MINERVA SURGICAL INC false 0001452965 0001452965 2022-12-27 2022-12-27

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 27, 2022

 

 

Minerva Surgical, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-40919   26-3422906

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

4255 Burton Dr., Santa Clara, CA 95054

(Address of principal executive offices)

(855) 646-7874

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share   UTRS   The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

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

Emerging growth company  ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


Item 5.02.

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

On December 27, 2022, David Clapper indicated that he will retire from his positions as President and Chief Executive Officer of Minerva Surgical, Inc. (the “Company”) and from its board of directors (“Board”), effective upon Todd Usen’s first day of employment, which is expected to be January 2, 2023.

In connection with his retirement, Mr. Clapper and the Company entered into a consulting agreement pursuant to which Mr. Clapper will assist with the transition of his role and consult for the Company for a period of twelve months following his resignation in exchange for the issuance of an option award for 0.5% of the Company’s fully diluted capitalization following the closing of the Company’s previously announced private placement with Accelmed (the “Private Placement”) at a strike price equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. Mr. Clapper and the Company also entered into a separation and release agreement, pursuant to which Mr. Clapper waived any claims to severance that might be due pursuant to the terms of his Change in Control and Severance Agreement and the Company agreed to accelerate the vesting of all of Mr. Clapper’s all outstanding equity awards.

The foregoing summary of the consulting agreement and separation and release agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of each of the consulting agreement and separation and release agreement that are attached hereto as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.

On December 28, 2022, the Company also announced that Todd Usen, 55, had been appointed as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board as a Class I director, effective as of his first day of employment, which is expected to be January 2, 2023. Mr. Usen has been the Chief Executive Officer of Activ Surgical, an advanced surgical visualization technology company, since January 2019. Prior to that, he served as President of the Medical Systems Group at Olympus Corporation of the Americas from June 2015 to November 2018. Prior to joining the Olympus Corporation, Mr. Usen held several positions at Smith and Nephew from 2007 to 2015, including the position of President - Orthopedics, Senior Vice President and General Manager - Joint Reconstruction, Senior Vice President - Sports Medicine, and Senior Vice President - Endoscopy. Prior to Smith and Nephew, he worked for Boston Scientific as the Vice President of Sales for the Neurovascular division, Director of Endoscopy Sales, and Global Manager of Field Development. Mr. Usen currently serves on the boards of directors of Alesi Surgical Ltd. and industry groups MassMedic and Advamed. He holds a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Massachusetts Isenberg School of Business.

In connection with his position as President and Chief Executive Officer, the Company entered into an offer letter with Mr. Usen which provides for, among other things, (i) a base salary of $480,000, (ii) annual bonus eligibility with a target bonus amount of 70% of salary, (iii) the issuance of an option award for 2% of the Company’s outstanding stock following the closing of the Private Placement at a strike price equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, (iv) the issuance of an option award for 2% of the Company’s outstanding stock following the closing of the Private Placement at a strike price equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, that vest pursuant to performance-based metrics and (v) payment of certain relocation and temporary lodging expenses. The foregoing summary of the offer letter does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the offer letter that is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.3 and incorporated herein by reference.

Mr. Usen will also enter into the Company’s standard change in control and severance agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 10.18 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-259832) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on October 15, 2021. In addition, Mr. Usen will enter into the Company’s standard form of indemnification agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-259832) filed with the SEC on September 27, 2021.


There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Usen and any other persons pursuant to which he was appointed as an officer of the Company. Mr. Usen has no family relationships with any of the Company’s directors or executive officers, and, other than as described above, Mr. Usen does not have any direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

 

Item 8.01.

Other Events.

On December 28, 2022, the Company issued a press release announcing Mr. Clapper’s retirement and the appointment of Mr. Usen as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Company’s Board, effective as of January 2, 2023. The press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated into this Item 8.01 by reference.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements relating to the retirement of David Clapper and the appointment of Todd Usen are forward-looking statements that involve a number of uncertainties and risks. Actual results may differ materially from these statements and from actual future events or results due to a variety of factors, including: the Company may experience disruptions in its business due to its Chief Executive Officer and director transition; the anticipated timeline of the leadership transition may not occur as expected; and the other risks described in reports and documents that the Company files from time to time with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 2022. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forwardlooking statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K, which are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. Except to the extent required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit

No.

   Description
10.1    Consulting Agreement, dated December 27, 2022, by and between the Company and David Clapper.
10.2    Separation and Release Agreement, dated December 27, 2022, by and between the Company and David Clapper.
10.3    Offer Letter, dated December 14, 2022, by and between the Company and Todd Usen.
99.1    Press release issued by the Company on December 28, 2022.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)


SIGNATURES

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

 

Date: December 28, 2022   Minerva Surgical, Inc.
        By:  

/s/ David Clapper

            David Clapper
            Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 10.1

CONSULTING AGREEMENT

MINERVA SURGICAL, INC.

CONSULTING AGREEMENT

This Consulting Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into on December 27, 2022 and is effective as of January 2, 2023 (the “Effective Date”) by and between Minerva Surgical, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business at 4255 Burton Drive, Santa Clara, CA, 95054 (the “Company”), and David Clapper, an individual (“Consultant”) (each herein referred to individually as a “Party” or collectively as the “Parties”).

The Company desires to retain Consultant as an independent contractor to perform consulting services for the Company that are outside the usual course of the Company’s business. Consultant is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature of the services to be performed, and Consultant is willing to perform such services, on the terms described below. In consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the Parties agree as follows:

 

  1.

Services and Compensation

Consultant shall perform the services described in Appendix A (the “Services”) for the Company (or its designee), and the Company agrees to pay Consultant the compensation described in Appendix A for Consultant’s performance of the Services.

 

  2.

Confidentiality

 

  a.

Definition of Confidential Information. “Confidential Information” means any information (including any and all combinations of individual items of information) that relates to the actual or anticipated business and/or products, research or development of the Company, its affiliates or subsidiaries, or to the Company’s, its affiliates’ or subsidiaries’ technical data, trade secrets, or know-how, including, but not limited to, research, product plans, or other information regarding the Company’s, its affiliates’ or subsidiaries’ products or services and markets therefor, customer lists and customers (including, but not limited to, customers of the Company on whom Consultant called or with whom Consultant became acquainted during the term of this Agreement), software, developments, inventions, discoveries, ideas, processes, formulas, technology, designs, drawings, engineering, hardware configuration information, marketing, finances, and other business information disclosed by the Company, its affiliates or subsidiaries, either directly or indirectly, in writing, orally or by drawings or inspection of premises, parts, equipment, or other property of Company, its affiliates or subsidiaries. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential Information shall not include any such information which Consultant can establish (i) was publicly known or made generally available prior to the time of disclosure to Consultant; (ii) becomes publicly known or made generally available after disclosure to Consultant through no wrongful action or inaction of Consultant; or (iii) is in the rightful possession of Consultant, without confidentiality obligations, at the time of disclosure as shown by Consultant’s then-contemporaneous written records; provided that any combination of individual items of information shall not be deemed to be within any of the foregoing exceptions merely because one or more of the individual items are within such exception, unless the combination as a whole is within such exception.

 

  b.

Nonuse and Nondisclosure. During and after the term of this Agreement, Consultant will hold in the strictest confidence, and take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential Information, and Consultant will not (i) use the Confidential

 

1


  Information for any purpose whatsoever other than as necessary for the performance of the Services on behalf of the Company, or (ii) subject to Consultant’s right to engage in Protected Activity (as defined below), disclose the Confidential Information to any third party without the prior written consent of an authorized representative of the Company, except that Consultant may disclose Confidential Information to any third party on a need-to-know basis for the purposes of Consultant performing the Services; provided, however, that such third party is subject to written non-use and non-disclosure obligations at least as protective of Company and the Confidential Information as this Section 2. Consultant may also disclose Confidential Information to the extent compelled by applicable law; provided however, prior to such disclosure, Consultant shall provide prior written notice to Company and seek a protective order or such similar confidential protection as may be available under applicable law. Consultant agrees that no ownership of Confidential Information is conveyed to the Consultant. Without limiting the foregoing, Consultant shall not use or disclose any Company property, intellectual property rights, trade secrets or other proprietary know-how of the Company to invent, author, make, develop, design, or otherwise enable others to invent, author, make, develop, or design identical or substantially similar designs as those developed under this Agreement for any third party. Consultant agrees that Consultant’s obligations under this Section 2.B shall continue after the termination of this Agreement.

