Exhibit (d)(29)

SIXTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

between

HERCULES CAPITAL, INC.

and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee

Dated as of September 24, 2018

SIXTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

THIS SIXTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Sixth Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of September 24, 2018, is between Hercules Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). All capitalized terms used herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Base Indenture (as defined below).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

The Company and the Trustee executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of March 6, 2012 (the “Base Indenture” and, as amended and supplemented by this Sixth Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance by the Company from time to time of the Company’s unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (the “Securities”), to be issued in one or more series as provided in the Indenture.

The Company previously entered into the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 17, 2012 (the “First Supplemental Indenture”), the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 24, 2012 (the “Second Supplemental Indenture”), the Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 14, 2014 (the “Third Supplemental Indenture”), the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 23, 2017 (the “Fourth Supplemental Indenture”), and the Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 26, 2018 (the “Fifth Supplemental Indenture”), each of which amended and supplemented the Base Indenture. The First Supplemental Indenture, the Second Supplemental Indenture, the Third Supplemental Indenture, the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, and the Fifth Supplemental Indenture are not applicable to the Notes (as defined below).

The Company desires to issue and sell $40,000,000 in aggregate principal amount (or up to $46,000,000 in aggregate principal amount if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional Notes is exercised in full) of the Company’s 6.25% Notes due 2033 (the “Notes”).

Sections 9.01(iv) and 9.01(vi) of the Base Indenture provide that without the consent of Holders of the Securities of any series issued under the Indenture, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental to the Base Indenture to (i) change or eliminate any of the provisions of the Indenture when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of the supplemental indenture that is entitled to the benefit of such provision and (ii) establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Section 2.01 and Section 3.01 of the Base Indenture.

The Company desires to establish the form and terms of the Notes and to modify, alter, supplement and change certain provisions of the Base Indenture for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes (except as may be provided in a future supplemental indenture to the Indenture (“Future Supplemental Indenture”)).

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Sixth Supplemental Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Notes and amendment of certain provisions of the Base Indenture as herein provided and all acts and things necessary to make this Sixth Supplemental Indenture a valid, binding, and legal obligation of the Company and to constitute a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done and performed.

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes, as follows:

ARTICLE I

TERMS OF THE NOTES

Section  1.01 Terms of the Notes . The following terms relating to the Notes are hereby established:

(a) The Notes shall constitute a series of Senior Securities having the title “6.25% Notes due 2033” The Notes shall bear a CUSIP number of 427096 847 and an ISIN number of US4270968476.

(b) The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture (except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration of, transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 9.06, 11.07 or 13.05 of the Base Indenture, and except for any Securities that, pursuant to Section 3.03 of the Base Indenture, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered under the Indenture) shall be $40,000,000 (or up to $46,000,000 if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional Notes is exercised in full). Under a Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or an indenture supplement, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Notes, issue additional Notes (in any such case “Additional Notes”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes. Any Additional Notes and the existing Notes will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Notes herein shall include the Additional Notes unless the context otherwise requires.

(c) The entire outstanding principal of the Notes shall be payable on October 30, 2033.

(d) The rate at which the Notes shall bear interest shall be 6.25% per annum (the “Applicable Interest Rate”). The date from which interest shall accrue on the Notes shall be September 24, 2018, or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for; the Interest Payment Dates for the Notes shall be January 30, April 30, July 30, and October 30 of each year, commencing October 30, 2018 (if an Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then the applicable interest payment will be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no additional interest will accrue as a result of such delayed payment); the initial interest period will be the period from and including September 24, 2018, to, but excluding, the initial Interest Payment Date, and the subsequent interest periods will be the periods from and including an Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Interest Payment Date or the Stated Maturity, as the case may be; the interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, will be paid to the Person in whose name the Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be January 15, April 15, July 15 or October 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Payment of principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on the Notes will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however, that so long as the Notes are registered to Cede & Co., such payment will be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company and the Trustee. Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

(e) The Notes shall be initially issuable in global form (each such Note, a “Global Note”). The Global Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication thereon shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this Sixth Supplemental Indenture. Each Global Note shall represent the outstanding Notes as shall be specified therein and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Security Registrar, in accordance with Sections 2.03 and 3.05 of the Base Indenture.

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(f) The depositary for such Global Notes (the “Depositary”) shall be The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York. The Security Registrar with respect to the Global Notes shall be the Trustee.

(g) The Notes shall be defeasible pursuant to Section 14.02 or Section 14.03 of the Base Indenture. Covenant defeasance contained in Section 14.03 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the covenants contained in Sections 10.06, 10.08, and 10.09 of the Indenture.

(h) The Notes shall be redeemable pursuant to Section 11.01 of the Base Indenture and as follows:

(i) The Notes will be redeemable in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, on or after October 30, 2023, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest payments otherwise payable for the then-current quarterly interest period accrued to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption.

(ii) Notice of redemption shall be given in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, provided that so long as the Notes are registered to Cede & Co., such notice shall be given in accordance with the Trustee’s and the Depositary’s standard practices and procedures, to each Holder of the Notes to be redeemed, not less than thirty (30) nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the Redemption Date, at the Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register. All notices of redemption shall contain the information set forth in Section 11.04 of the Base Indenture.

