessary information or documents as may be requested by the Company (or its authorized agents) in connection with the Company’s preparation of the tax returns relating to assets held in the Trust Account;
(g) Participate in any plan or proceeding for protecting or enforcing any right or interest arising from the Property if, as and when instructed by the Company to do so;
(h) Render to the Company, and to such other person as the Company may instruct, monthly written statements of the activities of and amounts in the Trust Account reflecting all receipts and disbursements of the Trust Account; and
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(i) Commence liquidation of the Trust Account only after and promptly after (x) receipt of, and only in accordance with, the terms of a letter from the Company (“Termination Letter”), in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as either Exhibit A or Exhibit B, as applicable, signed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, Executive Vice President, Vice President, Secretary or Chairman of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) or other authorized officer of the Company and, in the case of Exhibit A, acknowledged and agreed to by Chardan, and complete the liquidation of the Trust Account and distribute the Property in the Trust Account, including interest not previously released to the Company to pay its taxes or to fund the Company’s working capital requirements (less up to $50,000 of interest that may be released to the Company to pay dissolution expenses in the case of a Termination Letter in the form of Exhibit B hereto), only as directed in the Termination Letter and the other documents referred to therein; or (y) upon the date which is, the later of (1) twelve (12) months after the closing of the IPO and (2) such later date as may be approved by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association if a Termination Letter has not been received by the Trustee by the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the IPO (“Closing”) or, in the event that the Company extended the time to complete the Business Combination for up to 15 or 18 months from the closing of the IPO but has not completed the Business Combination within such 15- or 18-month period, the 15- or 18-month anniversary of the Closing (as applicable, the “Last Date”), the Trust Account shall be liquidated in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Termination Letter attached hereto as Exhibit B hereto and the Property in the Trust Account, including interest not previously released to the Company to pay its taxes or to fund the Company’s working capital requirements (less up to $50,000 of interest that may be released to the Company to pay dissolution expenses) shall be distributed to the Public Shareholders as of the Last Date, provided, however, that in the event the Trustee receives a Termination Letter in a form substantially similar to Exhibit B hereto, or if the Trustee begins to liquidate the Property because it has received no such Termination Letter by the date specified in clause (y) of this Section 1(i), the Trustee shall keep the Trust Account open until twelve (12) months following the date the Property has been distributed to the Public Shareholders;
(j) Upon written request from the Company, which may be given from time to time in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit C, withdraw from the Trust Account and distribute to the Company the amount of interest earned on the Property requested by the Company to cover any tax obligation owed by the Company as a result of assets of the Company or interest or other income earned on the Property, which amount shall be delivered directly to the Company by electronic funds transfer or other method of prompt payment, and the Company shall forward such payment to the relevant taxing authority; provided, however, that to the extent there is not sufficient cash in the Trust Account to pay such tax obligation, the Trustee shall liquidate such assets held in the Trust Account as shall be designated by the Company in writing to make such distribution, so long as such distribution shall not result in a reduction in the principal amount initially deposited in the Trust Account (plus the amount per share deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to any Extension Letter); provided, further, that if the tax to be paid is a franchise tax, the written request by the Company to make such distribution shall be accompanied by a copy of the franchise tax bill from the British Virgin Islands for the Company (it being acknowledged and agreed that any such amount in excess of interest income earned on the Property shall not be payable from the Trust Account). The written request of the Company referenced above shall constitute presumptive evidence that the Company is entitled to said funds, and the Trustee shall have no responsibility to look beyond said request.
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(k) Upon written request from the Company, which may be given from time to time in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit D, distribute on behalf of the Company the amount requested by the Company to be used to redeem Ordinary Shares from Public Shareholders properly submitted for redemption in connection with a shareholder vote to approve (i) an amendment to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association to modify the substance or timing of the ability of Public Shareholders to seek redemption in connection with an initial Business Combination or the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of its public shares of Ordinary Shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within such time as is described in the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association or (ii) an amendment with respect to any other provision of the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity. The written request of the Company referenced above shall constitute presumptive evidence that the Company is entitled to distribute said funds, and the Trustee shall have no responsibility to look beyond said request;
(l) Reserved;
(m) Upon receipt of an extension letter (“Extension Letter”) substantially similar to Exhibit E hereto at least five business days prior to the Applicable Deadline, signed on behalf of the Company by an executive officer, and receipt of the dollar amount specified in the Extension Letter on or prior to the Applicable Deadline, to follow the instructions set forth in the Extension Letter.
(n) Not disburse any amounts from the Trust Account in connection with a Business Combination in the event that the amount per share to be received by the redeeming Public Shareholders is less than $10.10 per share (plus the amount per share deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to any Extension Letter).
(o) In connection with a Business Combination, before making disbursements to the Depository Trust Company, the Company or any other person, disburse the per share amount to redeeming Public Shareholders (other than shares tendered through the Depository Trust Company) that have tendered their shares directly to the Trustee.
(p) Promptly acknowledge and comply with any irrevocable instruction letter delivered in the form of Exhibit F delivered by the Company in connection with the disbursement of funds to a Public Shareholder.
(q) Promptly acknowledge, in writing to any redeeming Public Shareholder and the Company, any irrevocable instruction letter in the form of Exhibit G delivered by such redeeming Public Shareholder after the announcement by the Company of a proposed Business Combination and promptly comply with any irrevocable written instruction letter in the form of Exhibit G delivered by such Public Shareholder in connection with the disbursement of funds to such Public Shareholder if the Company has not notified the Trustee in writing during the Objection Period that such irrevocable written instruction letter is a Non-Compliant Instruction Letter (as defined below);and
(r) Not make any withdrawals or distributions from the Trust Account other than pursuant to Section 1(i), (j), (k), (l), (m), (n), (o), (p), or (q) above.
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2. Limited Distributions of Income from Trust Account.
(a) Upon written request from the Company, which may be given from time to time in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit C, the Trustee shall distribute to the Company the amount of interest income earned on the Trust Account requested by the Company to cover any income or other tax obligation owed by the Company or to fund the Company’s working capital requirements.
(b) The limited distributions referred to in Section 2(a) above shall be made only from income collected on the Property. Except as provided in Section 2(a), no other distributions from the Trust Account shall be permitted except in accordance with Section 1(i) or Section 1 (k) hereof.
(c) The Company shall provide Chardan with a copy of any Termination Letters and/or any other correspondence that it issues to the Trustee with respect to any proposed withdrawal from the Trust Account promptly after such issuance.
(d) The Company shall, promptly following the Applicable Deadline, disclose whether or not the term the Company has to consummate a Business Combination has been extended.
3. Agreements and Covenants of the Company. The Company hereby agrees and covenants to:
(a) Give all instructions to the Trustee hereunder in writing, signed by the Company’s Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, Executive Vice President, Vice President or Secretary. In addition, except with respect to its duties under Sections 1(i), 1(j), 1(k), 2(a) and 2(b) hereof, the Trustee shall be entitled to rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, any verbal or telephonic advice or instruction which it, in good faith and with reasonable care, believes to be given by any one of the persons authorized above to give written instructions, provided that the Company shall promptly confirm such instructions in writing;
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(b) Subject to the provisions of Sections 5 and 7(g) of this Agreement, hold the Trustee harmless and indemnify the Trustee from and against, any and all expenses, including reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, or losses suffered by the Trustee in connection with any action taken by it hereunder and in connection with any action, suit or other proceeding brought against the Trustee involving any claim, or in connection with any claim or demand, which in any way arises out of or relates to this Agreement, the services of the Trustee hereunder, or the Property or any interest earned on the Property, except for expenses and losses resulting from the Trustee’s gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct. Promptly after the receipt by the Trustee of notice of demand or claim or the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, pursuant to which the Trustee intends to seek indemnification under this Section 3(b), it shall notify the Company in writing of such claim (hereinafter referred to as the “Indemnified Claim”). The Trustee shall have the right to conduct and manage the defense against such Indemnified Claim, ;provided, that the Trustee shall obtain the consent of the Company with respect to the selection of counsel, which such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Trustee may not agree to settle any Indemnified Claim without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The Company may participate in such action with its own counsel;
(c) Pay the Trustee the fees set forth on Schedule A hereto, including an initial acceptance fee, annual administration fee, and transaction processing fee which fees shall be subject to modification by the parties from time to time. It is expressly understood that the Property shall not be used to pay such fee unless and until the closing of the Business Combination. The Company shall pay the Trustee the initial acceptance fee and the first annual administration fee at the consummation of the IPO. The Trustee shall refund to the Company the annual administration fee (on a pro rata basis) with respect to any period after the liquidation of the Trust Account. The Company shall not be responsible for any other fees or charges of the Trustee except as set forth in this Section 3(c), Schedule A and as may be provided in Section 3(b) hereof;
(d) In connection with any vote of the Company’s shareholders regarding a Business Combination, provide to the Trustee an affidavit or certificate of a firm regularly engaged in the business of soliciting proxies and/or tabulating shareholder votes verifying the vote of the Company’s shareholders regarding such Business Combination.
(e) In the event that the Company directs the Trustee to commence liquidation of the Trust Account pursuant to Section 1(i), the Company agrees that it will not direct the Trustee to make any payments that are not specifically authorized by this Agreement.
(f) Upon receiving the written request of a Public Shareholder to do so at any time after the date hereof, provide such Public Shareholder with a copy of any instruction provided to the Trustee pursuant to Section 1(i), Section 1(j) or Section 1(k) along with any Notification (as defined in Exhibit A), Instruction Letter (as defined in Exhibit A), applicable flow of funds memorandum (or similar document), or any other notice delivered to the Trustee by the Company regarding the disbursement of Property from the Trust Account resulting in the Property left in the Trust Account being less than $60,300,000 (or $69,345,000 if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) plus any amount eventually deposited on account of any Extension, which, in each case, shall specify to whom the Property shall be disbursed (such written notice, a “Disbursement Notice” and the date such Public Shareholder receives a Disbursement Notice, a “Disbursement Notice Date”). Each Disbursement Notice shall be delivered to such Public Shareholder at least two business days prior to the disbursement of any Property pursuant to Section 1(i) or Section 1(j) and no Property shall be disbursed from the Trust Account prior to the date that is two business days from the applicable Disbursement Notice Date.
(g) At the request of any Public Shareholder who has removed shares from street name and holds such shares either in certificated or book-entry form and, except if such shares are held in book-entry form, delivered such certificated shares to the Trustee for purposes of redemption in connection with a Business Combination, concurrently with the delivery of such shares, solely if such shares are certificated. to the Trustee, send an irrevocable written instruction letter in the form of Exhibit F to the Trustee directing the Trustee to disburse no less than $10.10 per share (plus the amount per share deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to any Extension Letter) to such Public Shareholder.
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(h) Following receipt of a copy of an irrevocable written instruction letter in the form of Exhibit G delivered by a Public Shareholder who has removed shares from street name and holds such shares either in certificated or book-entry form and, except if such shares are held in book-entry form, delivered such certificated shares to the Trustee for purposes of redemption in connection with a Business Combination to the Trustee, review such letter to confirm (i) such letter is in the form of Exhibit G, (ii) a Business Combination has been announced on or prior to the date of such letter and (iii) the number of ordinary shares set forth on such letter to be redeemed is not greater than the number of ordinary shares held by the applicable Public Shareholder. Solely if the Company cannot confirm the requirements of clauses (i) through (iii) of this Section 3(h), but not for any other reason, then within two days of the Company’s receipt of the applicable copy of the irrevocable written instruction letter in the form of Exhibit G (such time period, the “Objection Period”), the Company will notify the applicable Public Shareholder and the Trustee in writing that such irrevocable written instruction letter is a “Non-Compliant Instruction Letter” and that the Trustee shall not comply with such letter.
4. Limitations of Liability. The Trustee shall have no responsibility or liability to:
(a) Imply obligations, perform duties, inquire or otherwise be subject to the provisions of any agreement or document other than this Agreement and that which is expressly set forth herein;
(b) Take any action with respect to the Property, other than as directed in Section 1 and 2 hereof and the Trustee shall have no liability to any third party except for liability arising out of the Trustee’s own gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct;
(c) Institute any proceeding for the collection of any principal and income arising from, or institute, appear in or defend any proceeding of any kind with respect to, any of the Property unless and until it shall have received instructions from the Company given as provided herein to do so and the Company shall have advanced or guaranteed to it funds sufficient to pay any expenses incident thereto;
(d) Change the investment of any Property, other than in compliance with Section 1(c);
(e) Refund any depreciation in principal of any Property;
(f) Assume that the authority of any person designated by the Company to give instructions hereunder shall not be continuing unless provided otherwise in such designation, or unless the Company shall have delivered a written revocation of such authority to the Trustee;
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(g) The other parties hereto or to anyone else for any action taken or omitted by it, or any action suffered by it to be taken or omitted, in good faith and in the Trustee’s best judgment, except for the Trustee’s gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct. The Trustee may rely conclusively and shall be protected in acting upon any order, notice, demand, certificate, opinion or advice of counsel (including counsel chosen by the Trustee, which counsel may be the Company’s counsel), statement, instrument, report or other paper or document (not only as to its due execution and the validity and effectiveness of its provisions, but also as to the truth and acceptability of any information therein contained) which the Trustee believes, in good faith and with reasonable care, to be genuine and to be signed or presented by the proper person or persons. The Trustee shall not be bound by any notice or demand, or any waiver, modification, termination or rescission of this Agreement or any of the terms hereof, unless evidenced by a written instrument delivered to the Trustee signed by the proper party or parties and, if the duties or rights of the Trustee are affected, unless it shall give its prior written consent thereto;
(h) Verify the accuracy of the information contained in the Registration Statement;
(i) Provide any assurance that any Business Combination entered into by the Company or any other action taken by the Company is as contemplated by the Registration Statement;
(j) File local, state and/or federal tax returns or information returns with any taxing authority on behalf of the Trust Account and payee statements with the Company documenting the taxes, if any, payable by the Company or the Trust Account, relating to the income earned on the Property;
(k) Pay any taxes on behalf of the Trust Account (it being expressly understood that the Property shall not be used to pay any such taxes and that such taxes, if any, shall be paid by the Company from funds not held in the Trust Account or released to it under Section 2(a) hereof); and
(l) Verify calculations, qualify or otherwise approve the Company’s written requests for distributions pursuant to Section 1(i), Section 1(j), 2(a) or 2(b) above.
5. Trust Account Waiver. The Trustee has no right of set-off or any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (“Claim”) to, or to any monies in, the Trust Account, and hereby irrevocably waives any Claim to, or to any monies in, the Trust Account that it may have now or in the future. In the event the Trustee has any Claim against the Company under this Agreement, including, without limitation, under Section 3(b) or Section 3(c) hereof, the Trustee shall pursue such Claim solely against the Company and its assets outside the Trust Account and not against the Property or any monies in the Trust Account.
6. Termination. This Agreement shall terminate as follows:
(a) If the Trustee gives written notice to the Company that it desires to resign under this Agreement, the Company shall use its reasonable efforts to locate a successor trustee pending which the Trustee shall continue to act in accordance with this Agreement. At such time that the Company notifies the Trustee that a successor trustee has been appointed by the Company and has agreed to become subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Trustee shall transfer the management of the Trust Account to the successor trustee, including but not limited to the transfer of copies of the reports and statements relating to the Trust Account, whereupon this Agreement shall terminate; provided, however, that, in the event that the Company does not locate a successor trustee within ninety (90) days of receipt of the resignation notice from the Trustee, the Trustee may submit an application to have the Property deposited with any court in the State of New York or with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and upon such deposit, the Trustee shall be immune from any liability whatsoever; or
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(b) At such time that the Trustee has completed the liquidation of the Trust Account and its obligations in accordance with the provisions of Section 1(i) hereof, and distributed the Property in accordance with the provisions of the Termination Letter, this Agreement shall terminate except with respect to Section 3(b).
7. Miscellaneous.
(a) The Company and the Trustee each acknowledge that the Trustee will follow the security procedures set forth below with respect to funds transferred from the Trust Account. The Company and the Trustee will each restrict access to confidential information relating to such security procedures to authorized persons. Each party must notify the other party immediately if it has reason to believe unauthorized persons may have obtained access to such confidential information, or of any change in its authorized personnel. In executing funds transfers, the Trustee shall rely upon all information supplied to it by the Company, including account names, account numbers, and all other identifying information relating to a beneficiary, beneficiary’s bank or intermediary bank. Except for any liability arising out of the Trustee’s gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, the Trustee shall not be liable for any loss, liability or expense resulting from any error in the information supplied to it or transmission of the funds based on such information.
(b) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. This Agreement may be executed in several original or facsimile counterparts, each one of which shall constitute an original, and together shall constitute but one instrument.
(c) This Agreement contains the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. Except for Sections 1(i), 1(k), 1(m), 1(n), 3(g), 3(h) 7(c) and 7(h) (which may only be amended with the approval of the holders of at least 50% or more of all then outstanding ordinary shares, no par value, of the Company voting together as a single class provided that all Public Shareholders must be given the right to receive a pro-rata portion of the trust account (no less than $10.10 per share plus the amount per share deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to any Extension Letter) in connection with any such amendment), this Agreement or any provision hereof may only be changed, amended or modified by a writing signed by each of the parties hereto; provided, however, that no such change, amendment or modification may be made without the prior written consent of Chardan. As to any claim, cross-claim or counterclaim in any way relating to this Agreement, each party waives the right to trial by jury. The Trustee may require from Company counsel an opinion as to the propriety of any proposed amendment.
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(d) The parties hereto consent to the jurisdiction and venue of any state or federal court located in the City of New York, State of New York, for purposes of resolving any disputes hereunder. AS TO ANY CLAIM, CROSS-CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, EACH PARTY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.
(e) Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery or by electronic mail:
if to the Trustee, to:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attn: Francis E. Wolf, Jr. and Celeste Gonzales
Email: fwolf@continentalstock.com
Email: cgonzalez@continentalstock.com
if to the Company, to:
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard
Singapore 018983
Attn: Claudius Tsang
in either case with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
17 State Street
21st Floor
New York, NY 10004
Fax No.: [ ]
and
Loeb & Loeb LLP
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
Attn: Giovanni Caruso, Esq.