 

  c.

Other Client Confidential Information. Consultant agrees that Consultant will not improperly use, disclose, or induce the Company to use any proprietary information or trade secrets of any former or current employer of Consultant or other person or entity with which Consultant has an obligation to keep in confidence. Consultant also agrees that Consultant will not bring onto the Company’s premises or transfer onto the Company’s technology systems any unpublished document, proprietary information, or trade secrets belonging to any third party unless disclosure to, and use by, the Company has been consented to in writing by such third party.

 

  d.

Third Party Confidential Information. Consultant recognizes that the Company has received and in the future will receive from third parties their confidential or proprietary information subject to a duty on the Company’s part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use it only for certain limited purposes. Consultant agrees that at all times during the term of this Agreement and thereafter, Consultant owes the Company and such third parties a duty to hold all such confidential or proprietary information in the strictest confidence and not to use it or to disclose it to any person, firm, corporation, or other third party except as necessary in carrying out the Services for the Company consistent with the Company’s agreement with such third party.

 

  3.

Ownership

 

  a.

Assignment of Inventions. Consultant agrees that all right, title, and interest in and to any copyrightable material, notes, records, drawings, designs, inventions, improvements, developments, discoveries, ideas and trade secrets conceived, discovered, authored, invented, developed or reduced to practice by Consultant, solely or in collaboration with others, during the term of this Agreement and arising out of, or in connection with, performing the Services under this Agreement and any copyrights, patents, trade secrets, mask work rights or other intellectual property rights relating to the foregoing (collectively, “Inventions”), are the sole property of the Company. Consultant also agrees to promptly make full written disclosure to the Company of any Inventions and to deliver and assign (or cause to be assigned) and hereby irrevocably assigns fully to the Company all right, title and interest in and to the Inventions.

 

2


  b.

Pre-Existing Materials. Subject to Section 3.A, Consultant will provide the Company with prior written notice if, in the course of performing the Services, Consultant incorporates into any Invention or utilizes in the performance of the Services any invention, discovery, idea, original works of authorship, development, improvements, trade secret, concept, or other proprietary information or intellectual property right owned by Consultant or in which Consultant has an interest, prior to, or separate from, performing the Services under this Agreement (“Prior Inventions”), and the Company is hereby granted a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, worldwide license (with the right to grant and authorize sublicenses) to make, have made, use, import, offer for sale, sell, reproduce, distribute, modify, adapt, prepare derivative works of, display, perform, and otherwise exploit such Prior Inventions, without restriction, including, without limitation, as part of or in connection with such Invention, and to practice any method related thereto. Consultant will not incorporate any invention, discovery, idea, original works of authorship, development, improvements, trade secret, concept, or other proprietary information or intellectual property right owned by any third party into any Invention without Company’s prior written permission, including without limitation any free software or open source software.

 

  c.

Moral Rights. Any assignment to the Company of Inventions includes all rights of attribution, paternity, integrity, modification, disclosure and withdrawal, and any other rights throughout the world that may be known as or referred to as “moral rights,” “artist’s rights,” “droit moral,” or the like (collectively, “Moral Rights”). To the extent that Moral Rights cannot be assigned under applicable law, Consultant hereby waives and agrees not to enforce any and all Moral Rights, including, without limitation, any limitation on subsequent modification, to the extent permitted under applicable law.

 

  d.

Maintenance of Records. Consultant agrees to keep and maintain adequate, current, accurate, and authentic written records of all Inventions made by Consultant (solely or jointly with others) during the term of this Agreement, and for a period of three (3) years thereafter. The records will be in the form of notes, sketches, drawings, electronic files, reports, or any other format that is customary in the industry and/or otherwise specified by the Company. Such records are and remain the sole property of the Company at all times and upon Company’s request, Consultant shall deliver (or cause to be delivered) the same.

 

  e.

Further Assurances. Consultant agrees to assist Company, or its designee, at the Company’s expense, in every proper way to secure the Company’s rights in Inventions in any and all countries, including the disclosure to the Company of all pertinent information and data with respect thereto, the execution of all applications, specifications, oaths, assignments and all other instruments that the Company may deem necessary in order to apply for, register, obtain, maintain, defend, and enforce such rights, and in order to deliver, assign and convey to the Company, its successors, assigns and nominees the sole and exclusive right, title, and interest in and to all Inventions and testifying in a suit or other proceeding relating to such Inventions. Consultant further agrees that Consultant’s obligations under this Section 3.E shall continue after the termination of this Agreement.

 

  f.

Attorney-in-Fact. Consultant agrees that, if the Company is unable because of Consultant’s unavailability, dissolution, mental or physical incapacity, or for any other reason, to secure Consultant’s signature with respect to any Inventions, including, without limitation, for the purpose of applying for or pursuing any application for any United States or foreign patents or mask work or copyright registrations covering the Inventions assigned to the Company in Section 3.A, then Consultant hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as Consultant’s agent and attorney-in-fact, to act for and on

 

3


  Consultant’s behalf to execute and file any papers and oaths and to do all other lawfully permitted acts with respect to such Inventions to further the prosecution and issuance of patents, copyright and mask work registrations with the same legal force and effect as if executed by Consultant. This power of attorney shall be deemed coupled with an interest, and shall be irrevocable.

 

  4.

Conflicting Obligations

Consultant represents and warrants that Consultant has no agreements, relationships, or commitments to any other person or entity that conflict with the provisions of this Agreement, Consultant’s obligations to the Company under this Agreement, and/or Consultant’s ability to perform the Services. Consultant will not enter into any such conflicting agreement during the term of this Agreement.

 

  5.

Return of Company Materials

Upon the termination of this Agreement, or upon Company’s earlier request, Consultant will immediately deliver to the Company, and will not keep in Consultant’s possession, recreate, or deliver to anyone else, any and all Company property, including, but not limited to, Confidential Information, tangible embodiments of the Inventions, all devices and equipment belonging to the Company, all electronically- stored information and passwords to access such property, those records maintained pursuant to Section 3.D and any reproductions of any of the foregoing items that Consultant may have in Consultant’s possession or control.

 

  6.

Term and Termination

 

  a.

Term. The term of this Agreement will begin on the Effective Date of this Agreement and will continue (i) a period of 12 months from the Effective Date or (ii) termination as provided in Section 6.B.

 

  b.

Termination. The Company may terminate this Agreement immediately and without prior notice if Consultant refuses to or is unable to perform the Services or is in breach of any material provision of this Agreement.

 

  c.

Survival. Upon any termination, all rights and duties of the Company and Consultant toward each other shall cease except:

 

  d.

The Company will pay, within thirty (30) days after the effective date of termination, all reimbursable expenses, if any, submitted in accordance with the Company’s policies and in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of this Agreement; and

 

  e.

Section 2 (Confidentiality), Section 3 (Ownership), Section 4 (Conflicting Obligations), Section 5 (Return of Company Materials), Section 6 (Term and Termination), Section 7 (Independent Contractor; Benefits), Section 8 (Indemnification), Section 9 (Limitation of Liability), Section 10 (Arbitration and Equitable Relief), and Section 11 (Miscellaneous) will survive termination or expiration of this Agreement in accordance with their terms.

 

4


  7.

Independent Contractor; Benefits

 

  a.

Independent Contractor. It is the express intention of the Company and Consultant that Consultant perform the Services as an independent contractor to the Company. Nothing in this Agreement shall in any way be construed to constitute Consultant as an agent, employee or representative of the Company. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Consultant is not authorized to bind the Company to any liability or obligation or to represent that Consultant has any such authority. Consultant agrees to furnish (or reimburse the Company for) all tools and materials necessary to accomplish this Agreement and shall incur all expenses associated with performance. Consultant acknowledges and agrees that Consultant is obligated to report as income all compensation received by Consultant pursuant to this Agreement. Consultant agrees to and acknowledges the obligation to pay all self-employment and other taxes on such income.

 

  b.

Benefits. The Company and Consultant agree that Consultant will receive no Company-sponsored benefits from the Company where benefits include, but are not limited to, paid vacation, sick leave, medical insurance and 401k participation. If Consultant is reclassified by a state or federal agency or court as the Company’s employee, Consultant will become a reclassified employee and will receive no benefits from the Company, except those mandated by state or federal law, even if by the terms of the Company’s benefit plans or programs of the Company in effect at the time of such reclassification, Consultant would otherwise be eligible for such benefits.