(iii) Any exercise of the Company’s option to redeem the Notes will be done in compliance with the Indenture and the Investment Company Act, to the extent applicable.

(iv) If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Notes, the Trustee or, with respect to Global Notes, the Depositary will determine the method for selecting the particular Notes to be redeemed, in accordance with Section 11.03 of the Indenture and the Investment Company Act and the rules of any national securities exchange or quotation system on which the Notes are listed (which rules will be certified to the Trustee by the Company or such national securities exchange at the Trustee’s request), in each case, to the extent applicable.

(v) Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes called for redemption hereunder.

(i) The Notes shall not be subject to any sinking fund pursuant to Section 12.01 of the Base Indenture.

(j) The Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $25 and integral multiples of $25 in excess thereof.

(k) Holders of the Notes will not have the option to have the Notes repaid prior to the Stated Maturity.

(l) The Notes are hereby designated as “Senior Securities” under the Indenture.

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

Section  2.01 Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article I of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following defined terms to Section 1.01 in appropriate alphabetical sequence, as follows:

“‘ Exchange Act ’ means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any statute successor thereto.”

“‘ GAAP ’ means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the opinions and pronouncements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, which are in effect from time to time.”

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ARTICLE III

EXECUTION OF SECURITIES

Section  3.01 Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 3.03 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the first paragraph thereof with the following:

“The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer or one of its Co-Presidents and attested by its Secretary. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such authorized officer and may be imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Securities.”

ARTICLE IV

REMEDIES

Section  4.01 Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clauses (ii) and (vii) thereof with the following:

“(ii) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Note when it becomes due and payable at its Maturity; or”

“(vii) if, pursuant to Section 18(a)(1)(c)(ii) and Section 61 of the Investment Company Act, on the last business day of each of twenty-four consecutive calendar months any class of Securities shall have an asset coverage (as such term is used in the Investment Company Act) of less than 100 per centum, giving effect to any exemptive relief granted to the Company by the Commission; or”

ARTICLE V

REPORTS BY THE COMPANY

Section  5.01 Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 7.04 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following new paragraph after the first full paragraph thereof:

“If, at any time, the Company is not subject to the reporting requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act to file any periodic reports with the Commission, the Company agrees to furnish to the Holders of Notes and the Trustee for the period of time during which the Notes are Outstanding: (i) within 90 days after the end of the each fiscal year of the Company, audited annual consolidated financial statements of the Company and (ii) within 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Company (other than the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter), unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company. All such financial statements shall be prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP.”

ARTICLE VI

COVENANTS

Section  6.01 Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article X of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following new Sections 10.08 and 10.09 thereto, each as set forth below:

“Section 10.08 Section  18(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act .

The Company hereby agrees that for the period of time during which Notes are Outstanding, the Company will not violate (whether or not it is subject to) Section 18(a)(1)(A) as modified by Section 61(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act as may be applicable to the Company from time to time or any successor provisions thereto, giving effect to any exemptive relief granted to the Company by the Commission (even if the Company is no longer subject to such provisions of the Investment Company Act).”

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“Section 10.09 Section  18(a)(1)(B) of the Investment Company Act .

The Company hereby agrees that for the period of time during which Notes are Outstanding, pursuant to Section 18(a)(1)(B) as modified by Section 61(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act as may be applicable to the Company from time to time or any successor provisions thereto of the Investment Company Act, the Company will not declare any dividend (except a dividend payable in stock of the issuer), or declare any other distribution, upon a class of the capital stock of the Company, or purchase any such capital stock, unless, in every such case, at the time of the declaration of any such dividend or distribution, or at the time of any such purchase, the Company has an asset coverage (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of at least the threshold specified in Section 18(a)(1)(B) as modified by Section 61(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act as may be applicable to the Company from time to time after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution or purchase price, as the case may be, and in each case giving effect to (i) any exemptive relief granted to the Company by the Commission and (ii) any no-action relief granted by the Commission to another business development company (or to the Company if it determines to seek such similar no-action or other relief) permitting the business development company to declare any cash dividend or distribution notwithstanding the prohibition contained in Section 18(a)(1)(B) as modified by Section 61(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act as may be applicable to the Company from time to time in order to maintain such business development company’s status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code.”

ARTICLE VII

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

Section  5.01 Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 15.05 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (c) thereof with the following:

“(c) At any meeting of Holders, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $25.00 principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by such Holder; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.”

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section  8.01 This Sixth Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. This Sixth Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of the Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

Section  8.02 In case any provision in this Sixth Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section  8.03 This Sixth Supplemental Indenture may be executed in counterparts, each of which will be an original, but such counterparts will together constitute but one and the same Sixth Supplemental Indenture. The exchange of copies of this Sixth Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Sixth Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

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Section  8.04 The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Sixth Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and the Base Indenture and this Sixth Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument with respect to the Notes. All provisions included in this Sixth Supplemental Indenture supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes, unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Sixth Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Sixth Supplemental Indenture.

Section  8.05 The provisions of this Sixth Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.

Section  8.06 Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, the terms and provisions of this Sixth Supplemental Indenture shall apply only to the Notes and shall not apply to any other series of Securities under the Indenture and this Sixth Supplemental Indenture shall not and does not otherwise affect, modify, alter, supplement or change the terms and provisions of any other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding.