Fax No.: (212) 407-4990
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and
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street
Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
Attn: Lou Taubman
Fax No.: [ ]
(f) This Agreement may not be assigned by the Trustee without the prior consent of the Company.
(g) Each of the Company and the Trustee hereby represents that it has the full right and power and has been duly authorized to enter into this Agreement and to perform its respective obligations as contemplated hereunder. The Trustee acknowledges and agrees that it shall not make any claims or proceed against the Trust Account, including by way of set-off, and shall not be entitled to any funds in the Trust Account under any circumstance.
(h) This Agreement is the joint product of the Trustee and the Company and each provision hereof has been subject to the mutual consultation, negotiation and agreement of such parties and shall not be construed for or against any party hereto.
(i) This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or electronic transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
(j) Each of the Company and the Trustee hereby acknowledges and agrees that Chardan, on behalf of the Underwriters, are third party beneficiaries of this Agreement.
(k) Except as specified herein, no party to this Agreement may assign its rights or delegate its obligations hereunder to any person or entity.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Investment Management Trust Agreement as of the date first written above.
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee | ||
By: | ||
Name: Francis Wolf | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP | ||
By: | ||
Name: Claudius Tsang | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
SCHEDULE A
Fee Item | Time and method of payment | Amount |
Initial acceptance fee
|
Initial closing of IPO by wire transfer | $3,500.00 |
Annual fee | First year, initial closing of IPO by wire transfer; thereafter on the anniversary of the effective date of the IPO by wire transfer or check | $10,000.00 |
Transaction processing fee for disbursements to Company under Section 2 | Billed to Company following disbursement made to Company under Section 2 | $250.00 |
Paying Agent services as required pursuant to Section 1 | Billed to Company upon delivery of service pursuant to Section 1 | Prevailing rates |
EXHIBIT A
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: | Trust Account - Termination Letter |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to Section 1(i) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. ( the “Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of [ ], 2022 (the “Trust Agreement”), this is to advise you that the Company has entered into an agreement with [___________] (the “Target Business”) to consummate a business combination with Target Business (the “Business Combination”) on or about [insert date]. The Company shall notify you at least 72 hours (or such shorter time as you may agree) in advance of the actual date fixed for the consummation of the Business Combination (the “Consummation Date”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby authorize you to commence to liquidate all the assets of the Trust Account such that, on the Consummation Date, all of the funds held in the Trust Account will be immediately available for transfer to the account or accounts that the Company shall direct on the Consummation Date (including as directed to it by Chardan (with respect to the Deferred Discount)). It is acknowledged and agreed that while the funds are on deposit in the Trust Account awaiting distribution, the Company will not earn any interest or dividends.
On the Consummation Date (i) counsel for the Company shall deliver to you written notification that the Business Combination has been consummated, or will be consummated substantially concurrently with your transfer of funds to the accounts as directed by the Company (the “Notification”) and (ii) the Company shall deliver to you (a) a certificate of its Chief Executive Officer (the “Vote Verification Certificate”), which verifies either that (i) the Business Combination has been approved by a vote of the Company’s shareholders, if a vote is held or (ii) no vote of the Company’s shareholders for the approval of the Business Combination is required and none has been held, and (b) a joint written instruction signed by the Company and Chardan with respect to the transfer of the funds held in the Trust Account, including payment of amounts owed to Public Shareholders who have properly exercised their redemption rights and payment of the Deferred Discount to Chardan from the Trust Account (the “Instruction Letter”). You are hereby directed and authorized to transfer the funds held in the Trust Account immediately upon your receipt of the Notification, the Vote Verification Certificate and the Instruction Letter, in accordance with the terms of the Instruction Letter. In the event that certain deposits held in the Trust Account may not be liquidated by the Consummation Date without penalty, you will notify the Company in writing of the same and the Company shall direct you as to whether such funds should remain in the Trust Account and be distributed after the Consummation Date to the Company. Upon the distribution of all the funds, net of any payments necessary for reasonable unreimbursed expenses related to liquidating the Trust Account, your obligations under the Trust Agreement shall be terminated.
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In the event that the Business Combination is not consummated on the Consummation Date described in the notice thereof and we have not notified you on or before the original Consummation Date of a new Consummation Date, then upon receipt by you of written instructions from the Company, the funds held in the Trust Account shall be reinvested as provided in Section 1(c) of the Trust Agreement on the business day immediately following such original Consummation Date as set forth in such notice or as soon thereafter as possible.
Very truly yours, | ||
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: Secretary/Assistant Secretary |
Acknowledged and Agreed: | ||
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
A-2
EXHIBIT B
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Trust Account - Termination Letter
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to Section 1(i) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of [ ], 2022 (the “Trust Agreement”), this is to advise you that the Company has been unable to effect a Business Combination within the time frame specified in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, as described in the Company’s prospectus relating to its IPO. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby authorize you to liquidate all of the assets in the Trust Account and to keep the total proceeds thereof in the Trust Account to await distribution to the Public Shareholders. The Company has selected [ , 2022][1] as the effective date for the purpose of determining when the Public Shareholders will be entitled to receive their share of the liquidation proceeds. You agree to be the Paying Agent of record, and in your separate capacity as Paying Agent, agree to distribute said funds directly to the Public Shareholders in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement and the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company. Upon the distribution of all the funds, net of any payments necessary for reasonable unreimbursed expenses related to liquidating the Trust Account, your obligations under the Trust Agreement shall be terminated, except to the extent otherwise provided in Section 1(i) of the Trust Agreement.
Very truly yours, | ||
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
[1]12 months from the closing of the IPO
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | Secretary/Assistant Secretary |
Acknowledged and Agreed:
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
By: _________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name:
Title:
B-1
EXHIBIT C
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: Trust Account - [Tax][Working Capital] Withdrawal Instruction
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to Section 1(j) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of [●], 2022 (the “Trust Agreement”), the Company hereby requests that you deliver to the Company $ of the interest income earned on the Property as of the date hereof. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
The Company needs such funds to pay [for the tax obligations as set forth on the attached tax return or tax statement][its working capital expenses]. In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, you are hereby directed and authorized to transfer (via wire transfer) such funds promptly upon your receipt of this letter to the Company’s operating account at:
[WIRE INSTRUCTION INFORMATION]
Very truly yours, | ||
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
cc: Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
C-1
EXHIBIT D
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: Trust Account - Shareholder Redemption Withdrawal Instruction
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to Section 1(k) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of [●], 2022 (the “Trust Agreement”), the Company hereby requests that you deliver $ of the principal and interest income earned on the Property as of the date hereof to a segregated account held by you on behalf of Public Shareholders who have properly elected to have their Ordinary Shares that were sold by the Company in the IPO (the “Public Shares”) redeemed by the Company as described below. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
The Company needs such funds to pay the Public Shareholders who have properly elected to have their Public Shares redeemed by the Company in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association to modify the substance or timing of the ability of Public Shareholders to seek redemption in connection with an initial Business Combination or the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within such time as is described in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association or to affect provisions of the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association relating to the Company’s pre-initial Business Combination activity or related shareholder rights. As such, you are hereby directed and authorized to transfer (via wire transfer) such funds promptly upon your receipt of this letter to a segregated account held by you on behalf of such Public Shareholders.
Very truly yours, | ||
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
cc: Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
D-1
EXHIBIT E
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: | Trust Account - Extension Letter |
Ladies and Gentleman:
Pursuant to Section 1(l) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (“Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of [ ], 2022 (“Trust Agreement”), this is to advise you that the Company is extending the time available in order to consummate a Business Combination with the Target Businesses for an additional three (3) months, from ______________ to ____________ (the “Extension”).
This Extension Letter shall serve as the notice required with respect to Extension prior to the Applicable Deadline. Capitalized words used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Trust Agreement.
In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby authorize you to deposit [$600,000] [(or $690,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised in full)], which will be wired to you, into the Trust Account investments upon receipt.
This is the _____ of up to two Extension Letters.
Very truly yours, | ||
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
cc: Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
E-1
EXHIBIT F
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: | Trust Account - Irrevocable Instruction in Connection with Business Combination |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to paragraphs 1(p) and 3(g) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (“Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Trustee”), dated as [ ], 2022 (“Trust Agreement”), this constitutes our irrevocable instruction to you to (i) in conjunction with the Business Combination (as defined in the Trust Agreement), disburse a per share amount of $ , for a total disbursement of $ which is not less than $10.10 (plus the amount per share deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to any Extension Letter) to (the “Shareholder”) for the ordinary shares of the Company delivered to you prior to or concurrently herewith for redemption in connection with the Business Combination, and (ii) promptly deliver to the Shareholder the amounts specified in clause (i), less a processing fee of $350 per transaction received. The Shareholder wire instructions are attached. A share advice or DWAC instruction from our broker is also attached.
The Company shall indemnify you and your officers, directors, principals, partners, agents and representatives, and hold each of them harmless from and against any and all loss, liability, damage, claim or expense (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of its attorneys) incurred by or asserted against you or any of them arising out of or in connection with the instructions set forth herein, the performance of your duties hereunder and otherwise in respect hereof, including the costs and expenses of defending yourself or themselves against any claim or liability hereunder, except that the Company shall not be liable hereunder as to matters in respect of which it is determined that you have acted with gross negligence or in bad faith. You shall have no liability to the Company in respect to any action taken or any failure to act in respect of this if such action was taken or omitted to be taken in good faith, and you shall be entitled to rely in this regard on the advice of counsel.
The Board of Directors of the Company has approved the foregoing irrevocable instructions and does hereby extend the Company’s irrevocable agreement to indemnify your firm for all loss, liability or expense in carrying out the authority and direction herein contained on the terms herein set forth.
F-1
The Shareholder is intended to be and is a third party beneficiary of this letter and the irrevocable instructions set forth herein, and no amendment or modification to the instructions set forth herein may be made without the prior written consent of the Shareholder.
By signing below, the person executing this letter certifies that they are duly authorized to execute this letter on behalf of the Company and to bind the Company to all of the terms and conditions contained herein.
[remainder of page intentionally left blank]
Very truly yours, | ||
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Acknowledged and Agreed: | ||
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee |
||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Cc: [SHAREHOLDER].
Attachments:
Shareholder Wire Instructions
Shareholder Tax Form (W-9/8)
Callback telephone number to verify wire instructions, sent separatelyShare advice or instruction
F-2
EXHIBIT G
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: | Trust Account - Irrevocable Instruction in Connection with Business Combination |
Ladies and Gentleman:
Pursuant to paragraphs 1(p) and 3(h) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (“Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Trustee”), dated as of [ ], 2022 (“Trust Agreement”), this constitutes our irrevocable instruction to you to (i) in conjunction with the Business Combination (as defined in the Trust Agreement), disburse a per share amount of $_____________, for a total disbursement of $________________ which is not less than $10.10 (plus the amount per share deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to any Extension Letter) per share to (the “Shareholder”) for the __________________ ordinary shares of the Company delivered to you prior to or concurrently herewith for redemption in connection with the Business Combination, and (ii) deliver to the Shareholder the amounts specified in clause (i). Our wire instructions are attached.
We understand that a servicing fee of $350 will deducted from our payment. A share advice or DWAC instruction from our broker and copy of a valid government-issued ID of the signer are attached.
The Company shall indemnify you and your officers, directors, principals, partners, agents and representatives, and hold each of them harmless from and against any and all loss, liability, damage, claim or expense (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of its attorneys) incurred by or asserted against you or any of them arising out of or in connection with the instructions set forth herein, the performance of your duties hereunder and otherwise in respect hereof, including the costs and expenses of defending yourself or themselves against any claim or liability hereunder, except that the Company shall not be liable hereunder as to matters in respect of which it is determined that you have acted with gross negligence or in bad faith. You shall have no liability to the Company in respect to any action taken or any failure to act in respect of this if such action was taken or omitted to be taken in good faith, and you shall be entitled to rely in this regard on the advice of counsel.
The Board of Directors of the Company does hereby extend the Company’s irrevocable agreement to indemnify your firm for all loss, liability or expense in carrying out the authority and direction herein contained on the terms herein set forth.
No amendment or modification to the instructions set forth herein may be made without the prior written consent of the Shareholder.
G-1
[remainder of page intentionally left blank]
By signing below, the person executing this letter certifies that they are duly authorized to execute this letter on behalf of the Shareholder and to bind the Shareholder to all of the terms and conditions contained herein.
Very truly yours, | ||
[SHAREHOLDER (Include full address, email address and phone number for callback confirmation of wire instructions)] | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Acknowledged and Agreed: | ||
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee |
||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Cc: | A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. | |
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2 10 Marina Boulevard Singapore 018983 Attn: Claudius Tsang, Chief Executive Officer |
Attachments:
Shareholder Wire Instructions
Shareholder tax form (W-9/8)
Callback telephone number to verify wire instructions,
sent separately
Share advice or instruction
G-2
Exhibit 10.4
Execution Version
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [__], 2022, is made and entered into by and among A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands business company (the “Company”), A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands business company (the “Sponsor”) and each additional undersigned party listed on the signature page hereto, if any (each such party, together with the Sponsor and any person or entity who hereafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 5.2 of this Agreement, a “Holder” and collectively the “Holders”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company and the Sponsor have entered into those certain Securities Subscription Agreements (the “Founder Shares Purchase Agreements”), dated as of June 7, 2021 and July 19, 2021, pursuant to which the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 2,300,000 (the “Founder Shares”) of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, no par value (the “Ordinary Shares”) and one Class B Ordinary Share (the “Class B Ordinary Share”);
WHEREAS, subsequently, on January 14, 2022, our Sponsor surrendered for no consideration and the Company canceled 575,000 of such Founder Shares, resulting in 1,725,000 Founder Shares remaining outstanding;
WHEREAS, the Class B ordinary share will automatically be canceled at the time of the Company’s initial Business Combination, on the terms and conditions provided in the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association;
WHEREAS, on [ ], 2022, the Company entered into that certain Warrant Subscription Agreement with the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Sponsor agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,875,000 warrants (or up to 3,100,000 warrants if the over-allotment option in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “Offering”) is exercised in full) simultaneously with the closing of the Offering (and the closing of the over-allotment option, if applicable) (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a purchase price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable for one Ordinary Share (the “Private Placement Shares”) at a price of $11.50 per Ordinary Share; and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Holders desire to enter into this Agreement, pursuant to which the Company shall grant the Holders certain registration rights with respect to certain securities of the Company, as set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the representations, covenants and agreements contained herein, and certain other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions. The terms defined in this Article I shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, have the respective meanings set forth below:
“Adverse Disclosure” shall mean any public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure, in the good faith judgment of the Chief Financial Officer or principal financial officer of the Company, after consultation with counsel to the Company, (i) would be required to be made in any Registration Statement or Prospectus in order for the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein (in the case of any prospectus and any preliminary prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (ii) would not be required to be made at such time if the Registration Statement were not being filed, and (iii) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public.
“Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Business Combination” shall mean any merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses, involving the Company.
“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Company” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“Demand Registration” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.
“Demanding Holder” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as it may be amended from time to time.
“Form S-1” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.
“Form S-3” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.3.
“Founder Shares” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto and shall be deemed to include the Ordinary Shares issuable upon conversion thereof.
“Founder Shares Lock-up Period” shall mean, with respect to the Founder Shares, the period ending on the earlier of (A) six months after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination or (B) subsequent to the Business Combination, (x) if the last sale price of the Ordinary Shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after the Company’s initial Business Combination or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Ordinary Shares for cash, securities or other property.
2 |
“Founder Shares Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“Insider Letter” shall mean that certain letter agreement, dated as of [__], 2022, by and between the Company, the Sponsor and each of the Company’s officers, directors and director nominees.
“Maximum Number of Securities” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.4.
“Misstatement” shall mean an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact required to be stated in a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or necessary to make the statements in a Registration Statement or Prospectus in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading.
“Ordinary Shares” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals.
“Permitted Transferees” shall have the same meaning given in the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1, No. 333- 258184 and shall also include a person or entity to whom a Holder of Registrable Securities is permitted to transfer such Registrable Securities prior to the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-up Period or Private Placement Lock-up Period, as the case may be, under the Insider Letter, this Agreement, and any other applicable agreement between such Holder and the Company, and to any transferee thereafter.
“Piggyback Registration” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.2.1.
“Private Placement Lock-up Period” shall mean, with respect to Private Placement Warrants, including Private Placement Shares, that are held by the initial purchasers of such Private Placement Warrants or their Permitted Transferees, the period ending after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination.
“Private Placement Shares” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Private Placement Warrants” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Pro Rata” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.4.
“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, as supplemented by any and all prospectus supplements and as amended by any and all post-effective amendments and including all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.
“Prospectus Date” shall mean the date of the final prospectus filed with the Commission and relating to the Company’s initial public offering.
3 |
“Registrable Security” shall mean (a) any Ordinary Shares issued or issuable upon the conversion of any Founder Shares, (b) the Private Placement Warrants, (c) the Private Placement Shares, (d) any outstanding Ordinary Shares or any other equity security (including the Ordinary Shares issued or issuable upon the exercise or conversion of any other equity security) of the Company held by a Holder as of the date of this Agreement, (e) any equity securities (including the Ordinary Shares issued or issuable upon the exercise of any such equity security) of the Company issuable upon conversion of any working capital loans in an amount up to $1,150,000 made to the Company by a Holder, and (f) any other equity security of the Company issued or issuable with respect to any such Ordinary Shares by way of a share dividend or share split or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or reorganization; provided, however, that, as to any particular Registrable Security, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when: (A) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement; (B) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates for such securities not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent public distribution of such securities shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (C) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; (D) such securities may be sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission) (but with no volume or other restrictions or limitations); or (E) such securities have been sold to, or through, a broker, dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or other public securities transaction.
“Registration” shall mean a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and such registration statement becoming effective.
“Registration Expenses” shall mean the out-of-pocket expenses of a Registration, including, without limitation, the following:
(A) all registration and filing fees (including fees with respect to filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.) and any securities exchange on which the Ordinary Shares are then listed;
(B) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with blue sky qualifications of Registrable Securities);
(C) printing, messenger, telephone and delivery expenses;
(D) reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;
(E) reasonable fees and disbursements of all independent registered public accountants of the Company incurred specifically in connection with such Registration; and
(F) reasonable fees and expenses of one (1) legal counsel selected by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating a Demand Registration to be registered for offer and sale in the applicable Registration.