 

  8.

Indemnification

Consultant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its affiliates and their directors, officers and employees from and against all taxes, losses, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and other legal expenses, arising directly or indirectly from or in connection with (i) any negligent, reckless or intentionally wrongful act of Consultant or Consultant’s assistants, employees, contractors or agents in connection with the Services, (ii) a determination by a court or agency that the Consultant is not an independent contractor when performing the Services, (iii) any breach by the Consultant or Consultant’s assistants, employees, contractors or agents of any of the covenants contained in this Agreement and corresponding Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, (iv) any failure of Consultant to perform the Services in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, or (v) any violation or claimed violation of a third party’s rights resulting in whole, or in part, from the Company’s use of the Inventions or other deliverables of Consultant under this Agreement.

The Parties acknowledge that the Parties entered into an Indemnification Agreement, dated October 21, 2021 (the “Indemnification Agreement”), hereby incorporated by reference. Nothing in this Section 8 (“Indemnification”) shall supersede or affect the terms and conditions of the Indemnification Agreement, including the Company’s continuing obligations, if any, to Consultant pursuant to the Indemnification Agreement.

 

  9.

Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT SHALL COMPANY BE LIABLE TO CONSULTANT OR TO ANY OTHER PARTY FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES FOR LOST PROFITS OR LOSS OF BUSINESS, HOWEVER CAUSED AND UNDER ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER BASED IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHER THEORY OF LIABILITY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER COMPANY WAS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES AND NOTWITHSTANDING THE FAILURE OF ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY LIMITED REMEDY. IN NO EVENT SHALL COMPANY’S LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT EXCEED THE AMOUNTS PAID BY COMPANY TO CONSULTANT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR THE SERVICES, DELIVERABLES OR INVENTION GIVING RISE TO SUCH LIABILITY.

 

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  10.

Arbitration and Equitable Relief.

 

  a.

Arbitration. In consideration of Consultant’s consulting relationship with THE Company, its promise to arbitrate all disputes related to Consultant’s consulting relationship with the Company and Consultant’s receipt of the compensation and other benefits paid to Consultant by Company, at present and in the future, Consultant agrees that any and all controversies, claims, or disputes with anyone (including Company and any employee, officer, director, shareholder or benefit plan of the Company in their capacity as such or otherwise), arising out of, relating to, or resulting from Consultant’s consulting or other relationship with the Company or the termination of Consultant’s consulting or other relationship with the Company, including any breach of this Agreement, SHALL BE SUBJECT TO BINDING ARBITRATION PURSUANT TO THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT (THE “FAA”). THE FAA’S SUBSTANTIVE AND PROCEDURAL RULES SHALL GOVERN AND APPLY TO THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT WITH FULL FORCE AND EFFECT, AND ANY STATE COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION MAY STAY PROCEEDINGS PENDING ARBITRATION AND COMPEL ARBITRATION IN THE SAME MANNER AS A FEDERAL COURT UNDER THE FAA. CONSULTANT FURTHER AGREES THAT, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CONSULTANT MAY BRING ANY ARBITRATION PROCEEDING ONLY IN CONSULTANT’S INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF, REPRESENTATIVE, OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, OR REPRESENTATIVE LAWSUIT OR PROCEEDING. CONSULTANT MAY, HOWEVER, BRING A PROCEEDING AS A PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL AS PERMITTED BY LAW. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CONSULTANT AGREES TO ARBITRATE any AND ALL COMMON LAW AND/OR statutory claims under LOCAL, state, or federal law, including, but not limited to, claims under THE California Labor Code, CLAIMS RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT OR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS, CLASSIFICATION, AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMPANY, AND claims of BREACH OF CONTRACT, EXCEPT AS PROHIBITED BY LAW. CONSULTANT ALSO AGREES TO ARBITRATE ANY AND ALL DISPUTES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE INTERPRETATION OR APPLICATION OF THIS AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE, BUT NOT DISPUTES ABOUT THE ENFORCEABILITY, REVOCABILITY OR VALIDITY OF THIS AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE OR THE CLASS, COLLECTIVE AND REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING WAIVER HEREIN. WITH RESPECT TO ALL SUCH CLAIMS AND DISPUTES THAT CONSULTANT AGREEs TO ARBITRATE, CONSULTANT HEREBY EXPRESSLY AGREES TO WAIVE, AND DOES WAIVE, ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY. Consultant further understands that this Agreement to arbitrate also applies to any disputes that the Company may have with Consultant. CONSULTANT UNDERSTANDS THAT NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT REQUIRES CONSULTANT TO ARBITRATE CLAIMS THAT CANNOT BE ARBITRATED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, SUCH AS CLAIMS UNDER THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT.

 

  b.

PROCEDURE. CONSULTANT AGREES THAT ANY ARBITRATION WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY JAMS PURSUANT TO ITS EMPLOYMENT ARBITRATION RULES & PROCEDURES (THE “JAMS RULES”), WHICH ARE AVAILABLE AT http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/. IF THE JAMS RULES CANNOT BE ENFORCED AS TO THE ARBITRATION, THEN THE PARTIES AGREE THAT THEY WILL ARBITRATE THIS DISPUTE UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ARBITRATION ACT

 

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  (CALIFORNIA CODE CIV. PROC. § 1280 ET. SEQ (THE “CAA”)). CONSULTANT AGREES THAT THE USE OF THE JAMS RULES DOES NOT CHANGE CONSULTANT’S CLASSIFICATION TO THAT OF AN EMPLOYEE. TO THE CONTRARY, CONSULTANT REAFFIRMS THAT CONSULTANT IS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. CONSULTANT AGREES THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE ANY MOTIONS BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY TO THE ARBITRATION, INCLUDING MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND/OR ADJUDICATION AND MOTIONS TO DISMISS AND DEMURRERS APPLYING THE STANDARDS SET FORTH UNDER THE CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE. CONSULTANT AGREES THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL ISSUE A WRITTEN DECISION ON THE MERITS. CONSULTANT ALSO AGREES THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO AWARD ANY REMEDIES AVAILABLE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, AND THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL AWARD ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS TO THE PREVAILING PARTY, WHERE PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. CONSULTANT AGREES THAT THE DECREE OR AWARD RENDERED BY THE ARBITRATOR MAY BE ENTERED AS A FINAL AND BINDING JUDGMENT IN ANY COURT HAVING JURISDICTION THEREOF. CONSULTANT AGREES THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL ADMINISTER AND CONDUCT ANY ARBITRATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH CALIFORNIA LAW, INCLUDING THE CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE AND THE CALIFORNIA EVIDENCE CODE, AND THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL APPLY SUBSTANTIVE AND PROCEDURAL CALIFORNIA LAW TO ANY DISPUTE OR CLAIM, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO RULES OF CONFLICT OF LAW. CONSULTANT FURTHER AGREES THAT ANY ARBITRATION UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

 

  c.

REMEDY. EXCEPT FOR THE PURSUIT OF ANY PROVISIONAL REMEDY PERMITTED BY THE CAA OR OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY THIS AGREEMENT, CONSULTANT AGREES THAT ARBITRATION SHALL BE THE SOLE, EXCLUSIVE, AND FINAL REMEDY FOR ANY DISPUTE BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND CONSULTANT.

 

  d.

AVAILABILITY OF INJUNCTIVE RELIEF. IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 1281.8 OF THE CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ANY PARTY MAY ALSO PETITION THE COURT FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF WHERE EITHER PARTY ALLEGES OR CLAIMS A VIOLATION OF ANY AGREEMENT REGARDING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION OR NONINTERFERENCE. IN THE EVENT EITHER PARTY SEEKS INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, THE PREVAILING PARTY SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECOVER REASONABLE COSTS AND ATTORNEYS’ FEES.

 

  e.

ADMINISTRATIVE RELIEF. CONSULTANT UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT PROHIBIT CONSULTANT FROM PURSUING AN ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIM WITH LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE BODIES OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SUCH AS THE DEPARTMENT OF FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING, THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, OR THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BOARD. THIS AGREEMENT DOES, HOWEVER, PRECLUDE CONSULTANT FROM BRINGING ANY ALLEGED WAGE CLAIMS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STANDARDS ENFORCEMENT. LIKEWISE, THIS AGREEMENT DOES PRECLUDE CONSULTANT FROM PURSUING COURT ACTION REGARDING ANY ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMS, EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY LAW.