Section  8.07 The recitals contained herein and in the Notes shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Sixth Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or any Additional Notes, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Sixth Supplemental Indenture, authenticate the Notes and any Additional Notes and perform its obligations hereunder. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Notes or any Additional Notes or the proceeds thereof.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Sixth Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

[Signature page to Sixth Supplemental Indenture]

Exhibit A – Form of Global Note

This Security is a Global Note within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company or a nominee thereof. This Security may not be exchanged in whole or in part for a Security registered, and no transfer of this Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any Person other than The Depository Trust Company or a nominee thereof, except in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture.

Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment and such certificate issued in exchange for this certificate is registered in the name of Cede & Co., or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, any transfer, pledge or other use hereof for value or otherwise by or to any person is wrongful, as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

Hercules Capital, Inc.

6.25% Notes due 2033

Hercules Capital, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Maryland (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of                  U.S. DOLLARS (U.S.$                ) on October 30, 2033, and to pay interest thereon from September 24, 2018, or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, quarterly on January 30, April 30, July 30 and October 30 in each year, commencing October 30, 2018, at the rate of 6.25% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture. This Security may be issued as part of a series.

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on this Security will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however, that so long as this Security is registered to Cede & Co., such payment will be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company and the Trustee.

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

Dated:

Attest

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated:

Hercules Capital, Inc.

6.25% Notes due 2033

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Senior Securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of March 6, 2012 (herein called the “Base Indenture”, which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Base Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Base Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee, and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered, as amended and supplemented by the Sixth Supplemental Indenture relating to the Securities, dated as of September 24, 2018, by and between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the “Sixth Supplemental Indenture”; and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). In the event of any conflict between the Base Indenture and the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, the Sixth Supplemental Indenture shall govern and control.

This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, which series is initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $                 (or up to $                 in aggregate principal amount if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional Securities is exercised in full). Under a Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or an indenture supplement, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Securities, issue additional Securities of this series (in any such case “Additional Securities”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Securities. Any Additional Securities and the existing Securities will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Securities herein shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires. The aggregate amount of outstanding Securities represented hereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions.

The Securities of this series are subject to redemption in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, on or after October 30, 2023, at a redemption price per security equal to 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest payments otherwise payable for the then-current quarterly interest period accrued to the date fixed for redemption.

Notice of redemption shall be given in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, provided that so long as the Securities are registered to Cede & Co., such notice shall be given in accordance with the Trustee’s and the Depositary’s standard practices and procedures, to each Holder of the Securities to be redeemed, not less than thirty (30) nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the Redemption Date, at the Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register. All notices of redemption shall contain the information set forth in Section 11.04 of the Base Indenture.

Any exercise of the Company’s option to redeem the Securities will be done in compliance with the Indenture and the Investment Company Act, to the extent applicable.

If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Securities, the Trustee or, with respect to Global Notes, the Depositary will determine the method for selecting the particular Securities to be redeemed, in accordance with the Indenture and the Investment Company Act, to the extent applicable. In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes called for redemption.

Holders of Securities do not have the option to have the Securities repaid prior to October 30, 2033.

The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for sixty (60) days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $25 and any integral multiples of $25 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company or Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

The Indenture and this Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.

Exhibit (h)(9)

$40,000,000 Aggregate Principal Amount 6.25% Notes Due 2033

Hercules Capital, Inc.

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

September 19, 2018

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

UBS Securities LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto

787 7th Avenue, 4th Floor

New York, NY 10019

1585 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

1285 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Hercules Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “ Company ”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (each, an “ Underwriter ” and, collectively the “ Underwriters ”), for whom Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and UBS Securities LLC are acting as the representatives (in such capacity, the “ Representatives ”) $40,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.25% Notes due 2033 (the “ Firm Securities ”) of the Company set forth in Schedule A hereto.

The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional $6,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.25% Notes due 2033 (the “ Additional Securities ”), if and to the extent that the Representatives shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such Additional Securities granted to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Securities and the Additional Securities are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “ Securities .”

The Securities will be issued under an indenture dated as of March 6, 2012 (the “ Base Indenture ”), as supplemented by the Sixth Supplemental Indenture to be dated September 24, 2018, (the “ Sixth Supplemental Indenture ,” and together with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”) by and between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”). The Securities will be issued to Cede & Co. as nominee of the Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”) pursuant to a blanket letter of representations (the “ DTC Agreement ”), to be dated on or prior to the Closing Date (as defined herein), between the Company and DTC.

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) a registration statement on Form N-2 (No. 333-224281), as amended, and a related prospectus for the registration of the Securities and certain of the Company’s other securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and the related rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “ Securities Act Rules and Regulations ”).

The registration statement, as it may have heretofore been amended at the time it became effective, including all documents filed as a part thereof, and including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness or prior to the date hereof pursuant to Rule 430C and Rule 497 under the Securities Act, and any post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, is hereinafter referred to as the “ Registration Statement ”; the prospectus, dated as of June 5, 2018, included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective on June 5, 2018, (including the information, if any, deemed to be part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430C and Rule 497 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Base Prospectus ”; the preliminary prospectus supplement dated September 18, 2018, filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act, is hereinafter referred to as the “ Preliminary Prospectus Supplement ” (and together with the Base Prospectus, the “ Preliminary Prospectus ”); the prospectus supplement to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act after the execution and delivery of this Agreement is hereinafter referred to as the “ Prospectus Supplement ” (and together with the Base Prospectus, the “ Prospectus ”).

The Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “ 1939 Act ”).

As used in this Agreement, the term “ Applicable Time ” means 4:05 p.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.

1. Representations and Warranties.

(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriters that:

(i) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form N-2 under the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations. At the time the Registration Statement became effective and on the date hereof, the Registration Statement complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations and did not and does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; the Preliminary Prospectus, together with the pricing terms and other information set forth on Schedule B hereto, all considered together (collectively, the “ General Disclosure Package ”) complied, as of its date, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations, and the General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement, will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations, and the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement, the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (each as defined herein), did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;  provided, however , that the representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus Supplement furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Commissions and Discounts”, the first and second paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting—Price Stabilization, Short Positions” and the sixth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Other Relationships.”

(ii) The Registration Statement has become effective; the Commission has not issued, and is not, to the knowledge of the Company, threatening to issue, any stop order under the Securities Act or other order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement (as amended or supplemented).

(iii) The Company has elected to be regulated by the Commission as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Investment Company Act ”), and has not withdrawn that election, and the Commission has not ordered that such election be withdrawn nor to the best of the Company’s knowledge have proceedings to effectuate such withdrawal been initiated or threatened by the Commission. All required action has or will have been taken under the Securities Act

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and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations, the Investment Company Act and any state securities laws and regulations to make the public offering and the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company, and the provisions of the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(iv) Intentionally Omitted.

(v) To the Company’s knowledge, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the accounting firm that audited the financial statements of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, is an independent registered accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(vi) The financial statements, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present in all material respects the results of operations and financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined below) as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations for the respective periods specified, and are prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and the selected financial information and data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been prepared on a basis consistent with that of the books and records of the Company.

(vii) The Company (A) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, has full corporate power and authority to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (B) has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Indenture, the Securities and the DTC Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby; and (C) is duly licensed or qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and in good standing in the States of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York and the District of Columbia, and these are the only jurisdictions where the Company is required to be qualified or licensed or in good standing except where the failure to be so qualified or licensed or to be in good standing would not result in a material adverse effect upon the financial condition, prospects, business or results of operations of the Company (“ Material Adverse Effect ”).

(viii) All of the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries are set forth in Schedule I hereto (the “ Subsidiaries ”) and each entity listed on Schedule I has been duly formed under the laws of, is licensed or qualified to do business, and is in good standing in, each jurisdiction listed respectively on Schedule I. The jurisdictions listed on Schedule I are the only jurisdictions where such Subsidiaries are required to be licensed or qualified to do business or in good standing except where the failure of the Subsidiaries to be so qualified or licensed or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(ix) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would be, in default or violation with respect to its respective charter or bylaws or governing documents. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would be, in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, or in violation of any statutes, laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations or any orders or decrees to which it is subject (collectively, the “ Agreements and Instruments ”) except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(x) The Company’s authorized capitalization is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; the outstanding shares of the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share (the “ Common Stock ”) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform in all material respects to the description thereof in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Description of Our Capital Stock.”

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(xi) The stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Securities and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive rights of any security holder. The Securities have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of the Company for the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when the Securities are issued and delivered by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and the Indenture relating thereto, against payment of the consideration set forth in this Agreement, on the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date such Securities will be valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to the effect of (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or thereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture relating thereto; and the Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the statements thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(xii) Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) the Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred any liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any transactions, other than in the ordinary course of business, that are material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (B) there has not been any material change in the capital stock of the Company, or any material adverse change, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), business, net worth, property or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (excluding changes due to investment activities in the ordinary course of business), (C) there has been no dividend or distribution declared or paid in respect of the Company’s capital stock and (D) the Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred any short-term debt or long-term debt that is, in either case, material with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (excluding debt resulting from a draw down on the Company’s credit facilities).

(xiii) There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit or proceeding, legal or governmental, to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, before or by any court or governmental agency or body, that is required to be described in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and is not so described.

(xiv) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Securities Act or by the Securities Act Rules and Regulations that have not been so filed or incorporated by reference therein as permitted by the Securities Act Rules and Regulations.

(xv) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xvi) The Base Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding thereof may be brought; the Sixth Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized, and, on the Closing Date, will be executed and delivered by the Company and, when executed and delivered by the Trustee, will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding thereof may be brought.

(xvii) The DTC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or thereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

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(xviii) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture, the Securities and the DTC Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein and in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and thereunder do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, constitute a default or Repayment Events (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments, except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, nor will such action result in any violation of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ charter, bylaws or other organizational documents, or any order, law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets, properties or operations. As used herein, a “ Repayment Event ” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries prior to the scheduled maturity thereof.

(xix) No consent, approval, authorization, notification or order of, or filing with, any court or governmental agency or body is required for the consummation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except (A) such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states, the rules and regulations of the FINRA (as defined below) or the securities laws of any jurisdiction outside of the United States in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities; and (B) prior to the Closing Date, in connection with the application to list the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange (“ NYSE ”).

(xx) This Agreement complies as to form in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act.