4 |
“Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement that covers the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus included in such registration statement, amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registration statement, and all exhibits to and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
“Requesting Holder” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.
“Sponsor” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Underwriter” shall mean a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an Underwritten Offering and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.
“Underwritten Registration” or “Underwritten Offering” shall mean a Registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an Underwriter in a firm commitment underwriting for distribution to the public.
ARTICLE
II
REGISTRATIONS
2.1 Demand Registration.
2.1.1 Request for Registration. Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.1.4 and Section 2.4 hereof, at any time and from time to time on or after the date the Company consummates the Business Combination, the Holders of at least a majority in interest of the then-outstanding number of Registrable Securities (the “Demanding Holders”) may make a written demand for Registration under the Securities Act of all or part of their Registrable Securities, which written demand shall describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such Registration and the intended method(s) of distribution thereof (such written demand a “Demand Registration”). The Company shall, within ten (10) days of the Company’s receipt of the Demand Registration, notify, in writing, all other Holders of Registrable Securities of such demand, and each Holder of Registrable Securities who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration (each such Holder that includes all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Registration, a “Requesting Holder”) shall so notify the Company, in writing, within five (5) days after the receipt by the Holder of the notice from the Company. Upon receipt by the Company of any such written notification from a Requesting Holder(s) to the Company, such Requesting Holder(s) shall be entitled to have their Registrable Securities included in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration and the Company shall effect, as soon thereafter as practicable, but not more than forty five (45) days immediately after the Company’s receipt of the Demand Registration, the Registration of all Registrable Securities requested by the Demanding Holders and Requesting Holders pursuant to such Demand Registration. Under no circumstances shall the Company be obligated to effect more than an aggregate of three (3) Registrations pursuant to a Demand Registration under this subsection 2.1.1 with respect to any or all Registrable Securities; provided, however, that a Registration shall not be counted for such purposes unless a Form S-1 or any similar long-form registration statement that may be available at such time (“Form S-1”) has become effective and all of the Registrable Securities requested by the Requesting Holders to be registered on behalf of the Requesting Holders in such Form S-1 Registration have been sold, in accordance with Section 3.1 of this Agreement.
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2.1.2 Effective Registration. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 2.1.1 above or any other part of this Agreement, a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration shall not count as a Registration unless and until (i) the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration has been declared effective by the Commission and (ii) the Company has complied with all of its obligations under this Agreement with respect thereto; provided, further, that if, after such Registration Statement has been declared effective, an offering of Registrable Securities in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration is subsequently interfered with by any stop order or injunction of the Commission, federal or state court or any other governmental agency the Registration Statement with respect to such Registration shall be deemed not to have been declared effective, unless and until, (i) such stop order or injunction is removed, rescinded or otherwise terminated, and (ii) a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating such Demand Registration thereafter affirmatively elect to continue with such Registration and accordingly notify the Company in writing, but in no event later than five (5) days, of such election; and provided, further, that the Company shall not be obligated or required to file another Registration Statement until the Registration Statement that has been previously filed with respect to a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration becomes effective or is subsequently terminated.
2.1.3 Underwritten Offering. Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.1.4 and Section 2.4 hereof, if a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders so advise the Company as part of their Demand Registration that the offering of the Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration shall be in the form of an Underwritten Offering, then the right of such Demanding Holder or Requesting Holder (if any) to include its Registrable Securities in such Registration shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such Underwritten Offering and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering to the extent provided herein. All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through an Underwritten Offering under this subsection 2.1.3 shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating the Demand Registration.
2.1.4 Reduction of Underwritten Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration, in good faith, advises the Company, the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) in writing that the dollar amount or number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) desire to sell, taken together with all other Ordinary Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell and the Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which a Registration has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights held by any other shareholders who desire to sell, exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of equity securities that can be sold in the Underwritten Offering without adversely affecting the proposed offering price, the timing, the distribution method, or the probability of success of such offering (such maximum dollar amount or maximum number of such securities, as applicable, the “Maximum Number of Securities”), then the Company shall include in such Underwritten Offering, as follows: (i) first, the Registrable Securities of the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) (pro rata based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Demanding Holder and Requesting Holder (if any) has requested be included in such Underwritten Registration and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders and Requesting Holders have requested be included in such Underwritten Registration (such proportion is referred to herein as “Pro Rata”)) that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), the Registrable Securities of Holders (Pro Rata, based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Holder has so requested) exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.2.1 hereof, without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (iii) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), the Ordinary Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell or its designees, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (iv) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), the Ordinary Shares or other equity securities of other persons or entities that the Company is obligated to register in a Registration pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with such persons and that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities.
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2.1.5 Demand Registration Withdrawal. A majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating a Demand Registration or a majority-in-interest of the Requesting Holders (if any), pursuant to a Registration under subsection 2.1.1 shall have the right to withdraw from a Registration pursuant to such Demand Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of their intention to withdraw from such Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to the Registration of their Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration as provided in Section 3.3 prior to its withdrawal under this subsection 2.1.5.
2.2 Piggyback Registration.
2.2.1 Piggyback Rights. If, at any time on or after the date the Company consummates a Business Combination, the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into equity securities, for its own account or for the account of shareholders of the Company (or by the Company and by the shareholders of the Company including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof), other than a Registration Statement (i) filed in connection with any employee share option or other benefit plan, (ii) for an exchange offer or offering of securities solely to the Company’s existing shareholders, (iii) for an offering of debt that is convertible into equity securities of the Company or (iv) for a dividend reinvestment plan, then the Company shall give written notice of such proposed filing to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but not less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date of such Registration Statement, which notice shall (A) describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, in such offering, and (B) offer to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities the opportunity to register the sale of such number of Registrable Securities as such Holders may request in writing within five (5) days after receipt of such written notice (such Registration a “Piggyback Registration”). The Company shall, in good faith, cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration and shall use its best efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of a proposed Underwritten Offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested by the Holders pursuant to this subsection 2.2.1 to be included in a Piggyback Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company included in such Registration and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through an Underwritten Offering under this subsection 2.2.1 shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering by the Company.
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2.2.2 Reduction of Piggyback Registration. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Registration that is to be a Piggyback Registration, in good faith, advises the Company and the Holders of Registrable Securities participating in the Piggyback Registration in writing that the dollar amount or number of the Ordinary Shares that the Company desires to sell, taken together with (i) the Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which Registration has been demanded pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder (ii) the Registrable Securities as to which registration has been requested pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof, and (iii) the Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which Registration has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights of other shareholders of the Company, exceeds the Maximum Number of Securities, then:
(a) If the Registration is undertaken for the Company’s account, the Company shall include in any such Registration (A) first, the Ordinary Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.2.1 hereof, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which Registration has been requested pursuant to written contractual piggy-back registration rights of other shareholders of the Company, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities;
(b) If the Registration is pursuant to a request by persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, then the Company shall include in any such Registration (A) first, the Ordinary Shares or other equity securities, if any, of such requesting persons or entities, other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.2.1, pro rata based on the number of Registrable Securities that each Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Registration and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that the Holders have requested to be included in such Underwritten Registration, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Ordinary Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (D) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the Ordinary Shares or other equity securities for the account of other persons or entities that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with such persons or entities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities.
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2.2.3 Piggyback Registration Withdrawal. Any Holder of Registrable Securities shall have the right to withdraw from a Piggyback Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of his, her or its intention to withdraw from such Piggyback Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Piggyback Registration. The Company (whether on its own good faith determination or as the result of a request for withdrawal by persons pursuant to separate written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement filed with the Commission in connection with a Piggyback Registration at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with the Piggyback Registration as provided in Section 3.2 prior to its withdrawal under this subsection 2.2.3.
2.2.4 Unlimited Piggyback Registration Rights. For purposes of clarity, any Registration effected pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof shall not be counted as a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration effected under Section 2.1 hereof.
2.3 Registrations on Form S-3. The Holders of Registrable Securities may at any time, and from time to time, request in writing that the Company, pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission), register the resale of any or all of their Registrable Securities on Form S-3 or any similar short form registration statement that may be available at such time (“Form S-3”); provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect such request through an Underwritten Offering. Within five (5) days of the Company’s receipt of a written request from a Holder or Holders of Registrable Securities for a Registration on Form S-3, the Company shall promptly give written notice of the proposed Registration on Form S-3 to all other Holders of Registrable Securities, and each Holder of Registrable Securities who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Registration on Form S-3 shall so notify the Company, in writing, within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Holder of the notice from the Company. As soon as practicable thereafter, but not more than twelve (12) days after the Company’s initial receipt of such written request for a Registration on Form S-3, the Company shall register all or such portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities as are specified in such written request, together with all or such portion of Registrable Securities of any other Holder or Holders joining in such request as are specified in the written notification given by such Holder or Holders; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect any such Registration pursuant to Section 2.3 hereof if (i) a Form S-3 is not available for such offering; or (ii) the Holders of Registrable Securities, together with the Holders of any other equity securities of the Company entitled to inclusion in such Registration, propose to sell the Registrable Securities and such other equity securities (if any) at any aggregate price to the public of less than $10,000,000.
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2.4 Restrictions on Registration Rights. If (A) during the period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Company’s good faith estimate of the date of the filing of, and ending on a date one hundred and twenty (120) days after the effective date of, a Company initiated Registration and provided that the Company has delivered written notice to the Holders prior to receipt of a Demand Registration pursuant to subsection 2.1.1 and it continues to actively employ, in good faith, all reasonable efforts to cause the applicable Registration Statement to become effective; (B) the Holders have requested an Underwritten Registration and the Company and the Holders are unable to obtain the commitment of underwriters to firmly underwrite the offer; or (C) in the good faith judgment of the Board such Registration would be seriously detrimental to the Company and the Board concludes as a result that it is essential to defer the filing of such Registration Statement at such time, then in each case the Company shall furnish to such Holders a certificate signed by a Director of the Board stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board it would be seriously detrimental to the Company for such Registration Statement to be filed in the near future and that it is therefore essential to defer the filing of such Registration Statement. In such event, the Company shall have the right to defer such filing for a period of not more than thirty (30) days.
ARTICLE
III
COMPANY PROCEDURES
3.1 General Procedures. If at any time on or after the date the Company consummates a Business Combination the Company is required to effect the Registration of Registrable Securities, the Company shall use its best efforts to effect such Registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended plan of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company shall, as expeditiously as possible:
3.1.1 prepare and file with the Commission as soon as practicable a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold;
3.1.2 prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and such supplements to the Prospectus, as may be requested by the Holders or any Underwriter of Registrable Securities or as may be required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company or by the Securities Act or rules and regulations thereunder to keep the Registration Statement effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement are sold in accordance with the intended plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus;
3.1.3 prior to filing a Registration Statement or prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the Underwriters, if any, and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration, and such Holders’ legal counsel, copies of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary Prospectus), and such other documents as the Underwriters and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration or the legal counsel for any such Holders may request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holders;
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3.1.4 prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its best efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may request and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or advisable to enable the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify or take any action to which it would be subject to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then otherwise so subject;
3.1.5 cause all such Registrable Securities included in any registration to be listed on such exchanges or otherwise designated for trading in the same manner as similar securities issued by the Company are then listed or designated or, if no such similar securities are then listed or designated, in a manner satisfactory to the holders of a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities included in such registration;
3.1.6 provide a transfer agent or warrant agent, as applicable, and registrar for all such Registrable Securities no later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;
3.1.7 advise each seller of such Registrable Securities, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance of any stop order by the Commission suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and promptly use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such stop order should be issued;
3.1.8 at least five (5) days prior to the filing of any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document that is to be incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement or Prospectus, furnish a copy thereof to each seller of such Registrable Securities or its counsel;
3.1.9 notify the Holders at any time when a Prospectus relating to such Registration Statement is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes a Misstatement, and then to correct such Misstatement as set forth in Section 3.4 hereof;
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3.1.10 permit a representative of the Holders (such representative to be selected by a majority of the participating Holders), the Underwriters, if any, and any attorney or accountant retained by such Holders or Underwriter to participate, at each such person’s own expense, in the preparation of the Registration Statement, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with the Registration; provided, however, that such representatives or Underwriters enter into a confidentiality agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, prior to the release or disclosure of any such information;
3.1.11 obtain a “cold comfort” letter from the Company’s independent registered public accountants in the event of an Underwritten Registration which the participating Holders may rely on, in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by “cold comfort” letters as the managing Underwriter may reasonably request, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority-in-interest of the participating Holders;
3.1.12 on the date the Registrable Securities are delivered for sale pursuant to such Registration, obtain an opinion, dated such date, of counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such Registration, addressed to the Holders, the placement agent or sales agent, if any, and the Underwriters, if any, covering such legal matters with respect to the Registration in respect of which such opinion is being given as the Holders, placement agent, sales agent, or Underwriter may reasonably request and as are customarily included in such opinions and negative assurance letters, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority in interest of the participating Holders;
3.1.13 in the event of any Underwritten Offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing Underwriter of such offering;
3.1.14 make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the Registration Statement which satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission);
3.1.15 if the Registration involves the Registration of Registrable Securities involving gross proceeds in excess of $60,000,000, use its reasonable efforts to make available senior executives of the Company to participate in customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the Underwriter in any Underwritten Offering; and
3.1.16 otherwise, in good faith, cooperate reasonably with, and take such customary actions as may reasonably be requested by the Holders, in connection with such Registration.
3.2 Registration Expenses. The Registration Expenses of all Registrations shall be borne by the Company. It is acknowledged by the Holders that the Holders shall bear all incremental selling expenses relating to the sale of Registrable Securities, such as Underwriters’ commissions and discounts, brokerage fees, Underwriter marketing costs and, other than as set forth in the definition of “Registration Expenses,” all reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel representing the Holders.
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3.3 Requirements for Participation in Underwritten Offerings. No person may participate in any Underwritten Offering for equity securities of the Company pursuant to a Registration initiated by the Company hereunder unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Company and (ii) completes and executes all customary questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, lock-up agreements, underwriting agreements and other customary documents as may be reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
3.4 Suspension of Sales; Adverse Disclosure. Upon receipt of written notice from the Company that a Registration Statement or Prospectus contains a Misstatement, each of the Holders shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities until it has received copies of a supplemented or amended Prospectus correcting the Misstatement (it being understood that the Company hereby covenants to prepare and file such supplement or amendment as soon as practicable after the time of such notice), or until it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed. If the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement in respect of any Registration at any time would require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure or would require the inclusion in such Registration Statement of financial statements that are unavailable to the Company for reasons beyond the Company’s control, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Holders, delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such Registration Statement for the shortest period of time, but in no event more than thirty (30) days, determined in good faith by the Company to be necessary for such purpose. In the event the Company exercises its rights under the preceding sentence, the Holders agree to suspend, immediately upon their receipt of the notice referred to above, their use of the Prospectus relating to any Registration in connection with any sale or offer to sell Registrable Securities. The Company shall immediately notify the Holders of the expiration of any period during which it exercised its rights under this Section 3.4.
3.5 Reporting Obligations. As long as any Holder shall own Registrable Securities, the Company, at all times while it shall be a reporting company under the Exchange Act, covenants to file timely (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and to promptly furnish the Holders with true and complete copies of all such filings. The Company further covenants that it shall take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell shares of the Ordinary Shares held by such Holder without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission), including providing any legal opinions. Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
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ARTICLE
IV
INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION
4.1 Indemnification.
4.1.1 The Company agrees to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, each Holder of Registrable Securities, its officers and directors and each person who controls such Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) caused by any untrue statement of material fact contained in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as the same are caused by or contained in any information furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein. The Company shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers and directors and each person who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to the indemnification of the Holder.
4.1.2 In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder of Registrable Securities is participating, such Holder shall furnish to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify the Company, its directors and officers and agents and each person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue statement of material fact contained in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the obligation to indemnify shall be several, not joint and several, among such Holders of Registrable Securities, and the liability of each such Holder of Registrable Securities shall be in proportion to and limited to the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. The Holders of Registrable Securities shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers, directors and each person who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to indemnification of the Company.
4.1.3 Any person entitled to indemnification herein shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice shall not impair any person’s right to indemnification hereunder to the extent such failure has not materially prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which cannot be settled in all respects by the payment of money (and such money is so paid by the indemnifying party pursuant to the terms of such settlement) or which settlement does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.
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4.1.4 The indemnification provided for under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling person of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of securities. The Company and each Holder of Registrable Securities participating in an offering also agrees to make such provisions as are reasonably requested by any indemnified party for contribution to such party in the event the Company’s or such Holder’s indemnification is unavailable for any reason.
4.1.5 If the indemnification provided under Section 4.1 hereof from the indemnifying party is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a material fact, was made by, or relates to information supplied by, such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the indemnifying party’s and indemnified party’s relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action; provided, however, that the liability of any Holder under this subsection 4.1.5 shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder in such offering giving rise to such liability. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses or other liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in subsections 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 above, any legal or other fees, charges or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection 4.1.5 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation, which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this subsection 4.1.5. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution pursuant to this subsection 4.1.5 from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
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ARTICLE
V
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Notices. Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be in writing and given by (i) deposit in the United States mail, addressed to the party to be notified, postage prepaid and registered or certified with return receipt requested, (ii) delivery in person or by courier service providing evidence of delivery, or (iii) transmission by hand delivery, electronic mail, telecopy, telegram or facsimile. Each notice or communication that is mailed, delivered, or transmitted in the manner described above shall be deemed sufficiently given, served, sent, and received, in the case of mailed notices, on the third business day following the date on which it is mailed and, in the case of notices delivered by courier service, hand delivery, electronic mail, telecopy, telegram or contact information, at such time as it is delivered to the addressee (with the delivery receipt or the affidavit of messenger) or at such time as delivery is refused by the addressee upon presentation. Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be addressed, if to the Company, to: Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 2, 10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983, and, if to any Holder, at such Holder’s address or facsimile number as set forth in the Company’s books and records. Any party may change its address for notice at any time and from time to time by written notice to the other parties hereto, and such change of address shall become effective thirty (30) days after delivery of such notice as provided in this Section 5.1.