 

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  f.

VOLUNTARY NATURE OF AGREEMENT. CONSULTANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT CONSULTANT IS EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT VOLUNTARILY AND WITHOUT ANY DURESS OR UNDUE INFLUENCE BY THE COMPANY OR ANYONE ELSE. CONSULTANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT CONSULTANT HAS CAREFULLY READ THIS AGREEMENT AND THAT CONSULTANT HAS ASKED ANY QUESTIONS NEEDED FOR CONSULTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE TERMS, CONSEQUENCES AND BINDING EFFECT OF THIS AGREEMENT AND FULLY UNDERSTAND IT, INCLUDING THAT CONSULTANT IS WAIVING CONSULTANT’S RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL. FINALLY, CONSULTANT AGREES THAT CONSULTANT HAS BEEN PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF AN ATTORNEY OF CONSULTANT’S CHOICE BEFORE SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT.

 

  11.

Miscellaneous

 

  a.

Governing Law; Consent to Personal Jurisdiction. With the exception of the arbitration requirements set forth in Section 10 herein, to which the FAA shall apply, this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to the conflicts of law provisions of any jurisdiction. To the extent that any lawsuit is permitted under this Agreement, the Parties hereby expressly consent to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in California for any lawsuit filed against Consultant by the Company.

 

  b.

Assignability. This Agreement will be binding upon Consultant’s heirs, executors, assigns, administrators, and other legal representatives, and will be for the benefit of the Company, its successors, and its assigns. There are no intended third-party beneficiaries to this Agreement, except as expressly stated. Except as may otherwise be provided in this Agreement, Consultant may not sell, assign or delegate any rights or obligations under this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Company may assign this Agreement and its rights and obligations under this Agreement to any successor to all or substantially all of Company’s relevant assets, whether by merger, consolidation, reorganization, reincorporation, sale of assets or stock, change of control or otherwise.

 

  c.

Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the Parties with respect to the subject matter herein and supersedes all prior written and oral agreements, discussions, or representations between the Parties. Consultant represents and warrants that Consultant is not relying on any statement or representation not contained in this Agreement. To the extent any terms set forth in any exhibit or schedule conflict with the terms set forth in this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall control unless otherwise expressly agreed by the Parties in such exhibit or schedule.

 

  d.

Headings. Headings are used in this Agreement for reference only and shall not be considered when interpreting this Agreement.

 

  e.

Severability. If a court or other body of competent jurisdiction finds, or the Parties mutually believe, any provision of this Agreement, or portion thereof, to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible so as to effect the intent of the Parties, and the remainder of this Agreement will continue in full force and effect.

 

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  f.

Modification, Waiver. No modification of or amendment to this Agreement, nor any waiver of any rights under this Agreement, will be effective unless in a writing signed by the Parties. Waiver by the Company of a breach of any provision of this Agreement will not operate as a waiver of any other or subsequent breach.

 

  g.

Notices. Any notice or other communication required or permitted by this Agreement to be given to a Party shall be in writing and shall be deemed given (i) if delivered personally or by commercial messenger or courier service, (ii) when sent by confirmed facsimile, or (iii) if mailed by U.S. registered or certified mail (return receipt requested), to the Party at the Party’s address written below or at such other address as the Party may have previously specified by like notice. If by mail, delivery shall be deemed effective three business days after mailing in accordance with this Section 11.G.

 

  i.

If to the Company, to:

  Minerva

Surgical, Inc.

  4255

Burton Drive

  Santa

Clara, CA 95054

  Attention:

Todd Usen

 

  ii.

If to Consultant, to the address for notice on the signature page to this Agreement or, if no such address is provided, to the last address of Consultant provided by Consultant to the Company.

 

  h.

Attorneys’ Fees. In any court action at law or equity that is brought by one of the Parties to this Agreement to enforce or interpret the provisions of this Agreement, the prevailing Party will be entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees, in addition to any other relief to which that Party may be entitled.

 

  i.

Signatures. This Agreement may be signed in two counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, with the same force and effectiveness as though executed in a single document.

 

  j.

Protected Activity Not Prohibited. Consultant understands that nothing in this Agreement shall in any way limit or prohibit Consultant from engaging in any Protected Activity. For purposes of this Agreement, “Protected Activity” includes (i) filing and/or pursuing a charge or complaint with, or otherwise communicating or cooperating with or participating in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by, any federal, state or local government agency or commission, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the National Labor Relations Board (“Government Agencies”), (ii) testifying in an administrative, legislative, or judicial proceeding concerning alleged criminal conduct or alleged sexual harassment on the part of the other party to this Agreement, or on the part of the agents or employees of the other party, when Consultant been required or requested to attend the proceeding pursuant to a court order, subpoena, or written request from an administrative agency or the legislature, and (iii) disclosing information pertaining to sexual harassment or any unlawful or potentially unlawful conduct to the extent such disclosure is protected by applicable law. Consultant understands that in connection with such Protected Activity, Consultant is permitted to disclose documents or other information as permitted by law, and without giving notice to, or receiving authorization from, the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Consultant

 

9


  agrees to take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or disclosure of any information that may constitute Company confidential information to any parties or in any manner not protected by applicable law. Consultant further understands that “Protected Activity” does not include the disclosure of any Company attorney-client privileged communications. Pursuant to the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, Consultant is notified that an individual will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that (i) is made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official (directly or indirectly) or to an attorney solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, or (ii) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if (and only if) such filing is made under seal. In addition, an individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the individual’s attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.

(signature page follows)

 

10


The Parties hereto have executed this Consulting Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

CONSULTANT     MINERVA SURGICAL, INC.
By:   /s/ David Clapper     By:   /s/ Ross Jaffe
  David Clapper       Ross Jaffe, Chairman

 

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APPENDIX A

SERVICES AND COMPENSATION

Contact. Consultant’s principal Company contact:

Name: Todd Usen

Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

Email:

Services. The Services will include, but will not be limited to, the following:

 

  1.

advise and assist with transition matters and onboarding assistance as requested by the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer or its Board of Directors;

 

  2.

advise and assist on matters related to patent litigation, product liability litigation, and employment litigation as requested by the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer or its Board of Directors;

provided that in no event will the time required for these Services be greater than 480 hours over the 12 month term of this Agreement.

Compensation. Following the closing of the Accelmed financing with adjustments made to the size of the stock option pool, the Company will grant Consultant an option grant equal to 0.5% of the fully-diluted capitalization of the Company. The options will vest in equal monthly installments over the 12-month period calculated from the Effective Date of this Agreement and will be exercisable for a period of up to 90 days following termination of this Agreement.

The Company will reimburse Consultant, in accordance with Company policy, for all reasonable expenses incurred by Consultant in performing the Services pursuant to this Agreement, if Consultant receives written consent from an authorized agent of the Company prior to incurring such expenses and submits receipts for such expenses to the Company in accordance with Company policy.

Consultant shall submit to the Company a written invoice for expenses, if any, and such statement shall be subject to the approval of the contact person listed above or other designated agent of the Company. The Company will remit payment for properly submitted and approved invoices within thirty (30) days following invoice submission

All payments and benefits provided for under this Agreement are intended to be exempt from or otherwise comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and guidance thereunder (together, “Section 409A”), so that none of the payments and benefits to be provided hereunder will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities or ambiguous terms herein will be interpreted to be exempt or so comply. Each payment and benefit payable under this Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2) of the Treasury Regulations. In no event will the Company reimburse Consultant for any taxes that may be imposed on Consultant as a result of Section 409A.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK; SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

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This Appendix A is accepted and agreed upon as of December 27, 2022 and is effective as of the Effective Date (as defined in the Agreement).

 

CONSULTANT

   

MINERVA SURGICAL, INC.