(xxi) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

(xxii) There are no material restrictions, limitations or regulations with respect to the ability of the Company or its Subsidiaries to invest its assets as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, other than as described therein.

(xxiii) Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

(xxiv) The Company has received clearance to apply for the listing of the Securities on the NYSE.

(xxv) Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have all necessary licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals and have made all necessary filings required under any federal, state or local law, regulation or rule, and have obtained all necessary licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals from other persons, required in order to conduct their business as described under the heading “Business” in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except to the extent that any failure to have any such licenses, authorizations, consents or approvals, to make any such filings or to obtain any such authorizations, consents or approvals is not, alone or in the aggregate, reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under, any such license, authorization, consent or approval of any federal, state or local law, regulation or rule or any decree, order or judgment applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the effect of which is reasonably likely to result in

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a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notification or communication from any agency or department of federal, state, or local government or any regulatory authority or the staff thereof threatening to revoke or modify any license, authorization, consent or approval, which alone or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxvi) Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions,” the Company and its Subsidiaries have not entered into any transaction with any person which would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

(xxvii) Except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as of the date thereof, no extension of credit has been made by the Company to an executive officer or director of the Company in violation of Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“ SOX ”).

(xxviii) Except with respect to the Underwriters or as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not incurred any liability for any finder’s fees or similar payments in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities.

(xxix) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price or any security of the Company to facilitate the issuance or the sale or resale of the Securities.

(xxx) Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since January 1, 2006, the Company has been organized and operated, and currently is organized and operated, in conformance with the requirements to be taxed as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“ Subchapter M of the Code ”).

(xxxi) The Company has been organized and operated as, and currently is organized and operated, in material conformance with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to business development companies.

(xxxii) The provisions of the corporate charter and by-laws of the Company and the investment objective, policies and restrictions described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are not inconsistent with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to a business development company, and the provisions of the organizational documents of each of the Subsidiaries and the operations of each of the Subsidiaries allow the Company to be in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to a business development company.

(xxxiii) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there have been, to the Company’s knowledge, no changes in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting that could significantly affect internal controls over financial reporting, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

(xxxiv) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”)) designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officers or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

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(xxxv) The Company and its officers and directors, in their capacities as such, are in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of SOX and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(xxxvi) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary has (a) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity, (b) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee or any other Person from corporate funds, (c) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the U.K. Bribery Act, or any other applicable Law relating to bribery or corruption (collectively “Anti-Corruption Laws”), (d) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment, or (e) received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation. The Company and its Subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with all applicable Anti-Corruption Laws. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiaries will, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder in violation of any applicable Anti-Corruption Laws.

(xxxvii) Neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or the Subsidiaries is currently the subject of any U.S. or applicable foreign sanctions, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“ OFAC ”) (a “ Sanctioned Person ”); and neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries will, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any Sanctioned Person or in any country or territory currently the subject of any U.S. or applicable foreign sanctions, including those administered by OFAC (a “ Sanctioned Country ”) or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any party to this agreement) of any U.S. or applicable foreign sanctions, including those administered by OFAC. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries has engaged in any dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country, in the preceding 5 years, nor do the Company or the Subsidiaries have any plans to engage in dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country, in each case in a manner that would result in a violation of U.S. or applicable foreign sanctions.

(xxxviii) The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “ Money Laundering Laws ”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or the Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, after due inquiry, threatened.

(xxxix) The Company’s wholly-owned, small business investment company subsidiary, Hercules Technology III, L.P. has been organized and operated as, and currently is organized and operated, in material conformance with the requirements of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to small business investment companies.

(xl) Except for Gibraltar Business Capital, LLC, the Subsidiaries of the Company do not have employees or employ personnel.

(b) Any certificate required by this Agreement that is signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters, as to the matters covered thereby.

2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase.  The Company hereby agrees to sell to the Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company, the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter on Schedule A hereof, plus any additional aggregate principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 9, at a price of 96.88% of the aggregate principal amount thereof (“ Purchase Price ”).

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On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Securities, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to an additional $6,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Securities at a purchase price of 96.85% of the aggregate principal amount of such Additional Securities (without giving effect to any accrued interest from the Closing Date to the relevant Option Closing Date, as those terms are defined herein). The Representatives may exercise this right, on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than thirty (30) days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the aggregate principal amount of Additional Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such aggregate principal amount of Additional Securities are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one (1) business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Securities nor later than ten (10) business days after the date of such notice. Additional Securities may be purchased as provided in this Section 2 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Securities. On each day, if any, that Additional Securities are to be purchased (an “ Option Closing Date ”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the aggregate principal amount of Additional Securities that bears the same proportion to the total aggregate principal amount of Additional Securities to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the aggregate principal amount of Firm Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total aggregate principal amount of Firm Securities.

3. Public Offering of Securities.  The Underwriters advise the Company that they propose to make a public offering of their respective proportion of the Securities as soon after this Agreement has been executed and delivered as in its judgment is advisable.

The Company is further advised by you that the Securities are to be offered to the public initially at 100% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from the date of issuance (the “ Public Offering Price ”) and to certain dealers selected by the Representatives at a price that represents a concession not in excess of 3.15% under the Public Offering Price to retail investors and 1.00% under the Public Offering Price to institutional investors, and the Underwriters may allow, and the dealers may reallow, a discount not in excess of 1.20% under the Public Offering Price.