5.2 Assignment; No Third Party Beneficiaries.
5.2.1 This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company in whole or in part.
5.2.2 Prior to the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-up Period or the Private Placement Lock-up Period, as the case may be, no Holder may assign or delegate such Holder’s rights, duties or obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, except in connection with a transfer of Registrable Securities by such Holder to a Permitted Transferee but only if such Permitted Transferee agrees to become bound by the transfer restrictions set forth in this Agreement.
5.2.3 This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties and its successors and the permitted assigns of the Holders, which shall include Permitted Transferees.
5.2.4 This Agreement shall not confer any rights or benefits on any persons that are not parties hereto, other than as expressly set forth in this Agreement and Section 5.2 hereof.
5.2.5 No assignment by any party hereto of such party’s rights, duties and obligations hereunder shall be binding upon or obligate the Company unless and until the Company shall have received (i) written notice of such assignment as provided in Section 5.1 hereof and (ii) the written agreement of the assignee, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Agreement (which may be accomplished by an addendum or certificate of joinder to this Agreement). Any transfer or assignment made other than as provided in this Section 5.2 shall be null and void.
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5.3 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts (including facsimile or PDF counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute the same instrument, but only one of which need be produced.
5.4 Governing Law; Venue. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PLACE WHERE THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE EXECUTED BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO, THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT (I) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AS APPLIED TO AGREEMENTS AMONG NEW YORK RESIDENTS ENTERED INTO AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION AND (II) THE VENUE FOR ANY ACTION TAKEN WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE ANY STATE OR FEDERAL COURT IN NEW YORK COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
5.5 Amendments and Modifications. Upon the written consent of the Company and the Holders of at least a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities at the time in question, compliance with any of the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth in this Agreement may be waived, or any of such provisions, covenants or conditions may be amended or modified; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment hereto or waiver hereof that adversely affects one Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of the shares of the Company, in a manner that is materially different from the other Holders (in such capacity) shall require the consent of the Holder so affected. No course of dealing between any Holder or the Company and any other party hereto or any failure or delay on the part of a Holder or the Company in exercising any rights or remedies under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any rights or remedies of any Holder or the Company. No single or partial exercise of any rights or remedies under this Agreement by a party shall operate as a waiver or preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies hereunder or thereunder by such party.
5.6 Other Registration Rights. The Company represents and warrants that no person, other than a Holder of Registrable Securities, has any right to require the Company to register any securities of the Company for sale or to include such securities of the Company in any Registration filed by the Company for the sale of securities for its own account or for the account of any other person. Further, the Company represents and warrants that this Agreement supersedes any other registration rights agreement or agreement with similar terms and conditions and in the event of a conflict between any such agreement or agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.
5.7 Term. This Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier of (i) the tenth anniversary of the date of this Agreement or (ii) the date as of which (A) all of the Registrable Securities have been sold pursuant to a Registration Statement (but in no event prior to the applicable period referred to in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act and Rule 174 thereunder (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission)) or (B) the Holders of all Registrable Securities are permitted to sell the Registrable Securities under Rule 144 (or any similar provision) under the Securities Act without limitation on the amount of securities sold or the manner of sale. The provisions of Section 3.5 and Article IV shall survive any termination.
5.8 Forfeiture. In the event the over-allotment option granted to the Underwriter of the Offering is not exercised in full, the Holder acknowledges and agrees that it (and, if applicable, any transferee of any of the Class A Ordinary Shares purchased and issued to the Holder hereunder) shall forfeit any and all rights to such number of the Class A Ordinary Shares purchased and issued to the Holder hereunder (up to an aggregate of all of the 225,000 Class A Ordinary Shares so purchased and issued and pro rata based upon the percentage of the over-allotment option exercised) such that immediately following such forfeiture, the Holder (and any such transferees of the Holder) will own, in total, an aggregate number of the ordinary shares (not including the ordinary shares underlying any Private Placement Warrants (whether comprised in any such warrants or standing alone) that may be issued to the Holder upon exercise of any warrants or any securities or rights purchased by the Holder in the Offering or in the aftermarket) equal to 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of the Company immediately following the Offering. If any of the Class A Ordinary Shares are forfeited in accordance with this clause 5.8, then after such time the Holder (or any successor in interest), shall no longer have any rights as a holder of such forfeited Class A Ordinary Shares, and the Company shall take such action as is appropriate to redeem and cancel such forfeited Class A Ordinary Shares, which may include by way of the compulsory redemption and cancellation of such Class A Ordinary Shares for nil consideration. In addition, the Holder hereby irrevocably grants the Company a limited power of attorney for the purpose of effectuating the foregoing and agrees to take any and all action reasonably requested by the Company necessary to effect any adjustment in this clause 5.8 (including any such redemption as is referred to herein above).
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above.
COMPANY: | |
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP. | |
a British Virgin Islands business company | |
By: | |
Name: Claudius Tsang | |
Title: Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer |
A SPAC (HOLDINGS) ACQUISITION CORP. | |
a British Virgin Islands business company | |
By: | |
Name: Serena Shie | |
Title: Authorized Signatory |
[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
Exhibit 10.5
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
TO: The sole director of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”).
The undersigned hereby subscribes for 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares (the “Shares”) of the Company. In consideration for the issue of the Shares, the undersigned hereby agrees and undertakes to pay $25,000.00 to the Company.
We agree to take the Shares subject to the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company and we authorize you to enter the following name and address in the register of members of the Company:
Name: | A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. | |
Address: |
Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, PO Box 3170,
Road Town, Tortola VG1110, British Virgin Islands |
In the event of the Company’s initial public offering (the “IPO”) of units on a recognised stock exchange and the over-allotment option granted to the underwriters of the IPO (the “Overallotment Option”) is not exercised in full, we acknowledge and agree that the Company shall forfeit any and all rights to such number of the Shares purchased and issued to us such that immediately following such forfeiture, we will own, in total, an aggregate number of the ordinary shares (not including the ordinary shares underlying any private placement units or warrants (whether comprised in any such units or standing alone) that may be issued to us upon exercise of any warrants or any securities or rights purchased by us in the IPO or in the aftermarket) equal to 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of the Company immediately following the IPO.
If any of the Shares are forfeited in accordance with this agreement, then after such time we shall no longer have any rights as a holder of such forfeited Shares, and the Company shall take such action as is appropriate to redeem and cancel such forfeited Shares, which may include by way of the compulsory redemption and cancellation of such Shares for nil consideration. In addition, we hereby irrevocably grants the Company a limited power of attorney for the purpose of effectuating the foregoing and agrees to take any and all action reasonably requested by the Company necessary to effect any adjustment in this letter (including any such redemption as is referred to herein above).
The undersigned hereby irrevocably surrenders
to the Company for cancellation and for nil consideration the one Class B ordinary share standing in its name in the register of members
of the Company.
For and on behalf of | ||
A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. | ||
By: | /s/ Serena She Wing Shie | |
Name: | Serena She Wing Shie | |
Title: | Director |
Dated: | June 4, 2021 | |
Accepted: |
For and on behalf of | ||
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. | ||
By: | /s/ Serena She Wing Shie | |
Name: | Serena She Wing Shie | |
Title: | Director | |
Dated: | June 4, 2021 |
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Exhibit 10.6
SHARE REPURCHASE AND SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
TO: The sole director of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”).
The undersigned hereby subscribes for 2,300,000 Class A ordinary shares (the “Shares”) of the Company. In consideration for the issue of the Shares, the undersigned hereby agrees and undertakes to pay US$25,000.00 to the Company.
We agree to take the Shares subject to the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company and we authorize you to enter the following name and address in the register of members of the Company:
Name: | A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. | |
Address: |
Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, PO Box 3170,
Road Town, Tortola VG1110, British Virgin Islands |
In the event of the Company’s initial public offering (the “IPO”) of units on a recognised stock exchange and the over-allotment option granted to the underwriters of the IPO (the “Overallotment Option”) is not exercised in full, we acknowledge and agree that the Company shall forfeit any and all rights to such number of the Shares purchased and issued to us such that immediately following such forfeiture, we will own, in total, an aggregate number of the ordinary shares (not including the ordinary shares underlying any private placement units or warrants (whether comprised in any such units or standing alone) that may be issued to us upon exercise of any warrants or any securities or rights purchased by us in the IPO or in the aftermarket) equal to 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of the Company immediately following the IPO.
If any of the Shares are forfeited in accordance with this agreement, then after such time we shall no longer have any rights as a holder of such forfeited Shares, and the Company shall take such action as is appropriate to redeem and cancel such forfeited Shares, which may include by way of the compulsory redemption and cancellation of such Shares for nil consideration. In addition, we hereby irrevocably grants the Company a limited power of attorney for the purpose of effectuating the foregoing and agrees to take any and all action reasonably requested by the Company necessary to effect any adjustment in this letter (including any such redemption as is referred to herein above).
The Company agrees to purchase and the undersigned agrees to sell to the Company 2,874,999 Class B ordinary shares standing in its name in the register of members of the Company for a purchase price of US$25,000.00.
For and on behalf of | ||
A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. | ||
By: | /s/ Serena She Wing Shie | |
Name: | Serena She Wing Shie | |
Title: | Director |
Dated: | 19 July 2021 | |
Accepted: |
For and on behalf of | ||
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. | ||
By: | /s/ Serena She Wing Shie | |
Name: | Serena She Wing Shie | |
Title: | Director | |
Dated: | 19 July 2021 |
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Exhibit 10.7
WARRANT SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
This WARRANT SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of this [ ], 2022, by and between A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands business company (the “Company”), having its principal place of business at Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 2, 10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983, and A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands business company (the “Purchaser”).
WHEREAS, the Company desires to sell on a private placement basis (the “Offering”) an aggregate of up to 2,875,000 warrants (the “Initial Warrants”) of the Company, and up to an additional 225,000 warrants (“Additional Warrants” and together with the Initial Warrants, the “Warrants”) of the Company in the event that the underwriters’ 45-day over-allotment option (“Over-Allotment Option”) in the Offering is exercised in full or part, each Warrant exercisable for one Class A ordinary share of the Company, no par value (the “Ordinary Shares”), for a purchase price of $11.50 per Ordinary Share.
WHEREAS, the Purchaser desires to purchase the 2,920,000 Initial Warrants and up to 225,000 Additional Warrants and the Company wishes to accept such subscription.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Purchaser hereby agree as follows:
1. Agreement to Subscribe
1.1 Purchase and Issuance of the Warrants. For the aggregate sum of $2,875,000 (the “Initial Purchase Price”), upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the Purchaser hereby agrees to purchase from the Company, and the Company hereby agrees to sell to the Purchaser, on the Closing Date (as defined in Section 1.2) 2,875,000 Initial Warrants at $1.00 per Initial Warrant.
In addition to the foregoing, the Purchaser hereby agrees to purchase up to an additional 225,000 Additional Warrants at $1.00 per Additional Warrant for a purchase price of up to $225,000 (the “Additional Purchase Price” and together with the Initial Purchase Price, the “Purchase Price”). The purchase and issuance of the Additional Warrants shall occur only in the event that the Over-Allotment Option is exercised in full or part. The total number of Additional Warrants to be purchased hereunder shall be in the same proportion as the amount of the Over-Allotment Option that is exercised. Each purchase of Additional Warrants shall occur simultaneously with the consummation of any portion of the Over-Allotment Option.
1.2 Closing. The closing of the purchase and sale of the Initial Warrants shall take place at the offices of Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC 48 Wall Street, Suite 1100, New York, New York 10005 simultaneously with the consummation of the Company’s initial public offering (“IPO”) and the purchase and sale of the Additional Warrants shall take place upon the consummation of the exercise of all or any portion of the Over-Allotment Option (each a “Closing Date”).
1.3 Delivery of the Purchase Price. The Initial Purchase Price is currently held in an account at Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (“CST”). At least one business day prior to the effective date of the Company’s registration statement relating to the IPO (“Registration Statement”), or the date of the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, if any, the Purchaser agrees to deliver the Initial Purchase Price or Additional Purchase Price, as the case may be, by certified bank check or wire transfer of immediately available funds denominated in United States Dollars to CST, which is hereby irrevocably authorized to deposit such funds on the applicable Closing Date to the trust account which will be established for the benefit of the Company’s public shareholders, managed pursuant to that certain Investment Management Trust Agreement to be entered into by and between the Company and CST and into which substantially all of the proceeds of the IPO will be deposited (the “Trust Account”). If the IPO is not consummated within 14 days of the date the Initial Purchase Price is delivered to CST, the Initial Purchase Price shall be returned to the Purchaser by certified bank check or wire transfer of immediately available funds denominated in United States Dollars, without interest or deduction.
1.4 Delivery of Warrants. Upon the applicable Closing Date after delivery of the Purchase Price in accordance with Section 1.3, the Purchaser shall become irrevocably entitled to receive the Warrants purchased hereunder.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Purchaser
The Purchaser represents and warrants to the Company that:
2.1 No Government Recommendation or Approval. It understands that no United States federal or state agency or similar agency of any other country has passed upon or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Company, the Offering, the Warrants or the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants (the “Securities”).
2.2 Organization. It is a business company, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands and possesses all requisite power and authority necessary to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
2.3 Private Offering. It is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or it is not a “U.S. Person” as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S (“Regulation S”) under the Securities Act. It acknowledges that the sale contemplated hereby is being made in reliance on a private placement exemption to “Accredited Investors” within the meaning of Section 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act and similar exemptions under state law or a non-U.S. Person under Regulation S.
2.4 Authority. This Agreement has been validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Purchaser and is a valid and binding agreement enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity).
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2.5 No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation by the Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby do not violate, conflict with or constitute a default under (i) the Purchaser’s organizational documents, (ii) any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Purchaser is a party or (iii) any law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Purchaser is subject, or any agreement, order, judgment or decree to which the Purchaser is subject.
2.6 No Legal Advice from Company. It acknowledges it has had the opportunity to review this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other agreements entered into between the parties hereto with its own legal counsel and investment and tax advisors. Except for any statements or representations of the Company made in this Agreement and the other agreements entered into between the parties hereto, it is relying solely on such counsel and advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its representatives or agents for legal, tax or investment advice with respect to this investment, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the securities laws of any jurisdiction.
2.7 Access to Information; Independent Investigation. Prior to the execution of this Agreement, it has had the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from representatives of the Company concerning an investment in the Company, as well as the finances, operations, business and prospects of the Company, and the opportunity to obtain additional information to verify the accuracy of all information so obtained. In determining whether to make this investment, it has relied solely on its own knowledge and understanding of the Company and its business based upon its own due diligence investigation and the information furnished pursuant to this paragraph. It understands that no person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations which were not furnished pursuant to this Section 2 and it has not relied on any other representations or information in making its investment decision, whether written or oral, relating to the Company, its operations and/or its prospects.
2.8 Reliance on Representations and Warranties. It understands the Warrants are being offered and sold to it in reliance on exemptions from the registration requirements under the Securities Act, and analogous provisions in the laws and regulations of various states, and that the Company is relying upon the truth and accuracy of the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Purchaser set forth in this Agreement in order to determine the applicability of such provisions.
2.9 No Advertisements. It is not subscribing for the Warrants as a result of or subsequent to any advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in any newspaper, magazine, or similar media or broadcast over television or radio, or presented at any seminar or meeting.
2.10 Legend. It acknowledges and agrees the the Warrants shall bear a restrictive legend (the “Legend”), in form and substance as set forth in Section 4 hereof, prohibiting the offer, sale, pledge or transfer of the securities, except (i) pursuant to an effective registration statement covering these securities under the Securities Act or (ii) pursuant to any other exemptions from the registration requirements under the Securities Act and such laws which, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, is available.
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2.11 Experience, Financial Capability and Suitability. It is (i) sophisticated in financial matters and is able to evaluate the risks and benefits of the investment in the Securities and (ii) able to bear the economic risk of his investment in the Securities for an indefinite period of time because the Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act and therefore cannot be sold unless subsequently registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from such registration is available. It has substantial experience in evaluating and investing in transactions of securities in companies similar to the Company so that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its investment in the Company and has the capacity to protect its own interests. It has substantial experience in evaluating and investing in transactions of securities in companies similar to the Company so that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its investment in the Company and has the capacity to protect its own interests.
2.12 Investment Purposes. It is purchasing the Securities solely for investment purposes, for its own account and not for the account or benefit of any other person, and not with a view towards the distribution or dissemination thereof and it has no present arrangement to sell the interest in the Securities to or through any person or entity.
2.13 Restrictions on Transfer. It acknowledges and understands the Warrants are being offered in a transaction not involving a public offering in the United States within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act, and, if in the future, it decides to offer, resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Securities, such Securities may be offered, resold, pledged or otherwise transferred only (A) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act, (B) pursuant to an exemption from registration under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (“Rule 144”), if available, or (C) pursuant to any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and in each case in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state or any other jurisdiction. It agrees that if any transfer of its Securities or any interest therein is proposed to be made, as a condition precedent to any such transfer, it may be required to deliver to the Company an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company. Absent registration or another available exemption from registration, it agrees it will not resell the Securities. It further acknowledges that because the Company is a shell company, Rule 144 may not be available to it for the resale of the Securities until the one year anniversary following consummation of the initial Business Combination (defined below) of the Company, despite technical compliance with the requirements of Rule 144 and the release or waiver of any contractual transfer restrictions.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company
The Company represents and warrants to the Purchaser that:
Valid Issuance of Share Capital. The total number of all classes of share capital which the Company has authority to issue is (i) 100,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares, (ii) 100 Class B ordinary shares, and (iii) 1,000,000 undesignated preference shares. As of the date hereof, the Company has issued 1 Class B ordinary share that will automatically be canceled at the time of the Company’s initial Business Combination (as defined below) and has not issued any preference shares. All of the issued share capital of the Company has been duly authorized, validly issued, and are fully paid and non-assessable.