By:

 

/s/ David Clapper

   

By:

 

/s/ Ross Jaffe

 

David Clapper

     

Ross Jaffe, Chairman

 

13

Exhibit 10.2

SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND RELEASE

This Separation Agreement and Release (“Agreement”) is made by and between David Clapper (“Employee”) and Minerva Surgical, Inc. (the “Company”) (collectively referred to as the “Parties” or individually referred to as a “Party”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Employee was employed by the Company;

WHEREAS, Employee signed a confirmatory employment letter with the Company on October 24, 2021 (the “Employment Letter”);

WHEREAS, Employee signed a Change in Control and Severance Agreement with the Company on October 24, 2021 (the “Severance Agreement”);

WHEREAS, Employee signed an At-Will Employment, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment, and Arbitration Agreement with the Company on May 24, 2011 (the “Confidentiality Agreement”);

WHEREAS, the Company granted Employee restricted stock units (any such grant, an “RSU Award”) and the option(s) to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock (each such option grant an “Option” and together with any RSU Award(s), the “Equity Awards”), subject to the terms and conditions of applicable RSU and stock option agreement(s) and the Company’s 2008 Stock Plan, 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, and 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as applicable (collectively the “Stock Agreements”); and

WHEREAS, the Employee is resigning from employment with the Company effective January 2, 2023 (the “Termination Date”); and

WHEREAS, the Parties wish to resolve any and all disputes, claims, complaints, grievances, charges, actions, petitions, and demands that the Employee may have against the Company and any of the Releasees as defined below, including, but not limited to, any and all claims arising out of or in any way related to Employee’s employment with or separation from the Company.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises made herein, the Company and Employee hereby agree as follows:

COVENANTS

1. Consideration.

a. Bonus Payment. The Company agrees to pay Employee his 2022 bonus from the Company employee bonus program based on the corporate goal attainment as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. This bonus amount will be paid in the first quarter of 2023 when bonuses are paid to other employees.

 

1


b. Equity. The RSU Award dated May 2, 2022 is hereby accelerated such that 100% of unvested restricted stock units subject to that RSU Award will become fully vested upon the Effective Date (as defined below). The vesting of the shares underlying the option grant dated June 16, 2021, are hereby accelerated such that 100% of unvested shares will become fully vested and exercisable as of the Effective Date. The vesting of the shares underlying the option grant dated April 9, 2020, all of which have been exercised, are hereby accelerated such that 100% of unvested shares will become fully vested, and the Company’s repurchase right shall lapse in full, as of the Effective Date.

c. PTO. At the time of the Employee’s final salary payment, the Company will pay Employee his paid time off (PTO) accrued in accordance with Company policy.

d. Acknowledgement. Except as explicitly set forth in this Agreement, Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee is not entitled to receive any severance benefits from the Company, including, but not limited to, any such severance benefits that Employee may have otherwise been entitled to pursuant to the Employment Letter, the Severance Agreement, or any other agreement. Employee hereby waives Employee’s right to receive any severance or other separation benefits that are not explicitly set forth in this Agreement. Employee acknowledges that without this Agreement, Employee is otherwise not entitled to the consideration listed in this section 1.

2. Benefits. Employee’s health insurance benefits shall cease on December 31, 2022, subject to Employee’s right to continue Employee’s health insurance under COBRA. Employee’s participation in all benefits and incidents of employment, including, but not limited to, the accrual of bonuses, vacation, and paid time off, ceased as of the Termination Date.

3. Payment of Salary and Receipt of All Benefits. Employee acknowledges and represents that, other than the consideration set forth in this Agreement, the Company has paid or provided all salary, wages, bonuses, accrued vacation/paid time off, premiums, leaves, housing allowances, relocation costs, interest, severance, outplacement costs, fees, reimbursable expenses, commissions, stock, stock options, vesting, and any and all other benefits and compensation due to Employee as a result of his employment relationship with the Company and his service on the Company’s Board of Directors.

4. Release of Claims. Employee agrees that the foregoing consideration represents settlement in full of all outstanding obligations owed to Employee by the Company and its current and former officers, directors, employees, agents, investors, attorneys, shareholders, administrators, affiliates, benefit plans, plan administrators, professional employer organization or co-employer, insurers, trustees, divisions, subsidiaries, predecessor and successor corporations, and assigns (collectively, the “Releasees”). Employee, on Employee’s own behalf and on behalf of Employee’s respective heirs, family members, executors, agents, and assigns, hereby and forever releases the Releasees from, and agrees not to sue concerning, or in any manner to institute, prosecute, or pursue, any claim, complaint, charge, duty, obligation, demand, or cause of action relating to any matters of any kind, whether presently known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, that Employee may possess against any of the Releasees arising from any omissions, acts, facts, or damages that have occurred up until and including the date Employee signs this Agreement, including, without limitation:

a. any and all claims relating to or arising from Employee’s employment relationship with the Company and the termination of that relationship;

 

2


b. any and all claims relating to, or arising from, Employee’s right to purchase, or actual purchase of shares of stock of the Company, including, without limitation, any claims for fraud, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of duty under applicable state corporate law, and securities fraud under any state or federal law;

c. any and all claims for wrongful discharge of employment, termination in violation of public policy, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract (both express and implied), breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing (both express and implied), promissory estoppel, negligent or intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud, negligent or intentional misrepresentation, negligent or intentional interference with contract or prospective economic advantage, unfair business practices, defamation, libel, slander, negligence, personal injury, assault, battery, invasion of privacy, false imprisonment, conversion, and disability benefits;

d. any and all claims for violation of any federal, state, or municipal statute, including, but not limited to, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Equal Pay Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the National Labor Relations Act, the California Family Rights Act, the California Labor Code, the California Workers’ Compensation Act, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act;

e. any and all claims for violation of the federal or any state constitution;

f. any and all claims arising out of any other laws and regulations relating to employment or employment discrimination;

g. any claim for any loss, cost, damage, or expense arising out of any dispute over the non-withholding or other tax treatment of any of the proceeds received by Employee as a result of this Agreement; and

h. any and all claims for attorneys’ fees and costs.

Employee agrees that the release set forth in this section shall be and remain in effect in all respects as a complete general release as to the matters released. This release does not extend to any obligations incurred under this Agreement. This release does not release claims that cannot be released as a matter of law. Any and all disputed wage claims that are released herein shall be subject to binding arbitration in accordance with this Agreement, except as required by applicable law. This release does not extend to any right Employee may have to unemployment compensation benefits.

 

3


5. Acknowledgment of Waiver of Claims under ADEA. Employee acknowledges that Employee is waiving and releasing any rights Employee may have under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (“ADEA”), and that this waiver and release is knowing and voluntary. Employee agrees that this waiver and release does not apply to any rights or claims that may arise under the ADEA after the date Employee signs this Agreement. Employee acknowledges that the consideration given for this waiver and release is in addition to anything of value to which Employee was already entitled. Employee further acknowledges that Employee has been advised by this writing that: (a) Employee should consult with an attorney prior to executing this Agreement; (b) Employee has twenty-one (21) days within which to consider this Agreement; (c) Employee has seven (7) days following Employee’s execution of this Agreement to revoke this Agreement; (d) this Agreement shall not be effective until after the revocation period has expired; and (e) nothing in this Agreement prevents or precludes Employee from challenging or seeking a determination in good faith of the validity of this waiver under the ADEA, nor does it impose any condition precedent, penalties, or costs for doing so, unless specifically authorized by federal law. In the event Employee signs this Agreement and returns it to the Company in less than the 21-day period identified above, Employee hereby acknowledges that Employee has knowingly and voluntarily chosen to waive the time period allotted for considering this Agreement. Employee acknowledges and understands that revocation must be accomplished by a written notification to the person executing this Agreement on the Company’s behalf that is received prior to the Effective Date. The Parties agree that changes, whether material or immaterial, do not restart the running of the 21-day period.

6. California Civil Code Section 1542. Employee acknowledges that Employee has been advised to consult with legal counsel and is familiar with the provisions of California Civil Code Section 1542, a statute that otherwise prohibits the release of unknown claims, which provides as follows:

A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS THAT THE CREDITOR OR RELEASING PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE AND THAT, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, WOULD HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR OR RELEASED PARTY.

Employee, being aware of said code section, agrees to expressly waive any rights Employee may have thereunder, as well as under any other statute or common law principles of similar effect.

7. No Pending or Future Lawsuits. Employee represents that Employee has no lawsuits, claims, or actions pending in Employee’s name, or on behalf of any other person or entity, against the Company or any of the other Releasees. Employee also represents that Employee does not intend to bring any claims on Employee’s own behalf or on behalf of any other person or entity against the Company or any of the other Releasees.

8. Application for Employment. Employee understands and agrees that, as a condition of this Agreement, Employee shall not be entitled to any employment with the Company, and Employee hereby waives any right, or alleged right, of employment or re-employment with the Company.