4. Payment and Delivery.  Payment for the Firm Securities shall be made to the Company by the wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company against delivery of such Firm Securities through the facilities of DTC for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on September 24, 2018, or at such other time on the same or such other date, no later than three (3) business days after the date of this Agreement as the Underwriters and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “ Closing Date .”

Payment for any Additional Securities shall be made to the Company by the wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company against delivery of such Additional Securities through the facilities of DTC for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than October 23, 2018, as shall be designated in writing by the Representatives.

The Firm Securities and the Additional Securities shall be transferred electronically and registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Securities shall be delivered through the facilities of DTC.

5. Covenants of the Company . The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) To notify the Underwriters promptly following the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, and the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order described in this subsection hereunder

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and, if any such stop order is issued, to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment, and to advise the Underwriters promptly of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Securities Act or of the Company becoming the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with any offering of the Securities.

(b) To give the Underwriters notice of any intention to file any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any post-effective amendment) or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus (including any revised prospectus proposed for use by the Underwriters in connection with the offering, which differs from the prospectus on file at the Commission at the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, whether such revised prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497(b) or Rule 497(h) of the Securities Act Rules and Regulations), whether required to be filed pursuant to the Investment Company Act, the Securities Act or otherwise, and to furnish the Underwriters with copies of any such amendment or supplement a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and to not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object, except as may be required by applicable law;  provided, however,  in the event of any such objection, the Underwriters agree to cooperate with the Company to ensure that an acceptable filing can be promptly made.

(c) To furnish, upon request and without charge, to the Underwriters a signed copy of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 5(d) below, as many copies of the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

(d) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object in writing within two business days after receipt, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 497 under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act.

(e) If any event shall occur or a condition exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Company in consultation with counsel for the Underwriters, to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, to forthwith amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus by preparing and filing with the Commission (and furnishing to the Underwriters a reasonable number of copies of) an amendment or amendments of the Registration Statement or an amendment or amendments of or a supplement or supplements to, the Prospectus (in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters), at the Company’s expense, which will amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus, as so amended or supplemented, will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, and the Underwriters and their counsel agree to cooperate with the Company to ensure that an acceptable filing can be promptly made.

(f) To endeavor, in cooperation with the Underwriters and their counsel, to assist such counsel to qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions of the United States as the Underwriters may designate;  provided, however,  that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process, or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not now so qualified. The Company will file such statements and reports as may be required to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby by the laws of each jurisdiction in which the Securities have been qualified as above provided.

(g) For a period of 30 days from the date of this Agreement, to not, without the prior consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly sell, offer to sell, enter into any agreement to sell, or otherwise dispose of, any debt securities of the Company issued in minimum denominations of $25.

(h) To apply the net proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Securities sold by it as set forth under “Use of Proceeds” in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

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(i) To use its best efforts to maintain its status as a business development company under the Investment Company Act, except unless authorized by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company as defined by the Investment Company Act.

(j) To use its best efforts to conform with the applicable requirements to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code for so long as the Company is a business development company under the Investment Company Act.

(k) Except for the authorization of actions permitted to be taken by the Underwriters as contemplated herein or in the Prospectus, not to take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in, or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the issuance of the sale or resale of the Securities.

(l) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel for the Company and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Securities under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and any amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, the Indenture, the DTC Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities (iii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iv) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under state securities laws, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky memorandum, (v) all filing fees, reasonable disbursements and up to $10,000 in reimbursement of Underwriters’ counsel fees incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Securities by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“ FINRA ”), if any, (vi) any fees charged by the rating agencies for the rating of the Securities, (vii) the cost of printing certificates representing the Securities, (viii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with listing the Securities on the NYSE, (ix) the fees and expenses of the trustee and any transfer agent, registrar or depositary in connection with the issuance of the Securities, (x) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and, with the prior approval of the Company, the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section and in Section 7, entitled “Indemnification and Contribution,” the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Securities by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

(m) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement for the purposes of and to provide the benefits contemplated by Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations.

(n) To cooperate with the Representatives and use its commercially reasonable efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of DTC.

(o) To use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect, within 30 days of the Closing Date, the listing of the Securities on the NYSE.

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6. Conditions of the Underwriters’ Obligations; Additional Covenants . The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company’s officers made in each certificate furnished pursuant to the provisions hereof and to the performance and observance by the Company of all covenants and agreements herein or its part to be performed and observed, and to the following further conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there shall not have occurred any change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, or operations of the Company, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Prospectus that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Securities as contemplated hereby.

(b) On the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the Underwriters shall have received:

(i) The opinion, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, of Dechert LLP, counsel for the Company, in the form reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, and their negative assurance letter dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in the form reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters. In rendering such opinion, Dechert LLP may rely as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials;

(ii) Such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(c) The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters on the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the Company, signed by the President or other senior officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, to the effect set forth in Section 6(a) above and to the effect that the signer of such certificate has carefully examined the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any supplement to the Prospectus and this Agreement and that, to the best of his knowledge:

(i) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects as of the date of the Agreement (except to the extent that any of such representations and warranties are already qualified as to materiality herein, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct without further qualification), and the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied in all material respects hereunder on or before the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be;

(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to his or her knowledge, threatened; and

(iii) since the date of the most recent balance sheet included in the Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or other), earnings, business, net worth, results of operations or prospects of, the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (excluding changes due to investment activities in the ordinary course of business), except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus.