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3.1 Title to Securities. Upon issuance in accordance with, and payment pursuant to, the terms hereof, the warrant agreement to be entered into with CST on or prior to the closing of the IPO (the “Warrant Agreement”) and the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, as the case may be, each of the Warrants will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. On the date of issuance of the Warrants, the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants (the “Warrant Shares”) shall have been reserved for issuance. Upon issuance in accordance with the terms hereof, the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, the Purchaser will have or receive good title to the Warrants Shares, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind other than (i) transfer restrictions hereunder and pursuant to the registration rights agreement to be entered into on or prior to the closing of the IPO (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) and (ii) transfer restrictions under federal and state securities laws.
3.2 Organization and Qualification. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a British Virgin Islands business company and has the requisite corporate power to own its properties and assets and to carry on its business as now being conducted.
3.3 Authorization; Enforcement. (i) The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and (iii) this Agreement constitutes, and upon the execution and delivery thereof, the Warrants and Warrant Agreement, will constitute, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium, reorganization, or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditors’ rights and remedies or by equitable principles of general application and except as enforcement of rights to indemnity and contribution may be limited by federal and state securities laws or principles of public policy.
3.4 No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby do not (i) result in a violation of the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default under any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company is a party or (iii) conflict with any law statute, rule or regulation to which the Company is subject or any agreement, order, judgment or decree to which the Company is subject. Other than any federal, state or foreign securities filings which may be required to be made by the Company subsequent to the Closing, and any registration statement which may be filed pursuant thereto, the Company is not required under federal, state or local law, rule or regulation to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency or self-regulatory entity in order for it to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or issue the Warrants or the Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms hereof.
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4. Legends
4.1 Legend. The Company will issue the Warrants, and when issued, and the Warrant Shares, purchased by the Purchaser, in the name of the Purchaser. The Securities will bear the following Legend and appropriate “stop transfer” instructions:
THESE SECURITIES (i) HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT (A) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (B) TO A NON-U.S. PERSON IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) PURSUANT TO THE RESALE LIMITATIONS SET FORTH IN RULE 905 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (D) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE) OR (E) PURSUANT TO ANY OTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, IN EACH CASE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION. HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT.
“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP. AND A SPAC (HOLDINGS) ACQUISITION CORP. AND MAY ONLY BE OFFERED, SOLD, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED DURING THE TERM OF THE LOCKUP PURSUANT TO THE TERMS SET FORTH THEREIN.”
4.2 Purchaser’s Compliance. Nothing in this Section 4 shall affect in any way the Purchaser’s obligations and agreements to comply with all applicable securities laws upon resale of the Securities.
4.3 Company’s Refusal to Register Transfer of the Securities. The Company shall refuse to register any transfer of the Securities, if in the sole judgment of the Company such purported transfer would not be made (i) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act, or (ii) pursuant to an available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
4.4 Registration Rights. The Purchaser will be entitled to certain registration rights which will be governed by a registration rights agreement (“Registration Rights Agreement”) to be entered into with the Company on or prior to the closing of the IPO.
5. Lockup
The Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that the Warrants and the Warrant Shares shall not be transferable, saleable or assignable except as described in the Warrant Agreement.
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6. Securities Laws Restrictions
The Purchaser agrees not to sell, transfer, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Securities unless, prior thereto (a) a registration statement on the appropriate form under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws with respect to the Securities proposed to be transferred shall then be effective or (b) the Company shall have received an opinion from counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company, that such registration is not required because such transaction complies with the Securities Act and the rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder and with all applicable state securities laws.
7. Waiver of Distributions from Trust Account
In connection with the Securities purchased pursuant to this Agreement, the Purchaser hereby waives any and all right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any distributions from the Trust Account.
8. Rescission Right Waiver and Indemnification
8.1 Rescission Waiver. The Purchaser understands and acknowledges that an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act requires there be no general solicitation of purchasers of the Warrants. In this regard, if the Offering were deemed to be a general solicitation with respect to the Warrants, the offer and sale of such Warrants may not be exempt from registration and, if not, the Purchaser may have a right to rescind its purchase of the Warrants. In order to facilitate the completion of the Offering and in order to protect the Company, its shareholders and the Trust Account from claims that may adversely affect the Company or the interests of its shareholders, the Purchaser hereby agrees to waive, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, any claims, right to sue or rights in law or arbitration, as the case may be, to seek rescission of its purchase of the Warrants as a result of the issuance of the Warrants being deemed to be in violation of Section 5 of the Securities Act. The Purchaser acknowledges and agrees this waiver is being made in order to induce the Company to sell the Warrants to the Purchaser. The Purchaser agrees the foregoing waiver of rescission rights shall apply to any and all known or unknown actions, causes of action, suits, claims or proceedings (collectively, “Claims”) and related losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, whether compensatory, consequential or exemplary, and expenses in connection therewith, including reasonable attorneys’ and expert witness fees and disbursements and all other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any Claims, whether pending or threatened, in connection with any present or future actual or asserted right to rescind the purchase of the Warrants hereunder or relating to the purchase of the Warrants and the transactions contemplated hereby.
8.2 No Recourse Against Trust Account. The Purchaser agrees not to seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever in connection with its purchase of the Warrants or any Claim that may arise now or in the future.
8.3 Section 8 Waiver. The Purchaser agrees that to the extent any waiver of rights under this Section 8 is ineffective as a matter of law, the Purchaser has offered such waiver for the benefit of the Company as an equitable right that shall survive any statutory disqualification or bar that applies to a legal right. The Purchaser acknowledges the receipt and sufficiency of consideration received from the Company hereunder in this regard.
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9. Terms of the Warrants
The Units shall be substantially identical to the Warrants offered in the IPO as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, except as described in the Warrant Agreement.
10. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York for agreements made and to be wholly performed within such territory. The parties hereto hereby waive any right to a jury trial in connection with any litigation pursuant to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
11. Assignment; Entire Agreement; Amendment
11.1 Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any rights hereunder may be assigned by any party to any other person other than by the Purchaser, without the prior consent of the Company, to one or more persons agreeing to be bound by the terms hereof. Upon such assignment by a Purchaser, the assignee(s) shall become Purchaser hereunder and have the rights and obligations provided for herein to the extent of such assignment.
11.2 Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding between the parties as to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior discussions, agreements and understandings of any and every nature.
11.3 Amendment. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended, waived, discharged or terminated other than by a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of any such amendment, waiver, discharge or termination is sought.
11.4 Binding upon Successors. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and to their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
12. Notices; Indemnity
12.1 Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications hereunder shall be in writing, shall be addressed to the receiving party’s address set forth herein or to such other address as a party may designate by notice hereunder, and shall be either (a) delivered by hand, (b) sent by overnight courier, or (c) sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. All notices, requests, consents and other communications hereunder shall be deemed to have been given either (i) if by hand, at the time of the delivery thereof to the receiving party at the address of such party set forth above, (ii) if sent by overnight courier, on the next business day following the day such notice is delivered to the courier service, or (iii) if sent by certified mail, on the fifth business day following the day such mailing is made.
8 |
12.2 Indemnification. Except as set forth in Section 8, each party shall indemnify the other party against any loss, cost or damages (including reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses) incurred as a result of such party’s breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement.
13. Counterparts
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or any other form of electronic delivery, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such signature page were an original thereof.
14. Survival; Severability
14.1 Survival. The representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the parties hereto shall survive the Closing until one (1) year following the consummation of an initial Business Combination.
14.2 Severability. In the event that any provision of this Agreement becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, unenforceable or void, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect without said provision; provided that no such severability shall be effective if it materially changes the economic benefit of this Agreement to any party.
15. Headings
The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
16. Construction
The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. If an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement will be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto and no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any party hereto because of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement. The words “include,” “includes,” and “including” will be deemed to be followed by “without limitation.” Pronouns in masculine, feminine, and neuter genders will be construed to include any other gender, and words in the singular form will be construed to include the plural and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires. The words “this Agreement,” “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereunder,” and words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular subdivision unless expressly so limited. The parties hereto intend that each representation, warranty, and covenant contained herein will have independent significance. If any party hereto has breached any representation, warranty, or covenant contained herein in any respect, the fact that there exists another representation, warranty or covenant relating to the same subject matter (regardless of the relative levels of specificity) which such party hereto has not breached will not detract from or mitigate the fact that such party hereto is in breach of the first representation, warranty, or covenant.
[remainder of page intentionally left blank]
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This subscription is accepted by the Company as of the date first written above.
By: | |
Name: | Claudius Tsang |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer |
Accepted and agreed this
___________ day of [ ], 2021
A SPAC (HOLDINGS) ACQUISITION CORP.
By: | |
Name: | Claudius Tsang |
Title: | Authorized Signatory |
[Signature Page for Warrant Subscription Agreement]
Exhibit 10.8
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983
[●], 2022
A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983l
Re: Administrative Support Agreement
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter agreement by and between A SPAC I Acquisition Company (the “Company”) and A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. (“A SPAC I”) will confirm our agreement that, commencing on the date the securities of the Company are first listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Listing Date”), pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333- 258184) and related prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Registration Statement”) and continuing until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of an initial business combination (as defined in the Registration Statement) or the Company’s liquidation (in each case as described in the Registration Statement) (such earlier date hereinafter referred to as the “Termination Date”):
(i) A SPAC I shall make available, or cause to be made available, to the Company, at Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 2, 10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 0189831(or any successor location of A SPAC I), certain office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support as may be reasonably required by the Company. In exchange therefor, the Company shall pay A SPAC I the sum of $10,000 per month on the Listing Date and continuing monthly thereafter until the Termination Date; and
(ii) A SPAC I hereby irrevocably waives any and all right, title, interest, causes of action and claims of any kind as a result of, or arising out of, this letter agreement in or to, and any and all right to seek payment of any amounts due to it (each, a “Claim”) out of, the trust account established for the benefit of the public stockholders of the Company and into which substantially all of the proceeds of the Company’s initial public offering will be deposited (the “Trust Account”), and hereby irrevocably waives any Claim it may have in the future, which Claim would reduce, encumber or otherwise adversely affect the Trust Account or any monies or other assets in the Trust Account, and further agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction of any Claim against the Trust Account or any monies or other assets in the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
This letter agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of its subject matter and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby.
This letter agreement may not be amended, modified or waived as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by the parties hereto.
No party hereto may assign either this letter agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written approval of the other party. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee.
This letter agreement constitutes the entire relationship of the parties hereto, and any litigation between the parties (whether grounded in contract, tort, statute, law or equity) shall be governed by, construed in accordance with, and interpreted pursuant to the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to its choice of law principles.
[Signature Page Follows]
2 |
Very truly yours, | ||
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED BY: | ||
A SPAC (HOLDINGS) ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Signature Page to Administrative Support Agreement]
Exhibit 10.9
STOCK ESCROW AGREEMENT
STOCK ESCROW AGREEMENT, dated as of [ ], 2022 (“Agreement”), by and among A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands company (the “Company”), the initial securityholders listed on Exhibit A attached hereto (each, an “Initial Securityholder” and collectively the “Initial Securityholders”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation (the “Escrow Agent”).
WHEREAS, the Company has entered into an Underwriting Agreement, dated as of [ ], 2022 (“Underwriting Agreement”), with Chardan Capital Markets, LLC, acting as the representative of the underwriters (collectively, the “Underwriters”), pursuant to which, among other matters, the Underwriters have agreed to purchase 6,000,000 units (“Units”) of the Company, plus an additional 900,000 Units if the Underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, no par value (an “Ordinary Share”), three-quarters of one warrant, with each whole Warrant exercisable for one Ordinary Share at a price of $11.50 per Ordinary Share, and one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of a Class A Ordinary Share, all as more fully described in the Company’s final Prospectus, dated [ ], 2022 (“Prospectus”), comprising part of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-258184) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Registration Statement”), declared effective on [ ], 2022 (“Effective Date”).
WHEREAS, the Initial Securityholders have agreed as a condition of the sale of the Units to deposit their Founder Shares (as defined in the Prospectus), Private Placement Warrants (as desfined in the Prospectus) and all securities underlying the Private Placement Warrants, as set forth opposite their respective names in Exhibit A attached hereto (collectively “Escrow Securities”), in escrow as hereinafter provided.
WHEREAS, the Company and the Initial Securityholders desire that the Escrow Agent accept the Escrow Securities, in escrow, to be held and disbursed as hereinafter provided.
IT IS AGREED:
1. Appointment of Escrow Agent. The Company and the Initial Securityholders hereby appoint the Escrow Agent to act in accordance with and subject to the terms of this Agreement with authority and power to transfer the Escrow Securities and the Escrow Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to act in accordance with and subject to such terms without the need for any further guaranteed share power from the Initial Securityholders.
2. Deposit of Escrow Securities. On or prior to the Effective Date, the Escrow Securities shall have been issued to each of the Initial Securityholders in book entry representing such Initial Securityholder’s respective Escrow Securities, to be held and disbursed subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Each of the Initial Securityholders acknowledges that the such Initial Securityholder’s Escrow Securities is legended to reflect the deposit of such Escrow Securities under this Agreement.
3. Disbursement of the Escrow Securities.
3.1 The Escrow Agent shall hold the Founder Shares during the period (the “Founder Shares Escrow Period”) commencing on the date hereof and until the earlier of (A) six months after the date of the consummation of the Company’s initial business combination (as described in the Registration Statement, hereinafter a “Business Combination”) or (B) subsequent to the Business Combination, (x) the date on which the closing price of the Ordinary Share equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, share issuances, subdivisions, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after the Company’s initial Business Combination or or (y) the date following the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, seucrities or other property . The Founder Shares shall be released upon notice to the Escrow Agent by any Initial Securityholder or the Company that the foregoing requirements have been met. The Company shall promptly provide written notice of the consummation of a Business Combination to the Escrow Agent. Upon completion of the Founder Shares Escrow Period, the Escrow Agent shall disburse such amount of each Initial Securityholder’s Founder Shares to such Initial Securityholder; provided, however, that if the Escrow Agent is notified by the Company pursuant to Section 6.7 hereof that the Company is being liquidated at any time during the FounderShares Escrow Period, then the Escrow Agent shall promptly destroy the certificates representing the Founder Shares; provided further, however, that if, subsequent to the Company’s Business Combination, the Company (or the surviving entity) subsequently consummates a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the shareholders of such entity having the right to exchange their Ordinary Shares for cash, securities or other property, then the Escrow Agent will, upon receipt of a written notice executed by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or other authorized officer of the Company, in form reasonably acceptable to the Escrow Agent, certifying that such transaction is then being consummated or such conditions have been achieved, as applicable, release the Founder Shares to the Initial Securityholders. The Escrow Agent shall have no further duties hereunder after the disbursement or cancellation of the Founder Shares in accordance with this Section 3.
3.2 Notwithstanding Section 3.1, if the Underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option to purchase an additional 900,000 Units of the Company in full within 45 days of the date of the Prospectus (as described in the Underwriting Agreement), the Initial Securityholders agree that the Escrow Agent shall return to the Company for cancellation, at no cost, the number of Insider Shares held by each such holder determined by multiplying (a) the product of (i) 225,000 multiplied by (ii) a fraction, (x) the numerator of which is the number of Founder Shares held by each such holder, and (y) the denominator of which is the total number of Insider Shares, by (b) a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is 900,000 minus the number of Ordinary Shares purchased by the Underwriters upon the exercise of their over-allotment option, and (ii) the denominator of which is 900,000. The Company shall promptly provide written notice to the Escrow Agent of the expiration or termination of the Underwriters’ over-allotment option and the number of Units, if any, purchased by the Underwriters in connection with their exercise thereof. The Initial Securityholders hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Escrow Agent to transfer the said Founder Shares on the books of the Company with full power of substitution in the premises.
3.3 The Escrow Agent shall hold the Private Placement Warrants during the period (the “Private Warrants Escrow Period”, and together with the “Founder Shares Escrow Period”, the “Escrow Periods”) commencing on the date hereof and ending on the date of the consummation of the Business Combination. The Private Warrants shall be released upon notice to the Escrow Agent by the Sponsor (as defined in the Prospectus) that the foregoing requirements have been met. The Company shall promptly provide written notice of the consummation of a Business Combination to the Escrow Agent. Upon completion of the Private Warrants Escrow Period, the Escrow Agent shall disburse each Initial Securityholder’s Private Warrants to such Initial Securityholder; provided, however, that if the Escrow Agent is notified by the Company pursuant to Section 6.7 hereof that the Company is being liquidated at any time during the Escrow Period, then the Escrow Agent shall promptly destroy the certificates representing the Private Warrants. The Escrow Agent shall have no further duties hereunder after the disbursement or cancellation of the Private Warrants in accordance with this Section 3.
4. Rights of Initial Securityholders in Escrow Securities.
4.1 Voting Rights as a Securityholder. Subject to the terms of the Insider Letters described in Section 4.4 hereof and except as herein provided, the Initial Securityholders shall retain all of their rights as shareholders of the Company during the Escrow Periods, including, without limitation, the right to vote such shares.
4.2 Dividends and Other Distributions in Respect of the Escrow Securities. During the Escrow Periods, all dividends payable in cash with respect to the Escrow Securities shall be paid to the Initial Securityholders, but all dividends payable in shares or other non-cash property (“Non-Cash Dividends”) shall be delivered to the Escrow Agent to hold in accordance with the terms hereof. As used herein, the term “Escrow Securities” shall be deemed to include the Non-Cash Dividends distributed thereon, if any.
4.3 Restrictions on Transfer. During the Escrow Periods, the only permitted transfers of the Escrow Securities will be for transfers (i) among the Initial Securityholders or to the Company’s or the Initial Securityholders’ members, officers, directors or their respective affiliates (including for transfers to an entity’s member upon its liquidation), (ii) to relatives and trusts for estate planning purposes, (iii) by virtue of the laws of descent and distribution upon death of the Initial Securityholder, (iv) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, (v) by certain pledges to secure obligations incurred in connection with purchases of the Company’s securities, (vi) by private sales made at or prior to the consummation of a Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the shares were originally purchased, or (vii) to the Company for cancellation in accordance with Section 3.2 above or in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, in each case, except for clause (vii), on the condition that such transfers may be implemented only upon the respective transferee’s written agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement and of the Insider Letter (as defined below) signed by the Initial Securityholder transferring the Escrow Securities.