 

4


9. Confidentiality. Subject to the Protected Activity Not Prohibited section, Employee agrees to maintain in complete confidence the existence of this Agreement, the contents and terms of this Agreement, and the consideration for this Agreement (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Separation Information”). Except as required by law, Employee may disclose Separation Information only to Employee’s immediate family members, the Court in any proceedings to enforce the terms of this Agreement, Employee’s attorney(s), and Employee’s accountant(s) and any professional tax advisor(s) to the extent that they need to know the Separation Information in order to provide advice on tax treatment or to prepare tax returns, and must prevent disclosure of any Separation Information to all other third parties. Employee agrees that Employee will not publicize, directly or indirectly, any Separation Information.

10. Trade Secrets and Confidential Information/Company Property. Employee acknowledges that, separate from this Agreement, Employee remains under continuing obligations to the Company under the Confidentiality Agreement, including the provisions therein regarding nondisclosure of the Company’s trade secrets and confidential and proprietary information. Employee’s signature below constitutes Employee’s certification under penalty of perjury that Employee has returned all documents and other items provided to Employee by the Company (with the exception of a copy of the Employee Handbook and personnel documents specifically relating to Employee), developed or obtained by Employee in connection with Employee’s employment with the Company, or otherwise belonging to the Company.

11. No Cooperation. Subject to the Protected Activity Not Prohibited section, Employee agrees that Employee will not knowingly encourage, counsel, or assist any attorneys or their clients in the presentation or prosecution of any disputes, differences, grievances, claims, charges, or complaints by any third party against any of the Releasees, unless under a subpoena or other court order to do so or upon written request from an administrative agency or the legislature or as related directly to the ADEA waiver in this Agreement. Employee agrees both to immediately notify the Company upon receipt of any such subpoena or court order or written request from an administrative agency or the legislature, and to furnish, within three (3) business days of its receipt, a copy of such subpoena or other court order or written request from an administrative agency or the legislature. If approached by anyone for counsel or assistance in the presentation or prosecution of any disputes, differences, grievances, claims, charges, or complaints against any of the Releasees, Employee shall state no more than that Employee cannot provide counsel or assistance.

12. Protected Activity Not Prohibited. Employee understands that nothing in this Agreement shall in any way limit or prohibit Employee from engaging in any Protected Activity. Protected Activity includes: (i) filing and/or pursuing a charge, complaint, or report with, or otherwise communicating, cooperating, or participating in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any federal, state or local government agency or commission, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the National Labor Relations Board (“Government Agencies”); and/or (ii) discussing or disclosing information about unlawful acts in the workplace, such as harassment or discrimination or any other conduct that Employee has reason to believe is unlawful. Employee understands that in connection with such Protected Activity, Employee is permitted to disclose documents or other information as permitted by law, without giving notice to, or receiving authorization from, the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Employee agrees to take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or disclosure of any Company trade secrets, proprietary information, or confidential information that does not involve unlawful acts in the workplace or the activity otherwise protected herein. Employee further understands that Protected Activity does not include the disclosure of any Company attorney-client privileged communications

 

5


or attorney work product. Any language in the Confidentiality Agreement regarding Employee’s right to engage in Protected Activity that conflicts with, or is contrary to, this section is superseded by this Agreement. In addition, pursuant to the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, Employee is notified that an individual will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that (i) is made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official (directly or indirectly) or to an attorney solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, or (ii) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if (and only if) such filing is made under seal. In addition, an individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the individual’s attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.

13. Non-disparagement. Subject to the Protected Activity Not Prohibited section, Employee agrees to refrain from any disparagement, defamation, libel, or slander of any of the Releasees, and agrees to refrain from any tortious interference with the contracts and relationships of any of the Releasees. Employee shall direct any inquiries by potential future employers to the Company’s human resources department.

14. Breach. In addition to the rights provided in the “Attorneys’ Fees” section below, Employee acknowledges and agrees that any material breach of this Agreement, unless such breach constitutes a legal action by Employee challenging or seeking a determination in good faith of the validity of the waiver herein under the ADEA, or of any provision of the Confidentiality Agreement shall entitle the Company immediately to recover and/or cease providing the consideration provided to Employee under this Agreement and to obtain damages, except as provided by law.

15. No Admission of Liability. Employee understands and acknowledges that with respect to all claims released herein, this Agreement constitutes a compromise and settlement of any and all actual or potential disputed claims by Employee unless such claims were explicitly not released by the release in this Agreement. No action taken by the Company hereto, either previously or in connection with this Agreement, shall be deemed or construed to be (a) an admission of the truth or falsity of any actual or potential claims or (b) an acknowledgment or admission by the Company of any fault or liability whatsoever to Employee or to any third party.

16. Costs. The Parties shall each bear their own costs, attorneys’ fees, and other fees incurred in connection with the preparation of this Agreement.

17. ARBITRATION. EXCEPT AS PROHIBITED BY LAW, THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ANY AND ALL DISPUTES ARISING OUT OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, THEIR INTERPRETATION, EMPLOYEE’S EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY OR THE TERMS THEREOF, OR ANY OF THE MATTERS HEREIN RELEASED, SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION UNDER THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT (THE “FAA”) AND THAT THE FAA SHALL GOVERN AND APPLY TO THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT WITH FULL FORCE AND EFFECT; HOWEVER, WITHOUT LIMITING ANY PROVISIONS OF THE FAA, A MOTION OR PETITION OR ACTION TO COMPEL ARBITRATION MAY ALSO BE BROUGHT IN STATE COURT UNDER THE PROCEDURAL PROVISIONS OF SUCH STATE’S LAWS RELATING TO MOTIONS OR PETITIONS OR ACTIONS TO COMPEL ARBITRATION.

 

6


EMPLOYEE AGREES THAT, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, EMPLOYEE MAY BRING ANY SUCH ARBITRATION PROCEEDING ONLY IN EMPLOYEE’S INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY. ANY ARBITRATION WILL OCCUR IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA BEFORE JAMS, PURSUANT TO ITS EMPLOYMENT ARBITRATION RULES & PROCEDURES (“JAMS RULES”), EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE ANY MOTIONS BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY TO THE ARBITRATION, INCLUDING MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND/OR ADJUDICATION, AND MOTIONS TO DISMISS AND DEMURRERS, APPLYING THE STANDARDS SET FORTH UNDER THE CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL ISSUE A WRITTEN DECISION ON THE MERITS. THE PARTIES ALSO AGREE THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO AWARD ANY REMEDIES AVAILABLE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, AND THAT THE ARBITRATOR MAY AWARD ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS TO THE PREVAILING PARTY, WHERE PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. THE ARBITRATOR MAY GRANT INJUNCTIONS AND OTHER RELIEF IN SUCH DISPUTES. THE DECISION OF THE ARBITRATOR SHALL BE FINAL, CONCLUSIVE, AND BINDING ON THE PARTIES TO THE ARBITRATION. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT THE PREVAILING PARTY IN ANY ARBITRATION SHALL BE ENTITLED TO INJUNCTIVE RELIEF IN ANY COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO ENFORCE THE ARBITRATION AWARD. THE PARTIES TO THE ARBITRATION SHALL EACH PAY AN EQUAL SHARE OF THE COSTS AND EXPENSES OF SUCH ARBITRATION, AND EACH PARTY SHALL SEPARATELY PAY FOR ITS RESPECTIVE COUNSEL FEES AND EXPENSES; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE ARBITRATOR MAY AWARD ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS TO THE PREVAILING PARTY, EXCEPT AS PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE PARTIES HEREBY AGREE TO WAIVE THEIR RIGHT TO HAVE ANY DISPUTE BETWEEN THEM RESOLVED IN A COURT OF LAW BY A JUDGE OR JURY. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THIS SECTION WILL NOT PREVENT EITHER PARTY FROM SEEKING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF (OR ANY OTHER PROVISIONAL REMEDY) FROM ANY COURT HAVING JURISDICTION OVER THE PARTIES AND THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THEIR DISPUTE RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE AGREEMENTS INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE. SHOULD ANY PART OF THE ARBITRATION AGREEMENT CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER ARBITRATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE ARBITRATION SECTION OF THE CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT, THE PARTIES AGREE THAT THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT IN THIS SECTION SHALL GOVERN.