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(d) On each of the date hereof, the Closing Date, and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the Underwriters shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a letter, dated hereof, the Closing Date, and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, and stating the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” in connection with registered public offerings;  provided, however,  that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof and, if applicable, the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” of not more than three business days prior to the Option Closing Date.

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(e) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (d) of this Section 6, or (ii) any change in or affecting the business or properties of the Company, the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(f) Prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further appropriate information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(g) Within 30 days of the Closing Date, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE.

(h) All filings with the Commission required by Rule 497 of the Securities Act to have been filed by the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 497 of the Securities Act.

(i) On the Closing Date, the Company and the Trustee shall have executed and delivered the Indenture (including the Sixth Supplemental Indenture), which shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(k) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have executed and delivered the DTC Agreement.

(l) Between the Applicable Time and the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal at the request of the Company of the rating of any debt of the Company or any Subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act), or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal at the request of the Company of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, and no such organization shall have publicly announced it has under surveillance or review any such rating.

(m) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Underwriters on the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the date hereof and the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to Underwriters.

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be satisfactory in the form and substance to the Representatives and counsel to the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Representatives hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or telegraph and confirmed in writing.

7. Indemnification and Contribution .

(a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “ Indemnified  Party ”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, damage or liability

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arises out or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the 1939 Act (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Indenture, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

(b) Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and each of its officers who signs a Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “ Underwriter Indemnified Party ”), against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omissions or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigation or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus Supplement furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Commissions and Discounts”, the first and second paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting—Price Stabilization, Short Positions” and the sixth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Other Relationships.”

(c) Actions against Parties; Notification.  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a) or (b) above, except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of an indemnified party.

(d) Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities

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or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this Section 7(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this Section 7(d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7(d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this Section 7(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7(d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 7(d).

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 7, no party shall be entitled to indemnification and contribution under this Agreement in violation of Section 17(i) of the Investment Company Act.

8. Termination of Agreement.

(a) The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement may be terminated at any time on or prior to the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, by notice given to the Company if, prior to the delivery and payment for the Securities there shall have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, earnings, business, net worth, or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Securities; (ii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impractical to market or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market; (iii) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the NYSE, the NYSE American LLC or the Nasdaq, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (iv) any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (v) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal or New York authorities; (vi) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment, or clearance services in the United States; or (vii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by the United States Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Representatives, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it impractical or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities.

9. Default of Underwriters.

(a) If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their obligations to purchase Securities hereunder on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and the aggregate principal amount of Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10.0% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, the Representatives may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Securities by

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other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, and not jointly, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate principal amount of Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10.0% of the aggregate Principal amount of Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except as provided in Section 10 (provided that if such default occurs with respect to Securities after the Closing Date, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Securities purchased prior to termination). If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Securities and the aggregate principal amount of Additional Securities with respect to which such default occurs is more than 10.0% of the aggregate principal amount of Additional Securities to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Securities to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the aggregate principal amount of Additional Securities that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” also includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

10. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations.

(a) The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. If the purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9 hereof, Section 8(a)(ii), Section 8(a)(iii), Section 8(a)(v), Section 8(a)(vi) or Section 8(a)(vii), the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Securities, and the respective obligations of the Company and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 7 hereof shall also remain in effect. In addition, if any Securities have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in Section 1 and all obligations under Section 5 shall remain in effect.

11. Notices . All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to:

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.

787 7th Avenue, 4th Floor

New York, NY 10019

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

UBS Securities LLC

1285 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10019

as Representatives of the Several Underwriters

with a copy, which shall not constitute notice to:

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

One New York Plaza

New York, New York 10004

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Attention: Joshua Wechsler, Esq.

and if sent to the Company:

Hercules Capital, Inc.

400 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 310

Palo Alto, California 94301

Attention: Melanie Grace

12. Successors . This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and will inure to the benefit of the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “ successors and assigns ” as used in this Agreement shall not include a purchaser, as such purchaser, of Securities from the Underwriters.

13. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship . The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

(a) No Other Relationship . The Underwriters have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the sale of the Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Underwriters has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Prospectus, irrespective of whether any Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company on other matters;

(b) Arms’ Length Negotiations . The price of the Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriters and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(c) Absence of Obligation to Disclose . The Company has been advised that the Underwriters and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Underwriters have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and

(d) Waiver . The Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Underwriters for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that the Representatives shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company. If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Underwriters.

14. Governing Law; Construction . This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (“ Claim ”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of law provisions thereof to the extent such principles or rules would require or permit the application of the laws of another jurisdiction. The Section headings in this Agreement have been inserted as a matter of convenience of reference and are not a part of this Agreement.

15. Submission to Jurisdiction . Except as set forth below, no Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Company consents to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. The Company hereby consents to personal jurisdiction, service and venue in any court in which any Claim arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement is brought by any third party against any Underwriter or any indemnified party. Each of the Underwriters and the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) waives all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which the Company is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.