4.4 Insider Letters. Each of the Initial Securityholders has executed a letter agreement with Chardan and the Company, dated as indicated on Exhibit A hereto, and the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (“Insider Letter”), respecting the rights and obligations of such Initial Securityholder in certain events, including but not limited to the liquidation of the Company.
5. Concerning the Escrow Agent.
5.1 Good Faith Reliance. The Escrow Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in the exercise of its own best judgment, and may rely conclusively and shall be protected in acting upon any order, notice, demand, certificate, opinion or advice of counsel (including counsel chosen by the Escrow Agent), statement, instrument, report or other paper or document (not only as to its due execution and the validity and effectiveness of its provisions, but also as to the truth and acceptability of any information therein contained) which is believed by the Escrow Agent in good faith to be genuine and to be signed or presented by the proper person or persons. The Escrow Agent shall not be bound by any notice or demand, or any waiver, modification, termination or rescission of this Agreement unless evidenced by a writing delivered to the Escrow Agent signed by the proper party or parties and, if the duties or rights of the Escrow Agent are affected, unless it shall have given its prior written consent thereto.
5.2 Indemnification. Subject to Section 5.8 below, thee Escrow Agent shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from and against any expenses, including reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, or loss suffered by the Escrow Agent in connection with any action, suit or other proceeding involving any claim which in any way, directly or indirectly, arises out of or relates to this Agreement, the services of the Escrow Agent hereunder, or the Escrow Securities held by it hereunder, other than expenses or losses arising from the gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct of the Escrow Agent. Promptly after the receipt by the Escrow Agent of notice of any demand or claim or the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, the Escrow Agent shall notify the other parties hereto in writing. In the event of the receipt of such notice, the Escrow Agent, in its sole discretion, may commence an action in the nature of interpleader in an appropriate court to determine ownership or disposition of the Escrow Securities or it may deposit the Escrow Securities with the clerk of any appropriate court or it may retain the Escrow Securities pending receipt of a final, non-appealable order of a court having jurisdiction over all of the parties hereto directing to whom and under what circumstances the Escrow Securities are to be disbursed and delivered. The provisions of this Section 5.2 shall survive in the event the Escrow Agent resigns or is discharged pursuant to Sections 5.5 or 5.6 below.
5.3 Compensation. Subject to Section 5.8 below, the Escrow Agent shall be entitled to reasonable compensation from the Company for all services rendered by it hereunder. The Escrow Agent shall also be entitled to reimbursement from the Company for all reasonable expenses paid or incurred by it in the administration of its duties hereunder including, but not limited to, all counsel, advisors’ and agents’ fees and disbursements and all taxes or other governmental charges.
5.4 Further Assurances. From time to time on and after the date hereof, the Company and the Initial Securityholders shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Escrow Agent such further documents and instruments and shall do or cause to be done such further acts as the Escrow Agent shall reasonably request to carry out more effectively the provisions and purposes of this Agreement, to evidence compliance herewith or to assure itself that it is protected in acting hereunder.
5.5 Resignation. The Escrow Agent may resign at any time and be discharged from its duties as escrow agent hereunder by its giving the other parties hereto written notice and such resignation shall become effective as hereinafter provided. Such resignation shall become effective at such time that the Escrow Agent shall turn the Escrow Securities held hereunder to a successor escrow agent appointed by the Company, the Escrow Securities held hereunder. If no new escrow agent is so appointed within the 60 day period following the giving of such notice of resignation, the Escrow Agent may deposit the Escrow Securities with any court it reasonably deems appropriate.
5.6 Discharge of Escrow Agent. The Escrow Agent shall resign and be discharged from its duties as escrow agent hereunder if so requested in writing at any time by the other parties hereto, jointly, provided, however, that such resignation shall become effective only upon acceptance of appointment by a successor escrow agent as provided in Section 5.5.
5.7 Liability. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Escrow Agent shall not be relieved from liability hereunder for its own gross negligence, fraud or its own willful misconduct.
5.8 Waiver. The Escrow Agent hereby waives any right of set-off or any other right, title, interest or claim of any kind (“Claim”) in, or to any distribution of, the Trust Account (as defined in that certain Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Company and the Escrow Agent as trustee thereunder) and hereby agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction for any Claim against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
6. Miscellaneous.
6.1 Governing Law. This Agreement shall for all purposes be deemed to be made under and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction.
6.2 Third Party Beneficiaries. Each of the Initial Securityholders hereby acknowledges that Chardan is a third party beneficiaries of this Agreement and this Agreement may not be modified or changed without the prior written consent of Chardan.
6.3 Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and, except as expressly provided herein, may not be changed or modified except by an instrument in writing signed by the party to the charged.
6.4 Headings. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation thereof.
6.5 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the respective parties hereto and their legal representatives, successors and assigns.
6.6 Notices. Any notice or other communication required or which may be given hereunder shall be in writing and either be delivered personally or be mailed, certified or registered mail, or by private national courier service, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, and shall be deemed given when so delivered personally or, if mailed, two days after the date of mailing, as follows:
If to the Company, to:
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard
Singapore 018983
Attn: Claudius Tsang, Chief Executive Officer
If to a Securityholder, to his address set forth in Exhibit A.
and if to the Escrow Agent, to:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attn: Fran Wolf, Jr.
A copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) sent hereunder shall be sent to:
Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
17 State Street
21st Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attn: George Kaufman
and:
Loeb & Loeb LLP
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
Attn: Giovanni Caruso, Esq.
and:
Hunter Taubman Fishcer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, New York 10005
Attn: Lou Taubman, Esq.
Facsimile: (212)530-2210
The parties may change the persons and addresses to which the notices or other communications are to be sent by giving written notice to any such change in the manner provided herein for giving notice.
6.7 Liquidation of the Company. The Company shall give the Escrow Agent written notification of the liquidation and dissolution of the Company in the event that the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within the time period specified in the Prospectus.
[Signature Page Follows]
WITNESS the execution of this Agreement as of the date first above written.
COMPANY: | ||
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: Claudius Tsag | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
INITIAL SECURITYHOLDERS: | ||
A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. | ||
By: | ||
Name: Claudius Tsang | ||
Title: Authorized Signatory | ||
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY |
||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
EXHIBIT A
Name and Address of Initial Securityholder |
Number of Founder Shares |
Date of Insider Letter or Subscription Agreement | |||||||
A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp. | 1,725,000 Founder Shares | [ ], 2022 |
Exhibit 10.10
THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made on [●], 2022.
Between:
(1) | A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP., a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands with registered office at Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, P.O. Box 3170, Road Town, Tortola VG1110, British Virgin Islands (the “Company”); and |
(2) | [●] (“Indemnitee”). |
Whereas:
(A) | Highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such corporations; |
(B) | The board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among publicly traded corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The amended and restated articles of association of the Company (the “Articles”) provide for the indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. The Articles expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement and reimbursement rights; |
(C) | The uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons; |
(D) | The Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s shareholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future; |
(E) | It is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities; |
(F) | This Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; |
(G) | Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director, advisor or in another capacity without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he be so indemnified; and |
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein and subject to the provisions of the letter agreement dated as of [●], 2022 between the Company and Indemnitee pursuant to the underwriting agreement (“Underwriting Agreement”) between the Company and the underwriters in connection with the Company’s initial public offering, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. | SERVICES TO THE COMPANY |
Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as applicable, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected, appointed or retained, or until Indemnitee tenders his resignation or until Indemnitee is removed. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director, officer, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as provided in Section 17. This Agreement, however, shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.
2. | DEFINITIONS |
As used in this Agreement:
2.1 | References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, advisor, fiduciary or other official of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company. |
2.2 | The terms “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below) as in effect on the date hereof. |
2.3 | A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events: |
(a) | Acquisition of Shares by Third Party. Other than an affiliate of A SPAC (Holdings) Acquisition Corp, any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (c) of this definition; |
(b) | Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election for nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board; |
(c) | Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than an affiliate of A SPAC Holdings Acquisition Corp., no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of Directors, providing for such Business Combination; |
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(d) | Liquidation. The approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or |
(e) | Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement. |
2.4 | “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company. |
2.5 | “British Virgin Islands Court” shall mean the Courts of the British Virgin Islands. |
2.6 | “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee. |
2.7 | “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent. |
2.8 | “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
2.9 | “Expenses” shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below), including reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee. |
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2.10 | “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm or a member of a law firm with significant experience in matters of corporate law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding (as defined below) giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. |
2.11 | References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement. |
2.12 | The term “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of share of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of a corporation owned directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of share of the Company. |
2.13 | The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative, or investigative or related nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by him or of any action (or failure to act) on his part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement. |
2.14 | The term “Subsidiary,” with respect to any Person, shall mean any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person. |
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3. | INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS |
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
4. | INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY |
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the British Virgin Islands Court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.
5. | INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL |
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
6. | INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS |
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness or deponent in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party or threatened to be made a party, he shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
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7. | ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS |
7.1 | Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights shall be available under this Section 7.1 on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law. |
7.2 | Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, 5 or 7.1, except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. |
8. | CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY |
8.1 | To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee. |
8.2 | The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee. |
8.3 | The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee. |
9. | EXCLUSIONS |
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, advance expenses, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) | for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity or advancement provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity or advancement provision or otherwise; |
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(b) | for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or |
(c) | except as otherwise provided in Sections 14.5 and 14.6 hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law. Indemnitee shall seek payments or advances from the Company only to the extent that such payments or advances are unavailable from any insurance policy of the Company covering Indemnitee. |
10. | ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; DEFENSE OF CLAIM |
10.1 | Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, and to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, prior to the final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. To the fullest extent required by applicable law, such payments of Expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Indemnitee, to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Articles, applicable law or otherwise. This Section 10.1 shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9. |
10.2 | The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense. |
10.3 | The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent. |
11. | PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION |
11.1 | Indemnitee agrees to notify promptly the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights, or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, or otherwise. |
11.2 | Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in his or her sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined according to Section 12.1 of this Agreement. |
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12. | PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION |
12.1 | A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods: (i) if no Change in Control has occurred, (x) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (y) by a committee of Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, or (z) if there are no Disinterested Directors, or if such Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, or (ii) if a Change in Control has occurred, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee. The Company will promptly advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. |
12.2 | In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12.1 hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12.2. The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. If the Independent Counsel is selected by the Board, the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11.2 hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the British Virgin Islands Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the British Virgin Islands Court, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12.1 hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14.1 of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing). |
12.3 | The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify and hold harmless such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. |
13. | PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS |
13.1 | In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11.2 of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct. |
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13.2 | If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto. |
13.3 | The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. |
13.4 | For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, managers, managing members, or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager, or managing member or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member. The provisions of this Section 13.4 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement. |
13.5 | The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. |
14. | REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE |
14.1 | In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12.1 of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 12.1 of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vii) payment to Indemnitee pursuant to any hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement or otherwise is not made within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the British Virgin Islands Court to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of British Virgin Islands law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. |
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14.2 | In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12.1 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated to receive advances of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advances of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12.1 of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 10 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed). |
14.3 | If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12.1 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law. |
14.4 | The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. |
14.5 | The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee (i) to enforce his rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Articles now or hereafter in effect; or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration right, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith). |
14.6 | Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at a rate to be agreed between the Company and the Indemnitee for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or is obliged to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company. |
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15. | SECURITY |
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary except for Section 27, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.
16. | NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION |
16.1 | The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles, any agreement, a vote of shareholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such Proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Articles or this Agreement, then this Agreement (without any further action by the parties hereto) shall automatically be deemed to be amended to require that the Company indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy. |
16.2 | The Articles permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against him or incurred by or on behalf of him or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement. |
16.3 | To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. |
16.4 | In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights. |
16.5 | The Company’s obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company. |
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17. | DURATION OF AGREEMENT |
All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director or officer of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement) by reason of his Corporate Status, whether or not he is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement can be provided under this Agreement.
18. | SEVERABILITY |
If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
19. | ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT |
19.1 | The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer or key employee of the Company. |
19.2 | Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Articles as they may be amended from time to time, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. |
19.3 | The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise at the Company’s request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his or her spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives. |
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19.4 | The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. |
19.5 | The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a Court of competent jurisdiction and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking. |
20. | MODIFICATION AND WAIVER |
No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the Company and Indemnitee. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
21. | NOTICES |
All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) if delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, or (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) | If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company. |
(b) | If to the Company, to: |
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 2
10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983
Attn: Claudius Tsang
With a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:
Loeb & Loeb LLP
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
Attn: Giovanni Caruso, Esq.
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
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22. | APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION |
This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the British Virgin Islands, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14.1 of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the British Virgin Islands Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country; (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement; (c) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the British Virgin Islands Court; and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the British Virgin Islands Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject (in whole or in part) to a jury trial.
23. | IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS |
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
24. | MISCELLANEOUS |
Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
25. | PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS |
No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of six years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such six-year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall govern.
26. | ADDITIONAL ACTS |
If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfil its obligations under this Agreement.
27. | WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO TRUST ACCOUNT |
Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such trust account for any reason whatsoever.
28. | MAINTENANCE OF INSURANCE |
The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect during the entire period for which the Company is obligated to indemnify the Indemnitee under this Agreement, one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers/directors of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. The Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director or officer under such policy or policies. In all such insurance policies, the Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors and officers.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indemnity Agreement to be signed on the day and year first above written.
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP. | |||
By: | |||
Name: | Claudius Tsang | ||
Title: | Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer | ||
INDEMNITEE | |||
A SPAC (HOLDINGS) ACQUISITION CORP. | |||
By: | |||
Name: | Claudius Tsang | ||
Title: | Authorized Signatory | ||
By: | |||
Name: Abuzzal Abusaeri | |||
By: | |||
Name: John Brebeck | |||
By: | |||
Name: Giang Nguyen Hoang |
[Signature Page to Indemnity Agreement]
Exhibit 14
CODE OF ETHICS
OF
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
1. | Introduction |
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) has adopted this code of ethics (this “Code”), as amended from time to time by the Board and which is applicable to all of the Company’s directors, officers and employees (to the extent that employees are hired in the future) to:
● |
promote honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships; |
● |
promote the full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that the Company files with, or submits to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as well as in other public communications made by or on behalf of the Company; |
● | promote compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations; |
● | deter wrongdoing; and |
● | require prompt internal reporting of breaches of, and accountability for adherence to, this Code. |
This Code may be amended and modified by the Board. In this Code, references to the “Company” mean A SPAC I and, in appropriate context, the Company’s subsidiaries, if any.
2. | Honest, Ethical and Fair Conduct |
Each person owes a duty to the Company to act with integrity. Integrity requires, among other things, being honest, fair and candid. Deceit, dishonesty and subordination of principle are inconsistent with integrity. Service to the Company should never be subordinated to personal gain and advantage.
Each person must:
● |
act with integrity, including being honest and candid while still maintaining the confidentiality of the Company’s information where required or when in the Company’s interests; |
● | observe all applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations; |
● |
comply with the requirements of applicable accounting and auditing standards, as well as Company policies, in order to maintain a high standard of accuracy and completeness in the Company’s financial records and other business-related information and data; |
● |
adhere to a high standard of business ethics and not seek competitive advantage through unlawful or unethical business practices; |
● | deal fairly with the Company’s customers, suppliers, competitors and employees; |
● |
refrain from taking advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts or any other unfair-dealing practice; |
● | protect the assets of the Company and ensure their proper use; |
● |
Until the earliest of (i) the Company’s initial business combination (as such is defined in the Company’s initial registration statement filed with the SEC), (ii) liquidation, or (iii) such time as such person ceases to be an officer or director of the Company, to first present to the Company for its consideration, prior to presentation to any other entity, any business opportunity suitable for the Company and presented to such person solely in his or her capacity as an officer or director of the Company, subject to any other fiduciary or contractual obligations such officer may have; and |
● |
Avoid conflicts of interest, wherever possible, except as may be allowed under guidelines or resolutions approved by the Board (or the appropriate committee of the Board) or as disclosed in the Company’s public filings with the SEC. Anything that would be a conflict for a person subject to this Code also will be a conflict for a member of his or her immediate family or any other close relative. Examples of conflict of interest situations include, but are not limited to, the following: |
● | any significant ownership interest in any supplier or customer; |
● | any consulting or employment relationship with any supplier or customer; |
● |
the receipt of any money, non-nominal gifts or excessive entertainment from any entity with which the Company has current or prospective business dealings; |
● |
selling anything to the Company or buying anything from the Company, except on the same terms and conditions as comparable officers or directors are permitted to so purchase or sell; |
● |
any other financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the Company; and |
● |
any other circumstance, event, relationship or situation in which the personal interest of a person subject to this Code interferes — or even appears to interfere — with the interests of the Company as a whole. |
3. | Disclosure |
The Company strives to ensure that the contents of and the disclosures in the reports and documents that the Company files with the SEC and other public communications shall be full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable in accordance with applicable disclosure standards, including standards of materiality, where appropriate. Each person must:
● | not knowingly misrepresent, or cause others to misrepresent, facts about the Company to others, whether within or outside the Company, including to the Company’s independent registered public accountants, governmental regulators, self-regulating organizations and other governmental officials, as appropriate; and |
● |
in relation to his or her area of responsibility, properly review and critically analyze proposed disclosure for accuracy and completeness. |
In addition to the foregoing, the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of the Company and each subsidiary of the Company (or persons performing similar functions), and each other person that typically is involved in the financial reporting of the Company must familiarize himself or herself with the disclosure requirements applicable to the Company as well as the business and financial operations of the Company.
Each person must promptly bring to the attention of the Chairman of the Board any information he or she may have concerning (a) significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal and/or disclosure controls that could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data or (b) any fraud that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s financial reporting, disclosures or internal controls.
4. | Compliance |
It is the Company’s obligation and policy to comply with all applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations. All directors, officers and employees of the Company are expected to understand, respect and comply with all of the laws, regulations, policies and procedures that apply to them in their positions with the Company. Employees are responsible for talking to their supervisors to determine which laws, regulations and Company policies apply to their position and what training is necessary to understand and comply with them.