18. Tax Consequences. The Company makes no representations or warranties with respect to the tax consequences of the payments and any other consideration provided to Employee or made on Employee’s behalf under the terms of this Agreement. Employee agrees and understands that Employee is responsible for payment, if any, of local, state, and/or federal taxes on the payments and any other consideration provided hereunder by the Company and any penalties or assessments thereon. Employee further agrees to indemnify and hold the Releasees harmless from any claims, demands, deficiencies, penalties, interest, assessments, executions, judgments, or recoveries by any government agency against the Company for any amounts claimed due on account of (a) Employee’s failure to pay or delayed payment of federal or state taxes, or (b) damages sustained by the Company by reason of any such claims, including attorneys’ fees and costs. The Parties agree and acknowledge that the payments made pursuant to section 1 of this Agreement are not related to sexual harassment or sexual abuse and not intended to fall within the scope of 26 U.S.C. Section 162(q).

 

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19. Authority. The Company represents and warrants that the undersigned has the authority to act on behalf of the Company and to bind the Company and all who may claim through it to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Employee represents and warrants that Employee has the capacity to act on Employee’s own behalf and on behalf of all who might claim through Employee to bind them to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Each Party warrants and represents that there are no liens or claims of lien or assignments in law or equity or otherwise of or against any of the claims or causes of action released herein.

20. Severability. In the event that any provision or any portion of any provision hereof or any surviving agreement made a part hereof becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator to be illegal, unenforceable, or void, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect without said provision or portion of provision.

21. Attorneys Fees. Except with regard to a legal action challenging or seeking a determination in good faith of the validity of the waiver herein under the ADEA, in the event that either Party brings an action to enforce or effect its rights under this Agreement, the prevailing Party shall be entitled to recover its costs and expenses, including the costs of mediation, arbitration, litigation, court fees, and reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with such an action.

22. Entire Agreement. This Agreement represents the entire agreement and understanding between the Company and Employee concerning the subject matter of this Agreement and Employee’s employment with and separation from the Company and the events leading thereto and associated therewith, and supersedes and replaces any and all prior agreements and understandings concerning the subject matter of this Agreement and Employee’s relationship with the Company, with the exception of the Confidentiality Agreement, the Stock Agreements, and the Indemnification Agreement by and between the Employee and the Company dated October 21, 2021, except as otherwise modified or superseded herein.

23. No Oral Modification. This Agreement may only be amended in a writing signed by Employee and the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.

24. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard for choice-of-law provisions, except that any dispute regarding the enforceability of the arbitration section of this Agreement shall be governed by the FAA. Employee consents to personal and exclusive jurisdiction and venue in the State of California.

25. Effective Date. Each Party has seven (7) days after that Party signs this Agreement to revoke it. This Agreement will become effective on the eighth (8th) day after Employee signed this Agreement, so long as it has been signed by the Parties and has not been revoked by either Party before that date (the “Effective Date”).

 

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26. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts and each counterpart shall be deemed an original and all of which counterparts taken together shall have the same force and effect as an original and shall constitute an effective, binding agreement on the part of each of the undersigned. The counterparts of this Agreement may be executed and delivered by facsimile, photo, email PDF, or other electronic transmission or signature.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK; SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

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27. Voluntary Execution of Agreement. Employee understands and agrees that Employee executed this Agreement voluntarily and without any duress or undue influence on the part or behalf of the Company or any third party, with the full intent of releasing all of Employee’s claims against the Company and any of the other Releasees. Employee acknowledges that:

 

  (a)

Employee has read this Agreement;

 

  (b)

Employee has a right to consult with an attorney regarding this Agreement, and has been represented in the preparation, negotiation, and execution of this Agreement by an attorney of Employee’s own choice or has elected not to retain an attorney;

 

  (c)

Employee understands the terms and consequences of this Agreement and of the releases it contains;

 

  (d)

Employee is fully aware of the legal and binding effect of this Agreement; and

 

  (e)

Employee has not relied upon any representations or statements made by the Company that are not specifically set forth in this Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement on the respective dates set forth below.

 

   

DAVID CLAPPER, an individual

Dated: December 27, 2022

  By:  

/s/ David Clapper

   

David Clapper

   

MINERVA SURGICAL, INC.

Dated: December 27, 2022

  By:  

/s/ Ross Jaffe

   

Ross Jaffe

   

Chairman

 

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Exhibit 10.3

 

LOGO

December 14, 2022

Todd Usen

82 Fox Run Rd.

Bolton, MA 01740

Dear Todd,

We are pleased to offer you a position with Minerva Surgical (the “Company”) as its President and Chief Executive Officer. You will report to the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). If you decide to join us, you will receive an annual base salary of $480,000, less applicable withholdings, which will be paid semi-monthly in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll procedures.

Additionally, you will be eligible to earn an annual discretionary bonus up to 70% of your base salary. The amount of this bonus will be determined in the sole discretion of the Board or its designee and based, in part, on your performance and the performance of the Company during the calendar year, as well as any other criteria the Company deems relevant. The Company will pay you this bonus, if any, no later than March 15th of the calendar year following the calendar year to which the bonus performance metrics relate. The bonus is not earned until paid and no pro-rated amount will be paid if your employment terminates for any reason prior to the payment date; provided that if your employment is terminated by the Company after December 31 of the calendar year to which the bonus performance metrics relate but prior to the applicable payment date, you will remain eligible to receive the bonus (if any) payable with respect to such calendar year.

As a full-time exempt employee, you will also be eligible to participate in certain employee benefit programs generally made available to similarly situated Company employees, subject to the satisfaction of any eligibility requirements and subject to the terms of such benefit programs. Information on currently available benefit programs will be provided to you shortly after your start date. You should note that the Company may modify position titles, responsibilities, compensation and benefits from time to time as it deems necessary.

In addition, if you decide to join the Company, it will be recommended at a meeting of the Company’s Board following your start date that the Company grant you two options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock (each an “Option” and collectively the “Options”), with each Option covering a number of shares of the Company’s common stock equal to 2% (4% in the aggregate for both Options) of the Company’s anticipated outstanding shares following the Company’s equity financing currently in process, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion. Each Option will have an exercise price per share equal to the fair market value per share of the Company’s common stock on the date of

 

4255 Burton Drive, Santa Clara CA 95054

Office: 650.284.3500    Fax: 408.689.9619    www.minervasurgical.com

 

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the grants. Each Option will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan and an option agreement thereunder between you and the Company in the Company’s standard form, subject to the vesting criteria described below. No right to any stock or payment is earned or accrued until such time that vesting occurs, nor does the grant confer any right to continue vesting or employment.

The first Option (the “Time-Based Option”) will be subject to a time-based vesting schedule, with 25% of the shares subject to the Time-Based Option vesting on the first anniversary of your Start Date (as defined below), and 75% of the shares vesting in equal monthly amounts thereafter over the next 36 months, subject to your continued employment through each vesting date.    

The second Option (the “Performance-Based Option) will be subject to a performance-based vesting schedule. A portion of the shares subject to the Performance-Based Option will vest on the date (each, a “Board Certification Date”) that the Board determines that the applicable performance criteria with respect to such shares has been achieved, as set forth below, subject to your continued employment through such Board Certification Date, provided that such criteria is achieved within 5 years following the date of grant of the Performance-Based Option:

 

  1.

Trailing twelve-month (TTM) Total Revenue of $75 M: 25% of Performance-Based Option shares

 

  2.

TTM Total Revenue of $110 M: 25% of Performance-Based Option shares

 

  3.

TTM Total Revenue of $150 M: 25% of Performance-Based Option shares

 

  4.

Three consecutive quarters of operating profitability, defined as Gross Margin minus Total Operating Expenses: 25% of Performance-Based Option shares

For purposes of the Performance-Based Option vesting schedule, the Board will determine whether any performance criteria under the Performance-Based Option has been achieved at least once every 12 months. Any shares subject to the Performance-Based Option that have failed to vest as of the date of the first Board meeting to occur following the 5 year anniversary of the date of grant of the Performance-Based Option will terminate for no consideration.

As we have discussed, the Board expects you to work out of the Company’s headquarters, currently in Santa Clara, CA. We understand that you will not be able to relocate with your wife to the San Francisco Bay Area until the end of this academic year in June 2023. You will receive a one-time relocation bonus of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00), subject to all applicable tax withholdings, payable at the time of the first regular paycheck. This bonus is intended to aid in covering expenses associated with your relocation as you see fit. By signing, you agree to repay the full amount of the relocation bonus within 30 days following the date of your termination if, within the one year period following your Start Date, you voluntarily terminate your employment.