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16. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

17. Severability . In case any provision in this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Underwriters.

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

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[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

The foregoing Agreement is hereby

confirmed and accepted as of the date first

above written by

KEEFE, BRUYETTE & WOODS, INC.

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

UBS SECURITIES LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto

KEEFE, BRUYETTE & WOODS, INC.

[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]

[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]

[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]

SCHEDULE B

HERCULES CAPITAL, INC.

$40,000,000

6.25% Notes Due 2033

Pricing Term Sheet

September 19, 2018

The following sets forth the final terms of the 6.25% Notes due 2033 (the “Notes”) and should only be read together with the preliminary prospectus supplement dated September 18, 2018, together with the accompanying prospectus dated June 5, 2018, relating to these securities (the “Preliminary Prospectus”), and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus to the extent inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus. In all other respects, this pricing term sheet is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Prospectus. Terms used herein but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings as set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus. All references to dollar amounts are references to U.S. dollars.

This pricing term sheet, the preliminary prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the pricing press release are not offers to sell or the solicitation of offers to buy, nor will there be any sale of the Notes referred to in this press release, in any jurisdiction where such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

A shelf registration statement relating to these securities is on file with and has been declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus and a related preliminary prospectus supplement, copies of which may be obtained, when available, from (1) Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., Attention: Capital Markets, 787 Seventh Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10019; or by calling Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., toll-free at (800) 966-1559; or by e-mailing Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. at uscapitalmarkets@kbw.com; (2) Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 180 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014, Attn: Prospectus Department or by calling Morgan Stanley at (800) 584-6837, or by e-mailing Morgan Stanley at prospectus@morganstanley.com; and (3) UBS Securities LLC, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Prospectus Specialist, Telephone: 888-827-7275. Investors are advised to carefully consider the investment objectives, risks and charges and expenses of the Company before investing. The preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus contain this and other information about the Company and should be read carefully before investing.

Exhibit (l)(3)

		1095 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10036-6797 +1 212 698 3500 Main +1 212 698 3599 Fax www.dechert.com

September 24, 2018

Hercules Capital, Inc.

400 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 310

Palo Alto, CA 94301

Re: Registration Statement on Form N-2

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Hercules Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “ Company ”), in connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration Statement on Form N-2, originally filed on April 13, 2018 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”) and as subsequently amended on June 1, 2018, June 14, 2018, and September 24, 2018 (as amended, the “ Registration Statement ”) and the final prospectus supplement, dated September 19, 2018 (including the base prospectus filed therewith, the “ Prospectus Supplement ”), filed with the Commission on September 20, 2018 pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act, relating to the proposed issuance by the Company of $40,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.25% notes due 2033 (the “ Notes ”), to be sold to underwriters pursuant to an underwriting agreement substantially in the form filed as Exhibit (h)(9) to the Registration Statement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”). This opinion letter is being furnished to the Company in accordance with the requirements of Item 25 of Form N-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and we express no opinion herein as to any matter other than as to the legality of the Notes.

The Notes are to be issued pursuant to the indenture dated as of March 6, 2012 (the “ Base Indenture ”), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), as supplemented by the sixth supplemental indenture dated as of September 24, 2018 (the “ Sixth Supplemental Indenture ” and together with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”), between the Company and the Trustee.

In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have examined and relied on originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records and other instruments and such agreements, certificates and receipts of public officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of the Company and others, and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth below, including the following documents:

		Hercules Capital, Inc. September 24, 2018 Page 2

As to the facts upon which this opinion is based, we have relied upon certificates of public officials and certificates and written statements of agents, officers, directors and representatives of the Company without having independently verified such factual matters.

In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as original documents, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies, the legal capacity of natural persons who are signatories to the documents examined by us and the legal power and authority of all persons signing on behalf of the parties to such documents.

On the basis of the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, qualifications and limitations set forth in this letter, we are of the opinion that:

The opinions set forth herein are subject to the following assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions being true and correct at or before the time of the Notes:

		Hercules Capital, Inc. September 24, 2018 Page 3

The opinions set forth herein as to enforceability of obligations of the Company are subject to: (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or similar laws now or hereinafter in effect affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law) and the discretion of the court or other body before which any proceeding may be brought; (ii) the unenforceability under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of, or contribution to, a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy; (iii) provisions of law which may require that a judgment for money damages rendered by a court in the United States be expressed only in U.S. dollars; (iv) requirements that a claim with respect to any debt securities denominated other than in U.S. dollars (or a judgment denominated other than in U.S. dollars in respect of such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law; and (v) governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States or in foreign currency or composite currency.

We express no opinion as to the validity, legally binding effect or enforceability of any provision in any agreement or instrument that (i) requires or relates to payment of any interest at a rate or in an amount which a court may determine in the circumstances under applicable law to be commercially unreasonable or a penalty or forfeiture or (ii) relates to governing law and submission by the parties to the jurisdiction of one or more particular courts.

The opinions expressed herein are limited to the laws of the State of New York.

This opinion letter has been prepared for your use solely in connection with the Registration Statement. We assume no obligation to advise you of any changes in the foregoing subsequent to the date of this opinion.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus Supplement. In giving such 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.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Dechert LLP