Directors, officers and employees are directed to specific policies and procedures available to persons they supervise.
5. | Reporting and Accountability |
The Board is responsible for applying this Code to specific situations in which questions are presented to it and has the authority to interpret this Code in any particular situation. Any person who becomes aware of any existing or potential breach of this Code is required to notify the Chairman of the Board promptly. Failure to do so is, in and of itself, a breach of this Code.
Specifically, each person must:
● | Notify the Chairman of the Board promptly of any existing or potential violation of this Code. |
● | Not retaliate against any other person for reports of potential violations that are made in good faith. |
The Company will follow the following procedures in investigating and enforcing this Code and in reporting on the Code:
● | The Board will take all appropriate action to investigate any breaches reported to it. |
● | Upon determination by the Board that a breach has occurred, the Board (by majority decision) will take or authorize such disciplinary or preventive action as it deems appropriate, after consultation with the Company’s internal or external legal counsel, up to and including dismissal or, in the event of criminal or other serious violations of law, notification of the SEC or other appropriate law enforcement authorities. |
No person following the above procedure shall, as a result of following such procedure, be subject by the Company or any officer or employee thereof to discharge, demotion suspension, threat, harassment or, in any manner, discrimination against such person in terms and conditions of employment.
6. | Waivers and Amendments |
Any waiver (defined below) or an implicit waiver (defined below) from a provision of this Code for the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, and persons performing similar functions or any amendment (as defined below) to this Code is required to be disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8- K filed with the SEC. In lieu of filing a Current Report on Form 8-K to report any such waivers or amendments, the Company may provide such information on a website, in the event that it establishes one in the future, and if it keeps such information on the website for at least 12 months and discloses the website address as well as any intention to provide such disclosures in this manner in its most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.
A “waiver” means the approval by the Board of a material departure from a provision of the Code. An “implicit waiver” means the Company’s failure to take action within a reasonable period of time regarding a material departure from a provision of the Code that has been made known to an executive officer of the Company. An “amendment” means any amendment to this Code other than minor technical, administrative or other non-substantive amendments hereto.
All persons should note that it is not the Company’s intention to grant or to permit waivers from the requirements of this Code. The Company expects full compliance with this Code.
7. | Insider Information and Securities Trading |
The Company’s directors, officers or employees who have access to material, non-public information are not permitted to use that information for securities trading purposes or for any purpose unrelated to the Company’s business. It is also against the law to trade or to “tip” others who might make an investment decision based on inside company information. For example, using non-public information to buy or sell the Company securities, options in the Company shares or the shares of any Company supplier, customer or competitor is prohibited. The consequences of insider trading violations can be severe. These rules also apply to the use of material, nonpublic information about other companies (including, for example, the Company’s customers, competitors and potential business partners). In addition to directors, officers or employees, these rules apply to such person’s spouse, children, parents and siblings, as well as any other family members living in such person’s home.
8. | Financial Statements and Other Records |
All of the Company’s books, records, accounts and financial statements must be maintained in reasonable detail, must appropriately reflect the Company’s transactions and must both conform to applicable legal requirements and to the Company’s system of internal controls. Unrecorded or “off the books” funds or assets should not be maintained unless permitted by applicable law or regulation.
Records should always be retained or destroyed according to the Company’s record retention policies. In accordance with those policies, in the event of litigation or governmental investigation, please consult the Board or the Company’s internal or external legal counsel.
9. | Improper Influence on Conduct of Audits |
No director or officer, or any other person acting under the direction thereof, shall directly or indirectly take any action to coerce, manipulate, mislead or fraudulently influence any public or certified public accountant engaged in the performance of an audit or review of the financial statements of the Company or take any action that such person knows or should know that if successful could result in rendering the Company’s financial statements materially misleading. Any person who believes such improper influence is being exerted should report such action to such person’s supervisor, or if that is impractical under the circumstances, to any of the Company’s directors.
Types of conduct that could constitute improper influence include, but are not limited to, directly or indirectly:
● | Offering or paying bribes or other financial incentives, including future employment or contracts for non-audit services; |
● | Providing an auditor with an inaccurate or misleading legal analysis; |
● | Threatening to cancel or canceling existing non-audit or audit engagements if the auditor objects to the Company’s accounting; |
● | Seeking to have a partner removed from the audit engagement because the partner objects to the Company’s accounting; |
● | Blackmailing; and |
● | Making physical threats. |
10. | Anti-Corruption Laws |
The Company complies with the anti-corruption laws of the countries in which it does business, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”). Directors, officers and employees will not directly or indirectly give anything of value to government officials, including employees of state-owned enterprises or foreign political candidates. These requirements apply both to Company employees and agents, such as third party sales representatives, no matter where they are doing business. If you are authorized to engage agents, you are responsible for ensuring they are reputable and for obtaining a written agreement to uphold the Company’s standards in this area.
11. | Violations |
Violation of this Code is grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Such action is in addition to any civil or criminal liability which might be imposed by any court or regulatory agency.
12. | Other Policies and Procedures |
Any other policy or procedure set out by the Company in writing or made generally known to employees, officers or directors of the Company prior to the date hereof or hereafter are separate requirements and remain in full force and effect.
13. | Inquiries |
All inquiries and questions in relation to this Code or its applicability to particular people or situations should be addressed to the Company’s Secretary, or such other compliance officer as shall be designated from time to time by the Company.
PROVISIONS FOR
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND SENIOR FINANCIAL OFFICERS
The CEO and all senior financial officers, including the CFO and principal accounting officer, are bound by the provisions set forth therein relating to ethical conduct, conflicts of interest, and compliance with law. In addition to the Code, the CEO and senior financial officers are subject to the following additional specific policies:
1. Act with honesty and integrity, avoiding actual or apparent conflicts between personal, private interests and the interests of the Company, including receiving improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position.
2. Disclose to the CEO and the Board any material transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest.
3. Perform responsibilities with a view to causing periodic reports and documents filed with or submitted to the SEC and all other public communications made by the Company to contain information that is accurate, complete, fair, objective, relevant, timely and understandable, including full review of all annual and quarterly reports.
4. Comply with laws, rules and regulations of U.S. federal, state and other local governments applicable to the Company and with the rules and regulations of private and public regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over the Company.
5. Act in good faith, responsibly, with due care, competence and diligence, without misrepresenting or omitting material facts or allowing independent judgment to be compromised or subordinated.
6. Respect the confidentiality of information acquired in the course of performance of his or her responsibilities except when authorized or otherwise legally obligated to disclose any such information; not use confidential information acquired in the course of performing his or her responsibilities for personal advantage.
7. Share knowledge and maintain skills important and relevant to the needs of the Company, its shareholders and other constituencies and the general public.
8. Proactively promote ethical behavior among subordinates and peers in his or her work environment and community.
9. Use and control all corporate assets and resources employed by or entrusted to him or her in a responsible manner.
10. Not use corporate information, corporate assets, corporate opportunities or his or her position with the Company for personal gain; not compete directly or indirectly with the Company.
11. Comply in all respects with this Code.
12. Advance the Company’s legitimate interests when the opportunity arises.
The Board will investigate any reported violations and will oversee an appropriate response, including corrective action and preventative measures. Any officer who violates this Code will face appropriate, case specific disciplinary action, which may include demotion or discharge.
Any request for a waiver of any provision of this Code must be in writing and addressed to the Chairman of the Board. Any waiver of this Code will be disclosed as provided in Section 6 of this Code.
It is the policy of the Company that each officer covered by this Code shall acknowledge and certify to the foregoing annually and file a copy of such certification with the Chairman of the Board.
OFFICER’S CERTIFICATION
I have read and understand the foregoing Code. I hereby certify that I am in compliance with the foregoing Code and I will comply with the Code in the future. I understand that any violation of the Code will subject me to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include demotion or discharge.
Dated: | |
Name: | |
Title: |
Exhibit 23.1
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM’S CONSENT
We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) on Form S-1/A (Amendment No.6, Registration No. [333-258184]) of our report dated June 24, 2021 (except for Note 8, as to which the date is January 14, 2022), 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 A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. as of June 8, 2021 and for the period from April 29, 2021 (inception) through June 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/ Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP
Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP
New York, NY
February 7, 2022
Exhibit 99.1
CHARTER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
I. | PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE |
The purpose of the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) is to oversee the accounting and financial reporting processes of the Company and its subsidiaries and the audits of the financial statements of the Company.
II. | COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE |
The Committee shall consist of three or more independent directors, as determined from time to time by the Board. Each member of the Committee shall be qualified to serve on the Committee pursuant to the requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”), and any additional requirements that the Board deems appropriate.
The chairperson of the Committee shall be designated by the Board, provided that if the Board does not so designate a chairperson, the members of the Committee, by a majority vote, may designate a chairperson.
Any vacancy on the Committee shall be filled by majority vote of the Board. No member of the Committee shall be removed except by majority vote of the Board.
Each member of the Committee must be able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including the Company’s balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. In addition, at least one member of the Committee must be designated by the Board to be the “audit committee financial expert,” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Act”).
III. | MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE |
The Committee shall meet as often as it determines necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities, but no less frequently than once every fiscal quarter. The Committee, in its discretion, may ask members of management or others to attend its meetings (or portions thereof) and to provide pertinent information as necessary. A majority of the members of the Committee present in person or by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other shall constitute a quorum.
The Committee shall maintain minutes of its meetings and records relating to those meetings. The provisions of the Articles of Association of the Company (as amended from time to time) relating to meetings of the board of directors of the Company shall apply equally to meetings of the committee unless otherwise stated herein.
IV. | DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE |
In carrying out its duties and responsibilities, the Committee’s policies and procedures should remain flexible, so that it may be in a position to best address, react or respond to changing circumstances or conditions. The following duties and responsibilities are within the authority of the Committee and the Committee shall, consistent with and subject to applicable law and rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC, NASDAQ, or any other applicable regulatory authority:
Selection, Evaluation, and Oversight of the Auditors
(a) Be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of any registered public accounting firm engaged for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company, and each such registered public accounting firm must report directly to the Committee (the registered public accounting firm engaged for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report for inclusion in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K is referred to herein as the “independent auditors”);
(b) Review and, in its sole discretion, approve in advance the Company’s independent auditors’ annual engagement letter, including the proposed fees contained therein, as well as all audit and, as provided in the Act and the SEC rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, all permitted non-audit engagements and relationships between the Company and such independent auditors (which approval should be made after receiving input from the Company’s management, if desired). Approval of audit and permitted non-audit services will be made by the Committee or by one or more members of the Committee as shall be designated by the Committee/the chairperson of the Committee and the persons granting such approval shall report such approval to the Committee at the next scheduled meeting;
(c) Review the performance of the Company’s independent auditors, including the lead partner of the independent auditors, and, in its sole discretion (subject, if applicable, to shareholder ratification), make decisions regarding the replacement or termination of the independent auditors when circumstances warrant;
(d) Evaluate the independence of the Company’s independent auditors by, among other things:
(i) |
obtaining and reviewing from the Company’s independent auditors a formal written statement delineating all relationships between the independent auditors and the Company, consistent with Independence Standards Board Standard 1; |
(ii) |
actively engaging in a dialogue with the Company’s independent auditors with respect to any disclosed relationships or services that may impact the objectivity and independence of the auditors; |
(iii) | setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the Company’s independent auditors; |
(iv) |
taking, or recommending that the Board take, appropriate action to oversee the independence of the Company’s independent auditors; |
(v) |
monitoring compliance by the Company’s independent auditors with the audit partner rotation requirements contained in the Act and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder; |
(vi) |
monitoring compliance by the Company of the employee conflict of interest requirements contained in the Act and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder; and |
(vii) |
engaging in a dialogue with the independent auditors to confirm that audit partner compensation is consistent with applicable SEC rules; |
Oversight of Annual Audit and Quarterly Reviews
(e) Review and discuss with the independent auditors their annual audit plan, including the timing and scope of audit activities, and monitor such plan’s progress and results during the year;
(f) Review with management and the Company’s independent auditors the following information which is required to be reported by the independent auditor:
(i) | all critical accounting policies and practices to be used; |
(ii) |
all alternative treatments of financial information that have been discussed by the independent auditors and management, ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments, and the treatment preferred by the independent auditors; |
(iii) |
all other material written communications between the independent auditors and management, such as any management letter and any schedule of unadjusted differences; and |
(iv) |
any material financial arrangements of the Company which do not appear on the financial statements of the Company; |
(g) Resolve all disagreements between the Company’s independent auditors and management regarding financial reporting;
Oversight of Financial Reporting Process and Internal Controls
(h) Review:
(i) |
the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s accounting and internal control policies and procedures on a regular basis, including the responsibilities, budget, compensation and staffing of the Company’s internal audit function, through inquiry and discussions with the Company’s independent auditors and management; and |
(ii) |
the Committee’s level of involvement and interaction with the Company’s internal audit function, including the Committee’s line of authority and role in appointing and compensating employees in the internal audit function; |
(i) Review with the chief executive officer, chief financial officer and independent auditors, periodically, the following:
(i) |
all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and |
(ii) |
any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting; |
(j) Discuss guidelines and policies governing the process by which senior management of the Company assess and manage the Company’s exposure to risk, as well as the Company’s major financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures;
(k) Review with management the progress and results of all internal audit projects, and, when deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee, assign additional internal audit projects to appropriate personnel;
(l) Receive periodic reports from the Company’s independent auditors, management and directors of the Company’s internal auditing department to assess the impact on the Company of significant accounting or financial reporting developments that may have a bearing on the Company;
(m) Review and discuss with the independent auditors the results of the year-end audit of the Company, including any comments or recommendations of the Company’s independent auditors and, based on such review and discussions and on such other considerations as it determines appropriate, recommend to the Board whether the Company’s financial statements should be included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K;
(n) Establish and maintain free and open means of communication between and among the Committee, the Company’s independent auditors and management, including providing such parties with appropriate opportunities to meet separately and privately with the Committee on a periodic basis;
(o) Review the type and presentation of information to be included in the Company’s earnings press releases (especially the use of “pro forma” or “adjusted” information not prepared in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles), as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided by the Company to analysts and rating agencies (which review may be done generally (i.e., discussion of the types of information to be disclosed and type of presentations to be made), and the Committee need not discuss in advance each earnings release or each instance in which the Company may provide earnings guidance);
Miscellaneous
(p) Establish and implement policies and procedures for the Committee’s review and approval or disapproval of proposed transactions or courses of dealings with respect to which executive officers or directors or members of their immediate families have an interest (including all transactions required to be disclosed by Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K);
(q) Meet periodically with outside counsel when appropriate, to review legal and regulatory matters, including (i) any matters that may have a material impact on the financial statements of the Company and (ii) any matters involving potential or ongoing material violations of law or breaches of fiduciary duty by the Company or any of its directors, officers, employees, or agents or breaches of fiduciary duty to the Company;
(r) Prepare the report required by the rules of the SEC to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement;
(s) Review the Company’s policies relating to the ethical handling of conflicts of interest and review past or proposed transactions between the Company and members of management as well as policies and procedures with respect to officers’ expense accounts and perquisites, including the use of corporate assets. The Committee shall consider the results of any review of these policies and procedures by the Company’s independent auditors;
(t) Review and approve in advance any services provided by the Company’s independent auditors to the Company’s executive officers or members of their immediate family;
(u) Review the Company’s program to monitor compliance with the Company’s Code of Ethics, and meet periodically with the Company’s Compliance Committee to discuss compliance with the Code of Ethics;
(v) Establish procedures for (i) the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters;
(w) Establish procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of reports of evidence of a material violation made by attorneys appearing and practicing before the SEC in the representation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or reports made by the Company’s chief executive officer in relation thereto;
(x) Approve reimbursement of expenses incurred by management in connection with certain activities conducted on the Company’s behalf, such as identifying potential target businesses;
(y) Secure independent expert advice to the extent the Committee determines it to be appropriate, including retaining, with or without Board approval, independent counsel, accountants, consultants or others, to assist the Committee in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities, the cost of such independent expert advisors to be borne by the Company;
(z) Review and assess the adequacy of this Charter on an annual basis; and
(aa) Perform such additional activities, and consider such other matters, within the scope of its responsibilities, as the Committee or the Board deems necessary or appropriate.
V. | INVESTIGATIONS AND STUDIES; OUTSIDE ADVISERS |
The Committee may conduct or authorize investigations into or studies of matters within the Committee’s scope of responsibilities, and may retain, at the Company’s expense, such independent counsel or other consultants or advisers as it deems necessary.
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While the Committee has the duties and responsibilities set forth in this Charter, the Committee is not responsible for preparing or certifying the financial statements, for planning or conducting the audit, or for determining whether the Company’s financial statements are complete and accurate and are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
In fulfilling their responsibilities hereunder, it is recognized that members of the Committee are not full-time employees of the Company, it is not the duty or responsibility of the Committee or its members to conduct “field work” or other types of auditing or accounting reviews or procedures or to set auditor independence standards, and each member of the Committee shall be entitled to rely on (i) the integrity of those persons and organizations within and outside the Company from which it receives information and (ii) the accuracy of the financial and other information provided to the Committee absent actual knowledge to the contrary.
Nothing contained in this Charter is intended to create, or should be construed as creating, any responsibility or liability of the members of the Committee, except to the extent otherwise provided under applicable U.S. federal or state law.
Exhibit 99.2
CHARTER OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.
I. PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE
The purposes of the Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) shall be to oversee the Company’s compensation and employee benefit plans and practices, including its executive compensation plans, and its incentive-compensation and equity-based plans; to review and discuss with management the Company’s compensation discussion and analysis (“CD&A”) to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”); to prepare the Compensation Committee Report as required by the rules of the SEC; and to perform such further functions as may be consistent with this Charter or assigned by applicable law, the Company’s memorandum and articles of association (as amended from time to time, the “M&AA”) or the Board.
II. COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE
The Committee shall consist of two or more directors as determined from time to time by the Board. Each member of the Committee shall be qualified to serve on the Committee pursuant to the requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “NASDAQ”), and any additional requirements that the Board deems appropriate. Members of the Committee shall also qualify as “non-employee directors” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
The chairperson of the Committee shall be designated by the Board, provided that if the Board does not so designate a chairperson, the members of the Committee, by a majority vote, may designate a chairperson.