 

4255 Burton Drive, Santa Clara CA 95054

Office: 650.284.3500    Fax: 408.689.9619    www.minervasurgical.com

 

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Additionally, pursuant to the Company’s expense reimbursement policy, the Company will reimburse you for up to $4,000 per month in temporary lodging expenses incurred by you in the San Francisco Bay Area for up to a six month period following your Start Date, subject to applicable withholdings. Such reimbursements will be made in the time frame specified by Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(1)(iv) unless another time frame that complies with or is exempt from Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code is specified in the Company’s expense reimbursement policy.

The Company is excited about your joining and looks forward to a beneficial and productive relationship. Nevertheless, you should be aware that your employment with the Company is for no specified period and constitutes at-will employment. As a result, you are free to resign at any time, for any reason or for no reason. Similarly, the Company is free to conclude its employment relationship with you at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. We request that, in the event of resignation, you give the Company at least two weeks’ notice.

In connection with executing this letter, you are also entering into the Change in Control and Severance Agreement between you and the Company (the “Severance Agreement”), which is incorporated herein by reference.

For purposes of federal immigration law, you will be required to provide to the Company documentary evidence of your identity and eligibility for employment in the United States. Such documentation must be provided to us within three (3) business days of your date of hire, or our employment relationship with you may be terminated.

We also ask that, if you have not already done so, you disclose to the Company any and all agreements relating to your prior employment that may affect your eligibility to be employed by the Company or limit the manner in which you may be employed. It is the Company’s understanding that any such agreements will not prevent you from performing the duties of your position and you represent that such is the case. Moreover, you agree that, during the term of your employment with the Company, you will not engage in any other employment, occupation, consulting or other business activity directly related to the business in which the Company is now involved or becomes involved during the term of your employment, nor will you engage in any other activities that conflict with your obligations to the Company.

Furthermore, you agree not to bring any third-party confidential information to the Company, including that of your former employer, and that in performing your duties for the Company you will not in any way utilize any such information.

As a Company employee, you will be expected to abide by the Company’s rules and standards of conduct and ethics policy. Specifically, you will be required to sign an acknowledgment that you have read and that you understand the Company’s policy which is included in the Company Handbook.

As a condition of your employment, you are also required to sign and comply with an At-Will Employment, Confidential Information and Invention Assignment as well as a Mutual Arbitration Agreement. Please note that we must receive these signed agreements before your first day of employment.

 

4255 Burton Drive, Santa Clara CA 95054

Office: 650.284.3500    Fax: 408.689.9619    www.minervasurgical.com

 

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To accept the Company’s offer, please sign and date this letter in the space provided below. If you accept our offer, your first day of employment will be January 2, 2023 (the “Start Date”). This letter, along with any agreements relating to proprietary rights between you and the Company, set forth the terms of your employment with the Company and supersede any prior representations or agreements including, but not limited to, any representations made during your recruitment, interviews or pre-employment negotiations, whether written or oral. This letter, including, but not limited to, its at-will employment provision, may not be modified or amended except by a written agreement signed by the Chairman of the Company’s Board and you. This offer of employment will terminate if it is not accepted, signed and returned by end of day December 21, 2022.

We look forward to your favorable reply and to working with you at Minerva Surgical, Inc.

 

Sincerely,
/s/ Ross Jaffe, MD
Ross Jaffe, MD
Chairman, Minerva Surgical Board of Directors

Enclosures:

 

   

Change in Control and Severance Agreement

 

   

At-Will Employment, Confidential Information and Invention Assignment

 

   

Mutual Arbitration Agreement

 

Agreed to and accepted:
Signature:   /s/ Todd Usen
Printed Name:   Todd Usen

Date: December 16, 2022

 

4255 Burton Drive, Santa Clara CA 95054

Office: 650.284.3500    Fax: 408.689.9619    www.minervasurgical.com

 

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Exhibit 99.1

Minerva Surgical Announces David Clapper Retirement and Appointment of Todd Usen as Company President and CEO

Santa Clara, Calif. – December 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Minerva Surgical, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTRS) (Minerva Surgical or the Company), a women’s health company focused on the treatment of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB), announced today that David Clapper, who has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2011, has chosen to retire. The Company’s board of directors (the Board) has appointed industry executive Todd Usen as President and Chief Executive Officer of Minerva Surgical and a member of the Board to succeed Mr. Clapper effective January 2, 2023. To ensure a smooth leadership transition, Mr. Clapper will continue to serve in his role through Mr. Usen’s first day of employment and has entered into a consulting agreement for 12 months following his retirement.

“On behalf of the Board, the management team, and Minerva Surgical’s employees, we want to thank Dave for his leadership and impact over the last eleven years, building a leading business in women’s health,” said Ross Jaffe, M.D, Minerva Surgical’s Chairman of the Board. “We appreciate Dave securing our latest financing as well as assisting in the search to find a strong successor, both of which ensure that Minerva Surgical is well-positioned going forward.”

Dr. Jaffe continued, “We are thrilled to welcome Todd Usen to his new role as President and Chief Executive Officer of Minerva Surgical. Todd’s experience leading best-in-class medical device companies and driving market penetration is a great strategic fit for Minerva Surgical. The Board and management team look forward to working with him to continue to improve patient lives and grow our outstanding women’s health company.”

“It’s been a great privilege to collaborate with our incredible team to serve Minerva Surgical’s stockholders, customers, and employees, and I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together,” said Mr. Clapper. “I have served over eleven years as CEO, and I feel this is the right time for me to step aside and start a new chapter in my life. Minerva Surgical is in a great operational position and is led by an experienced management team. I have the utmost confidence in Todd to lead Minerva Surgical into the future and fulfill the mission to meet the uterine health needs of women.”

“I am honored to join Minerva Surgical and look forward to working with the entire organization to continue driving value for all stakeholders, but most importantly women all over the world who experience heavy bleeding, leading to unnecessary hysterectomies,” said Mr. Usen. “With the most convincing clinical data in the market, a strong commercial footprint and the recently announced financing, I believe that Minerva Surgical is poised to scale our growth and deliver best-in-class surgical solutions to better serve the compelling unmet needs in women’s health today.”

Mr. Usen has extensive commercial and operational experience with a proven track record of leading large, complex global businesses across several highly-regarded medical device companies. He most recently spent the last four years as the Chief Executive Officer of Activ Surgical, a digital surgery company focused on advanced surgical imaging and AI, where he oversaw the FDA/CE clearance of its ActivSight technology, as well as leading four fundraising rounds totaling over $92 million. From 2015 to 2018, Mr. Usen was President, Medical Systems Group, for Olympus Corporation of the Americas, where he took charge of a complex $2B+ business and restructured the company for leaner growth and investment, drove successful mergers and acquisitions activity, led the expansion from 6 medical divisions to 11 in 3.5 years. Prior to that, Mr. Usen served in executive positions including President,


United States Orthopedics, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Joint Reconstruction, and Senior Vice President Sports Medicine at Smith and Nephew, and Vice President Sales and Director of Sales at Boston Scientific Corporation. Mr. Usen holds a BS in Marketing from the Isenberg School at the University of Massachusetts.

About Minerva Surgical, Inc.

Minerva Surgical is a commercial-stage medical technology company focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing minimally invasive solutions to meet the distinct uterine healthcare needs of women. The Company has established a broad product line of commercially available, minimally invasive alternatives to hysterectomy, which are designed to address the most common causes of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) in most uterine anatomies. The Minerva Surgical solutions can be used in a variety of medical treatment settings and aim to address the drawbacks associated with alternative treatment methods and to preserve the uterus by avoiding unnecessary hysterectomies.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current assumptions and expectations of future events and trends, which affect or may affect the Company’s business, strategy, operations or financial performance, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding plans for David Clapper to retire and Todd Usen to join the Company. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Actual results may differ materially from these statements and from actual or future events due to a variety of factors.

MEDIA CONTACT

Mike Clapper

mike.clapper@minervasurgical.com

804-295-7676


INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT

Caroline Corner

investors@minervasurgical.com

415-202-5678

RELATED LINKS

https://www.aubandme.com

https://www.minervasurgical.com