Any vacancy on the Committee shall be filled by majority vote of the Board. No member of the Committee shall be removed except by majority vote of the Board.
III. MEETINGS AND PROCEDURES OF THE COMMITTEE
The Committee shall meet as often as it determines necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities, but at least once annually. The Committee, in its discretion, may ask members of management or others to attend its meetings (or portions thereof) and to provide pertinent information as necessary, provided, that the Chief Executive Officer of the Company may not be present during any portion of a Committee meeting in which deliberation or any vote regarding his or her compensation occurs.
A majority of the members of the Committee present in person or by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other shall constitute a quorum.
The Committee shall maintain minutes of its meetings and records relating to those meetings and shall report regularly to the Board on its activities, as appropriate. The provisions of the Articles of Association of the Company (as amended from time to time) relating to meetings of the board of directors of the Company shall apply equally to meetings of the committee unless otherwise stated herein.
IV. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE
A. Executive Compensation
The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities with respect to the Company’s executive compensation plans:
(a) To review at least annually the goals and objectives of the Company’s executive compensation plans, and amend, or recommend that the Board amend, these goals and objectives if the Committee deems it appropriate.
(b) To review at least annually the Company’s executive compensation plans in light of the Company’s goals and objectives with respect to such plans, and, if the Committee deems it appropriate, adopt, or recommend to the Board the adoption of, new, or the amendment of existing, executive compensation plans.
(c) To evaluate annually the performance of the Chief Executive Officer in light of the goals and objectives of the Company’s executive compensation plans, and, either as a Committee or together with the other independent directors (as directed by the Board), determine and approve the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation level based on this evaluation. In determining the long-term incentive component of the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, the Committee shall consider factors as it determines relevant, which may include, for example, the Company’s performance and relative shareholder return, the value of similar awards to chief executive officers of comparable companies, and the awards given to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company in past years. The Committee may discuss the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation with the Board if it chooses to do so.
(d) To evaluate annually the performance of the other executive officers of the Company in light of the goals and objectives of the Company’s executive compensation plans, and either as a Committee or together with the other independent directors (as directed by the Board), determine and approve the compensation of such other executive officers. To the extent that long-term incentive compensation is a component of such executive officer’s compensation, the Committee shall consider all relevant factors in determining the appropriate level of such compensation, including the factors applicable with respect to the Chief Executive Officer.
(e) To evaluate annually the appropriate level of compensation for Board and Committee service by non-employee directors.
(f) To review and approve any severance or termination arrangements to be made with any executive officer of the Company.
(g) To perform such duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to the Board or the Committee under the terms of any executive compensation plan.
(h) To review perquisites or other personal benefits to the Company’s executive officers and directors and recommend any changes to the Board.
(i) To consider the results of the most recent shareholder advisory vote on executive compensation as required by Section 14A of the Exchange Act and, to the extent the Committee determines it appropriate to do so, take such results into consideration in connection with the review and approval of executive officer compensation.
(j) To review and discuss with management the Company’s CD&A, and based on that review and discussion, to recommend to the Board that the CD&A be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K.
(k) To review compensation arrangements for the Company’s employees to evaluate whether incentive and other forms of pay encourage unnecessary or excessive risk taking, and review and discuss, at least annually, the relationship between risk management policies and practices, corporate strategy and the Company’s compensation arrangements.
(l) To the extent it deems necessary, review and approve the terms of any compensation “clawback” or similar policy or agreement between the Company and the Company’s executive officers or other employees subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
(m) To prepare the Compensation Committee Report in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC for inclusion in the Company’s annual proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K.
(n) To perform such other functions as assigned by law, the M&AA or the Board.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, the Committee shall have sole discretion and authority with respect to any action regarding compensation payable to the Chief Executive Officer or other executive officers of the Company that the Committee intends to constitute “qualified performance-based compensation” for purposes of section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
B. General Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans
The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities with respect to the Company’s general compensation and employee benefit plans, including incentive-compensation and equity-based plans:
(a) To review at least annually the goals and objectives of the Company’s general compensation plans and other employee benefit plans, including incentive-compensation and equity-based plans, and amend, or recommend that the Board amend, these goals and objectives if the Committee deems it appropriate.
(b) To review at least annually the Company’s general compensation plans and other employee benefit plans, including incentive-compensation and equity-based plans, in light of the goals and objectives of these plans, and recommend that the Board amend these plans if the Committee deems it appropriate.
(c) To review all equity-compensation plans to be submitted for shareholder approval under the NASDAQ listing standards, and to review and, in the Committee’s sole discretion, approve all equity-compensation plans that are exempt from such shareholder approval requirement.
(d) To perform such duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to the Board or the Committee under the terms of any compensation or other employee benefit plan, including any incentive-compensation or equity-based plan.
V. ROLE OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
The Chief Executive Officer may make, and the Committee may consider, recommendations to the Committee regarding the Company’s compensation and employee benefit plans and practices, including its executive compensation plans, its incentive-compensation and equity-based plans with respect to executive officers (other than the Chief Executive Officer) and the Company’s director compensation arrangements.
VI. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
The Committee may form subcommittees for any purpose that the Committee deems appropriate and may delegate to such subcommittees such power and authority as the Committee deems appropriate; provided, however, that no subcommittee shall consist of fewer than two members; and provided further that the Committee shall not delegate to a subcommittee any power or authority required by any law, regulation or listing standard to be exercised by the Committee as a whole.
VII. EVALUATION OF THE COMMITTEE
The Committee shall, no less frequently than annually, evaluate its performance. In conducting this review, the Committee shall evaluate whether this Charter appropriately addresses the matters that are or should be within its scope and shall recommend such changes as it deems necessary or appropriate.
The Committee shall address all matters that the Committee considers relevant to its performance, including at least the following: the adequacy, appropriateness and quality of the information and recommendations presented by the Committee to the Board, the manner in which they were discussed or debated, and whether the number and length of meetings of the Committee were adequate for the Committee to complete its work in a thorough and thoughtful manner.
The Committee shall deliver to the Board a report, which may be oral, setting forth the results of its evaluation, including any recommended amendments to this Charter and any recommended changes to the Company’s or the Board’s policies or procedures.
VIII. INVESTIGATIONS AND STUDIES; OUTSIDE ADVISERS
The Committee may conduct or authorize investigations into or studies of matters within the Committee’s scope of responsibilities, and may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser. The Committee shall be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser retained by the Committee, the expense of which shall be borne by the Company. The Committee may select a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser to the Committee only after taking into consideration the following:
(a) |
The provision of other services to the Company by the person that employs the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser; |
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(b) |
The amount of fees received from the Company by the person that employs the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser, as a percentage of the total revenue of the person that employs the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser; |
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(c) |
The policies and procedures of the person that employs the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser that are designed to prevent conflicts of interest: |
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(d) |
Any business or personal relationship of the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser with a member of the Committee; |
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(e) | Any shares of the Company owned by the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser; and | |
(f) |
Any business or personal relationship of the compensation consultant, legal counsel, other adviser or the person employing the adviser with an executive officer of the Company. |
The Committee shall conduct the independence assessment with respect to any compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser that provides advice to the Committee, other than: (i) in-house legal counsel; and (ii) any compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser whose role is limited to the following activities for which no disclosure would be required under Item 407(e)(3)(iii) of Regulation S-K: consulting on any broad-based plan that does not discriminate in scope, terms, or operation, in favor of executive officers or directors of the Company, and that is available generally to all salaried employees; or providing information that either is not customized for the Company or that is customized based on parameters that are not developed by the compensation consultant, and about which the compensation consultant does not provide advice.
Nothing herein requires a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other compensation adviser to be independent, only that the Committee consider the enumerated independence factors before selecting or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other compensation adviser. The Committee may select or receive advice from any compensation consultant, legal counsel or other compensation adviser it prefers, including ones that are not independent, after considering the six independence factors outlined above.
Nothing herein shall be construed: (1) to require the Committee to implement or act consistently with the advice or recommendations of the compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser to the Committee; or (2) to affect the ability or obligation of the Committee to exercise its own judgment in fulfillment of its duties.
While the members of the Committee have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this Charter, nothing contained in this Charter is intended to create, or should be construed as creating, any responsibility or liability of members of the Committee, except to the extent otherwise provided under applicable U.S. federal or state or other local law.
Exhibit 99.3
A SPAC I ACQUISITION CORP.(the “Company”)
Nominating Committee Charter (the “Charter”)
The responsibilities and powers of this Nominating Committee (the “Committee”) as delegated by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) are set forth in this charter. Whenever the Committee takes an action, it shall exercise its independent judgment on an informed basis that the action is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.
I. PURPOSE
As set forth herein, the Committee shall, among other things, discharge the responsibilities of the Board relating to the appropriate size, functioning and needs of the Board including, but not limited to, identification, recommendation, recruitment and retention of high quality Board members and committee composition and structure.
II. MEMBERSHIP
The Committee shall consist of at least two members of the Board as determined from time to time by the Board. Each member shall be “independent” in accordance with the listing standards of the NASDAQ Global Market, as amended from time to time.
The Board shall elect the members of this Committee at the first Board meeting practicable following the annual meeting of shareholders and may make changes from time to time pursuant to the provisions below. Unless a chairman (the “Chair” or “Chairman”) is elected by the Board, the members of the Committee shall designate a Chair by majority vote of the full Committee membership.
A Committee member may resign by delivering his or her written resignation to the Chairman of the Board, or may be removed by majority vote of the Board by delivery to such member of written notice of removal, to take effect at a date specified therein, or upon delivery of such written notice to such member if no date is specified.
III. MEETINGS AND COMMITTEE ACTION
The Committee shall meet at such times as it deems necessary to fulfill its responsibilities. Meetings of the Committee shall be called by the Chairman of the Committee upon such notice as is provided for in the Articles of Association of the Company (as amended from time to time) with respect to meetings of the Board. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. Actions of the Committee may be taken in person at a meeting or in writing without a meeting. Actions taken at a meeting, to be valid, shall require the approval of a majority of the members present and voting. Actions taken in writing, to be valid, shall be signed by all members of the Committee. The Committee shall report its minutes from each meeting to the Board.
The Chairman of the Committee may establish such rules as may from time to time be necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the business of the Committee. At each meeting, the Chairman shall appoint as Secretary a person who may, but need not, be a member of the Committee. A certificate of the Secretary of the Committee or minutes of a meeting of the Committee executed by the Secretary setting forth the names of the members of the Committee present at the meeting or actions taken by the Committee at the meeting shall be sufficient evidence at all times as to the members of the Committee who were present, or such actions taken.
IV. COMMITTEE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
● | Developing the criteria and qualifications for membership on the Board. | |
● | Recruiting, reviewing, nominating and recommending candidates for election to the Board or to fill vacancies on the Board. |
● |
Reviewing candidates proposed by shareholders, and conducting appropriate inquiries into the background and qualifications of any such candidates. |
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● | Establishing subcommittees for the purpose of evaluating special or unique matters. | |
● | Monitoring and making recommendations regarding committee functions, contributions and composition. | |
● | Evaluating, on an annual basis, the Board’s and management’s performance. | |
● | Evaluating, on an annual basis, the Committee’s performance and report to the Board on such performance. | |
● | Developing and making recommendations to the Board regarding corporate governance guidelines for the Company. | |
● | Retaining and terminating any advisors, including search firms to identify director candidates, compensation consultants as to director compensation and legal counsel, including sole authority to approve all such advisors’ or search firms’ fees and other retention terms, as the case may be. |
V. REPORTING
The Committee shall report to the Board periodically. The Committee shall prepare a statement each year concerning its compliance with this charter for inclusion in the Company’s proxy statement. The Committee shall periodically review and assess the adequacy of this charter and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval.
A SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
Board of Director Candidate Guidelines
The Nominating Committee of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) will identify, evaluate and recommend candidates to become members of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) with the goal of creating a balance of knowledge and experience. Nominations to the Board may also be submitted to the Nominating Committee by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with the Company’s policy, a copy of which is attached hereto. Candidates will be reviewed in the context of the then current composition of the Board, the operating requirements of the Company and the long-term interests of the Company’s shareholders. In conducting this assessment, the Committee will consider and evaluate each director-candidate based upon its assessment of the following criteria:
● | Whether the candidate is independent pursuant to the requirements of the NASDAQ Global Market. | |
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Whether the candidate is accomplished in his or her field and has a reputation, both personal and professional, that is consistent with the image and reputation of the Company. |
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Whether the candidate has the ability to read and understand basic financial statements. The Nominating Committee also will determine if a candidate satisfies the criteria for being an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
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Whether the candidate has relevant education, experience and expertise and would be able to provide insights and practical wisdom based upon that education, experience and expertise. |
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● | Whether the candidate has knowledge of the Company and issues affecting the Company. | |
● | Whether the candidate is committed to enhancing shareholder value. | |
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Whether the candidate fully understands, or has the capacity to fully understand, the legal responsibilities of a director and the governance processes of a public company. |
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Whether the candidate is of high moral and ethical character and would be willing to apply sound, objective and independent business judgment, and to assume broad fiduciary responsibility. |
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Whether the candidate has, and would be willing to commit, the required hours necessary to discharge the duties of Board membership. |
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● | Whether the candidate has any prohibitive interlocking relationships or conflicts of interest. | |
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Whether the candidate is able to develop a good working relationship with other Board members and contribute to the Board’s working relationship with the senior management of the Company. |
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● | Whether the candidate is able to suggest business opportunities to the Company. |
Shareholder Recommendations for Directors
Shareholders who wish to recommend to the Nominating Committee a candidate for election to the Board of Directors should send their letters to A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 2, 10 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018983, Attn: Corporate Secretary. The Corporate Secretary will promptly forward all such letters to the members of the Nominating Committee. Shareholders must follow certain procedures to recommend to the Nominating Committee candidates for election as directors. In general, in order to provide sufficient time to enable the Nominating Committee to evaluate candidates recommended by shareholders in connection with selecting candidates for nomination in connection with the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders, the Corporate Secretary must receive the shareholder’s recommendation no later than the close of business on the 90th day nor earlier than the 120th day before the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders.
The recommendation must contain the following information about the candidate:
● | Name; | |
● | Age; | |
● | Business and current residence addresses; | |
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Principal occupation or employment and employment history (name and address of employer and job title) for the past 10 years (or such shorter period as the candidate has been in the workforce); |
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● | Educational background; | |
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Permission for the Company to conduct a background investigation, including the right to obtain education, employment and credit information; |
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● | The number of ordinary shares of the Company owned beneficially or of record by the candidate; | |
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The information that would be required to be disclosed by the Company about the candidate under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission in a Proxy Statement soliciting proxies for the election of such candidate as a director (which currently includes information required by Items 401, 404 and 405 of Regulation S-K); |
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● | A signed consent of the nominee to serve as a director of the Company, if elected. |
Exhibit 99.4
Consent to be Named as a Director Nominee
In connection with the filing by A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), I hereby consent, pursuant to Rule 438 of the Securities Act, to being named as a nominee to the board of directors of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. in the Registration Statement and any and all amendments and supplements thereto. I also consent to the filing of this consent as an exhibit to such Registration Statement and any amendments thereto.
Dated: February 7, 2022 | /s/ Abuzzal Abusaeri |
Abuzzal Abusaeri |
Exhibit 99.5
Consent to be Named as a Director Nominee
In connection with the filing by A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), I hereby consent, pursuant to Rule 438 of the Securities Act, to being named as a nominee to the board of directors of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. in the Registration Statement and any and all amendments and supplements thereto. I also consent to the filing of this consent as an exhibit to such Registration Statement and any amendments thereto.
Dated: February 7, 2022 | /s/ Giang Nguyen Hoang |
Giang Nguyen Hoang |
Exhibit 99.6
Consent to be Named as a Director Nominee
In connection with the filing by A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), I hereby consent, pursuant to Rule 438 of the Securities Act, to being named as a nominee to the board of directors of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. in the Registration Statement and any and all amendments and supplements thereto. I also consent to the filing of this consent as an exhibit to such Registration Statement and any amendments thereto.
Dated: February 7, 2022 | /s/ John Brebeck |
John Brebeck |
Exhibit 99.7
Consent to be Named as a Director Nominee
In connection with the filing by A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), I hereby consent, pursuant to Rule 438 of the Securities Act, to being named as a nominee to the board of directors of A SPAC I Acquisition Corp. in the Registration Statement and any and all amendments and supplements thereto. I also consent to the filing of this consent as an exhibit to such Registration Statement and any amendments thereto.
Dated: February 7, 2022 | /s/ Claudius Tsang |
Claudius Tsang |
Exhibit 107
EX-FILING FEES
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
S-1
(Form Type)
A
SPAC I Acquisition Corp.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities
Security Type |
Security
Class Title |
Fee
Calculation or Carry Forward Rule |
Amount
Registered |
Proposed
Maximum Offering Price Per Unit |
Maximum
Aggregate Offering Price |
Fee Rate |
Amount of
Registration Fee |
Carry
Forward Form Type |
Carry
Forward File Number |
Carry
Forward Initial effective date |
Filing Fee
Previously Paid In Connection with Unsold Securities to be Carried Forward |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Newly Registered Securities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Previously paid. | Equity | Units, with each unit consisting of | Other | 6,900,000 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 69,000,000 | $92.70 per million | $ | 6,396.30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Previously paid. | Equity | One Class A ordinary share, no par value per share | Other | 6,900,000 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Previously paid. | Other | Warrants included as part of units | 457(g) | 5,175,000 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Previously paid. | Other | Rights included as part of units | 457(g) | 6,900,000 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Previously paid. | Equity | Class A ordinary shares underlying the Rights included as part of the Units | Other | 345,000 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 3,450,000 | $92.70 per million | $ | 319.82 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Previously paid. | Equity | Representative’s ordinary shares | Other | 69,000 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 690,000 | — | $ | 63.96 |
Carry Forward Securities | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carry Forward Securities | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Offering Amounts | $ | 73,140,000.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Fees Previously Paid | $ | 6,780.10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Fee Offsets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net Fee Due |
1